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): August 24, 2018
SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
DELAWARE | 001-33556 | 41-2232463 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
5400 Westheimer Court,
Houston, Texas 77056
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(713) 627-5400
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
☒ |
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 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
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.
Agreement and Plan of Merger
On August 24, 2018, Spectra Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (SEP), Spectra Energy Partners (DE) GP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership and the general partner of SEP (the General Partner), Enbridge Inc., a Canadian corporation (Enbridge), Enbridge (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware corporation, Autumn Acquisition Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge (Merger Sub), and, solely for the purposes of Articles I, II and XI, Enbridge US Holdings Inc., a Canadian corporation, Spectra Energy Corp, a Delaware corporation, Spectra Energy Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Spectra Energy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger Agreement). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will be merged with and into SEP (the Merger), with SEP continuing as the sole surviving entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, at the effective time of the Merger, each common unit representing a fractional part of the limited partner interests in SEP (each, an SEP Common Unit) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger, other than certain excluded SEP Common Units owned by Enbridge and its subsidiaries, will be converted into, and become exchangeable for, 1.111 shares of Enbridge common stock (Enbridge Common Stock).
The conflicts committee (the Conflicts Committee) of the board of directors (the Board) of Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC (GP, LLC), the general partner of the General Partner, has, acting in good faith and relying on the advice of its legal and financial advisors, unanimously, (i) determined that the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby are fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, SEP and the holders of the outstanding SEP Common Units (other than Enbridge and its affiliates), (ii) approved the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, which such approval constituted Special Approval under the limited partnership agreement of SEP, and (iii) recommended that the Board approve the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. Based upon such recommendation, the Board has, acting in good faith unanimously (i) determined that the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, are fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of SEP and the holders of the outstanding SEP Common Units (other than Enbridge and its affiliates), (ii) approved the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, and (iii) resolved to recommend that the limited partners of SEP approve the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, and directed that the Merger Agreement be submitted to the limited partners for their approval by written consent.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Enbridge and Enbridge (U.S.) Inc. have irrevocably and unconditionally agreed to deliver, or cause to be delivered, a written consent (the Written Consent), covering all of the SEP Common Units they beneficially own, approving the Merger, Merger Agreement and any other actions required in furtherance thereof. The Written Consent will be delivered within two business days after the Registration Statement (as defined below) becomes effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act). As of August 22, 2018, Enbridge and Enbridge (U.S.) Inc. beneficially owned 402,989,862 SEP Common Units, representing approximately 83.1% of the total SEP Common Units issued and outstanding. The approval of the Merger Agreement requires the affirmative consent of holders of a majority of the outstanding SEP Common Units.
The completion of the Merger is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including (i) receipt of approval of the Merger Agreement by written consent of the limited partners of SEP holding SEP Common Units constituting at least a majority of the outstanding SEP Common Units entitled to vote, (ii) the Enbridge Common Stock issuable in connection with the Merger having been approved for listing on the NYSE and the TSX, subject to official notice of issuance, (iii) the absence of any governmental order prohibiting the consummation of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated thereby, and (iv) Enbridges registration statement on Form S-4 (the Registration Statement) having become effective under the Securities Act. The obligation of each party to the Merger Agreement to consummate the Merger is also conditioned upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the other parties as of the date of the Merger Agreement and as of the closing (subject to customary materiality qualifiers), the performance by the other parties of all obligations under the Merger Agreement at or prior to closing and receipt of an officers certificate evidencing the satisfaction of the foregoing.
Enbridge, Enbridge (U.S.) Inc., Merger Sub, SEP and the General Partner have made customary representations and warranties, and agreed to customary covenants, in the Merger Agreement. Subject to certain exceptions, Enbridge and SEP have each agreed, among other things, to covenants relating to the conduct of their respective businesses during the interim period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and the consummation of the Merger.
The Merger Agreement contains certain termination rights that may be exercised by either Enbridge or SEP, including in the event that (i) both parties agree by mutual written consent duly authorized by the Conflicts Committee on behalf of SEP and the Enbridge board of directors to terminate the Merger Agreement, (ii) the Merger is not consummated by February 25, 2019, or (iii) any order permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting consummation of the Merger having become final and non-appealable. If the Merger Agreement is terminated under certain circumstances, Enbridge may be required to reimburse SEP for its transaction expenses in an amount not to exceed $4 million.
The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the actual Merger Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. The representations, warranties, and covenants of each party set forth in the Merger Agreement were made only for purposes of such agreements and as of specific dates, were solely for the benefit of the parties to the Merger Agreement, and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties including (i) being qualified by confidential disclosures made for the purposes of allocating contractual risk between the respective parties to such agreements instead of establishing these matters as facts and (ii) being subject to standards of materiality that differ from those applicable to investors. Investors should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any descriptions thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the parties thereto or of any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of representations and warranties may change after the date of the Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in SEPs public disclosures.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On August 24, 2018, Enbridge and SEP issued a joint press release announcing the execution of the Merger Agreement. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are based on Enbridges and SEPs respective beliefs and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by terms and phrases such as: anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, expect, continue, should, could, may, plan, project, predict, will, potential, forecast and similar expressions and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected closing, consummation, completion, timing and benefits of the Merger, the expected synergies and shareholder value to result from the combined company, the expected levels of cash distributions by SEP with respect to its common units, the expected levels of dividends by Enbridge to its shareholders, the expected financial results of Enbridge, SEP and their affiliates, future credit ratings, financial condition and business strategy of Enbridge, SEP and their affiliates.
Although SEP and Enbridge believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable based on the information available on the date such statements are made and processes used to prepare the information, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. By their nature, these statements involve a variety of assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Material assumptions include assumptions about the following: the expected supply of and demand for crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGL) and renewable energy; prices of crude oil, natural gas, NGL and renewable energy; exchange rates; inflation; interest rates; availability and price of labor and construction materials; operational reliability; customer and regulatory approvals; maintenance of support and regulatory approvals for projects; anticipated in-service dates; weather; the timing and closing of dispositions; the realization of anticipated benefits and synergies of the Merger; governmental legislation; acquisitions and the timing thereof; the success of integration plans; impact of capital project execution on future cash flows; credit ratings; capital project funding; expected earnings; expected future cash flows; and estimated future dividends. Assumptions regarding the expected supply of and demand for crude oil, natural gas, NGL and renewable energy, and the prices of these commodities, are material to and underlie all forward-looking statements, as they may impact current and future levels of demand for SEPs and Enbridges services. Similarly, exchange rates, inflation and interest rates impact the economies and business environments and may impact levels of demand for SEPs and Enbridges services and cost of inputs, and are therefore inherent in all forward-looking statements. Due to the interdependencies and correlation of these macroeconomic factors, the impact of any one assumption on a forward-looking statement cannot be determined with certainty, particularly with respect to the impact of the Merger, expected earnings and cash flow or estimated future dividends.
The most relevant assumptions associated with forward-looking statements on announced projects and projects under construction, including estimated completion dates and expected capital expenditures, include the following: the availability and price of labor and construction materials; the effects of inflation and foreign exchange rates on labor and material costs; the effects of interest rates on borrowing costs; the impact of weather and customer, government and regulatory approvals on construction and in-service schedules and cost recovery regimes.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from the results predicted. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: the risk that the Merger does not occur; negative effects from the pendency of the Merger; the ability to realize expected cost savings and benefits; the timing to consummate the Merger; whether SEP will produce sufficient cash flows to provide the level of cash distributions SEP expects with respect to its common units; whether Enbridge will produce sufficient cash flows to provide the level of dividends Enbridge expects with respect to its common shares; outcomes of litigation and regulatory investigations, proceedings or inquiries; operating performance of SEP and Enbridge; regulatory parameters regarding SEP and Enbridge; other Enbridge dispositions; the proposed simplification of Enbridges corporate structure; project approval and support; renewals of rights of way; weather, economic and competitive conditions; public opinion; changes in tax laws and tax rates; changes in trade agreements, exchange rates, interest rates, commodity prices, political decisions and supply of and demand for commodities; and any other risks and uncertainties discussed herein or in Enbridges and SEPs other filings with Canadian and United States securities regulators. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Enbridge and SEP assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made in this news release or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Enbridge, SEP or persons acting on their behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. These factors, as well as additional factors that could affect Enbridges or SEPs respective forward-looking statements, are described under the headings Risk Factors and Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information in Enbridges 2017 Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Canadian securities regulators on February 16, 2018, SEPs 2017 Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2018, and in Enbridges and SEPs respective other filings made with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators, which are available via the SECs website at www.sec.gov and at www.sedar.com , as applicable. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events described in the forward-looking statements might not occur or might occur to a different extent or at a different time than Enbridge or SEP has described. All forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and neither Enbridge nor SEP undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Important Information for Investors and Shareholders
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any consent or approval. The Merger will be submitted to the unitholders of SEP for their consideration. Enbridge will file with the SEC a consent solicitation statement of SEP that also constitutes a prospectus of Enbridge. Enbridge and SEP also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the Merger. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF ENBRIDGE AND SEP ARE URGED TO READ THE CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER. Investors and unitholders will be able to obtain free copies of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about Enbridge and SEP once such documents are filed with the SEC, through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the consent solicitation statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request either to Enbridge Inc., 200, 425 1st Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3L8, Attention: Investor Relations or to Spectra Energy Partners, LP, 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, Attention: Investor Relations.
Participants in the Solicitation
Enbridge, and certain of its directors and executive officers, SEP, and certain of the directors and executive officers of GP, LLC, which manages the business and affairs of SEP, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of consent from the holders of SEP Common Units in connection with the Merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Enbridge is set forth in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 5, 2018. Information about the directors and executive officers of GP, LLC is set forth in SEPs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on February 16, 2018. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Other information regarding the participants in the consent solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
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Certain schedules have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule will be furnished supplementally to the SEC on request. |
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, thereunto duly authorized.
SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP (Registrant) |
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By: | Spectra Energy Partners (DE) GP, LP, its general partner | |||||
By: | Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC, its general partner | |||||
Date: August 24, 2018 | By: | /s/ Stephen J. Neyland | ||||
Stephen J. Neyland Vice President - Finance (Duly Authorized Officer) |
Exhibit 2.1
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
Among
SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP,
SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS (DE) GP, LP,
ENBRIDGE INC.,
ENBRIDGE (U.S.) INC.,
AUTUMN ACQUISITION SUB, LLC
and, solely for purposes of ARTICLE I, ARTICLE II and ARTICLE XI,
ENBRIDGE US HOLDINGS INC., SPECTRA ENERGY CORP, SPECTRA ENERGY
CAPITAL, LLC and SPECTRA ENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
Dated as of August 24, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION AND CONSTRUCTION |
2 | |||||
1.1 |
Definitions | 2 | ||||
1.2 |
Additional Definitions | 8 | ||||
1.3 |
Interpretation and Construction | 10 | ||||
ARTICLE II PRE-MERGER SUBSCRIPTIONS |
11 | |||||
2.1 |
Subscriptions | 11 | ||||
2.2 |
Transfer of Aggregate Merger Consideration to the Exchange Agent | 12 | ||||
ARTICLE III THE MERGER |
12 | |||||
3.1 |
The Merger | 12 | ||||
3.2 |
Closing | 12 | ||||
3.3 |
Effective Time | 13 | ||||
3.4 |
Organizational Documents of the Surviving Entity | 13 | ||||
ARTICLE IV MERGER CONSIDERATION; EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS |
13 | |||||
4.1 |
Merger Consideration | 13 | ||||
4.2 |
Conversion of Common Units | 13 | ||||
4.3 |
Treatment of Excluded Units and Other Parent-Owned Partnership Interests | 14 | ||||
4.4 |
Merger Sub | 14 | ||||
4.5 |
Tax Treatment of the Merger | 14 | ||||
ARTICLE V DELIVERY OF MERGER CONSIDERATION; PROCEDURES FOR SURRENDER |
14 | |||||
5.1 |
Exchange Agent | 14 | ||||
5.2 |
Procedures for Surrender | 15 | ||||
5.3 |
Distributions with Respect to Unsurrendered Certificates | 16 | ||||
5.4 |
Transfers | 17 | ||||
5.5 |
Fractional Shares | 17 | ||||
5.6 |
Termination of Exchange Fund | 18 | ||||
5.7 |
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates | 18 | ||||
5.8 |
Withholding Rights | 18 | ||||
5.9 |
Adjustments to Prevent Dilution | 19 | ||||
5.10 |
No Dissenters Rights | 19 | ||||
5.11 |
Termination of Partnership Equity Plan | 19 |
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ARTICLE VI REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARTNERSHIP PARTIES |
19 | |||||
6.1 |
Organization, Good Standing and Qualification | 20 | ||||
6.2 |
Capital Structure of the Partnership | 20 | ||||
6.3 |
Authority; Approval and Fairness | 21 | ||||
6.4 |
Governmental Filings; No Violations | 21 | ||||
6.5 |
Partnership Reports; Financial Statements | 22 | ||||
6.6 |
Absence of Certain Changes | 23 | ||||
6.7 |
Litigation and Liabilities | 23 | ||||
6.8 |
Compliance with Laws; Licenses | 24 | ||||
6.9 |
Environmental Matters | 24 | ||||
6.10 |
Tax Matters | 24 | ||||
6.11 |
Property | 25 | ||||
6.12 |
Partnership Material Contracts | 26 | ||||
6.13 |
Opinion of Financial Advisor | 26 | ||||
6.14 |
Brokers and Finders | 26 | ||||
6.15 |
Insurance | 26 | ||||
6.16 |
No Other Representations or Warranties | 27 | ||||
ARTICLE VII REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARENT PARTIES AND MERGER SUB |
27 | |||||
7.1 |
Organization, Good Standing and Qualification | 28 | ||||
7.2 |
Capital Structure of Parent Parties; Capitalization of Merger Sub | 28 | ||||
7.3 |
Authority; Approval | 29 | ||||
7.4 |
Governmental Filings; No Violations | 29 | ||||
7.5 |
Parent Reports; Financial Statements | 30 | ||||
7.6 |
Absence of Certain Changes | 31 | ||||
7.7 |
Litigation and Liabilities | 31 | ||||
7.8 |
Compliance with Laws; Licenses | 31 | ||||
7.9 |
Environmental Matters | 32 | ||||
7.10 |
Tax Matters | 32 | ||||
7.11 |
Property | 33 | ||||
7.12 |
Parent Material Contracts | 33 | ||||
7.13 |
Brokers and Finders | 33 | ||||
7.14 |
Insurance | 34 | ||||
7.15 |
No Other Representations or Warranties | 34 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII COVENANTS |
34 | |||||
8.1 |
Interim Operations | 34 | ||||
8.2 |
Consent Statement/Prospectus Filing; Information Supplied | 36 | ||||
8.3 |
Cooperation; Efforts to Consummate | 38 | ||||
8.4 |
Status; Notifications | 38 | ||||
8.5 |
Information; Access and Reports | 38 | ||||
8.6 |
Stock Exchange Listing and Delisting | 39 |
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8.7 |
Expenses | 39 | ||||
8.8 |
Indemnification; Directors and Officers Insurance | 39 | ||||
8.9 |
Takeover Statutes | 42 | ||||
8.10 |
Distributions | 42 | ||||
8.11 |
Section 16 Matters | 42 | ||||
8.12 |
Transaction Litigation | 42 | ||||
8.13 |
Voting | 43 | ||||
8.14 |
Conflicts Committee | 43 | ||||
8.15 |
Performance by General Partner | 43 | ||||
ARTICLE IX CONDITIONS |
43 | |||||
9.1 |
Conditions to Obligation of Each Party | 43 | ||||
9.2 |
Conditions to Obligation of Parent, EUS and Merger Sub | 44 | ||||
9.3 |
Conditions to Obligation of the Partnership Parties | 45 | ||||
ARTICLE X TERMINATION |
45 | |||||
10.1 |
Termination by Mutual Written Consent | 45 | ||||
10.2 |
Termination by Either Parent or the Partnership | 46 | ||||
10.3 |
Termination by Parent | 46 | ||||
10.4 |
Termination by the Partnership | 46 | ||||
10.5 |
Effect of Termination and Abandonment | 46 | ||||
10.6 |
Payment of Partnership Expenses | 47 | ||||
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL |
47 | |||||
11.1 |
Survival | 47 | ||||
11.2 |
Modification or Amendment; Waiver | 47 | ||||
11.3 |
Counterparts | 48 | ||||
11.4 |
Governing Law and Venue; Submission to Jurisdiction; Selection of Forum; Waiver of Trial by Jury | 48 | ||||
11.5 |
Specific Performance | 49 | ||||
11.6 |
Notices | 49 | ||||
11.7 |
Entire Agreement | 51 | ||||
11.8 |
Third-Party Beneficiaries | 51 | ||||
11.9 |
Non-Recourse | 52 | ||||
11.10 |
Fulfillment of Obligations | 52 | ||||
11.11 |
Partnership Board Consent | 52 | ||||
11.12 |
Severability | 52 | ||||
11.13 |
Successors and Assigns | 53 |
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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this Agreement ), dated as of August 24, 2018, is entered into by and among Spectra Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ), Spectra Energy Partners (DE) GP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership and the general partner of the Partnership (the General Partner ), Enbridge Inc., a Canadian corporation ( Parent ), Enbridge (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware corporation ( EUS and, together with Parent, the Parent Parties ), Autumn Acquisition Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent ( Merger Sub ), and, solely for purposes of ARTICLE I, ARTICLE II and ARTICLE XI, Enbridge US Holdings Inc., a Canadian corporation ( EUSHI ), Spectra Energy Corp, a Delaware corporation ( Spectra ), Spectra Energy Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( SECLLC ), and Spectra Energy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( SETLLC and, together with the Partnership, the General Partner, Parent, EUS, Merger Sub, EUSHI, Spectra and SECLLC, the Parties and each, a Party ).
RECITALS
WHEREAS , the Parties intend that, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, Merger Sub shall merge with and into the Partnership (the Merger ), with the Partnership surviving the Merger, pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the DLLCA ) and the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the DRULPA );
WHEREAS , the conflicts committee composed of the independent members (the Conflicts Committee ) of the board of directors (the Partnership Board ) of Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC ( GP LLC ), the general partner of the General Partner has, acting in good faith, unanimously (a) determined based upon the facts and circumstances it deemed relevant, reasonable or appropriate to its decision, including the advice of its legal and financial advisors, that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Merger (the Transactions ) are fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, the Partnership and the holders of the Outstanding Common Units (other than Parent and its Affiliates) (the Public Unitholders ), (b) approved this Agreement and the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, which such approval constitutes Special Approval for purposes of the Partnership Agreement, and (c) recommended that the Partnership Board approve this Agreement and the Transactions;
WHEREAS , the Partnership Board, upon the recommendation of the Conflicts Committee, has, acting in good faith, unanimously (a) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions are fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, the Partnership and the Public Unitholders, (b) approved this Agreement and the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and (c) resolved to recommend that the Limited Partners approve the Transactions and this Agreement (the Partnership Recommendation ) and directed that this Agreement be submitted to the Limited Partners for their approval by written consent pursuant to Section 14.3(a) of the Partnership Agreement;
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WHEREAS , the board of directors of EUS has unanimously approved this Agreement and the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS , the board of directors of Parent (the Parent Board ) has unanimously (of those voting) (a) approved this Agreement and the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and (b) approved the issuance of common shares of Parent (the Parent Common Stock ), in connection with the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS , the Parties desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with this Agreement and set forth certain conditions to the Merger.
NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the foregoing premises and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION AND CONSTRUCTION
1.1 Definitions . For the purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the following capitalized terms have meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:
Affiliate means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Person as of the date on which, or at any time during the period for which, the determination of affiliation is being made. For purposes of this definition, the term control (including the correlative meanings of the terms controlled by and under common control with), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by Contract or otherwise; provided that, for purposes of this Agreement, prior to the Closing, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries shall not be considered Affiliates of Parent or any of Parents other Affiliates, nor shall Parent or any of Parents Affiliates (other than the Partnership and its Subsidiaries) be considered Affiliates of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries.
Business Day means any day ending at 11:59 P.M. (New York Time) other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which banks in the City of New York or in Calgary, Alberta, Canada are required or authorized by Laws to close.
Canadian Securities Laws means all applicable securities Laws in each of the provinces and territories of Canada and the respective rules and regulations made thereunder, together with applicable published national and local instruments, policy statements, notices, blanket orders and rulings thereunder of the Canadian Securities Regulators.
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Canadian Securities Regulators means the applicable securities commission or securities regulatory authority in each of the provinces and territories of Canada.
Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Common Unit has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
Contract means any legally binding written contract, agreement, lease, license, debenture, note, mortgage, indenture, arrangement, instrument or other obligation.
DTC means The Depositary Trust Company.
Effect means any effect, event, development, change or occurrence.
Energy Products means, collectively, natural gas, crude oil, refined petroleum products, other hydrocarbon products, natural gas liquids and products produced from the fractionation of natural gas liquids.
Environmental Law means any Law relating to (a) pollution, the protection, preservation or restoration of the environment (including air, surface water, groundwater, drinking water supply, surface land, subsurface land, plant and animal life or any other natural resource) or workplace health or occupational safety, or (b) the exposure to, or the use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, handling, labeling, production, release or disposal of Hazardous Substances, in each case as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
Environmental Permit means all Licenses required under Environmental Law.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Excluded Units means Common Units owned by Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub or any other direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent and Common Units owned by the Partnership Parties or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Partnership, and in each case not held on behalf of third parties.
GAAP means United States generally accepted accounting principles.
Governmental Entity means any United States, non-United States, supranational or transnational governmental (including public international organizations), quasi-governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority, agency, commission, body, department or instrumentality or any court, tribunal or arbitrator or other entity or subdivision thereof or other legislative, executive or judicial entity or subdivision thereof, in each case, of competent jurisdiction.
Governmental Order means any order, writ, judgment, temporary, preliminary or permanent injunction, decree, ruling, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Entity.
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Hazardous Substance means any substance, material or waste that is listed, defined, designated or classified as hazardous, toxic, radioactive, dangerous or a pollutant or contaminant or words of similar meaning under any Environmental Law or that is otherwise regulated by any Governmental Entity with jurisdiction over the environment, natural resources, or workplace health or occupational safety.
Indebtedness means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, all obligations or undertakings by such Person (a) for borrowed money (including deposits or advances of any kind to such Person); (b) evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments; (c) for capitalized leases or to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or equipment; (d) pursuant to securitization or factoring programs or arrangements; (e) pursuant to guarantees and arrangements having the economic effect of a guarantee of any Indebtedness of any other Person (other than between or among any of Parent and its wholly owned Subsidiaries or between or among the Partnership and its wholly owned Subsidiaries); (f) to maintain or cause to be maintained the financing, financial position or covenants of others or to purchase the obligations or property of others; (g) net cash payment obligations of such Person under swaps, options, derivatives and other hedging Contracts or arrangements that will be payable upon termination thereof (assuming termination on the date of determination); or (h) letters of credit, bank guarantees, and other similar Contracts or arrangements entered into by or on behalf of such Person.
Knowledge when used in this Agreement (a) with respect to the Partnership Parties or any of their Subsidiaries means the actual knowledge of the Persons listed on Section 1.1(a) of the Partnership Disclosure Letter, and (b) with respect to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries means the actual knowledge of the Persons listed on Section 1.1(a) of the Parent Disclosure Letter, in each case, after reasonable inquiry.
Laws means any federal, state, local, foreign, international or transnational law, statute, ordinance, common law, rule, regulation, standard, judgment, determination, order, writ, injunction, decree, arbitration award, treaty, agency requirement, authorization, license or permit of any Governmental Entity.
Licenses means permits, licenses, certifications, approvals, registrations, consents, authorizations, franchises, variances, exemptions and orders issued or granted by a Governmental Entity.
Limited Partners has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
Material Adverse Effect , with respect to Parent or the Partnership, means any Effect that, individually or in the aggregate with any other Effect, is, or would reasonably be expected to be, materially adverse to the financial condition, properties, assets, operations, liabilities, business or results of operations of such Party and its Subsidiaries, in each case taken as a whole; provided , however , that no Effect, individually or in the aggregate, arising out of, resulting from, or attributable to any of the following, shall, alone or in combination, be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur:
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(a) Effects affecting the economy, credit, capital, securities or financial markets, or political, regulatory or business conditions, in general in the U.S., Canada or elsewhere in the world;
(b) changes in prices (benchmark, realized or otherwise) of Energy Products or other commodities or from changes in interests rates or currency exchange rates;
(c) factors affecting the Energy Products gathering, drilling, processing, treating, transportation, storage, marketing and other related industries, markets or geographical areas in which such Party and its Subsidiaries conduct their respective businesses, industry margins or any regulatory changes or changes in applicable Law, and including those Effects resulting from the actions of competitors or other changes in the industry in which such Party conducts its business;
(d) the entry into, announcement or performance of the Transactions, including any impact on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, distributors, lenders, partners, Governmental Entities or employees or any Transaction Litigation or actions taken or requirements imposed by any Governmental Entity in connection with the Transactions;
(e) changes or modifications in GAAP or applicable accounting regulations or principles, or in the interpretation or enforcement thereof, after the date of this Agreement;
(f) any adoption, implementation, promulgation, repeal, modification, reinterpretation, change of enforcement or proposal of any Law, decision or protocol or any other legislative or political conditions or policy or practices of any Governmental Entity;
(g) any failure by such Party to meet any internal or public projections or forecasts or estimates of revenues, earnings or other financial or operational performance measures for any period; provided that the exception in this clause (g) shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that any Effect underlying such failure has resulted in, or contributed to, or would reasonably be expected to result in, or contribute to, a Material Adverse Effect;
(h) acts of war (whether or not declared), civil disobedience, hostilities, terrorism, military actions or the escalation of any of the foregoing, any hurricane, flood, tornado, earthquake or other weather or natural disaster or acts of God, whether or not caused by any Person;
(i) the performance by any Party of its obligations under this Agreement, including any action taken or omitted to be taken at the request or with the consent of Parent, with respect to the Partnership, or at the request or with the consent of the Partnership, with respect to Parent, as applicable;
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(j) any change in the credit rating or other rating of financial strength of such Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective securities or any announcement of a prospective change therein; provided that the exception in this clause (j) shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that any Effect underlying such Effect or announcement of an Effect has resulted in, or contributed to, or would reasonably be expected to result in, or contribute to, a Material Adverse Effect;
(k) a decline in the market price, or change in trading volume, of the Common Units on the NYSE, the shares of Parent Common Stock on the TSX or the NYSE or any derivative securities related thereto, as applicable; provided that the exception in this clause (j) shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that any Effect underlying such decline or change has resulted in, or contributed to, or would reasonably be expected to result in, or contribute to, a Material Adverse Effect;
(l) any Proceeding commenced by or involving any current or former member, partner, unitholder or stockholder of such Person (on their own behalf or on behalf of such Person) arising out of or related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; or
(m) caused by the entry into, announcement, consummation or performance of, or failure to enter into or consummate, the Other Parent Transactions, including any impact on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, distributors, lenders, partners, Governmental Entities or employees or any litigation related to the Other Parent Transactions or actions taken or requirements imposed by any Governmental Entity in connection with the Other Parent Transactions;
provided , further , that, with respect to clauses (a), (b), (c), (e), (f) and (h), such Effect shall be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred to the extent it disproportionately adversely affects such Party and its Subsidiaries compared to other companies operating in the industries in which such Party and its Subsidiaries operate.
NYSE means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
Ordinary Course means, with respect to an action taken by any Person, that such action is consistent with the ordinary course of business and past practices of such Person.
Organizational Documents means (a) with respect to any person that is a corporation, its articles or certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, as applicable, and bylaws, or comparable documents; (b) with respect to any person that is a partnership, its certificate of partnership and partnership agreement, or comparable documents; (c) with respect to any Person that is a limited liability company, its certificate of formation and limited liability company or operating agreement, or comparable documents; (d) with respect to any Person that is a trust or other entity, its declaration or agreement of trust or other constituent document or comparable documents; and (e) with respect to any other Person that is not an individual, its comparable organizational documents.
Other Parent Transactions means any and all potential transactions entered into between Parent, on the one hand, and any of Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. or Enbridge Income Fund Holdings Inc., on the other hand, whether prior to, concurrently with or subsequent to the date of this Agreement.
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Outstanding has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
Parent Material Adverse Effect means a Material Adverse Effect on Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Partnership Agreement means the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, dated as of January 21, 2018.
Partnership Expenses means an amount in cash equal to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including all reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, accountants, investment bankers, experts and consultants) incurred by the Partnership Parties, including such expenses of the Conflicts Committee, and their respective Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions up to a maximum amount of $4.0 million.
Partnership Group Entities means the Partnership Parties and any Subsidiaries of the Partnership.
Partnership Interest has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.
Partnership Long-Term Incentive Plan means the Partnership Long-Term Incentive Plan, dated June 27, 2007, as amended from time to time and including any successor or replacement plan or plans.
Partnership Material Adverse Effect means a Material Adverse Effect on the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Partnership Parties means the Partnership and General Partner.
Person means any individual, corporation (including not-for-profit), general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization, Governmental Entity or other entity of any kind or nature.
Proceeding means any action, cause of action, claim, demand, litigation, suit, investigation, grievance, citation, summons, subpoena, inquiry, audit, hearing, originating application to a tribunal, arbitration or other similar proceeding of any nature, civil, criminal, regulatory, administrative or otherwise, whether in equity or at law, in contract, in tort or otherwise.
Representative means, with respect to any Person, any director, officer, principal, partner, manager, member (if such Person is a member-managed limited liability company or similar entity), employee, consultant, investment banker, financial advisor, legal counsel, attorney-in-fact, accountant or other advisor, agent or other representative of such person, in each case acting in their capacity as such.
Sarbanes-Oxley Act means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
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SEC means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933.
SEDAR means the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval maintained by the Canadian Securities Regulators.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which (a) more than 50% of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities of such other Person, (ii) the total combined equity interests or (iii) the capital or profit interests, in each case, is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such first Person or (b) the power to vote or to direct the voting of sufficient securities to elect a majority of the board of directors or similar governing body is held by such first Person; provided , however , that when used with respect to Parent, the term Subsidiary shall not include the Partnership or its Subsidiaries.
Tax or Taxes means (a) any and all federal, state, local or foreign or provincial taxes, charges, imposts, levies or other assessments, including all net income, gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem, value added, transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock, license, withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, property and estimated taxes, customs duties, fees, escheat or unclaimed property obligations, assessments and similar charges, including any and all interest, penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any Governmental Entity with respect thereto and (b) any liability for the payment of amounts described in clause (a) of any other Person (other than the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of applicable state, local or foreign Law), as a transferee or successor, by contract or otherwise.
Tax Return means any return, report or similar filing (including any attached schedules, supplements and additional or supporting material) filed or required to be filed with respect to Taxes, including any information return, claim for refund, amended return or declaration of estimated Taxes (and including any amendments with respect thereto).
Trading Day means any day on which the NYSE is open for trading.
TSX means the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Willful Breach means, subject to Section 8.15, an intentional and willful material breach, or an intentional and willful material failure to perform, in each case, that is the consequence of an act or omission by a Party with the actual knowledge that the taking of such act or failure to take such act would cause a breach of this Agreement.
1.2 Additional Definitions . For the purposes of this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the meaning specified in the Section set forth opposite to such term:
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Term |
Section | |
Aggregate Merger Consideration |
4.1 | |
Agreement |
Preamble | |
Applicable Date |
6.5(a) | |
Bankruptcy and Equity Exception |
6.3(a) | |
Book-Entry Unit |
4.2 | |
Certificate |
4.2 | |
Certificate of Merger |
3.3 | |
Chosen Courts |
11.4(b) | |
Closing |
3.2 | |
Closing Date |
3.2 | |
Conflicts Committee |
Recitals | |
Consent Statement/Prospectus |
8.2(a) | |
D&O Insurance |
8.8(b) | |
DLLCA |
Recitals | |
DRULPA |
Recitals | |
Effective Time |
3.3 | |
Eligible Unit |
4.1 | |
Encumber |
6.2(b) | |
Encumbrance |
6.2(b) | |
EUS |
Preamble | |
EUS Capital Stock |
7.2(a) | |
EUS Subscription |
2.1(b) | |
EUSHI |
Preamble | |
EUSHI Subscription |
2.1(a) | |
Exchange Agent |
5.1 | |
Exchange Fund |
5.1 | |
Exchange Ratio |
4.1 | |
General Partner |
Preamble | |
GP LLC |
Recitals | |
Indemnified Parties |
8.8(a) | |
Letter of Transmittal |
5.2(a) | |
Merger |
Recitals | |
Merger Consideration |
4.1 | |
Merger Sub |
Preamble | |
Merger Sub Subscription |
2.1(f) | |
Non-DTC Book-Entry Unit |
5.2(b) | |
Outside Date |
10.2(a) | |
Parent |
Preamble | |
Parent Board |
Recitals | |
Parent Capital Stock |
7.2(a) | |
Parent Common Stock |
Recitals | |
Parent Disclosure Letter |
ARTICLE VII | |
Parent Material Contract |
7.12(a) | |
Parent Parties |
Preamble | |
Parent Reports |
7.5(a) | |
Partnership |
Preamble | |
Partnership Board |
Recitals | |
Partnership Disclosure Letter |
ARTICLE VI |
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Term |
Section | |
Partnership GP Interest |
6.2(a) | |
Partnership Material Contract |
6.12(a) | |
Partnership Recommendation |
Recitals | |
Partnership Reports |
6.5(a) | |
Party/Parties |
Preamble | |
Preference Shares |
7.2(a) | |
Public Unitholders |
Recitals | |
Registration Statement |
8.2(a) | |
Requisite Partnership Vote |
6.3(a) | |
SECLLC |
Preamble | |
SECLLC Subscription |
2.1(d) | |
SETLLC |
Preamble | |
SETLLC Subscription |
2.1(e) | |
Spectra |
Preamble | |
Spectra Subscription |
2.1(c) | |
Surviving Entity |
3.1 | |
Tail Period |
8.8(b) | |
Transaction Litigation |
8.12 | |
Transactions |
Recitals |
1.3 Interpretation and Construction .
(a) The table of contents and headings herein are for convenience of reference only, do not constitute part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any of the provisions hereof.
(b) The Preamble, and all Recital, Article, Section and Subsection references used in this Agreement are to the recitals, articles, sections, subsections, schedules and exhibits to this Agreement unless otherwise specified herein.
(c) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, for purposes of this Agreement: (i) the terms defined in the singular have a comparable meaning when used in the plural and vice versa ; (ii) words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neutral genders and vice versa ; (iii) whenever the words includes or including are used, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words including without limitation; (iv) the word or is not exclusive; (v) the words hereto, hereof, hereby, herein, hereunder and similar terms in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not any particular provision of this Agreement; and (vi) the word extent in the phrase to the extent shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply if.
(d) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or in the Partnership Disclosure Letter or the Parent Disclosure Letter, as applicable, the term dollars and the symbol $ mean United States Dollars, and currency amounts referenced in this Agreement, the Partnership Disclosure Letter and the Parent Disclosure Letter are in United States Dollars.
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(e) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, when calculating the period of time within which, or following which, any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference day in calculating such period shall be excluded and if the last day of the period is a non-Business Day, the period in question shall end on the next Business Day or if any action must be taken hereunder on or by a day that is not a Business Day, then such action may be validly taken on or by the next day that is a Business Day. References to a number of days shall refer to calendar days unless Business Days are specified.
(f) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all references in this Agreement to any statute include the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, in each case as amended, re-enacted, consolidated or replaced from time to time and in the case of any such amendment, re-enactment, consolidation or replacement, reference herein to a particular provision shall be read as referring to such amended, re-enacted, consolidated or replaced provision and shall also include, unless the context otherwise requires, all applicable guidelines, bulletins or policies made in connection therewith.
(g) The Partnership Disclosure Letter and Parent Disclosure Letter may include items and information the disclosure of which is not required either in response to an express disclosure requirement contained in a provision of this Agreement or as an exception to one or more representations or warranties contained in ARTICLE VI or ARTICLE VII, as applicable, or to one or more covenants contained in this Agreement. Inclusion of any items or information in the Partnership Disclosure Letter or Parent Disclosure Letter, as applicable, shall not be deemed to be an acknowledgement or agreement that any such item or information (or any non-disclosed item or information of comparable or greater significance) is material or that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have either a Partnership Material Adverse Effect or a Parent Material Adverse Effect, as applicable, or to affect the interpretation of such term for purposes of this Agreement.
(h) The Parties have participated jointly in negotiating and drafting this Agreement. In the event that an ambiguity or a question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
PRE-MERGER SUBSCRIPTIONS
2.1 Subscriptions . The following matters provided for in this ARTICLE II shall take place on the Closing Date, immediately prior to the Effective Time of the Merger, in the order set forth below:
(a) Subscription for EUSHI Shares . Immediately prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall subscribe for shares of EUSHI in exchange for the right of EUSHI to receive from Parent the Aggregate Merger Consideration (the EUSHI Subscription ).
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(b) Subscription for EUS Shares . Immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the EUSHI Subscription, EUSHI shall subscribe for shares of EUS in exchange for the right of EUS to receive from EUSHI the Aggregate Merger Consideration (the EUS Subscription ).
(c) Subscription for Spectra Shares . Immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the EUS Subscription, EUS shall subscribe for shares of Spectra in exchange for the right of Spectra to receive from EUS the Aggregate Merger Consideration (the Spectra Subscription ).
(d) Subscription for SECLLC Membership Interests . Immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the Spectra Subscription, Spectra shall subscribe for additional membership interests of SECLLC in exchange for the right of SECLLC to receive from Spectra the Aggregate Merger Consideration (the SECLLC Subscription ).
(e) Subscription for SETLLC Membership Interests . Immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the SECLLC Subscription, SECLLC shall subscribe for additional membership interests of SETLLC in exchange for the right of SETLLC to receive from SECLLC the Aggregate Merger Consideration (the SETLLC Subscription ).
(f) Subscription for Merger Sub Interests . Immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the SETLLC Subscription, SETLLC shall subscribe for additional membership interests of Merger Sub in exchange for the right of Merger Sub to receive from SETLLC the Aggregate Merger Consideration (the Merger Sub Subscription ).
2.2 Transfer of Aggregate Merger Consideration to the Exchange Agent . Immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the Merger Sub Subscription, Merger Sub shall direct Parent to deposit or cause to be deposited the Aggregate Merger Consideration with the Exchange Agent for the benefit (subject to Closing) of the holders of Eligible Units pursuant to Section 5.1.
ARTICLE III
THE MERGER
3.1 The Merger . On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, (a) at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Partnership in accordance with the DLLCA and the DRULPA and the separate existence of Merger Sub shall thereupon cease; (b) the Partnership shall be the surviving limited partnership in the Merger (sometimes hereinafter referred to as the Surviving Entity ) and from and after the Effective Time, shall be a Subsidiary of Parent, and the separate existence of the Partnership with all of its rights, privileges, immunities, powers and franchises shall continue unaffected by the Merger, except as set forth in ARTICLE IV; and (c) the Merger shall have such other effects as provided in the DRULPA and the DLLCA, in each case, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.
3.2 Closing . The closing of the Merger (the Closing ) shall take place at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, at 9:00 A.M. (New York Time) on the third Business Day following the day on which the last to be
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satisfied or waived of the conditions set forth in ARTICLE IX (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing (so long as such conditions are reasonably capable of being satisfied) or that may be waived at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions) shall be satisfied or waived in accordance with this Agreement or at such other date, time or place (or by means of remote communication) as the Partnership and Parent may mutually agree in writing (the date on which the Closing actually occurs, the Closing Date ).
3.3 Effective Time . As soon as practicable following, and on the date of, the Closing, the Partnership will cause a certificate of merger relating to the Merger (the Certificate of Merger ) to be executed, acknowledged and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Partnership Agreement, the DRULPA and the DLLCA. The Merger shall become effective at the time when the Certificate of Merger has been duly filed with and accepted by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or at such later date and time as may be agreed by the Parties in writing and specified in the Certificate of Merger (such date and time, the Effective Time ).
3.4 Organizational Documents of the Surviving Entity . At the Effective Time, (a) the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall continue as the certificate of limited partnership of the Surviving Entity, until duly amended as provided therein or by applicable Law, and (b) the Partnership Agreement shall remain unchanged and shall continue as the agreement of limited partnership of the Surviving Entity, until duly amended as provided therein or by applicable Law, and in each case any further amendments or restatements must be consistent with the obligations set forth in Section 8.8 of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
MERGER CONSIDERATION; EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
4.1 Merger Consideration . At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the Parties or any holder of any Partnership Interests, each Common Unit issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time other than Excluded Units (each such Common Unit, an Eligible Unit ) shall be exchanged for the right to receive 1.111 shares of Parent Common Stock (such ratio, the Exchange Ratio , such number of shares of Parent Common Stock, the Merger Consideration , and the aggregate of such number of shares of Parent Common Stock to be exchanged for the Eligible Units, the Aggregate Merger Consideration ).
4.2 Conversion of Common Units . Each Eligible Unit, upon being converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to this Section 4.2, and each certificate formerly representing any of the Eligible Units (each, a Certificate ) and each book-entry account formerly representing any non-certificated Eligible Units (each, a Book -Entry Unit ) shall thereafter represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration with respect to such Eligible Unit(s) and the right, if any, to receive, pursuant to Section 5.5, cash in lieu of fractional shares into which such Eligible Unit(s) have been converted pursuant to this Section 4.2 and any dividends or other distributions pursuant to Section 5.3.
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4.3 Treatment of Excluded Units and Other Parent-Owned Partnership Interests . At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the Parties or any holder of any partnership interests of the Partnership, (a) each Excluded Unit shall remain outstanding as a Common Unit in the Surviving Entity, unaffected by the Merger and (b) all other Partnership Interests, including the Partnership GP Interest, that are owned immediately prior to the Effective Time by the General Partner, Parent or any of its Subsidiaries shall remain outstanding as Partnership Interests in the Surviving Entity, unaffected by the Merger, and no consideration shall be delivered in respect thereof.
4.4 Merger Sub . At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the Parties, all membership interests in Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to be outstanding, be cancelled without payment of any consideration therefor and cease to exist.
4.5 Tax Treatment of the Merger . For United States federal income tax purposes (and for purposes of any applicable state, local or foreign Tax that follows the United States federal income tax treatment), the Parties agree to treat the Merger, (a) with respect to the holders of Eligible Units, as a taxable sale of the Eligible Units to Spectra and, (b) with respect to Spectra, as an acquisition of the Aggregate Merger Consideration from EUS in accordance with the Spectra Subscription and then as a purchase by Spectra of the Eligible Units from the holders of the Eligible Units in exchange for the Aggregate Merger Consideration (including any cash paid in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant to Section 5.5). The Parties will prepare and file all Tax Returns consistent with the foregoing and will not take any inconsistent position on any Tax Return, or during the course of any Proceeding with respect to Taxes, except as otherwise required by applicable Law following a final determination by a court of competent jurisdiction or other administrative settlement with or final administrative decision by the relevant Governmental Entity.
ARTICLE V
DELIVERY OF MERGER CONSIDERATION; PROCEDURES FOR SURRENDER
5.1 Exchange Agent . At or immediately prior to the Effective Time, pursuant to Section 2.2, Parent shall deposit or cause to be deposited with a nationally recognized financial institution or trust company selected by Parent with the Partnerships prior approval (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) to serve as the exchange agent (the Exchange Agent ), for the benefit of the holders of Eligible Units upon Closing, (a) an aggregate number of shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in non-certificated book-entry form comprising the amounts required to be delivered in respect of Eligible Units pursuant to Section 4.1 and (b) an aggregate amount of cash comprising approximately the amounts required to be delivered in respect of Eligible Units pursuant to Section 5.5. In addition, Parent shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Exchange Agent, as necessary from time to time after the Effective Time, dividends or other distributions, if any, to which the holders of Eligible Units may be entitled pursuant to Section 5.3 with both a record
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and payment date after the Effective Time and prior to the surrender of such Eligible Units. Such shares of Parent Common Stock, cash in lieu of fractional shares payable pursuant to Section 5.5 and the amount of any dividends or other distributions deposited with the Exchange Agent pursuant to this Section 5.1 are referred to collectively in this Agreement as the Exchange Fund . The Exchange Fund shall not be used for any purpose other than the purpose expressly provided for in this Agreement. The cash portion of the Exchange Fund may be deposited by the Exchange Agent as reasonably directed by Parent. Any interest or other income resulting from such investment shall become a part of the Exchange Fund, and any amounts in excess of the amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be promptly returned to Parent. To the extent there are losses with respect to such investments, or the Exchange Fund diminishes for other reasons below the level required to fully satisfy all of the payment obligations to be made in cash by the Exchange Agent hereunder, Parent shall promptly replace or restore the cash in the Exchange Fund so that the Exchange Fund is at all times maintained at a level sufficient for the Exchange Agent to fully satisfy such cash payment obligations. No investment losses resulting from investment of the Exchange Fund shall diminish the rights of any former holder of Eligible Units to receive the Merger Consideration as provided in this Agreement.
5.2 Procedure s for Surrender .
(a) With respect to Certificates, as promptly as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time (and in any event within three Business Days thereafter), the Surviving Entity shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of record of each such Certificate (i) notice advising such holders of the effectiveness of the Merger; (ii) a letter of transmittal in customary form, which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to a Certificate shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificate (or satisfaction of the conditions provided in Section 5.7 in lieu of a Certificate) to the Exchange Agent (the Letter of Transmittal ); and (iii) instructions for surrendering a Certificate (or satisfaction of the conditions provided in Section 5.7 in lieu of a Certificate) to the Exchange Agent. Upon surrender to the Exchange Agent of a Certificate (or satisfaction of the conditions provided in Section 5.7 in lieu of a Certificate) together with a duly executed and completed Letter of Transmittal and such other documents as may reasonably be required pursuant to such instructions, the Surviving Entity shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of record of any such Certificate in exchange therefore, as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter, (x) a statement reflecting the number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, that such holder is entitled to receive pursuant to ARTICLE IV in the name of such record holder and (y) a check in the amount (after giving effect to any required Tax withholdings as provided in Section 5.8) of (A) any cash in lieu of fractional shares plus (B) any unpaid dividends or other distributions that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to this ARTICLE V. Any Certificate that has been so surrendered shall be cancelled by the Exchange Agent.
(b) With respect to Book-Entry Units not held through DTC (each, a Non -DTC Book-Entry Unit ), as promptly as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time (and in any event within three Business Days thereafter), the Surviving Entity shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of record of a Non-DTC Book-Entry Unit (i) a notice advising such holders of the effectiveness of the Merger; (ii) a statement reflecting the number of
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whole shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, that such holder is entitled to receive pursuant to ARTICLE IV in the name of such record holder; and (iii) a check in the amount (after giving effect to any required Tax withholdings as provided in Section 5.8) of (A) any cash in lieu of fractional shares plus (B) any unpaid dividends or other distributions that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to this ARTICLE V. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any holder of an Eligible Unit that is evidenced by both a Certificate and a book-entry account shall not receive the notice, statement and check contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence with respect to such Eligible Unit, but shall surrender the applicable Certificate in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 5.2(a) to receive the Merger Consideration and any other amounts due under this Agreement with respect to such Eligible Unit, and no additional Merger Consideration or other amounts under this Agreement will accrue or be payable to the book-entry account for such Eligible Unit.
(c) With respect to Book-Entry Units held through DTC, Parent and the Partnership shall cooperate to establish procedures with the Exchange Agent and DTC to ensure that the Exchange Agent will transmit to DTC or its nominees as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the Closing Date, upon surrender of Eligible Units held of record by DTC or its nominees in accordance with DTCs customary surrender procedures, the Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, and any unpaid dividends or other distributions, in each case, that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to this ARTICLE V.
(d) No interest will be paid or accrued on any amount payable for Eligible Units pursuant to this ARTICLE V.
5.3 Distributions with Respect to Unsurrendered Certificates . All shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Merger shall be deemed issued and outstanding as of the Effective Time and whenever a dividend or other distribution is declared by Parent in respect of the Parent Common Stock, the record date for which is at or after the Effective Time, that declaration shall include dividends or other distributions in respect of all shares issuable pursuant to this Agreement. Subject to Section 5.5, no dividends or other distributions in respect of shares of Parent Common Stock shall be paid to any holder with respect to any unsurrendered Certificate until the Certificate (or satisfaction of the conditions provided in Section 5.7 in lieu of a Certificate) is surrendered for exchange in accordance with this ARTICLE V. Subject to applicable Law, following such surrender, dividends or distributions with respect to the Parent Common Stock issued in exchange for Eligible Units in accordance with this ARTICLE V shall be paid to the holders of record of such Eligible Units, without interest, (a) promptly after the time of such surrender for any dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time but a payment date prior to surrender and (b) at the appropriate payment date for any dividends or other distributions payable with respect to shares of Parent Common Stock with a record date after the Effective Time and prior to surrender, but with a payment date subsequent to surrender.
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5.4 Transfers .
(a) From and after the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of the Partnership of the Eligible Units that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. From and after the Effective Time, the holders of Certificates or Book-Entry Units shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Eligible Units except as otherwise provided herein or by applicable Law. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the Surviving Entity for any reason, they shall be cancelled and exchanged as provided in this Agreement.
(b) With respect to Certificates, in the event of a transfer of ownership of any Certificate that is not registered in the transfer books of the Partnership as of the Effective Time, the proper number of shares of Parent Common Stock, together with a check for any cash (after giving effect to any required Tax withholdings as provided in Section 5.8) to be paid upon due surrender of the Certificate and any dividends or distributions in respect thereof, may be issued or paid to such a transferee if the Certificate is presented to the Exchange Agent, accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and to evidence that any applicable stock transfer Taxes have been paid or are not applicable, in each case, in form and substance, reasonably satisfactory to the Exchange Agent. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 5.4, each Certificate shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, and any unpaid dividends or other distributions, in each case, payable or issuable pursuant to this ARTICLE V.
(c) With respect to Book-Entry Units, payment of the Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, and any unpaid dividends or other distributions, in each case, payable or issuable pursuant to this ARTICLE V, shall only be made to the Person in whose name such Book-Entry Units are registered in the stock transfer books of the Partnership as of the Effective Time.
5.5 Fractional Shares . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no fractional shares of Parent Common Stock will be issued upon the conversion of Common Units pursuant to Section 4.1. All fractional shares of Parent Common Stock that a holder of Eligible Units would be otherwise entitled to receive pursuant to Section 4.1, but for this Section 5.5, shall be aggregated and rounded to three decimal places, and such holder shall be entitled to receive an amount in cash, without interest, rounded down to the nearest cent, equal to the product of (a) the amount of the fractional share interest in a share of Parent Common Stock to which such holder would, but for this Section 5.5, be entitled under Section 4.1 and (b) an amount equal to the average of the volume-weighted average price per share of Parent Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange as reported by Bloomberg L.P., or, if not reported therein, in another authoritative source mutually selected by Parent and the Partnership on the Trading Day immediately prior to the Effective Time for ten Trading Days ending on the fifth full Business Day immediately prior to the Closing Date. No holder of Eligible Units shall be entitled by virtue of the right to receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock described in this Section 5.5 to any dividends, distributions, voting rights or any other rights in respect of any fractional share of Parent Common Stock. The payment of cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock is not a separately bargained-for consideration but merely represents a mechanical rounding-off of the fractions in the exchange.
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5.6 Termination of Exchange Fund . Any portion of the Exchange Fund (including the proceeds of any investments of the Exchange Fund and any shares of Parent Common Stock) that remains unclaimed as of the date that is twelve months following the Effective Time shall be delivered to Parent. Any holder of Eligible Units who has not theretofore complied with this ARTICLE V shall thereafter look only to Parent for delivery of the Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, and any unpaid dividends or other distributions, in each case, that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to this ARTICLE V, in each case, without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Surviving Entity, Parent, the Exchange Agent or any other Person shall be liable to any former holder of Common Units for any amount properly delivered to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Laws. Any portion of the Exchange Fund which remains undistributed to the holders of Eligible Units immediately prior to the time at which the Exchange Fund would otherwise escheat to, or become property of, any Governmental Entity, shall, to the extent permitted by Laws, become the property of Parent, free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto.
5.7 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . In the event that any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and the posting by such Person of a bond in customary amount and upon such terms as may be required as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, and any unpaid dividends or other distributions, in each case, payable or issuable pursuant to this ARTICLE V, had such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate been surrendered.
5.8 Withholding Rights . Each of Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub, the Partnership, the Exchange Agent and the Surviving Entity shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement, without duplication, such amounts, which may include shares of Parent Common Stock, as Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub, the Partnership, the Exchange Agent and the Surviving Entity reasonably deem to be required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub, the Partnership, the Exchange Agent or the Surviving Entity, as applicable, such withheld amounts (a) shall be timely remitted by Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub, the Partnership, the Exchange Agent or the Surviving Entity, as applicable, to the applicable Governmental Entity, and (b) to the extent such withheld amounts are remitted to the appropriate Governmental Entity, shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Common Units in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub, the Partnership, the Exchange Agent or the Surviving Entity, as applicable. If withholding is taken in shares of Parent Common Stock, Parent, SETLLC, Merger Sub, the Partnership, the Surviving Entity and the Exchange Agent, as applicable, shall be treated as having sold such consideration for an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of such consideration at the time of such deemed sale and paid such cash proceeds to the appropriate Governmental Entity.
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5.9 Adjustments to Prevent Dilution . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if, from the date of this Agreement to the earlier of the Effective Time and termination in accordance with ARTICLE X, the issued and outstanding Common Units or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for Common Units or the issued and outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for shares of Parent Common Stock, shall have been changed into a different number of shares or securities or a different class by reason of any reclassification, stock split (including a reverse stock split), stock dividend or distribution, recapitalization, merger, issuer tender or exchange offer, or other similar transaction, or a stock dividend with a record date within such period shall have been declared, then the Merger Consideration (and Exchange Ratio) shall be equitably adjusted to provide the holders of Common Units and Parent the same economic effect as contemplated by this Agreement prior to such event, and such items so adjusted shall, from and after the date of such event, be the Merger Consideration (and Exchange Ratio). Nothing in this Section 5.9 shall be construed to permit the Parties to take any action except to the extent consistent with, and not otherwise prohibited by, the terms of this Agreement.
5.10 No Dissenters Rights . No dissenters or appraisal rights shall be available with respect to the Merger or the other Transactions.
5.11 Termination of Partnership Equity Plan .
(a) Prior to the Effective Time, the Partnership and the General Partner shall take all actions necessary to terminate the Partnership Long-Term Incentive Plan, such termination to be effective at the Effective Time, and from and after the Effective Time, the Partnership Long-Term Incentive Plan shall be terminated and no equity awards or other rights with respect to Common Units or other Partnership Interests shall be granted or be outstanding thereunder.
(b) As soon as practicable following the Effective Time, the Partnership shall file a post-effective amendment to the Form S-8 registration statement filed by the Partnership on July 3, 2007, deregistering all Common Units thereunder.
ARTICLE VI
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARTNERSHIP PARTIES
Except as set forth in the Partnership Reports filed with or furnished to the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement (excluding any disclosures set forth in any risk factor section or in any other section to the extent they are forward-looking statements or cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature) or in the corresponding sections or subsections of the disclosure letter delivered to the Parent Parties by the Partnership Parties concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement (the Partnership Disclosure Letter ) ( it being agreed that for purposes of the representations and warranties set forth in this ARTICLE VI, disclosure of any item in any section or subsection of the Partnership Disclosure Letter shall be deemed disclosure with respect to any other section or subsection to which the relevance of such item is reasonably apparent on its face), the Partnership, and, with respect to itself where provided for in this ARTICLE VI, the General Partner, each hereby represents and warrants to the Parent Parties and Merger Sub that:
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6.1 Organization, Good Standing and Qualification . Each of the Partnership Group Entities is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of organization and has all requisite limited partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted and is qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign entity in each jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of its assets or properties or conduct of its business requires such qualification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
6.2 Capital Structur e of the Partnership .
(a) As of the close of business on August 22, 2018, the issued and outstanding limited partner interests and general partner interests of the Partnership consisted of: (i) 484,896,871 Common Units, of which 402,989,862 were owned, directly or indirectly, by Parent; (ii) the non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership (the Partnership GP Interest ); and (iii) no other equity interests or other voting securities of the Partnership were issued or outstanding. All of the outstanding Common Units, and the limited partner interests represented thereby, have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the DRULPA and the Partnership Agreement).
(b) As of the date of this Agreement, the General Partner owns the Partnership GP Interest, and such Partnership GP Interest was duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and represents the entire general partner interest in the Partnership. The General Partner owns the Partnership GP Interest free and clear of any pledge, lien, charge, mortgage, encumbrance, option, right of first refusal or other preferential purchase right, adverse claim and interest, or security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any restriction on the right to vote or transfer the same, except for such transfer restrictions of general applicability as may be provided under the Securities Act, the blue sky Laws of the various States of the United States or similar Law of other applicable jurisdictions and except those existing or arising pursuant to the applicable Organizational Documents of such entities) (an Encumbrance , and any action of correlative meaning, to Encumber ).
(c) The Partnership does not have outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations the holders of which have the right to vote (or that are convertible into or exercisable for securities having the right to vote) with the Limited Partners on any matter. Except as set forth in Section 6.2 of the Partnership Disclosure Letter, there are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights, stock appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, agreements, arrangements, calls, commitments or rights of any kind that obligate any of the Partnership Group Entities to issue or to sell any Partnership Interests or other securities of the Partnership Group Entities or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, valued by reference to or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or acquire, any securities of the Partnership Group Entities, and no securities or obligations evidencing such rights are authorized, issued or outstanding.
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6.3 Authority; Approval and Fairness .
(a) The Partnership Parties have all requisite power and authority and have taken all action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform their respective obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Transactions subject to the adoption of this Agreement by the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least a Unit Majority (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) (the Requisite Partnership Vote ). The Requisite Partnership Vote is the only vote or approval of Limited Partners necessary to approve and adopt this Agreement and approve and consummate the Transactions. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Parties and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each of the Partnership Parties, enforceable against each of the Partnership Parties in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles (the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception ).
(b) As of the date of this Agreement, the Conflicts Committee of the Partnership Board has, acting in good faith, unanimously (i) determined based upon the facts and circumstances it deemed relevant, reasonable and appropriate to its decision, including the advice of its legal and financial advisors, that this Agreement and the Transactions are fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, the Partnership and the Public Unitholders, (ii) approved this Agreement and the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, which such approval constitutes Special Approval for purposes of the Partnership Agreement, and (iii) recommended that the Partnership Board approve this Agreement and the Transactions.
(c) As of the date of this Agreement, the Partnership Board, upon the recommendation of the Conflicts Committee, has, acting in good faith, unanimously (i) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions are fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, the Partnership and the Public Unitholders, (ii) approved this Agreement and the Transactions, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and (iii) resolved to recommend that the Limited Partners approve the Transactions and this Agreement and directed that this Agreement be submitted to the Limited Partners for their approval by written consent pursuant to Section 14.3(a) of the Partnership Agreement.
6.4 Governmental Filings; No Violations
(a) Other than the filings, notices, reports, consents, registrations, approvals, permits, expirations of waiting periods or authorizations (i) pursuant to the DRULPA and the DLLCA, (ii) under the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, (iii) required to be made with the NYSE and (iv) under state securities, takeover, public utility and blue sky Laws, no filings, notices, reports, consents, registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations are required to be made by the Partnership Parties with, nor are any required to be made or obtained by the Partnership Parties with or from, any Governmental Entity, in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties and the consummation of the Transactions, or in connection with the continuing operation of the business of the Partnership Group Entities following the Effective Time, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
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(b) Subject to the Requisite Partnership Vote, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties do not, and the consummation of the Transactions will not, (i) contravene, violate, conflict with any of, result in any breach of, or require the consent of any Person under, the terms, conditions or provisions of the Organizational Documents of any of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries; (ii) contravene, conflict with or violate any provision of applicable Law; (iii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default under (whether with notice or the lapse of time or both), or accelerate or permit the acceleration of the performance required by, or require any consent, authorization or approval under, or result in the suspension, termination or cancellation of, or in a right of suspension, termination or cancellation of, any Partnership Material Contract; or (iv) result in the creation of any lien on any of the assets or businesses of any of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries under any such Partnership Material Contract, except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), for those items that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
6.5 Partnership Reports; Financial Statements .
(a) The Partnership has filed or furnished, as applicable, on a timely basis, all forms, statements, certifications, reports and documents required to be filed or furnished by it with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Securities Act since December 31, 2016 (the Applicable Date ) (the forms, statements, reports and documents filed or furnished since the Applicable Date and those filed or furnished subsequent to the date of this Agreement, including any amendments thereto, the Partnership Reports ). Each of the Partnership Reports, at the time of its filing or being furnished, complied, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. As of their respective dates (or, if amended prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the date of such amendment), the Partnership Reports did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, except for any statements (x) in any Partnership Report that may have been modified by an amendment to such report or a subsequent report filed with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement or (y) with respect to information supplied in writing by or on behalf of Parent, as to which the Partnership makes no representation or warranty.
(b) Each of the consolidated balance sheets included in or incorporated by reference into the Partnership Reports (including the related notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Partnership and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of its date and each of the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, statements of equity and statements of cash flows included in or incorporated by reference into the Partnership Reports (including any related notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects the results of operations, retained earnings (loss) and changes in financial position, as applicable, of such companies for the periods set forth therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to notes and normal year-end audit adjustments that will not be material in amount or effect), in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may be noted therein or in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC or other applicable rules and regulations of the SEC.
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(c) The Partnership makes and keeps books, records, and accounts and has devised and maintains a system of internal controls, in each case, in all material respects, as required pursuant to Section 13(b)(2) under the Exchange Act. The Partnership has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13A-15 under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13A-15 under the Exchange Act and applicable listing standards of the NYSE. Such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that all material information required to be disclosed by the Partnership in the reports that it files under the Exchange Act are recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules, forms and regulations of the SEC, and that all such material information is accumulated and communicated to its management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. GP LLCs principal executive officer and its principal financial officer have disclosed, based on their most recent evaluation, to the Partnerships auditors and the audit committee of the Partnership Board (x) all significant deficiencies in the designation or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Partnerships ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the Partnerships auditors any material weakness in internal controls and (y) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Partnerships internal controls.
6.6 Absence of Certain Changes . Since December 31, 2017, there has not been any Effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
6.7 Litigation and Liabilities .
(a) Except as set forth in Partnership Reports, there are no Proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, threatened in writing against the Partnership, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except for obligations and liabilities (i) reflected or reserved against in the Partnerships consolidated balance sheet (and the notes thereto) included in the Partnership Reports filed prior to the date of this Agreement, or (ii) incurred in the Ordinary Course since December 31, 2017, neither the Partnership nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise and whether due or to become due and including any off-balance sheet financings, loans, indebtedness, make-whole or similar liabilities or obligations) that would be required by GAAP to be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto) of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
(c) As of the date of this Agreement, neither the Partnership, nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties or assets are party or subject to, or affected by, the provisions of any material judgment, order, writ, injunction, stipulation, ruling, determination, decree or award of any Governmental Entity, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
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(d) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 6.7, no representation or warranty shall be deemed to be made in this Section 6.7 in respect of environmental matters.
6.8 Compliance with Laws; Licenses .
(a) The businesses of each of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries are not currently being conducted, and at no time since the Applicable Date have been conducted, in violation of any applicable Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The Partnership and each of its Subsidiaries has obtained and is in compliance with all Licenses necessary to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect. No Licenses shall cease to be effective as a result of the consummation of the Transactions except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 6.8, no representation or warranty shall be deemed to be made in this Section 6.8 in respect of environmental matters.
6.9 Environmental Matters . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Partnership Material Adverse Effect: (a) since January 1, 2013, each of Partnership and its Subsidiaries is and has been in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, which compliance includes obtaining, maintaining and complying with all Environmental Permits; (b) all Environmental Permits are in full force and effect and, where applicable, applications for renewal or amendment thereof have been timely filed; (c) as of the date of this Agreement, no suspension or cancellation of any Environmental Permit is pending or threatened in writing; (d) no property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries (including soils, groundwater, surface water, buildings and surface and subsurface structures) is contaminated with any Hazardous Substance requiring remediation or other action pursuant to any Environmental Law; (e) as of the date of this Agreement, there are no Proceedings pending or threatened in writing against the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries or involving any real property currently or formerly owned, operated or leased by or for the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries alleging noncompliance with, or liability under, any Environmental Law; and (f) neither the Partnership nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any Governmental Order with any Governmental Entity or any indemnity or other agreement with any third party that imposes any current or future obligations under any Environmental Law.
6.10 Tax Matters . Except for any such matter that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect:
(a) The Partnership and each of its Subsidiaries have prepared in good faith and duly and timely filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) all Tax Returns required to be filed by any of them with the appropriate Governmental Entity and all such filed Tax Returns are complete and accurate in all material respects.
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(b) All Taxes owed by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries that are or have become due have been timely paid in full or an adequate reserve for the payment of such Taxes has been established on the balance sheet of the Partnership and its consolidated Subsidiaries included in the Partnership Reports.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 6.10(c) of the Partnership Disclosure Letter, no deficiency with respect to a material amount of Taxes has been proposed, asserted or assessed against the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries, except for deficiencies which would have been satisfied by payment, settlement or withholding. There are no Proceedings pending or threatened in writing regarding any material Taxes of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries or the assets of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.
(d) Each of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes has in effect an election under Section 754 of the Code.
(e) The Partnership is currently (and has been since its formation) either (i) properly classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) properly disregarded as an entity separate from its respective owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(b).
(f) At least 90% of the gross income of the Partnership for each taxable year ending after its initial public offering and including the short taxable year ending on the Closing Date has been income that is qualifying income within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code.
(g) Except as set forth in Section 6.10(g) of the Partnership Disclosure Letter, each Subsidiary of the Partnership is currently (and has been since its respective formation or acquisition by the Partnership) either (i) properly classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) properly disregarded as an entity separate from its respective owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(b).
6.11 Property . The Partnership or a Subsidiary of the Partnership owns and has good title to all of its material owned real property and good title to all of its material owned personal property, and has valid leasehold interests in all of its material leased real properties free and clear of all Encumbrances, in each case, to an extent sufficient to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted (except in all cases for Encumbrances permissible under or not prohibited by any applicable material loan agreements and indentures (together with all related mortgages, deeds of trust and other security agreements)), except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect. All material leases under which the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries lease any real or personal property are valid and effective against the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries and, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, the counterparties thereto, in accordance with their respective terms, and there is not, under any of such leases, any
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existing material default by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, the counterparties thereto, or any event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a material default by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, the counterparties thereto, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
6.12 Partnership Material Contracts .
(a) Except for this Agreement and except for Contracts filed with or publicly furnished to the SEC by the Partnership prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, neither the Partnership nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any material contract (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, Partnership Material Contract ).
(b) Each Partnership Material Contract is valid and binding on the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, and, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, each other party thereto, and is in full force and effect, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect. There is no default under any such Partnership Material Contracts by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, or, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any other party thereto, and no event has occurred that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default thereunder by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, or, to the Knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any other party thereto, in each case, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
6.13 Opinion of Financial Advisor . The Conflicts Committee of the Partnership Board has received the opinion of Jefferies LLC (the financial advisor to the Conflicts Committee), dated as of August 23, 2018, to the effect that, as of such date, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth therein, the Exchange Ratio is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Partnership and the Public Unitholders. A copy of such opinion will be made available to the Parent Parties as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement solely for informational purposes ( it being agreed that such opinion is solely for the benefit of the Conflicts Committee and may not be relied upon by the Partnership Board, Parent Parties or Merger Sub).
6.14 Brokers and Finders . Neither the Partnership nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective officers, directors or employees has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finders fees in connection with the Transactions, except that the Conflicts Committee has engaged Jefferies LLC as its financial advisor. The Partnership has made available to the Parent Parties correct and complete copies of all Contracts pursuant to which Jefferies LLC is entitled to any fees and expenses in connection with any of the Transactions.
6.15 Insurance . Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect, (a) the businesses and assets of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries are covered by, and insured under, insurance policies underwritten by reputable
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insurers that include coverages and related limits and deductibles that are customary in the natural gas gathering, processing, treating, transportation and storage industries and natural gas liquids marketing industry, (b) all such insurance policies are in full force and effect and all premiums due and payable on such policies have been paid and (c) no notice of cancellation of or indication of an intention not to renew, any such insurance policy has been received by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries other than in the Ordinary Course.
6.16 No Other Representations or Warranties . Except for the representations and warranties made by the Partnership Parties in this ARTICLE VI, none of the Partnership Parties nor any other Person makes any express or implied representation or warranty with respect to the Partnership Parties or any of their respective Affiliates or any of their respective businesses, operations, assets, liabilities, conditions (financial or otherwise) or prospects in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions, and each of the Partnership Parties hereby expressly disclaims any such other representations or warranties. In particular, without limiting the foregoing, none of the Partnership Parties nor any other Person makes or has made any representation or warranty to the Parent Parties, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives with respect to (a) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or prospect information relating to the Partnership Parties, any of their respective Affiliates or any of their respective businesses or (b) any oral or, except for the representations and warranties made by any of the Partnership Parties in this ARTICLE VI, written information made available to the Parent Parties, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives in the course of their evaluation of the Partnership, the negotiation of this Agreement or in the course of the Transactions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 6.16 shall limit the Parent Parties or Merger Subs remedies with respect to intentional or willful misrepresentation of material facts that constitute common law fraud arising from or relating to the express representations and warranties made by the Partnership in this ARTICLE VI.
ARTICLE VII
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARENT PARTIES
AND MERGER SUB
Except as set forth in the Parent Reports filed with or furnished to the SEC or filed on SEDAR prior to the date of this Agreement (excluding any disclosures set forth in any risk factor section or in any other section to the extent they are forward-looking statements or cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature) or in the corresponding sections or subsections of the disclosure letter delivered to the Partnership Parties by the Parent Parties concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement (the Parent Disclosure Letter ) ( it being agreed that for purposes of the representations and warranties set forth in this ARTICLE VII, disclosure of any item in any section or subsection of the Parent Disclosure Letter shall be deemed disclosure with respect to any other section or subsection to which the relevance of such item is reasonably apparent on its face), Parent and Merger Sub, and, with respect to itself where provided for in this ARTICLE VII, EUS each hereby represents and warrants to the Partnership Parties that:
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7.1 Organization, Good Standing and Qualification . Each of the Parent Parties and their respective Subsidiaries is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its respective jurisdiction of organization and has all requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted and is qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other legal entity in each jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of its assets or properties or conduct of its business requires such qualification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
7.2 Capital Structure of Parent Parties; Capitalization of Merger Sub .
(a) The authorized capital stock of Parent consists of an unlimited number of shares of Parent Common Stock, of which 1,715,504,400 shares were outstanding as of the close of business on August 22, 2018, and an unlimited number of preference shares, issuable in series ( Preference Shares ), of which 5,000,000 Series A Preference Shares, 18,269,812 Series B Preference Shares, 1,730,188 Series C Preference Shares, 18,000,000 Series D Preference Shares, 20,000,000 Series F Preference Shares, 14,000,000 Series H Preference Shares, 8,000,000 Series J Preference Shares, 16,000,000 Series L Preference Shares, 18,000,000 Series N Preference Shares, 16,000,000 Series P Preference Shares, 16,000,000 Series R Preference Shares, 16,000,000 Series 1 Preference Shares, 24,000,000 Series 3 Preference Shares, 8,000,000 Series 5 Preference Shares, 10,000,000 Series 7 Preference Shares, 11,000,000 Series 9 Preference Shares, 20,000,000 Series 11 Preference Shares, 14,000,000 Series 13 Preference Shares, 11,000,000 Series 15 Preference Shares, 30,000,000 Series 17 Preference Shares and 20,000,000 Series 19 Preference Shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement (collectively, the Parent Capital Stock ). The authorized capital stock of EUS consists of 5,000 shares of common stock (the EUS Capital Stock ). All of the outstanding shares of Parent Capital Stock and EUS Capital Stock have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(b) Parent does not have outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations the holders of which have the right to vote (or that are convertible into or exercisable for securities having the right to vote) with the stockholders of Parent on any matter. Except as set forth in Section 7.2 of the Parent Disclosure Letter, there are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights, stock appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, agreements, arrangements, calls, commitments or rights of any kind that obligate Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to issue or to sell any shares of Parent Capital Stock or other securities of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, valued by reference to or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or acquire, any securities of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, and no securities or obligations evidencing such rights are authorized, issued or outstanding.
(c) All of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of Merger Sub are, and at the Effective Time will be, owned by SETLLC. Merger Sub has not conducted any business prior to the date of this Agreement and has no, and prior to the Effective Time will have no, assets, liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those incident to its formation and pursuant to this Agreement and the Transactions.
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7.3 Authority; Approval .
(a) No vote of holders of Parent Common Stock is necessary to approve this Agreement and the Transactions, including the issuance of shares of Parent Common Stock as the Aggregate Merger Consideration. Each of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub has all requisite power and authority and has taken all action necessary in order to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Transactions, subject only to approval of this Agreement by SETLLC as the sole member of Merger Sub. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub in accordance with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.
(b) Prior to the Effective Time, Parent will have taken all necessary action to permit it to issue the number of shares of Parent Common Stock required to be issued by it pursuant to ARTICLE VI of this Agreement. The shares of Parent Common Stock, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and no stockholder of Parent will have any preemptive right of subscription or purchase in respect thereof. The shares of Parent Common Stock, when issued, will be registered under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and registered or exempt from registration under any applicable state securities or blue sky Laws.
7.4 Governmental Filings; No Violations .
(a) Other than the filings, notices, reports, consents, registrations, approvals, permits, expirations of waiting periods or authorizations (i) pursuant to the Canada Business Corporations Act, (ii) under the Exchange Act, the Securities Act and applicable Canadian Securities Laws, (iii) required to be made with the NYSE and the TSX, and (iv) state or provincial securities, takeover, public utility and blue sky Laws, no filings, notices, reports, consents, registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations are required to be made by the Parent Parties or Merger Sub with, nor are any required to be made or obtained by the Parent Parties or Merger Sub with or from, any Governmental Entity in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Parent Parties and Merger Sub and the consummation of the Transactions or in connection with the continuing operation of the business of Parent and its Subsidiaries following the Effective Time, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Parent Parties do not, and the consummation of the Transactions will not, (i) contravene, violate, conflict with any of, result in any breach of, or require the consent of any Person under, the terms, conditions or provisions of the Organizational Documents of any of Parent or its Subsidiaries; (ii) contravene, conflict with or violate any provision of applicable Law; (iii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default under (whether with notice or the lapse of time or both), or accelerate or permit the acceleration of the performance required by, or require any consent, authorization or approval under, or result in the suspension, termination or cancellation of, or in a right of suspension, termination or cancellation of, any Parent Material Contract; or (iv) result in the creation of any lien on any of the assets or businesses of any of Parent or its Subsidiaries under any such Parent Material Contract, except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), for those items that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
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7.5 Parent Reports; Financial Statements .
(a) Parent has filed or furnished, as applicable, on a timely basis, all forms, statements, certifications, reports and documents required to be filed or furnished by it with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Securities Act and with applicable Canadian Securities Regulators since the Applicable Date (the forms, statements, reports and documents filed or furnished since the Applicable Date and those filed or furnished subsequent to the date of this Agreement, including any amendments thereto, the Parent Reports ). Each of the Parent Reports, at the time of its filing or being furnished, comply, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and applicable Canadian Securities Laws. As of their respective dates (or, if amended prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the date of such amendment), the Parent Reports did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, except for any statements in any Parent Report that may have been modified by an amendment to such report or a subsequent report filed with the SEC or with applicable Canadian Securities Regulators prior to the date of this Agreement.
(b) Each of the consolidated statements of financial position included in or incorporated by reference into the Parent Reports (including the related notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Parent and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of its date and each of the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows included in or incorporated by reference into Parent Reports (including any related notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects the results of operations, retained earnings (loss) and changes in financial position, as applicable, of such companies for the periods set forth therein (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to notes and normal year-end audit adjustments that will not be material in amount or effect), in each case in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may be noted therein or in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC or other applicable rules and regulations of the SEC or Canadian Securities Regulators.
(c) Parent makes and keeps books, records, and accounts and has devised and maintains a system of internal controls, in each case, in all material respects, as required pursuant to Section 13(b)(2) under the Exchange Act and with applicable Canadian Securities Regulators, as applicable. Parent has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13A-15 under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13A-15 under the Exchange Act, the applicable listing standards of the TSX and applicable Canadian Securities Laws. Such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that all material information required to be disclosed by Parent in the reports that it files under the Exchange Act and applicable Canadian Securities Laws are recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules, forms and regulations of the SEC and Canadian Securities Regulators, and that all such material information is accumulated and
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communicated to its management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Parents principal executive officer and its principal financial officer have disclosed, based on their most recent evaluation, to Parents auditors and the audit committee of the Parent Board (x) all significant deficiencies in the designation or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect Parents ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for Parents auditors any material weakness in internal controls and (y) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in Parents internal controls.
7.6 Absence of Certain Changes . Since December 31, 2017, there has not been any Effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
7.7 Litigation and Liabilities .
(a) Except as set forth in the Parent Reports, there are no Proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of Parent, threatened in writing against Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except for obligations and liabilities (i) reflected or reserved against in Parents consolidated statements of financial position (and the notes thereto) included in the Parent Reports filed prior to the date of this Agreement or (ii) incurred in the Ordinary Course since December 31, 2017, neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise and whether due or to become due and including any off-balance sheet financings, loans, indebtedness, make-whole or similar liabilities or obligations) that would be required by GAAP to be reflected on a consolidated statement of financial position (or the notes thereto) of Parent and its Subsidiaries, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(c) As of the date of this Agreement, neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties or assets are a party or subject to, or affected by, the provisions of any material judgment, order, writ, injunction, stipulation, ruling, determination, decree or award of any Governmental Entity except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 7.7, no representation or warranty shall be deemed to be made in this Section 7.7 in respect of environmental matters.
7.8 Compliance with Laws; Licenses .
(a) The businesses of each of Parent and its Subsidiaries are not currently being conducted, and at no time since the Applicable Date have been conducted, in violation of any applicable Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
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(b) Parent and each of its Subsidiaries has obtained and is in compliance with all Licenses necessary to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. No Licenses shall cease to be effective as a result of the consummation of the Transactions, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 7.8, no representation or warranty shall be deemed to be made in this Section 7.8 in respect of environmental matters.
7.9 Environmental Matters . Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect: (a) since January 1, 2013, each of Parent and its Subsidiaries is and has been in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, which compliance includes obtaining, maintaining and complying with all Environmental Permits; (b) all Environmental Permits are in full force and effect and, where applicable, applications for renewal or amendment thereof have been timely filed; (c) as of the date of this Agreement, no suspension or cancellation of any Environmental Permit is pending or threatened in writing; (d) no property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (including soils, groundwater, surface water, buildings and surface and subsurface structures) is contaminated with any Hazardous Substance requiring remediation or other action pursuant to any Environmental Law; (e) as of the date of this Agreement, there are no Proceedings pending or threatened in writing against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or involving any real property currently or formerly owned, operated or leased by or for Parent or any of its Subsidiaries alleging noncompliance with, or liability under, any Environmental Law; and (f) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any Governmental Order with any Governmental Entity or any indemnity or other agreement with any third party that imposes any current or future obligations under any Environmental Law.
7.10 Tax Matters . Except for any such matter that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Parent and each of its Subsidiaries have prepared in good faith and duly and timely filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) all Tax Returns required to be filed by any of them with the appropriate Governmental Entity and all such filed Tax Returns are complete and accurate in all material respects.
(b) All Taxes owed by Parent and each of its Subsidiaries that are or have become due have been timely paid in full or an adequate reserve for the payment of such Taxes has been established on the statements of financial position of Parent and its consolidated Subsidiaries included in the Parent Report.
(c) No deficiency with respect to a material amount of Taxes has been proposed, asserted or assessed against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, except for deficiencies which would have been satisfied by payment, settlement or withholding. There are no Proceedings pending or threatened in writing regarding any material Taxes of Parent and its Subsidiaries or the assets of Parent and its Subsidiaries.
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(d) Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has been, within the past two years or otherwise, as part of a plan (or series of related transactions) within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code of which the Merger is also a part, a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation (within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of stock intended to qualify for tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code.
7.11 Property . Parent or a Subsidiary of Parent owns and has good title to all of its material owned real property and good title to all of its material owned personal property, and has valid leasehold interests in all of its leased real properties free and clear of all Encumbrances, in each case, to an extent sufficient to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted (except in all cases for Encumbrances permissible under or not prohibited by any applicable material loan agreements and indentures (together with all related mortgages, deeds of trust and other security agreements)), except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. All material leases under which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries lease any real or personal property are valid and effective against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and, to the Knowledge of Parent, the counterparties thereto, in accordance with their respective terms and there is not, under any of such leases, any existing material default by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Parent, the counterparties thereto, or any event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a material default by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or the counterparties thereto, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
7.12 Parent Material Contracts .
(a) Except for this Agreement and except for Contracts filed with or publicly furnished to the SEC or filed on SEDAR by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the date of this Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any material contract (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, Parent Material Contract ).
(b) Each Parent Material Contract is valid and binding on Parent or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, and, to the Knowledge of Parent, each other party thereto, and is in full force and effect, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. There is no default under any such Parent Material Contracts by Parent or its Subsidiaries, or, to the Knowledge of Parent, any other party thereto, and no event has occurred that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default thereunder by Parent or its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of Parent, any other party thereto, in each case, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
7.13 Brokers and Finders . Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective officers, directors or employees has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finders fees in connection with the Transactions, except that Parent has employed Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Scotia Capital Inc. as its financial advisors.
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7.14 Insurance . Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (a) the businesses and assets of Parent and its Subsidiaries are covered by, and insured under, insurance policies underwritten by reputable insurers that include coverages and related limits and deductibles that are customary in the natural gas gathering, processing, treating, transportation and storage industries and natural gas liquids marketing industry, (b) all such insurance policies are in full force and effect and all premiums due and payable on such policies have been paid, and (c) no notice of cancellation of or indication of an intention not to renew, any such insurance policy has been received by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries other than in the Ordinary Course.
7.15 No Other Representations or Warranties . Except for the representations and warranties made by the Parent Parties and Merger Sub in this ARTICLE VII, none of the Parent Parties, Merger Sub or any other Person makes any express or implied representation or warranty with respect to the Parent Parties, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates or any of their respective businesses, operations, assets, liabilities, conditions (financial or otherwise) or prospects in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions, and each of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub hereby expressly disclaims any such other representations or warranties. In particular, without limiting the foregoing, none of the Parent Parties, Merger Sub or any other Person makes or has made any representation or warranty to the Partnership Parties or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives with respect to (a) any financial projection, forecast, estimate, budget or prospect information relating to Parent, any of their respective Affiliates or any of their respective businesses, or (b) any oral or, except for the representations and warranties made by Parent or Merger Sub in this ARTICLE VII, written information made available to the Partnership Parties or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives in the course of their evaluation of Parent, the negotiation of this Agreement or in the course of the Transactions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7.15 shall limit the Partnership Parties remedies with respect to intentional or willful misrepresentation of material facts that constitute common law fraud arising from or relating to the express representations and warranties made by Parent and Merger Sub in this ARTICLE VII.
ARTICLE VIII
COVENANTS
8.1 Interim Operations .
(a) Each of the Partnership and Parent covenants and agrees as to itself and its Subsidiaries that, after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time (unless Parent or the Partnership, as applicable, shall otherwise approve in writing (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed)), and except as otherwise expressly contemplated by this Agreement, as provided in any Contract in effect as of the date of this Agreement, or as required by applicable Law, the business of it and its Subsidiaries shall be conducted in the Ordinary Course and, to the extent consistent therewith, it and its Subsidiaries shall use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to preserve their business organizations intact and maintain existing relations and goodwill with Governmental Entities, customers, suppliers, licensors, licensees, distributors, creditors, lessors, employees and business
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associates. Without limiting the generality of and in furtherance of the foregoing, from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, except as otherwise expressly: (a) contemplated by this Agreement; (b) contemplated by any Contract entered into prior to, concurrently with or after the date of this Agreement by Parent with respect to the Other Parent Transactions (as such Contract may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time); (c) required by applicable Law or the terms of any Partnership Material Contract or Parent Material Contract, as applicable; (d) as approved in writing (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) by the other Party; or (e) set forth in the corresponding subsection of Section 8.1 of the Partnership Disclosure Letter, as it relates to the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, or in Section 8.1 of the Parent Disclosure Letter, as it relates to Parent and its Subsidiaries, each Party, on its own account, shall not and shall not permit its Subsidiaries to:
(i) make any material change to the nature of its business and operations;
(ii) make any change to its Organizational Documents as in effect on the date of this Agreement in any manner that would reasonably be expected to prohibit, prevent or materially impede, hinder or delay the ability of such Party to satisfy any of the conditions to, or the consummation of, the Merger or the other Transactions;
(iii) (A) merge or consolidate itself or any of its Subsidiaries with any other Person (expressly excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any of the Other Parent Transactions), or (B) adopt a plan or agreement of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization, in each case, except (1) such transactions solely between or among, or solely involving, such Party and one or more of its wholly owned Subsidiaries, or a Subsidiary of such Party and one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary, (2) as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Partnership Material Adverse Effect or Parent Material Adverse Effect, as applicable, or (3) as would not reasonably be expected to prohibit, prevent or materially impede, hinder or delay the ability of such Party to satisfy any of the conditions to, or the consummation of, the Merger or the other Transactions;
(iv) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant, transfer, encumber or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant, transfer, lease, license, guarantee or encumbrance, or enter into any Contract (including, with respect to the voting of), any of its partnership interests, limited liability company interests, shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable (other than the issuance of partnership interests, limited liability company interests, shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable, (A) by a wholly owned Subsidiary of such Party to such Party or one or more of such Partys wholly owned Subsidiaries, or by a wholly owned Subsidiary of such Partys Subsidiary to such Subsidiary or one or more other wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary, or (B) in respect of equity-based awards outstanding as of the date of this Agreement in accordance with their terms and, as applicable, the plan documents as in effect on the date of this Agreement), or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for any such partnership interests, limited liability company interests, shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable, or any options, warrants or other rights of any kind to acquire any partnership interests, limited liability company interests, shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable, or such convertible or exchangeable securities;
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(v) reclassify, split, combine, subdivide or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its partnership interests, limited liability company interests, shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable, or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for any partnership interests, limited liability company interests, shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable;
(vi) waive, release, assign, settle or compromise any claim, action or proceeding, including any state or federal regulatory proceeding seeking damages or injunction or other equitable relief, which waiver, release, assignment, settlement or compromise would reasonably be expected to result in a Partnership Material Adverse Effect or Parent Material Adverse Effect, as applicable;
(vii) other than in the Ordinary Course, make, change or revoke any material Tax election (other than a Tax election with respect to Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC), adopt or change any material Tax accounting method, file any material amended Tax Return, settle any material Tax claim, audit, assessment or dispute for an amount materially in excess of the amount reserved or accrued on such Partys most recent consolidated balance sheet included in the Parent Reports or Partnership Reports, as applicable, or surrender any right to claim a refund of a material amount of Taxes;
(viii) make any material changes with respect to accounting policies, except as required by changes in GAAP (or any interpretation thereof), including pursuant to standards, guidelines and interpretations of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or any similar organization, or Law, including pursuant to SEC rule or policy;
(ix) make or declare any dividends or distributions to the holders of Common Units or Parent Common Stock, in each case, other than in the Ordinary Course, subject to Section 8.10; or
(x) agree, authorize or commit to do any of the foregoing.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, a Partys obligations under Section 8.1(a) to take an action or not to take an action, or to cause its Subsidiaries to take an action or not to take an action, shall, with respect to any Persons (and their respective Subsidiaries) controlled by such Party, or in which such Party otherwise has a voting interest, but that are not wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Party or have public equity holders, only apply (i) to the extent permitted by the organizational documents and governance arrangements of such entity and its subsidiaries, (ii) to the extent a Party is authorized and empowered to bind such entity and its subsidiaries and (iii) to the extent permitted by the Partys or its Subsidiaries duties (fiduciary or otherwise) to such entity and its subsidiaries or any of its equity holders.
8.2 Consent Statement/Prospectus Filing; Information Supplied .
(a) As promptly as reasonably practicable after the date of this Agreement, Parent and the Partnership shall jointly prepare and file with the SEC, and each of Parent and the Partnership agrees to cooperate in the preparation of, the registration statement on Form S-4 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the Registration Statement ), including the
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prospectus and consent statement relating to the Requisite Partnership Vote to be held in connection with this Agreement constituting a part thereof (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the Consent Statement/Prospectus ). Parent and the Partnership each shall use its reasonable best efforts to respond promptly to comments from the SEC and have the Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as reasonably practicable after such filing, and to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for as long as necessary to consummate the Transactions or until this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms. Promptly after the Registration Statement is declared effective, the Partnership shall use its reasonable best efforts to mail the Consent Statement/Prospectus, which shall include a form of consent that may be executed by Limited Partners in connection with the approval of this Agreement and the Transactions, by written consent without a meeting in accordance with Section 14.3(a) of the Partnership Agreement, to the Limited Partners. The General Partner shall specify the time period in which executed forms of consent must be returned to the Partnership, which shall not be less than 20 days, and such time period shall be set forth in the Consent Statement/Prospectus.
(b) Each of the Partnership and Parent shall promptly notify the other of the receipt of all comments from the SEC and of any request by the SEC for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Consent Statement/Prospectus or for additional information and shall promptly provide to the other copies of all correspondence between it or any of its Representatives and the SEC with respect to the Registration Statement or Consent Statement/Prospectus.
(c) Each of the Partnership and Parent agrees, as to itself and its Subsidiaries, that none of the information supplied or to be supplied by it or its Subsidiaries for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration Statement will, at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any 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 (ii) the Consent Statement/Prospectus will, at the date of mailing to the Limited Partners, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each of the Partnership and Parent further agrees that, if prior to the Closing Date, it should become aware of any information that would cause any of the statements in the Registration Statement or the Consent Statement/Prospectus to be false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein (in light of the circumstances under which they were made, in the case of the Consent Statement/Prospectus) not false or misleading, it will promptly inform the other Party thereof and, subject to Section 8.2(d), take the steps necessary to correct such information in an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Consent Statement/Prospectus.
(d) Each of Parent and the Partnership will provide the other Party and their respective legal counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on drafts of the Consent Statement/Prospectus, the Registration Statement and other documents related to the Requisite Partnership Vote or the issuance of the shares of Parent Common Stock in respect of the Merger, prior to filing such documents with the applicable Governmental Entity and mailing such documents to the Limited Partners. Each Party will include in the Consent
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Statement/Prospectus, the Registration Statement and such other documents related to the Requisite Partnership Vote or the issuance of the shares of Parent Common Stock in respect of the Merger all comments reasonably and promptly proposed by the other Party or its legal counsel and each agrees that all information relating to Parent and its Subsidiaries included in the Consent Statement/Prospectus and the Registration Statement shall be in form and content satisfactory to Parent, acting reasonably, and all information relating to the Partnership and its Subsidiaries included in the Consent Statement/Prospectus and the Registration Statement shall be in form and content satisfactory to the Partnership, acting reasonably.
8.3 Cooperation; Efforts to Consummate . On the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, each of the Partnership and Parent shall cooperate with each other and use (and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries to use) its reasonable best efforts to take or cause to be taken all actions, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable on its part under this Agreement and applicable Law to consummate and make effective the Transactions as soon as reasonably practicable, including (a) preparing and filing as promptly as reasonably practicable all documentation to effect all necessary notices, reports and other filings, (b) obtaining as promptly as reasonably practicable all consents, registrations, approvals, permits and authorizations necessary or advisable to be obtained from any third party or any Governmental Entity in order to consummate the Transactions and (c) defending any Proceedings challenging this Agreement or the Transactions and seeking to have lifted or rescinded any injunction or restraining order or other order adversely affecting the ability of the Parties to consummate the Merger and the Transactions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement will require any Party to hold separate or make any divestiture of any asset or otherwise agree to any restriction on its operations or other condition in order to obtain any consent or approval or other clearance required by this Agreement.
8.4 Status; Notifications . Subject to applicable Law and as otherwise required by any Governmental Entity, the Partnership and Parent each shall keep the other apprised of the status of matters relating to the consummation of the Transactions, including promptly furnishing the other with copies of notices or other communications received by the Parent Parties or the Partnership Parties, as applicable, or any of their respective Subsidiaries, from any third party or any Governmental Entity with respect to the Transactions. The Partnership and Parent each shall give prompt notice to the other of any Effect that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect or Parent Material Adverse Effect, as applicable, or of any failure of any condition to the other Partys obligation to consummate the Transactions; provided that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 8.4 shall not affect or be deemed to modify any representation, warranty, covenant, right, remedy, or condition to any obligation of any Party or update the Partnership Disclosure Letter or Parent Disclosure Letter, as applicable.
8.5 Information; Access and Reports .
(a) Subject to applicable Law and the other provisions of this Section 8.5, the Partnership and Parent each shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to), upon request by the other Party, (i) upon reasonable advance notice, provide such other Party and its Representatives with reasonable access during normal business hours to its properties, offices and other facilities and its employees, agents, contracts, books and records and (ii) otherwise furnish such other Party
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and its Representatives with all information concerning itself, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers and stockholders and such other matters as may be required in connection with the Consent Statement/Prospectus, the Registration Statement or any other statement, filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of Parent, the Partnership or any of their respective Subsidiaries to any Governmental Entity in connection with the Transactions.
(b) The foregoing provisions of this Section 8.5 shall not require and shall not be construed to require either the Partnership or Parent to permit any access to any of its officers, employees, agents, contracts, books or records, or its properties, offices or other facilities, or to permit any inspection, review, sampling or audit, or to disclose or otherwise make available any information that in the reasonable judgment of the Partnership or Parent, as applicable, would (i) violate the terms of any confidentiality provisions in any agreement with a third party entered into prior to the date of this Agreement, (ii) result in a violation of applicable Law or (iii) waive the protection of any attorney-client privilege.
(c) No exchange of information or investigation by the Parent or its Representatives shall affect or be deemed to affect, modify or waive the representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties set forth in this Agreement, and no investigation by the Partnership or its Representatives shall affect or be deemed to affect, modify or waive the representations and warranties of the Parent Parties or Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement.
8.6 Stock Exchange Listing and Delisting . Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in the Merger to be approved for listing on the NYSE and the TSX, subject to official notice of issuance, prior to the Closing Date. Prior to the Closing Date, the Partnership shall cooperate with Parent and use reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause to be done all things, reasonably necessary, proper or advisable on its part under applicable Law and rules and policies of the NYSE to enable the delisting by the Surviving Entity of the Common Units from the NYSE and the deregistration of the Common Units under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time.
8.7 Expenses .
Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.6, whether or not the Merger is consummated, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and performance of this Agreement and the Transactions, including all fees and expenses of its Representatives, shall be paid by the Party incurring such expense, except that Parent shall pay for (a) any filing fees with respect to the Registration Statement and (b) the costs and expenses of printing and mailing of the Consent Statement/Prospectus.
8.8 Indemnification; Directors and Officers Insurance .
(a) From and after the Effective Time, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law, each of Parent and the Surviving Entity shall jointly and severally (i) indemnify, defend and hold harmless each present and former (determined as of the Effective Time) director and officer of any of GP LLC, the Partnership Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries, in each case, when acting in such capacity (including the heirs, executors and administrators of any
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such director or officer, the Indemnified Parties ), against any costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees), judgments, fines, penalties, sanctions, losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of any thereof) in connection with, arising out of or otherwise related to any acts or omissions or actual or threatened Proceeding, in each case in connection with, arising out of or otherwise related to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Effective Time, including in connection with (A) the Transactions and (B) actions to enforce this provision or any other indemnification or advancement right of any Indemnified Party and (ii) advance expenses as incurred in each case described in clause (i) to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law; provided that any Person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined by a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction that such Person is not entitled to indemnification.
(b) The Parent shall maintain in effect, or cause to be maintained in effect, (i) the insurance liability coverage of the existing directors and officers insurance policies for directors and officers of GP LLC and (ii) the Partnerships existing fiduciary liability insurance policies (collectively, the D&O Insurance ) in place as of the date of this Agreement, in each case, for a claims reporting or discovery period of six years from and after the Effective Time (the Tail Period ), with terms, conditions and limits of liability that are at least as favorable to the insureds as provided in the existing policies providing such coverage as of the date of this Agreement; provided , however , that in no event during the Tail Period shall Parent be required to expend more on the annual cost of the D&O Insurance than an amount per year equal to 300 percent of the current annual premiums charged to the Partnership by Parent for such insurance; and provided , further , that if the cost of such insurance coverage exceeds such amount, the Surviving Entity shall have the option to obtain a policy with the greatest coverage available for a cost not exceeding such amount. If the Parent in its sole discretion elects, then, in lieu of the obligations of the Surviving Entity under this Section 8.8(b), Parent may, but shall be under no obligation to, prior to the Effective Time, obtain and fully pay the premium for tail insurance policies for the extension of the D&O Insurance for the Tail Period with respect to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (including in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions).
(c) Any Indemnified Party wishing to claim indemnification under this Section 8.8, upon learning of any such Proceeding, shall promptly notify Parent thereof in writing, but the failure to so notify shall not relieve Parent or the Surviving Entity of any liability it may have to such Indemnified Party, except to the extent such failure materially prejudices the indemnifying party. In the event of any Proceeding: (i) Parent or the Surviving Entity shall have the right to assume the defense thereof ( it being understood that by electing to assume the defense thereof, neither Parent nor the Surviving Entity will be deemed to have waived any right to object to the Indemnified Partys entitlement to indemnification hereunder with respect thereto or assumed any liability with respect thereto), except that if Parent or the Surviving Entity elects not to assume such defense or legal counsel or the Indemnified Party advises that there are issues which raise conflicts of interest between Parent or the Surviving Entity and the Indemnified Party, the Indemnified Party may retain legal counsel satisfactory to them, and Parent or the Surviving Entity shall pay all reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such legal
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counsel for the Indemnified Party promptly as statements therefor are received; provided , however , that Parent and the Surviving Entity shall be obligated pursuant to this Section 8.8(c) to pay for only one firm of legal counsel for all Indemnified Parties with respect to any Proceeding in any jurisdiction unless the use of one legal counsel for such Indemnified Parties would present such legal counsel with a conflict of interest ( provided that the fewest number of legal counsels necessary to avoid conflicts of interest shall be used); (ii) the Indemnified Parties shall cooperate in the defense of any such matter if Parent or the Surviving Entity elects to assume such defense, and Parent and the Surviving Entity shall cooperate in the defense of any such matter if Parent or the Surviving Entity elects not to assume such defense; (iii) the Indemnified Parties shall not be liable for any settlement effected without their prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) if Parent or the Surviving Entity elects to assume such defense and Parent and the Surviving Entity shall not be liable for any settlement effected without their prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) if Parent or the Surviving Entity elects not to assume such defense; and (iv) all rights to indemnification in respect of any such Proceedings shall continue until final disposition of all such Proceedings.
(d) During the Tail Period, the Parent shall honor (and shall cause GP LLC, the General Partner and the Surviving Entity to honor) all rights to indemnification, elimination of liability and exculpation from liabilities for acts or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time and rights to advancement of expenses relating thereto as in effect on the date of this Agreement in favor of any Indemnified Party as provided in the Organizational Documents of GP LLC, the General Partner, the Partnership and their respective Subsidiaries or any indemnification agreement between such Indemnified Party and GP LLC, the General Partner, the Partnership or any of their respective Subsidiaries, in each case, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, and all of such rights shall survive the Transactions unchanged and shall not be amended, restated, repealed or otherwise modified in any manner that would adversely affect any right thereunder of any such Indemnified Party.
(e) If Parent, GP LLC, the General Partner or the Surviving Entity or any of their respective successors or assigns (i) shall consolidate with or merge into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving Person of such consolidation or merger or (ii) shall transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, proper provisions shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent, GP LLC, the General Partner or the Surviving Entity, as applicable, shall assume all of the obligations set forth in this Section 8.8.
(f) The rights of the Indemnified Parties under this Section 8.8 are in addition to any rights such Indemnified Parties may have under the Organizational Documents of GP LLC, the General Partner, the Partnership or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or under any applicable Contracts or Laws, and nothing in this Agreement is intended to, shall be construed to or shall release, waive or impair any rights to directors and officers insurance claims under any policy that is or has been in existence with respect to GP LLC, the General Partner, the Partnership or any of their respective Subsidiaries for any of their respective directors, officers or other employees.
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(g) This Section 8.8 is intended to be for the benefit of, and from and after the Effective Time shall be enforceable by, each of the Indemnified Parties, who shall be third-party beneficiaries of this Section 8.8. Any right of an Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section 8.8 shall not be amended, repealed, terminated or otherwise modified at any time in a manner that would adversely affect the rights of such Indemnified Party as provided herein.
8.9 Takeover Statutes . If any fair price, moratorium, control share acquisition or other similar anti-takeover statute or regulation is or may become applicable to the Transactions, each of Parent and the Partnership and the Parent Board and the Partnership Board, respectively, shall grant such approvals and use reasonable best efforts to take such actions as are necessary so that the Transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the effects of such statute or regulation on the Transactions.
8.10 Distributions . The Partnership and Parent shall coordinate with respect to the declaration and setting of record dates and payment dates of distributions on Common Units and Parent Common Stock, subject to applicable Law, so that holders of Common Units do not receive dividends and distributions, as applicable, on both Common Units and shares of Parent Common Stock received in the Merger in respect of any calendar quarter or fail to receive a dividend or distribution, as applicable, on either Common Units or shares of Parent Common Stock received in the Merger in respect of any calendar quarter.
8.11 Section 16 Matters . The Partnership and Parent, and the Partnership Board and the Parent Board (or duly formed committees thereof consisting of non-employee directors (as such term is defined for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act)), shall, prior to the Effective Time, take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to cause the Transactions and any other dispositions of equity securities of the Partnership (including derivative securities) or acquisitions of equity securities of Parent Common Stock (including derivative securities) in connection with the Transactions by any individual who is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with respect to the Partnership, or will become subject to such reporting requirements with respect to Parent, to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, to the extent permitted by applicable Law.
8.12 Transaction Litigation . In the event that any unitholder litigation related to this Agreement or the Transactions is brought, or, to the Partnerships Knowledge, threatened, against the Partnership or any members of the Partnership Board from and following the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time (such litigation, Transaction Litigation ), the Partnership shall as promptly as reasonably practicable notify Parent of such Transaction Litigation and shall keep Parent reasonably informed with respect to the status thereof. The Partnership shall give Parent the opportunity to participate in the defense or settlement and shall consider in good faith Parents advice with respect to such Transaction Litigation; provided that the Partnership shall in any event control such defense or settlement and the disclosure of information to Parent in connection therewith shall be subject to the provisions of Section 8.5; provided , further , that the Partnership shall not agree to settle any Transaction Litigation without the prior written consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
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8.13 Voting . The Parent Parties covenant and agree that, until the earlier of the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Parent Parties irrevocably and unconditionally agree that they shall, within two Business Days after the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act (but, for the avoidance of doubt, not until such Registration Statement becomes effective), deliver or cause to be delivered a written consent pursuant to Section 14.3(a) of the Partnership Agreement covering all of the Common Units then owned beneficially or of record by them or any of their Subsidiaries in favor of the approval of this Agreement (as it may be amended or otherwise modified from time to time) and the Merger and the approval of any actions required in furtherance thereof.
8.14 Conflicts Committee . Prior to the earlier of the Effective Time and the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, Parent shall not and it shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to take any action intended to cause GP LLC to, without the consent of a majority of the then existing members of the Conflicts Committee, eliminate the Conflicts Committee, revoke or diminish the authority of the Conflicts Committee or remove or cause the removal of any director of GP LLC that is a member of the Conflicts Committee either as a director or as a member of such committee. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 8.13 shall not apply to the filling, in accordance with the provisions of the limited liability company agreement of GP LLC, of any vacancies caused by the resignation, death or incapacity of any such director.
8.15 Performance by General Partner . Parent shall cause GP LLC and the General Partner to cause the Partnership and its Subsidiaries to comply with the provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that actions or inactions by the Partnership, the General Partner and their respective Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to be breaches or violations or failures to perform by the Partnership, the General Partner and their respective Subsidiaries of any of the provisions of this Agreement if such action or inaction was or was not taken, as applicable, at the direction of the Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers.
ARTICLE IX
CONDITIONS
9.1 Conditions to Obligation of Each Party . The respective obligation of each Party to consummate the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver at or prior to the Closing of each of the following conditions:
(a) Partnership Unitholder Approval . This Agreement shall have been duly approved by the Limited Partners constituting the Requisite Partnership Vote in accordance with applicable Law and the Partnership Agreement.
(b) Listing . The shares of Parent Common Stock issuable to the holders of Common Units pursuant to this Agreement shall have been authorized for listing on the NYSE and the TSX, subject to official notice of issuance.
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(c) Laws or Governmental Orders . No Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Law or Governmental Order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in effect and restrains, enjoins, makes illegal or otherwise prohibits the consummation of the Transactions.
(d) Registration Statement . The Registration Statement shall have become effective in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and remain in effect, and no Proceedings for that purpose shall have commenced or been threatened in writing by the SEC, unless subsequently withdrawn.
9.2 Conditions to Obligation of Parent, EUS and Merger Sub . The respective obligations of Parent, EUS and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver by Parent at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties . (i) Each of the representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties set forth in Section 6.3 ( Authority; Approval and Fairness ) and Section 6.6 ( Absence of Certain Changes ) shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a particular date or period of time, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct in all material respects as of such particular date or period of time); (ii) the representations and warranties of the Partnership set forth in Section 6.2 ( Capital Structure of the Partnership ) shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a particular date or period of time, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct in all material respects as of such particular date or period of time), except for such inaccuracies as would not be material in amount or effect; and (iii) each other representation and warranty of the Partnership Parties set forth in this Agreement shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a particular date or period of time, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct as of such particular date or period of time), except, in the case of this clause (iii), for any failure of any such representation and warranty to be so true and correct (without giving effect to any qualification by materiality or Partnership Material Adverse Effect contained therein) that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Performance of Obligations of the Partnership . The Partnership shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Partnership Closing Certificate . Parent, EUS and Merger Sub shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Partnership by an executive officer of the Partnership certifying that the conditions set forth in Section 9.2(a) and Section 9.2(b) have been satisfied.
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9.3 Conditions to Obligation of the Partnership Parties . The respective obligations of the Partnership Parties to consummate the Merger are also subject to the satisfaction or waiver by the Partnership at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties . (i) Each of the representations and warranties of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub set forth in Section 7.3 ( Authority; Approval ) and Section 7.6 ( Absence of Certain Changes ) shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a particular date or period of time, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct in all material respects as of such particular date or period of time); (ii) the representations and warranties of Parent set forth in Section 7.2 ( Capital Structure of Parent; Capitalization of Merger Sub ) shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a particular date or period of time, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct in all material respects as of such particular date or period of time), except for such inaccuracies as would not be material in amount or effect; and (iii) the other representations and warranties of the Parent Parties and Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement shall have been true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a particular date or period of time, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct as of such particular date or period of time), except, in the case of this clause (iii), for any failure of any such representation and warranty to be so true and correct (without giving effect to any qualification by materiality or Parent Material Adverse Effect set forth therein) that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Performance of Obligations of Parent, EUS and Merger Sub . Each of Parent, EUS and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) Parent, EUS and Merger Sub Closing Certificate . The Partnership shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of Parent, EUS and Merger Sub by an executive officer of Parent certifying that the conditions set forth in Section 9.3(a) and Section 9.3(b) have been satisfied.
ARTICLE X
TERMINATION
10.1 Termination by Mutual Written Consent . This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time by mutual written consent of the Partnership and Parent duly authorized by the Conflicts Committee (on behalf of the Partnership) and the Parent Board (on behalf of Parent).
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10.2 Termination by Either Parent or the Partnership . This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time by action of either the Partnership Board or the Parent Board, if:
(a) the Merger shall not have been consummated by February 25, 2019 (the Outside Date ); provided , further , that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.2(a) shall not be available to any Party that has breached in any material respect its obligations set forth in this Agreement in any manner that shall have proximately contributed to the occurrence of the failure of a condition to the consummation of the Merger; or
(b) any Law or Governmental Order permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting consummation of the Merger shall become final and non-appealable; provided that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.2(b) shall not be available to any Party that has breached in any material respect its obligations set forth in this Agreement in any manner that shall have proximately contributed to the occurrence of the failure of a condition to the consummation of the Merger.
10.3 Termination by Parent . This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned by action of the Parent Board if, at any time prior to the Effective Time, there has been a breach by the Partnership of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of the Partnership shall have become untrue, in either case, such that the conditions in Section 9.2(a) or Section 9.2(b) would not be satisfied (and such breach or failure to be true and correct is not curable prior to the Outside Date, or if curable prior to the Outside Date, has not been cured within the earlier of (a) sixty days after the giving of notice thereof by Parent to the Partnership or (b) the Outside Date); provided , however , that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.3 shall not be available to Parent if it has breached in any material respect its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.
10.4 Termination by the Partnership . This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned by action of the Partnership Board if, at any time prior to the Effective Time, there has been a breach by Parent, EUS or Merger Sub of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of Parent, EUS or Merger Sub shall have become untrue, in either case, such that the conditions in Section 9.3(a) or Section 9.3(b) would not be satisfied (and such breach or failure to be true and correct is not curable prior to the Outside Date, or if curable prior to the Outside Date, has not been cured within the earlier of (a) sixty days after the giving of notice thereof by the Partnership to Parent or (b) the Outside Date); provided , however , that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.4 shall not be available to the Partnership if it has breached in any material respect its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.
10.5 Effect of Termination and Abandonment . In the event of the termination of this Agreement and the abandonment of the Merger pursuant to this ARTICLE X, this Agreement shall become void and of no effect with no liability to any Person on the part of any Party (or any of its Representatives or Affiliates); provided , however , and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) no such termination shall relieve any Party of any liability or damages to any other Party resulting from any Willful Breach of this Agreement and (ii) the provisions set forth in this Section 10.5 and the second sentence of Section 11.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
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10.6 Payment of Partnership Expenses . If this Agreement is terminated by (a) the Partnership or the Parent pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.2(a) or (b) the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.4, Parent shall pay to the Partnership by wire transfer of immediately available funds an account designated by the Partnership an amount equal to the Partnership Expenses, and such payment shall be made within five (5) Business Days after such termination.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
11.1 Survival . ARTICLE I, this ARTICLE XI and the agreements of the Partnership Parties, the Parent Parties and Merger Sub contained in ARTICLE IV, ARTICLE V, the second sentence of Section 8.6 ( Stock Exchange Listing and Delisting ), Section 8.7 ( Expenses ), Section 8.8 ( Indemnification; Directors and Officers Insurance ) and Section 8.10 ( Distributions ) shall survive the Effective Time. ARTICLE I, this ARTICLE XI and the agreements of the Partnership Parties, the Parent Parties and Merger Sub contained in Section 8.7 ( Expenses ), Section 10.5 ( Effect of Termination and Abandonment ) and Section 10.6 ( Payment of Partnership Expenses ) shall survive the termination of this Agreement. All other representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in this Agreement or in any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall not survive the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement.
11.2 Modification or Amendment ; Waiver .
(a) Subject to the provisions of applicable Law and the provisions of Section 8.8 ( Indemnification; Directors and Officers Insurance ), at any time prior to the Effective Time, this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived if such amendment, modification or waiver is in writing and signed, in the case of an amendment or modification or waiver, by each of the Parties, or in the case of a waiver, by the Party against whom the waiver is to be effective; provided that, in the case of amendments, modifications or waivers by the Partnership, any such amendments, modifications or waivers must be approved by the Conflicts Committee. The conditions to each of the Parties respective obligations to consummate the Transactions are for the sole benefit of such Party and may be waived by such Party, in whole or in part, to the extent permitted by applicable Law; provided , however , that any such waiver shall only be effective if made in writing and executed by the Party against whom the waiver is to be effective; provided , further , that the Partnership may not make or authorize any such waiver without the prior approval of the Conflicts Committee.
(b) No failure or delay by any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under applicable Law shall operate as a waiver of such rights and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no single or partial exercise thereof shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by Laws.
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11.3 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each such counterpart being deemed to be an original instrument, and all such counterparts shall together constitute the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, email or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.
11.4 Governing Law and Venue; Submission to Jurisdiction; Selection of Forum; Waiver of Trial by Jury .
(a) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE MADE IN AND IN ALL RESPECTS SHALL BE INTERPRETED, CONSTRUED AND GOVERNED BY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF (OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION) TO THE EXTENT THAT SUCH PRINCIPLES WOULD DIRECT A MATTER TO ANOTHER JURISDICTION.
(b) Each of the Parties agrees that: (i) it shall bring any Proceeding in connection with, arising out of or otherwise relating to this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the Transactions exclusively in the courts of the State of Delaware in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (and only if) such court finds it lacks subject matter jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware (Complex Commercial Division), provided that if subject matter jurisdiction over the matter that is the subject of the Proceeding is vested exclusively in the United States federal courts, such Proceeding shall be heard in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the Chosen Courts ); and (ii) solely in connection with such Proceedings, (A) it irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts, (B) it waives any objection to the laying of venue in any Proceeding in the Chosen Courts, (C) it waives any objection that the Chosen Courts are an inconvenient forum or do not have jurisdiction over any Party, (D) mailing of process or other papers in connection with any such Proceeding in the manner provided in Section 11.6 or in such other manner as may be permitted by applicable Law shall be valid and sufficient service thereof and (E) it shall not assert as a defense, any matter or claim waived by the foregoing clauses (A) through (D) of this Section 11.4(b) or that any Governmental Order issued by the Chosen Courts may not be enforced in or by the Chosen Courts.
(c) EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY BE IN CONNECTION WITH, ARISE OUT OF OR OTHERWISE RELATE TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY INSTRUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS, IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN
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CONNECTION WITH, ARISING OUT OF OR OTHERWISE RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY INSTRUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT DELIVERED PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS. EACH PARTY HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES AND CERTIFIES: (i) THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OTHER PARTIES HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTIES WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER; (ii) IT UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER; (iii) IT MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY; AND (iv) IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 11.4(c).
11.5 Specific Performance .
(a) Each of the Parties acknowledges and agrees that the rights of each Party to consummate the Transactions are special, unique and of extraordinary character and that if for any reason any of the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their specific terms or are otherwise breached (including by a Partys failing to take such actions as are required of such Party hereunder in order to consummate the Transactions), immediate and irreparable harm or damage would be caused for which money damages would not be an adequate remedy. Accordingly, each Party agrees that, in addition to any other available remedies a Party may have in equity or at law, each Party shall be entitled to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement and to obtain an injunction restraining any breach or violation or threatened breach or violation of the provisions of this Agreement in the Chosen Courts, provided that such Party seeking specific performance, injunction or other equitable remedy pursuant to this Section 11.5 is not in material default under this Agreement. Each Party agrees that no Party shall be required to obtain, furnish or post any bond or similar instrument in connection with or as a condition to obtaining any remedy referred to in this Section 11.5, and each Party irrevocably waives any right it may have to require the obtaining, furnishing or posting of any such bond or similar instrument. In the event that any Proceeding should be brought in equity to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, no Party shall allege, and each Party hereby waives the defense, that there is an adequate remedy at law.
(b) To the extent any Party brings a Proceeding to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions of this Agreement (other than a Proceeding to specifically enforce any provision that expressly survives termination of this Agreement) when expressly available to such Party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the Outside Date shall automatically be extended to (i) the twentieth Business Day following the resolution of such Proceeding, or (ii) such other time period established by the court presiding over such Proceeding.
11.6 Notices . All notices, requests, instructions, consents, claims, demands, waivers, approvals and other communications to be given or made hereunder by one or more Parties to one or more of the other Parties shall be in writing and delivered in person or by courier service, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or sent by email; provided that any email transmission must be promptly confirmed by telephone or email. Such
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communications shall be sent to the respective Parties at the following street addresses or email addresses or at such other street address or email address for a Party as shall be specified for such purpose in a notice given in accordance with this Section 11.6:
If to the Partnership or General Partner:
Spectra Energy Partners, LP |
||
c/o Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC |
||
5400 Westheimer Court |
||
Houston, TX 77056 |
||
Attention: |
Chief Legal Officer | |
Telephone: |
(713) 627-5400 | |
Email: |
legalnotices@enbridge.com |
with a copy to the Conflicts Committees legal counsel (which shall not constitute notice):
Sidley Austin LLP |
||
1000 Louisiana Street Suite 6000 |
||
Houston, Texas 77002 |
||
Attention: |
William J. Cooper | |
Telephone: |
(713) 495-7711 | |
Email: |
wcooper@sidley.com |
If to Parent:
Enbridge Inc. |
||
200 Fifth Avenue Place |
||
425 1st Street S.W. |
||
Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
||
T2P 3L8 |
||
Attention: |
Corporate Secretary | |
Telephone: |
(201) 231-5935 | |
Email: |
corporatesecretary@enbridge.com |
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP |
||
125 Broad Street |
||
New York, New York 10004 |
||
Attention: |
George J. Sampas | |
Telephone: |
(212) 558-4000 | |
Email: |
sampasg@sullcrom.com |
If to EUS or Merger Sub:
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Enbridge (U.S.) Inc. |
||
5400 Westheimer Court |
||
Houston, TX 77056 |
||
Attention: |
Corporate Secretary | |
Telephone: |
(713) 627-5400 | |
Email: |
USCorporateSecretary@enbridge.com |
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP |
||
125 Broad Street |
||
New York, New York 10004 |
||
Attention: |
George J. Sampas | |
Telephone: |
(212) 558-4000 | |
Email: |
sampasg@sullcrom.com |
11.7 Entire Agreement .
(a) This Agreement (including any exhibits hereto), the Partnership Disclosure Letter and the Parent Disclosure Letter constitute the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations, understandings and representations and warranties, whether oral or written, with respect to such matters.
(b) Each Party acknowledges the provisions set forth in Section 6.16 ( No Other Representations or Warranties ) and Section 7.15 ( No Other Representations or Warranties ) and, without limiting such provisions, additionally acknowledges and agrees that, except for the representations and warranties expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership Disclosure Letter, the Parent Disclosure Letter and any certificates delivered by any Party pursuant to this Agreement: (i) no Party has made or is making any other representations, warranties, statements, information or inducements; (ii) no Party has relied on or is relying on any other representations, warranties, statements, information or inducements; and (iii) each Party hereby disclaims reliance on any other representations, warranties, statements, information or inducements provided to such Party by the other Party, in each case for clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), oral or written, express or implied, or as to the accuracy or completeness of any statements or other information, made by, or made available by, itself or any of its Representatives, in each case with respect to, or in connection with, the negotiation, execution or delivery of this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the Transactions, and notwithstanding the distribution, disclosure or other delivery to the other or the others Representatives of any documentation or other information with respect to any one or more of the foregoing, and waives any claims or causes of action relating thereto.
11.8 Third-Party Beneficiaries . Except for, from and after the Effective Time, the Indemnified Parties with respect to the provisions of Section 8.8 ( Indemnification; Directors and Officers Insurance ), the Parties hereby agree that their respective representations, warranties and covenants set forth in this Agreement are solely for the benefit of the other Parties on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and this Agreement is not
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intended to, and does not, confer upon any Person other than the Parties and their respective successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns any rights or remedies, express or implied, hereunder, including the right to rely upon the representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement. The representations and warranties in this Agreement are the product of negotiations among the Parties. Any inaccuracies in such representations and warranties are subject to waiver by the Parties in accordance with Section 11.2 without notice or liability to any other Person. In some instances, the representations and warranties in this Agreement may represent an allocation among the Parties of risks associated with particular matters regardless of the knowledge of any of the Parties. Consequently, Persons other than the Parties may not rely upon the representations and warranties in this Agreement as characterizations of actual facts or circumstances as of the date of this Agreement or as of any other date.
11.9 Non-Recourse . Unless expressly agreed to otherwise by the Parties in writing, this Agreement may only be enforced against, and any Proceeding in connection with, arising out of or otherwise resulting from this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the Transactions may only be brought against the Persons expressly named as Parties (or any of their respective successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns) and then only with respect to the specific obligations set forth herein with respect to such Party. No past, present or future director, employee (including any officer), incorporator, manager, member, partner, stockholder, unitholder, other equity holder or persons in a similar capacity, controlling person, Affiliate or other Representative of any Party or of any Affiliate of any Party, or any of their respective successors, Representatives and permitted assigns shall have any liability or other obligation for any obligation of any Party under this Agreement or for any Proceeding in connection with, arising out of or otherwise resulting from this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the Transactions; provided , however , that nothing in this Section 11.9 shall limit any liability or other obligation of the Parties for breaches of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
11.10 Fulfillment of Obligations . Whenever this Agreement requires a Subsidiary of Parent to take any action, such requirement shall be deemed to include an undertaking on the part of Parent to cause such Subsidiary to take such action. Whenever this Agreement requires a Subsidiary of the Partnership to take any action, such requirement shall be deemed to include an undertaking on the part of the Partnership to cause such Subsidiary to take such action and, after the Effective Time, on the part of the Surviving Entity to cause such Subsidiary to take such action.
11.11 Partnership Board Consent . Unless otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, whenever a determination, decision, approval or consent of the Partnership, the General Partner or the Partnership Board is required pursuant to this Agreement, such determination, decision, approval or consent must be authorized by the Partnership Board; provided , however , that the Partnership Board may not take or authorize any such action unless it has been approved in writing by the Conflicts Committee.
11.12 Severability . The provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable and the illegality, invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the legality, validity or enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement, or the application of such provision to any Person or any circumstance, is illegal,
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invalid or unenforceable, (a) a suitable and equitable provision shall be substituted therefor in order to carry out, so far as may be legal, valid and enforceable, the intent and purpose of such legal, invalid or unenforceable provision, and (b) the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such illegality, invalidity or unenforceability, nor shall such illegality, invalidity or unenforceability affect the legality, validity or enforceability of such provision, or the application of such provision, in any other jurisdiction.
11.13 Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties (and any of their respective successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns). No Party may assign any of its rights or delegate any of its obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, by operation of Law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Parties, except as provided for in Section 11.10, and any attempted or purported assignment or delegation in violation of this Section 11.13 shall be null and void; provided , however , that Parent may designate another wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiary to be a constituent corporation in the Merger in lieu of Merger Sub, so long as Parent provides the Partnership with advance written notice thereof, in which event all references to Merger Sub in this Agreement shall be deemed references to such other wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent, except that all representations and warranties made in this Agreement with respect to Merger Sub as of the date of this Agreement shall be deemed representations and warranties made with respect to such other wholly owned Subsidiary as of the date of such designation; provided , further , that any such designation shall not prevent or materially impede or materially delay the consummation of the Transactions or otherwise adversely affect the rights of the unitholders of the Partnership under this Agreement in any material respect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the duly authorized officers of the parties to this Agreement as of the date first written above.
SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP | ||||
By | Spectra Energy Partners (DE) GP, LP, its general partner | |||
By | Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC, its general partner | |||
By |
/s/ Stephen J. Neyland |
|||
Name: | Stephen J. Neyland | |||
Title: | Vice President - Finance | |||
SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS (DE) GP, LP (as the general partner of the Partnership) |
||||
By | Spectra Energy Partners GP, LLC, its general partner | |||
By |
/s/ Stephen J. Neyland |
|||
Name: | Stephen J. Neyland | |||
Title: | Vice President - Finance | |||
ENBRIDGE INC. | ||||
By |
/s/ Al Monaco |
|||
Name: | Al Monaco | |||
Title: | President & Chief Executive Officer | |||
By |
/s/ Robert R. Rooney |
|||
Name: | Robert R. Rooney | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer |
[ Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger ]
ENBRIDGE (U.S.) INC. | ||||
By |
/s/ Kenneth C. Lanik |
|||
Name: | Kenneth C. Lanik | |||
Title: | Tax Officer | |||
AUTUMN ACQUISITION SUB, LLC | ||||
By |
/s/ Kenneth C. Lanik |
|||
Name: | Kenneth C. Lanik | |||
Title: | Tax Officer | |||
ENBRIDGE US HOLDINGS INC. | ||||
By |
/s/ David Taniguchi |
|||
Name: | David Taniguchi | |||
Title: | Corporate Secretary | |||
SPECTRA ENERGY CORP | ||||
By |
/s/ Kenneth C. Lanik |
|||
Name: | Kenneth C. Lanik | |||
Title: | Tax Officer | |||
SPECTRA ENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC | ||||
By |
/s/ Kenneth C. Lanik |
|||
Name: | Kenneth C. Lanik | |||
Title: | Tax Officer |
[ Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger ]
SPECTRA ENERGY CAPITAL, LLC | ||||
By |
/s/ Kenneth C. Lanik |
|||
Name: | Kenneth C. Lanik | |||
Title: | Tax Officer |
[ Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger ]
Exhibit 99.1
NEWS RELEASE
Enbridge Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire All Public Equity of Spectra Energy Partners, Advances Corporate Structure Simplification
CALGARY, ALBERTA and HOUSTON, TEXAS August 24, 2018 Enbridge Inc. (TSX: ENB) (NYSE: ENB) (Enbridge) on behalf of itself and certain of its wholly owned US subsidiaries and Spectra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE:SEP) (SEP) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement (Agreement) under which Enbridge will acquire all of the outstanding public common units of SEP on the basis of 1.111 common shares of Enbridge for each common unit of SEP (Agreed Exchange Ratio). The Agreed Exchange Ratio represents a 9.8% increase to the exchange ratio offered by Enbridge on May 17, 2018 of 1.0123 Enbridge common shares per SEP common unit. The transaction is valued at US $3.3 billion / CAN $4.3 billion based on the closing price of Enbridges common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) / Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on August 23, 2018.
Benefits and Considerations for SEP Unitholders
Significant weakening of the US Master Limited Partnership (MLP) capital markets has adversely affected the growth opportunities for MLPs, including SEP. MLPs are dependent on consistent access to the capital markets at a reasonable cost of capital to grow their distributions. If SEP were to continue as a stand-alone entity in such an environment, it would be required to transition to a self-funding model using internally generated cash flow. SEPs priority would be to strengthen its balance sheet thereby limiting future distribution growth.
This transaction offers SEP public unitholders a superior investment proposition in Enbridge common shares, including:
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Direct ownership in the largest energy infrastructure company in North America comprised of premium liquids transportation, natural gas transmission and natural gas distribution utility franchises that generate diverse, safe and reliable cash flows |
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A secured growth profile which underpins expected 10% annual dividend growth through 2020 with substantially enhanced dividend coverage |
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A more effective cost of capital to finance growth |
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A stronger balance sheet and superior credit profile |
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Reduction in risks related to continued uncertainty and potential unfavorable changes applied to MLPs related to the revised Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) tax policies |
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Increased opportunity for further meaningful capital appreciation as Enbridge advances its strategic priorities |
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Enhanced trading liquidity |
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The transaction also provides SEP unitholders an attractive value reflecting, among other factors, the July 18, 2018 FERC Order on Rehearing, which clarified its revised policy on the treatment of income taxes for MLPs. The clarification could potentially improve SEPs position relative to its cost of service assets given the magnitude of SEPs historical deferred income tax balances, and is therefore uniquely positive for SEP among the Enbridge family of sponsored vehicles.
The transaction premium is attractive particularly in light of SEPs limited future capacity for distribution growth. Also, for SEP unitholders, the value received removes uncertainty overhang created by the FERC policy announcements.
Benefits and Considerations for Enbridge Shareholders
The buy-in of SEP is strategically and economically attractive to current and future Enbridge shareholders and provides substantial benefits, including:
|
Significant advancement of Enbridges strategy to simplify and streamline its corporate structure which further increases the transparency of its strong cash generating assets |
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An expected neutral impact on Enbridges three-year financial guidance through 2020 and positive benefits to Enbridges post-2020 outlook primarily due to tax and other financial synergies |
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Increasing ownership in its core businesses and further enhancing its industry-leading, low-risk profile |
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An improved Enbridge credit profile due to the elimination of SEP public distributions, higher retention of cash to support self-funded growth and opportunities to minimize the structural subordination of Enbridge debt |
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Reduction in risks related to uncertainty and potential unfavorable changes associated with regulatory tax policies applied to MLPs and potential incremental Enbridge support required by SEP in difficult capital markets |
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No change to consolidated EBITDA following completion of the merger since the assets held by SEP are already managed and operated by Enbridges U.S. subsidiaries and consolidated for accounting purposes by Enbridge |
Other Information
As a result of the merger, Enbridge would acquire all of the 81.9 million public outstanding common units of SEP at a fixed exchange ratio of 1.111 common shares of Enbridge for each common unit of SEP. In aggregate, based on the Agreed Exchange Ratio, Enbridge would issue an estimated 91.0 million Enbridge common shares in connection with the transaction, representing approximately 5 percent of the total number of Enbridge common shares outstanding.
A more detailed description of the Agreement will be set forth in Enbridges Current Report on Form 8-K that it expects to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on August 24, 2018.
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The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of Enbridge and certain of its wholly owned US subsidiaries. The board of directors of the general partner of SEP (SEP Board) delegated to a conflicts committee consisting solely of independent directors (SEP Conflicts Committee) the authority to review, evaluate and negotiate the transaction on behalf of SEP. The SEP Conflicts Committee unanimously approved the transaction and recommended approval of the transaction to the SEP Board. The transaction has been approved by the SEP Board based on that recommendation. Pursuant to the Agreement, Enbridge has irrevocably and unconditionally agreed to deliver its consent, with respect to all of the SEP common units owned by its wholly-owned subsidiaries, in favor of approval of the transaction. As the majority SEP unitholder (83% of total SEP common units outstanding), Enbridges approval by consent will constitute the requisite SEP unitholder vote required to approve the transaction.
Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2018 and will be subject to customary closing conditions. If the transaction does not close before the record date for SEPs distribution to be paid in the fourth quarter of 2018, and subject to SEP Board approval, SEP is expected to pay a cash distribution to its unitholders in the fourth quarter consistent with previously disclosed distribution guidance. Based on an expected fourth quarter closing date for the transaction, a SEP unitholder will receive either a SEP cash distribution or an Enbridge cash dividend.
After being filed, SEP unitholders will be able to obtain a copy of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus related to the transaction, as well as other filings containing information about the proposed transaction, without charge, at the SECs internet site (http://www.sec.gov).
BofA Merrill Lynch and Scotiabank are acting as financial advisors to Enbridge. McCarthy Tetrault LLP, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Vinson & Elkins LLP are acting as Canadian, U.S. legal and tax advisors, respectively, to Enbridge.
Jefferies LLC acted as financial advisor to the SEP Conflicts Committee, while Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal advisor to the SEP Conflicts Committee.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are based on Enbridges and SEPs respective beliefs and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by terms and phrases such as: anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, expect, continue, should, could, may, plan, project, predict, will, potential, forecast and similar expressions and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected closing, consummation, completion, timing and benefits of the proposed merger of SEP and Autumn Acquisition Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Enbridge (the Proposed Merger), the expected synergies and shareholder value to result from the combined company, the expected levels of cash distributions by SEP with respect to its common units, the expected levels of dividends by Enbridge to its shareholders, the expected financial results of Enbridge, SEP and their affiliates, future credit ratings, financial condition and business strategy of Enbridge, SEP and their affiliates.
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Although SEP and Enbridge believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable based on the information available on the date such statements are made and processes used to prepare the information, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. By their nature, these statements involve a variety of assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Material assumptions include assumptions about the following: the expected supply of and demand for crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGL) and renewable energy; prices of crude oil, natural gas, NGL and renewable energy; exchange rates; inflation; interest rates; availability and price of labor and construction materials; operational reliability; customer and regulatory approvals; maintenance of support and regulatory approvals for projects; anticipated in-service dates; weather; the timing and closing of dispositions; the realization of anticipated benefits and synergies of the Proposed Merger; governmental legislation; acquisitions and the timing thereof; the success of integration plans; impact of capital project execution on future cash flows; credit ratings; capital project funding; expected earnings; expected future cash flows; and estimated future dividends. Assumptions regarding the expected supply of and demand for crude oil, natural gas, NGL and renewable energy, and the prices of these commodities, are material to and underlie all forward-looking statements, as they may impact current and future levels of demand for SEPs and Enbridges services. Similarly, exchange rates, inflation and interest rates impact the economies and business environments and may impact levels of demand for SEPs and Enbridges services and cost of inputs, and are therefore inherent in all forward-looking statements. Due to the interdependencies and correlation of these macroeconomic factors, the impact of any one assumption on a forward-looking statement cannot be determined with certainty, particularly with respect to the impact of the Proposed Merger, expected earnings and cash flow or estimated future dividends. The most relevant assumptions associated with forward-looking statements on announced projects and projects under construction, including estimated completion dates and expected capital expenditures, include the following: the availability and price of labor and construction materials; the effects of inflation and foreign exchange rates on labor and material costs; the effects of interest rates on borrowing costs; the impact of weather and customer, government and regulatory approvals on construction and in-service schedules and cost recovery regimes.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from the results predicted. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: the risk that the Proposed Merger does not occur; negative effects from the pendency of the Proposed Merger; the ability to realize expected cost savings and benefits; the timing to consummate the Proposed Merger; whether SEP will produce sufficient cash flows to provide the level of cash distributions SEP expects with respect to its common units; whether Enbridge will produce sufficient cash flows to provide the level of dividends Enbridge expects with respect to its common shares; outcomes of litigation and regulatory investigations, proceedings or inquiries; operating performance of SEP and Enbridge; regulatory parameters regarding SEP and Enbridge; other Enbridge dispositions; the proposed simplification of Enbridges corporate structure; project approval and support; renewals of rights of way; weather, economic and competitive conditions; public opinion; changes in tax laws and tax rates; changes in trade agreements, exchange rates, interest rates, commodity prices, political decisions and supply of and demand for commodities; and any other risks and uncertainties discussed herein or in Enbridges and SEPs other filings with Canadian and United States securities regulators. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Enbridge and SEP assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made in this news release or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Enbridge, SEP or persons acting on their behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary
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statements. These factors, as well as additional factors that could affect Enbridges or SEPs respective forward-looking statements, are described under the headings Risk Factors and Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information in Enbridges 2017 Form 10-K, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Canadian securities regulators on February 16, 2018, SEPs 2017 Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2018, and in Enbridges and SEPs respective other filings made with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators, which are available via the SECs website at www.sec.gov and at www.sedar.com, as applicable. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events described in the forward-looking statements might not occur or might occur to a different extent or at a different time than Enbridge or SEP has described. All forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and neither Enbridge nor SEP undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO INVESTORS
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any consent or approval. The proposed merger between Enbridge and SEP will be submitted to the unitholders of SEP for their consideration. Enbridge will file with the SEC a consent solicitation statement of SEP that also constitutes a prospectus of Enbridge. Enbridge and SEP also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed merger. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF ENBRIDGE AND SEP ARE URGED TO READ THE CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER. Investors and unitholders will be able to obtain free copies of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about Enbridge and SEP once such documents are filed with the SEC, through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the consent solicitation statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request either to Enbridge Inc., 200, 425 1st Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3L8, Attention: Investor Relations or to Spectra Energy Partners, LP, 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas 77056, Attention: Investor Relations.
Participants in the Solicitation
Enbridge, and certain of its directors and executive officers, SEP, and certain of the directors and executive officers of GP, LLC, which manages the business and affairs of SEP, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of consent from the holders of SEP Common Units in connection with the Merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Enbridge is set forth in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 5, 2018. Information about the directors and executive officers of GP, LLC is set forth in SEPs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the SEC on February 16, 2018. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Other information regarding the participants in the consent solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.
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About Enbridge Inc.
Enbridge Inc. (the Company) is North Americas premier energy infrastructure company with strategic business platforms that include an extensive network of crude oil, liquids and natural gas pipelines, regulated natural gas distribution utilities and renewable power generation. The Company safely delivers an average of 2.9 million barrels of crude oil each day through its Mainline and Express Pipeline; accounts for approximately 65% of U.S.-bound Canadian crude oil exports; and moves approximately 20% of all natural gas consumed in the U.S., serving key supply basins and demand markets. The Companys regulated utilities serve approximately 3.7 million retail customers in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Enbridge also has interests in more than 2,500 MW of net renewable generating capacity in North America and Europe. The Company has ranked on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations index for the past nine years; its common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB.
Life takes energy and Enbridge exists to fuel peoples quality of life. For more information, visit www.enbridge.com .
About Spectra Energy Partners
Spectra Energy Partners, LP is one of the largest pipeline master limited partnerships in the United States and connects growing supply areas to high-demand markets for natural gas and crude oil. These assets include approximately 16,000 miles of transmission pipelines, approximately 170 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage, and approximately 5.6 million barrels of crude oil storage. Spectra Energy Partners, LP is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SEP; information about the company is available on its website at www.spectraenergypartners.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Media:
Michael Barnes
Toll Free: (888) 992-0997
Email: media@enbridge.com
Investment Community:
Enbridge Inc.
Jonathan Gould
Toll Free: (800) 481-2804
Email: investor.relations@enbridge.com
Spectra Energy Partners, LP
Roni Cappadonna
Toll Free: (800) 481-2804
Email: investor.relations@enbridge.com
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