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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 31, 2005
Registration No. 333-123399
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 1
to
FORM S-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
INERGY, L.P.*
INERGY FINANCE CORP.
(exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware Delaware |
5960 5960 |
43-1918951 20-1647744 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||
| R. Brooks Sherman Two Brush Creek, Boulevard, Suite 200 Kansas City, Missouri 64112 (816) 842-8181 |
R. Brooks Sherman Two Brush Creek, Boulevard, Suite 200 Kansas City, Missouri 64112 (816) 842-8181 | |||
| (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices) | (Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service) |
Copy to:
David P. Oelman
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
2300 First City Tower
1001 Fannin Street
Houston, Texas 77002-6760
(713) 758-2222
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale of the securities to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the securities being registered on this form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box. ¨
If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
| * | Includes certain subsidiaries of Inergy, L.P. identified on the following pages. |
The Registrants hereby amend this Registration Statement on such dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrants shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
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Central New York Oil And Gas Company, L.L.C.
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| New York | 76-0519844 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Propane, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 56-1995482 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
L & L Transportation, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 43-1905384 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Transportation, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 43-1905383 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Acquisition Company, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 20-1647837 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Sales & Service, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 43-1931522 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Gas Marketing, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | N/A | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Storage, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 20-3143861 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Inergy Stagecoach II, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 20-3143796 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Stellar Propane Service, LLC
(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
| Delaware | 86-1123848 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject To Completion, Dated August 31, 2005
Prospectus
Inergy, L.P.
Inergy Finance Corp.
Offer to Exchange
up to
$425,000,000 of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014
that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933
for
$425,000,000 of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014
that have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933
Please read “ Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 for a discussion of factors you should consider before participating in the exchange offer.
These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Each broker-dealer that receives the notes for its own account pursuant to this exchange offer must acknowledge by way of the letter of transmittal that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of the notes received in exchange for outstanding notes where such outstanding notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed to make this prospectus available for a period of one year from the expiration date of this exchange offer to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. See “Plan of Distribution.”
The date of this prospectus is , 2005.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the “Commission.” In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and in the applicable letter of transmittal accompanying this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any other information. If you receive any unauthorized information, you must not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus or the date of such incorporated documents, as the case may be.
This prospectus incorporates by reference business and financial information about us that is not included in or delivered with this prospectus. This information is available without charge upon written or oral request directed to: Investor Relations, Inergy, L.P., Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64112; telephone number: (816) 842-8181. To obtain timely delivery, you must request the information no later than , 2005.
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This summary highlights information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. It may not contain all of the information that is important to you. This prospectus includes information about the exchange offer and includes or incorporates by reference information about our business and our financial and operating data. Before deciding to participate in the exchange offer, you should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the financial data and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 6 of this prospectus.
Throughout this prospectus, when we use the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” or “Inergy, L.P.,” we are referring either to Inergy, L.P. or to Inergy, L.P. and its subsidiaries collectively, including the co-issuer of the notes, Inergy Finance Corp., as the context requires, and when we use the term “our predecessor,” we are referring to Inergy Partners, LLC, the entity that conducted our business prior to our initial public offering, which closed on July 31, 2001. Our predecessor commenced operations in November 1996. The discussion of our business throughout this prospectus relates to the business operations of Inergy Partners, LLC prior to our initial public offering and to us thereafter.
Inergy L.P. owns and operates a rapidly growing, geographically diverse retail and wholesale propane supply, marketing and distribution business. We believe we are currently the fifth largest propane retailer in the United States, based on retail propane gallons sold. Our retail business includes the retail marketing, sale and distribution of propane, including the sale and lease of propane supplies and equipment, to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers. We currently serve approximately 600,000 customers in 27 states from approximately 280 customer service centers which have an aggregate of approximately 22.4 million gallons of above-ground propane storage capacity. In addition to our retail business, we operate a natural gas storage business and a wholesale supply, marketing and distribution business through which we provide propane procurement, transportation and supply and price risk management services to our customer service centers and multi-state marketers, petrochemical companies, refinery and gas processors and a number of other natural gas liquids marketing and distribution companies in the United States and in Canada. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004, or fiscal 2004, pro forma for our acquisition of Star Gas Propane, L.P., we sold and physically delivered approximately 309 million gallons of propane to retail customers and approximately 385 million gallons of propane to wholesale customers.
We have grown primarily through acquisitions of retail propane operations. Since our predecessor’s inception in November 1996 and through August 31, 2005, we acquired 49 businesses in 18 states and Canada for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.2 billion, including working capital, assumed liabilities and acquisition costs.
Partnership Structure and Management
Our operations are conducted through, and our operating assets are owned by, our subsidiaries. We own our interests in our subsidiaries through our 100% ownership interest in Inergy Propane, LLC and through our 100% ownership of Inergy Acquisition Company, LLC. Inergy GP, LLC, our managing general partner, has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations. Our managing general partner has no economic interest in our partnership and does not receive a management fee, but it is reimbursed for expenses incurred on our behalf. Inergy Partners, LLC, our non-managing general partner, has only an economic interest in us and has no operational or managerial responsibilities under our partnership agreement. Inergy Finance Corp., our wholly-owned subsidiary, has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of our debt securities, including the notes. Its activities will be limited to co-issuing our debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto.
Our principal executive office is located at Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64112. Our telephone number is (816) 842-8181. Our common units trade on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “NRGY.”
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On December 22, 2004, we completed a private offering of the outstanding notes. As part of this private offering, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of our outstanding notes in which we agreed, among other things, to deliver this prospectus to you and to use our reasonable best efforts to complete the exchange offer within 40 business days after the date of this prospectus. The following is a summary of the exchange offer.
| Outstanding Notes |
On December 22, 2004, we issued $425 million aggregate principal amount of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014. |
| Exchange Notes |
6.875% Senior Notes due 2014. The terms of the exchange notes are identical to those terms of the outstanding notes, except that the transfer restrictions, registration rights and provisions for additional interest relating to the outstanding notes do not apply to the exchange notes. |
| Exchange Offers |
We are offering to exchange: |
| • | up to $425 million principal amount of our 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act, for an equal amount of our outstanding 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 that have not been so registered; |
| • | to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement that we entered into when we issued the outstanding notes in a transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act. |
| Expiration Date |
The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2005, unless we decide to extend it. |
| Conditions to the Exchange Offer |
The registration rights agreement does not require us to accept outstanding notes for exchange if the exchange offer or the making of any exchange by a holder of the outstanding notes would violate any applicable law or interpretation of the staff of the Commission or if any legal action has been instituted or threatened that would impair our ability to proceed with the exchange offer. A minimum aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes being tendered is not a condition to the exchange offer. Please read “Exchange Offer—Conditions to the Exchange Offer” for more information about the conditions to the exchange offer. |
| Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes |
To participate in the exchange offer, you must follow the automatic tender offer program, or ATOP, procedures established by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, for tendering notes held in book-entry form. The ATOP procedures require that the exchange agent receive, prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer, a computer-generated message known as an “agent’s message” that is transmitted through ATOP and that DTC confirm that: |
| • | DTC has received instructions to exchange your notes; and |
| • | you agree to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal in Annex A hereto. |
For more details, please read “Exchange Offer—Terms of the Exchange Offer” and “Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering.”
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| Guaranteed Delivery Procedures |
None. |
| Withdrawal of Tenders |
You may withdraw your tender of outstanding notes at any time prior to the expiration date. To withdraw, you must submit a notice of withdrawal to the exchange agent using ATOP procedures before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. Please read “Exchange Offer—Withdrawal of Tenders.” |
| Acceptance of Outstanding Notes and Delivery of Exchange Notes |
If you fulfill all conditions required for proper acceptance of outstanding notes, we will accept any and all outstanding notes that you properly tender in the exchange offer before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. We will return any outstanding note that we do not accept for exchange to you without expense promptly after the expiration date. We will deliver the exchange notes promptly after the expiration date and acceptance of the outstanding notes for exchange. Please read “Exchange Offer—Terms of the Exchange Offer.” |
| Fees and Expenses |
We will bear all expenses related to the exchange offer. Please read “Exchange Offer—Fees and Expenses.” |
| Use of Proceeds |
The issuance of the exchange notes will not provide us with any new proceeds. We are making these exchange offers solely to satisfy our obligations under our registration rights agreement. |
| Consequences of Failure to Exchange Outstanding Notes |
If you do not exchange your outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will no longer be able to require us to register the outstanding notes under the Securities Act, except in the limited circumstances provided under our registration rights agreement. In addition, you will not be able to resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer the outstanding notes unless we have registered the outstanding notes under the Securities Act, or unless you resell, offer to resell or otherwise transfer them under an exemption from the registration requirements of, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act. |
| U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences |
The exchange of exchange notes for outstanding notes in the applicable exchange offer will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences.” |
| Exchange Agent |
We have appointed U.S. Bank National Association as the exchange agent for the exchange offer. You should direct questions and requests for assistance and requests for additional copies of this prospectus (including the letter of transmittal) to the exchange agent addressed as follows: |
U.S. Bank, National Association
60 Livingston Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55107
Attention: Specialized Finance
Telephone: (800) 934-6802
Facsimile: (651) 495-8158
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The exchange notes will be identical to the outstanding notes, except that the exchange notes are registered under the Securities Act and will not have restrictions on transfer, registration rights or provisions for additional interest. The exchange notes will evidence the same debt as the outstanding notes, and the same indenture will govern the exchange notes and the outstanding notes. We sometimes refer to both the exchange notes and the outstanding notes as the “notes.”
The following summary contains basic information about the exchange notes and is not intended to be complete. It does not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of the exchange notes, please read “Description of Exchange Notes.”
| Issuers |
Inergy, L.P. and Inergy Finance Corp. |
| Securities Offered |
$425,000,000 principal amount of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014. |
| Interest Rate |
6.875% per annum. |
| Interest Payment Dates |
Interest on the exchange notes will accrue from June 15, 2005 and will be paid semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year, commencing December 15, 2005, to holders of record as of the preceding June 1 and December 1, respectively. |
| Maturity Date |
December 15, 2014. |
| Subsidiary Guarantees |
Each of our existing domestic subsidiaries, other than Inergy Finance Corp., will guarantee the exchange notes initially. Not all of our future subsidiaries will have to become guarantors. If we cannot make payments on the exchange notes when they are due, the guarantor subsidiaries, if any, must make them instead. See “Description of Exchange Notes—Subsidiary Guarantees.” |
| Optional Redemption |
We may redeem some or all of the exchange notes at any time on or after December 15, 2009. In addition, prior to December 15, 2007, we may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the exchange notes with the proceeds of certain equity offerings at a specified redemption price. The redemption prices are discussed under the caption “Description of Exchange Notes—Optional Redemption.” |
| Ranking |
The exchange notes will be our general unsecured obligations. The exchange notes will: |
| • | rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior indebtedness; |
| • | be effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing the indebtedness; |
| • | be effectively subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and liabilities, including trade payables, of our non-guarantor subsidiaries; and |
| • | rank senior in right of payment to all of our future subordinated indebtedness. |
| Certain Covenants |
We issued the outstanding notes, and will issue the exchange notes, under an indenture with U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. |
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| The indenture, among other things, limits our ability and the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to: |
| • | sell assets, |
| • | pay distributions on, redeem or repurchase our units or redeem or repurchase our subordinated debt, |
| • | make investments, |
| • | incur or guarantee additional indebtedness or issue preferred units, |
| • | create or incur certain liens, |
| • | enter into agreements that restrict distributions or other payments from our restricted subsidiaries to us, |
| • | consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of our assets, |
| • | engage in transactions with affiliates, |
| • | create unrestricted subsidiaries, and |
| • | enter into sale and leaseback transactions. |
These covenants are subject to important exceptions and qualifications that are described under the heading “Description of Exchange Notes” in this prospectus.
| Transfer Restrictions; Absence of a Public Market for the Notes |
The exchange notes generally will be freely transferable, but will also be new securities for which there will not initially be a market. We do not intend to make a trading market in the exchange notes after the exchange offer. Therefore, we cannot assure you as to the development of an active market for the exchange notes or as to the liquidity of any such market. |
| Form of Exchange Notes |
The exchange notes will be represented by one or more global notes. Each global exchange note will be deposited with the trustee, as custodian for DTC. |
| Same-Day Settlement |
The global exchange notes will be shown on, and transfers of the global exchange notes will be effected only through, records maintained in book-entry form by DTC and its direct and indirect participants. |
The exchange notes are expected to trade in DTC’s Same Day Funds Settlement System until maturity or redemption. Therefore, secondary market trading activity in the exchange notes will be settled in immediately available funds.
| Trading |
We do not expect to list the exchange notes for trading on any securities exchange. |
| Trustee, Registrar and Exchange Agent |
U.S. Bank National Association. |
| Governing Law |
The exchange notes and the indenture relating to the exchange notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. |
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In addition to the other information set forth elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, you should consider carefully the risks described below before deciding whether to participate in the exchange offer.
Risks Related to the Exchange Offer
If you fail to exchange outstanding notes, existing transfer restrictions will remain in effect and the market value of outstanding notes may be adversely affected because they may be more difficult to sell.
If you fail to exchange outstanding notes for exchange notes under the exchange offer, then you will continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions on the outstanding notes. In general, the outstanding notes may not be offered or sold unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Except in connection with this exchange offer or as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the outstanding notes.
The tender of outstanding notes under the exchange offer will reduce the principal amount of the currently outstanding notes. Due to the corresponding reduction in liquidity, this may have an adverse effect upon, and increase the volatility of, the market price of any currently outstanding notes that you continue to hold following completion of the exchange offer.
Risks Inherent in Our Business
Since weather conditions may adversely affect the demand for propane, our financial condition and results of operations are vulnerable to, and will be adversely affected by, warm winters.
Weather conditions have a significant impact on the demand for propane because our customers depend on propane principally for heating purposes. As a result, warm weather conditions will adversely impact our operating results and financial condition. Actual weather conditions can substantially change from one year to the next. Furthermore, warmer than normal temperatures in one or more regions in which we operate can significantly decrease the total volume of propane we sell. Consequently, our operating results may vary significantly due to actual changes in temperature. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004, temperatures were significantly warmer than normal in our areas of operation. We believe that our results of operations during these periods were adversely affected as a result of this warm weather.
We may be unable to successfully integrate our acquisition of 100% of the partnership interests in Star Gas Propane, L.P., or Star Gas Propane Acquisition, the membership interests of the entities that own the Stagecoach natural gas storage facility, or Stagecoach Acquisition, or any of our other acquisitions with our operations or realize all of the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions.
Integration of the Star Gas Propane and the Stagecoach business and operations with our existing business and operations will be a complex, time-consuming and costly process, particularly given that these acquisitions will more than double our size and significantly diversify the geographic areas in which we operate. Failure to successfully integrate any acquired business and operations with our existing business and operations in a timely manner may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Similarly, our other recent acquisitions and ongoing acquisition program expose us to integration risks as well. The difficulties of combining the acquired operations include, among other things:
| • | operating a significantly larger combined organization and integrating additional retail and wholesale distribution operations to our existing supply, marketing and distribution operations; |
| • | coordinating geographically disparate organizations, systems and facilities; |
| • | integrating personnel from diverse business backgrounds and organizational cultures; |
| • | consolidating corporate, technological and administrative functions; |
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| • | integrating internal controls, compliance under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and other corporate governance matters; |
| • | the diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns; |
| • | customer or key employee loss from the acquired businesses; |
| • | a significant increase in our indebtedness; and |
| • | potential environmental or regulatory liabilities and title problems. |
In addition, we may not realize all of the anticipated benefits from the Star Gas Propane Acquisition, the Stagecoach Acquisition and our other acquisitions, such as cost savings and revenue enhancements, for various reasons, including difficulties integrating operations and personnel, higher costs, unknown liabilities and fluctuations in markets.
Our acquisition of Star Gas Propane exposes us to potential significant liabilities.
In the Star Gas Propane Acquisition, we purchased the partnership interests of Star Gas Propane rather than just its assets. As a result, we purchased the liabilities of Star Gas Propane as well, including unknown and contingent liabilities. We have performed a certain level of due diligence in connection with the Star Gas Propane Acquisition, but there may be pending, threatened, contemplated or contingent claims against Star Gas Propane related to environmental, title, regulatory, litigation or other matters of which we are unaware. Although Star Gas Partners, L.P., the former parent company of Star Gas Propane, has agreed to indemnify us against some of these liabilities, there is a risk that we could ultimately be liable for some or all of these indemnified risks.
If Star Gas Partners, L.P. is unable to meet its obligations to its creditors and the creditors successfully challenge the Star Gas Propane Acquisition under federal or state bankruptcy or fraudulent transfer laws, which would require the creditors to prove that (1) Star Gas Partners, L.P. received inadequate consideration for the Star Gas Propane Acquisition and that Star Gas Partners, L.P. was insolvent or was rendered insolvent by reason of the acquisition, or (2) that such acquisition was made with the intent of defrauding Star Gas Partners, L.P.’s creditors, we could be subject to material losses. While we believe that a successful fraudulent conveyance claim is unlikely, we cannot assure you that such a claim will not be made. Moreover, any such claim, if resolved adversely to us, may have a material adverse effect on us.
If we do not continue to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms, our future financial performance will be limited.
The propane industry is not a growth industry because of increased competition from alternative energy sources. In addition, as a result of long-standing customer relationships that are typical in the retail home propane industry, the inconvenience of switching tanks and suppliers and propane’s higher cost as compared to other energy sources, we may have difficulty in increasing our retail customer base other than through acquisitions. Therefore, while our business strategy includes internal growth, our ability to grow will depend principally on acquisitions. Our future financial performance depends on our ability to continue to make acquisitions at attractive prices. We cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to identify attractive acquisition candidates in the future or that we will be able to acquire businesses on economically acceptable terms. In particular, competition for acquisitions in the propane business has intensified and become more costly. We may not be able to grow as rapidly as we expect through our acquisition of additional businesses for various reasons. For example, we will use our cash from operations primarily for distributions to our unitholders and reinvestment in our business. Consequently, the extent to which we are unable to use cash or access capital to pay for additional acquisitions may limit our growth and impair our operating results. Further, we are subject to certain debt incurrence covenants under our bank credit facility and our indenture for our senior notes that may restrict our ability to incur additional debt to finance acquisitions. In addition, any new debt we incur to finance acquisitions may adversely affect our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
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Our growth strategy includes acquiring entities with lines of business that are distinct and separate from our existing operations which could subject us to additional business and operating risks.
Consistent with our announced growth strategy and our recent Stagecoach Acquisition, we may acquire assets that have operations in new and distinct lines of business from our existing operations, including midstream assets. Integration of new business segments is a complex, costly and time-consuming process and will likely involve assets in which we have limited operating experience. Failure to timely and successfully integrate acquired entities’ new lines of business with our existing operations may have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations. The difficulties of integrating new business segments with existing operations include, among other things:
| • | operating distinct business segments that require different operating strategies and different managerial expertise; |
| • | the necessity of coordinating organizations, systems and facilities in different locations; |
| • | integrating personnel with diverse business backgrounds and organizational cultures; and |
| • | consolidating corporate and administrative functions. |
In addition, the diversion of our attention and any delays or difficulties encountered in connection with the integration of the new business segments, such as unanticipated liabilities or costs, could harm our existing business, results of operations, financial condition or prospects. Furthermore, new lines of business will subject us to additional business and operating risks which could have a material adverse affect on our financial condition or results of operations.
Sudden and sharp propane price increases that cannot be passed on to customers may adversely affect our profit margins.
The propane industry is a “margin-based” business in which gross profits depend on the excess of sales prices over supply costs. As a result, our profitability will be sensitive to changes in wholesale prices of propane caused by changes in supply or other market conditions. When there are sudden and sharp increases in the wholesale cost of propane, we may not be able to pass on these increases to our customers through retail or wholesale prices. Propane is a commodity and the price we pay for it can fluctuate significantly in response to changes in supply or other market conditions. We have no control over supply or market conditions. In addition, the timing of cost pass-throughs can significantly affect margins. Sudden and extended wholesale price increases could reduce our gross profits and could, if continued over an extended period of time, reduce demand by encouraging our retail customers to conserve or convert to alternative energy sources.
Our indebtedness may limit our ability to borrow additional funds, make distributions to our unitholders or capitalize on acquisition or other business opportunities, in addition to impairing our ability to fulfill our debt obligations under the notes.
As of June 30, 2005, Inergy had approximately $536.5 million of total outstanding long-term indebtedness. Our leverage, various limitations in our credit facility, other restrictions governing our indebtedness and the indenture governing the notes may reduce our ability to incur additional indebtedness, to engage in some transactions and to capitalize on acquisition or other business opportunities.
Our indebtedness and other financial obligations could have important consequences to you. For example, they could:
| • | make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our indebtedness; |
| • | impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital, expenditures, acquisitions, general partnership purposes or other purposes; |
| • | result in higher interest expense in the event of increases in interest rates since some of our debt is, and will continue to be, at variable rates of interest; |
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| • | have a material adverse effect on us if we fail to comply with financial and restrictive covenants in our debt agreements and an event of default occurs as a result of that failure that is not cured or waived; |
| • | require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow to payments of our indebtedness and other financial obligations, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general partnership requirements; |
| • | limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the propane industry; and |
| • | place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have proportionately less debt. |
If we are unable to meet our debt service obligations and other financial obligations, we could be forced to restructure or refinance our indebtedness and other financial transactions, seek additional equity capital or sell our assets. We may then be unable to obtain such financing or capital or sell our assets on satisfactory terms, if at all.
Restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness may reduce our operating flexibility.
The agreements governing our credit facility, the indenture governing both the outstanding and exchange notes and other future indebtedness contain or will contain various covenants limiting our ability and the ability of specified subsidiaries of ours to, among other things:
| • | pay distributions on, redeem or repurchase our equity interests or redeem or repurchase our subordinated debt; |
| • | make investments; |
| • | incur or guarantee additional indebtedness or issue preferred securities; |
| • | create or incur certain liens; |
| • | enter into agreements that restrict distributions or other payments from our restricted subsidiaries to us; |
| • | consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; |
| • | engage in transactions with affiliates; |
| • | create unrestricted subsidiaries; |
| • | create non-guarantor subsidiaries; |
| • | enter into sale and leaseback transactions; and |
| • | engage in any material business other than a permitted business. |
These restrictions could limit our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to obtain future financings, make needed capital expenditures, withstand a future downturn in our business or the economy in general, conduct operations or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities that may arise. Our credit facility contains covenants requiring us to maintain specified financial ratios and satisfy other financial conditions. We may be unable to meet those ratios and conditions. Any future breach of these covenants and our failure to meet any of those ratios and conditions could result in a default under the terms of our credit facility, which could result in the acceleration of our debt and other financial obligations. If we were unable to repay these amounts, the lenders could initiate a bankruptcy proceeding or liquidation proceeding or proceed against the collateral.
The highly competitive nature of the retail propane business could cause us to lose customers or affect our ability to acquire new customers, thereby reducing our revenues.
We have competitors and potential competitors who are larger and have substantially greater financial resources than we do, which may provide them with some advantages. Also, because of relatively low barriers to entry into the retail propane business, numerous small retail propane distributors, as well as companies not
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engaged in retail propane distribution, may enter our markets and compete with us. Most of our propane retail branch locations compete with several marketers or distributors. The principal factors influencing competition with other retail marketers are:
| • | price, |
| • | reliability and quality of service, |
| • | responsiveness to customer needs, |
| • | safety concerns, |
| • | long-standing customer relationships, |
| • | the inconvenience of switching tanks and suppliers, and |
| • | lack of growth in the industry. |
We can make no assurances that we will be able to compete successfully on the basis of these factors. If a competitor attempts to increase market share by reducing prices, we may lose customers, which would reduce our revenues.
If we are not able to purchase propane from our principal suppliers, our results of operations would be adversely affected.
Most of our total volume purchases are made under supply contracts that have a term of one year, are subject to annual renewal, and provide various pricing formulas. Three of our suppliers, Sunoco, Inc. (18%), Dominion Transmission Inc. (12%) and ExxonMobil Oil Corp. (11%), accounted for approximately 41% of propane purchases during fiscal 2004. Similarly, Star Gas Propane purchases a significant amount of its propane from certain suppliers, several of whom are also suppliers to us. In the event that we are unable to purchase propane from our significant suppliers, our failure to obtain alternate sources of supply at competitive prices and on a timely basis would hurt our ability to satisfy customer demand, reduce our revenues and adversely affect our results of operations.
Competition from alternative energy sources may cause us to lose customers, thereby reducing our revenues.
Competition from alternative energy sources, including natural gas and electricity, has been increasing as a result of reduced regulation of many utilities, including natural gas and electricity. Propane is generally not competitive with natural gas in areas where natural gas pipelines already exist because natural gas is a less expensive source of energy than propane. The gradual expansion of natural gas distribution systems and availability of natural gas in many areas that previously depended upon propane could cause us to lose customers, thereby reducing our revenues.
Our business would be adversely affected if service at our principal storage facilities or on the common carrier pipelines we use is interrupted.
Historically, a substantial portion of the propane we purchase to support our operations has originated at Conway, Kansas, Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Mont Belvieu, Texas and is shipped to us through major common carrier pipelines. Any significant interruption in the service at these storage facilities or on the common carrier pipelines we use would adversely affect our ability to obtain propane.
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If we are not able to sell propane that we have purchased through wholesale supply agreements to either our own retail propane customers or to other retailers and wholesalers, the results of our operations would be adversely affected.
We currently are party to propane supply contracts and expect to enter into additional propane supply contracts which require us to purchase substantially all the propane production from certain refineries. Our inability to sell the propane supply in our own propane distribution business, to other retail propane distributors, or to other propane wholesalers would have a substantial adverse impact on our operating results and could adversely impact our capital liquidity.
We are subject to operating and litigation risks that could adversely affect our operating results to the extent not covered by insurance.
Our operations are subject to all operating hazards and risks incident to handling, storing, transporting and providing customers with natural gas, propane, and other combustible material gas liquids and gases. As a result, we have been, and likely will be, a defendant in legal proceedings and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We maintain insurance policies with insurers in such amounts and with such coverages and deductibles as we believe are reasonable and prudent. However, our insurance may not be adequate to protect us from all material expenses related to potential future claims for personal injury and property damage. In addition, the occurrence of a serious accident, whether or not we are involved, may have an adverse effect on the public’s desire to use our products.
Our operations are subject to compliance with environmental laws and regulations that can adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our operations are subject to the environmental laws and regulations of federal, state, and local authorities. Such environmental laws and regulations impose restrictions on the generation, handling, treatment, storage, disposal, and transportation of certain materials and wastes. Failure to comply with such environmental laws and regulations can result in the assessment of substantial administrative, civil, and criminal penalties and even the issuance of injunctions restricting or prohibiting our activities. Certain environmental laws impose strict, joint and several liability for costs required to clean up and restore sites where hazardous substances have been disposed or otherwise released. Many of the properties owned or leased by us were previously operated by third parties whose management, disposal, or release of materials and wastes was not under our control. Accordingly, we may be liable for the costs of cleaning up or remediating contamination caused by releases of hazardous substances at properties that we own or operate or will own or operate or at properties to which hazardous substances were transported from these properties. It is also possible that implementation of stricter environmental laws and regulations in the future could result in additional costs or liabilities to us as well as the industry in general.
Energy efficiency and new technology may reduce the demand for propane and adversely affect our operating results.
Increased conservation and technological advances, including installation of improved insulation and the development of more efficient furnaces and other heating devices, have adversely affected the demand for propane by retail customers. Future conservation measures or technological advances in heating, conservation, energy generation or other devices might reduce demand for propane and adversely affect our operating results.
Due to our lack of asset diversification, adverse developments in our propane business would adversely affect our operating results.
Despite our recent acquisition of the membership interests of the entities that own the Stagecoach natural gas storage facility, we currently rely almost exclusively on the revenues generated from our propane business. Due to our lack of asset diversification, an adverse development in this business would have a significantly greater impact on our financial condition and results of operations than if we maintained more diverse assets.
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Federal, state or local regulatory measures could adversely affect our business.
Our operations are subject to federal, state and local regulatory authorities. Specifically, our recently acquired Stagecoach natural gas storage facility and related assets are subject to the regulation of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC. This facility has market-based rate authority from the FERC, subject to its further review, in the event we expand the facility’s storage capacity, acquire transportation facilities or additional storage capacity, if we or one of our affiliates provides storage or transportation services in the same market area or acquires an interest in another storage field that can link our facilities to the market area or if we or one of our affiliates acquires an interest in or is acquired by an interstate pipeline. We cannot assure you that FERC will continue to pursue its approach of pro-competitive policies as it considers matters such as pipeline rates and rules and policies that may affect rights of access to natural gas transportation capacity, transportation and storage facilities. Any loss of market-based rate authority by the FERC could have an adverse impact on our revenues associated with providing storage services.
In addition, failure to comply with applicable regulations under the Natural Gas Act of 1938, Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and certain other state laws could result in the imposition of administrative, civil and criminal remedies.
Our storage business depends on neighboring pipelines to transport natural gas.
To obtain natural gas, our storage business depends on the Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s Line 300 to which we have interconnect access. This pipeline is owned by parties not affiliated with us. Any interruption of service on the pipeline or lateral connections or adverse change in the terms and conditions of service could have a material adverse effect on our ability, and the ability of our customers, to transport natural gas to and from our facilities and have a corresponding material adverse effect on our storage revenues. In addition, the rates charged by the interconnected pipeline for transportation to and from our facilities affect the utilization and value of our storage services. Significant changes in the rates charged by the pipeline or the rates charged by other pipelines with which the interconnected pipelines compete could also have a material adverse effect on our storage revenues.
We encounter competition from other midstream companies.
We experience competition in all of our markets. Our principal areas of competition include other storage providers including among others Dominion Resources, Inc., NiSource Inc., El Paso Corporation and to some extent liquefied natural gas coming in at existing ports of receipt. These major pipeline companies have existing storage facilities connected to their systems that compete with certain of our facilities.
Expanding our business by constructing new storage facilities and pipelines subjects us to construction risks.
One of the ways we may grow our business is through the construction of additions to our existing storage facilities. The construction of additional storage facilities or new pipeline interconnects involve numerous regulatory, environmental, political and legal uncertainties beyond our control and require the expenditure of significant amounts of capital. If we undertake these projects, they may not be completed on schedule or at all or at the budgeted cost. Moreover, our revenues may not increase immediately upon the expenditure of funds on a particular project. For instance, if we build a new midstream asset, the construction will occur over an extended period of time, and we will not receive any material increases in revenues until after completion of the project. Moreover, we may construct facilities to capture anticipated future growth in production in a region in which such growth does not materialize. As a result, new facilities may not be able to attract enough throughput to achieve our expected investment return, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
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We are exposed to the credit risk of our customers, and an increase in the nonpayment and nonperformance by our customers could reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
Risks of nonpayment and nonperformance by our natural gas storage facility customers are a major concern in our business. We are subject to risks of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers. Any increase in the nonpayment and nonperformance by our customers could reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
We may not be able to retain existing customers or acquire new customers, which would reduce our revenues and limit our future profitability.
The renewal or replacement of existing contracts with our customers at rates sufficient to maintain current revenues and cash flows depends on a number of factors beyond our control, including competition from other pipelines and storage providers, and the price of, and demand for, natural gas in the markets we serve. The inability of our management to renew or replace our current contracts as they expire and to respond appropriately to changing market conditions could have a negative effect on our profitability.
Our growth strategy includes acquiring entities with lines of business that are distinct and separate from our existing operations which could subject us to additional business and operating risks.
Consistent with our announced growth strategy and our recent Stagecoach Acquisition, we may acquire assets that have operations in new and distinct lines of business from our existing operations, including midstream assets. Integration of new business segments is a complex, costly and time-consuming process and will likely involve assets in which we have limited operating experience. Failure to timely and successfully integrate acquired entities’ new lines of business with our existing operations may have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations. The difficulties of integrating new business segments with existing operations include, among other things:
| • | operating distinct business segments that require different operating strategies and different managerial expertise; |
| • | the necessity of coordinating organizations, systems and facilities in different locations; |
| • | integrating personnel with diverse business backgrounds and organizational cultures; and |
| • | consolidating corporate and administrative functions. |
In addition, the diversion of our attention and any delays or difficulties encountered in connection with the integration of the new business segments, such as unanticipated liabilities or costs, could harm our existing business, results of operations, financial condition or prospects. Furthermore, new lines of business will subject us to additional business and operating risks which could have a material adverse affect on our financial condition or results of operations.
The fees charged to third parties under, transmission, transportation and storage agreements may not escalate sufficiently to cover increases in costs and the agreements may not be renewed or may be suspended in some circumstances.
Our costs may increase at a rate greater than the rate that the fees we charge to third parties increase pursuant to our contracts with them. Furthermore, third parties may not renew their contracts with us. Additionally, some third parties’ obligations under their agreements with us may be permanently or temporarily reduced upon the occurrence of certain events, some of which are beyond our control, including force majeure events wherein the supply of either natural gas, are curtailed or cut off. Force majeure events include (but are not limited to) revolutions, wars, acts of enemies, embargoes, import or export restrictions, strikes, lockouts, fires, storms, floods, acts of God, explosions, mechanical or physical failures of equipment or facilities of the Partnership or third parties. If the escalation of fees is insufficient to cover increased costs, if third parties do not renew or extend their contracts with us or if any third party suspends or terminates its contracts with us, our financial results would be negatively impacted.
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Our business would be adversely affected if operations at any of our facilities were interrupted.
Our operations are dependent upon the infrastructure that we have developed, including, storage facilities and various means of transportation. Any significant interruption at these facilities or pipelines or our inability to transmit natural gas to or from these facilities or pipelines for any reason would adversely affect our results of operations. Operations at our facilities could be partially or completely shut down, temporarily or permanently, as the result of any number of circumstances that are not within our control, such as:
| • | unscheduled turnarounds or catastrophic events at our physical plants; |
| • | labor difficulties that result in a work stoppage or slowdown; and |
| • | a disruption in the supply of natural gas to our Storage Facilities. |
Cost reimbursements due our managing general partner may be substantial and will reduce the cash available for principal and interest on our outstanding indebtedness.
We reimburse our managing general partner and its affiliates, including officers and directors of our managing general partner, for all expenses they incur on our behalf. The reimbursement of expenses could adversely affect our ability to make payments of principal and interest on our outstanding indebtedness. Our managing general partner has sole discretion to determine the amount of these expenses. In addition, our managing general partner and its affiliates provide us with services for which we are charged reasonable fees as determined by our managing general partner in its sole discretion.
Our business and operations could be adversely affected by terrorist attacks.
On September 11, 2001, the United States was the target of terrorist attacks of unprecedented scope, and the United States and others instituted military action in response. Since the September 11th attacks, the U.S. government has issued public warnings that indicate that energy assets, specifically our nation’s pipeline infrastructure, production facilities and transmission and distribution facilities, might be specific targets of terrorist organizations. The continued threat of terrorism and the impact of military and other actions will likely lead to increased volatility in prices for natural gas and oil and could affect the markets for our products. In addition, future acts of terrorism could be directed against companies operating in the United States, particularly those engaged in sectors essential to our economic prosperity, such as natural resources. These developments have subjected our operations to increased risk and, depending on their ultimate magnitude, could have a material adverse affect on our business.
We have a holding company structure in which our subsidiaries conduct our operations and own our operating assets.
We are a holding company, and our subsidiaries conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have no significant assets other than the partnership interests and the other equity interests in our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make required payments on the notes depends on the performance of our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. The ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us may be restricted by, among other things, our existing credit facility and applicable state partnership laws and other laws and regulations. If we are unable to obtain the funds necessary to pay the principal amount at the maturity of the notes, or to repurchase the notes upon an occurrence of a change in control, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as a refinancing of the notes. We cannot assure you that we would be able to refinance the notes.
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We do not have the same flexibility as other types of organizations to accumulate cash which may limit cash available to service the notes or to repay them at maturity.
Subject to the limitations on restricted payments contained in the indenture governing the notes and in our credit facility and other indebtedness, we distribute all of our “available cash” each quarter to our limited partners and our general partner. “Available cash” is defined in our partnership agreement, and it generally means, for each fiscal quarter:
| • | all cash on hand at the end of the quarter; |
| • | less the amount of cash that our general partner determines in its reasonable discretion is necessary or appropriate to: |
| • | provide for the proper conduct of our business; |
| • | comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments, or other agreements; or |
| • | provide funds for distributions to our unitholders and to our general partner for any one or more of the next four quarters; and |
| • | plus all cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. Working capital borrowings are generally borrowings made under our credit facility and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners. |
As a result, we do not accumulate significant amounts of cash and thus do not have the same flexibility as corporations or other entities that do not pay dividends or have complete flexibility regarding the amounts they will distribute to their equity holders. The timing and amount of our distributions could significantly reduce the cash available to pay the principal, premium (if any) and interest on the notes. The board of directors of our managing general partner will determine the amount and timing of such distributions and has broad discretion to establish and make additions to our reserves or the reserves of our operating subsidiaries as it determines are necessary or appropriate.
Although our payment obligations to our unitholders are subordinate to our payment obligations to you, the value of our units will decrease in correlation with decreases in the amount we distribute per unit. Accordingly, if we experience a liquidity problem in the future, we may not be able to issue equity to recapitalize.
Payments of principal and interest on the notes are effectively subordinated to our senior secured debt to the extent of the value of the assets securing the debt.
The notes are our senior unsecured debt and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other existing and future unsubordinated debt. The notes are effectively junior to all our secured debt, to the debt of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes and to the secured debt of any subsidiaries that guarantee the notes. Holders of our secured obligations, including obligations under our credit facility, will have claims that are prior to claims of holders of the notes with respect to the assets securing those obligations. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution, reorganization, bankruptcy or any similar proceeding, our assets and those of our subsidiaries will be available to pay obligations on the notes and the guarantees only after holder of our senior secured debt have been paid the value of the assets securing such debt.
The subsidiary guarantees could be deemed fraudulent conveyances under certain circumstances, and a court may try to subordinate or void the subsidiary guarantees.
Under U.S. bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, a guarantee can be voided, or claims under a guarantee may be subordinated to all other debts of that guarantor if, among other things, the guarantor, at the time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by its guarantee:
| • | intended to hinder, delay or defraud any present or future creditor or received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the incurrence of the guarantee; |
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| • | was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such incurrence; |
| • | was engaged in a business or transaction for which the guarantor’s remaining assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or |
| • | intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay those debts as they mature. |
In addition, any payment by that guarantor under a guarantee could be voided and required to be returned to the guarantor or to a fund for the benefit of the creditors of the guarantor. The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has occurred. Generally, however, a subsidiary guarantor would be considered insolvent if:
| • | the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets; |
| • | the present saleable value of its assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay its probably liability, including contingent liabilities, on existing debts as they become absolute and mature; or |
| • | it could not pay its debts as they became due. |
We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control.
Upon occurrence of specific change of control events affecting us, you will have the right to require us to repurchase all or any part of your notes with a cash payment equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest. Our ability to repurchase the notes upon such a change of control would be limited by our access to funds at the time of the repurchase and the terms of our other debt agreements. Upon a change of control event, we may be required immediately to repay the outstanding principal, any accrued interest on and any other amounts owed by us under our senior secured credit facilities, the notes and other outstanding indebtedness. The source of funds for these repayments would be our available cash or cash generated from other sources. However, we cannot assure you that we will have sufficient funds available or that we will be permitted by our other debt instruments to fulfill these obligations. Furthermore, certain change of control events would constitute an event of default under our credit facility.
Many of the covenants contained in the indenture will terminate if the notes are rated investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s and no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing.
Many of the covenants in the indenture governing the notes will terminate if the notes are rated investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s and no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing. These covenants will not be restored if the notes are later rated below investment grade. These covenants restrict, among other things, our ability to pay distributions on our units, incur debt and enter into certain other transactions. Termination of these covenants would allow us to engage in certain transactions that would not be permitted while these covenants were in force. See “Description of Exchange Notes—Certain Covenants—Covenant Termination.”
Your ability to transfer the notes may be limited by the absence of a trading market.
The exchange notes will be new securities for which currently there is no trading market. We do not currently intend to apply for listing of the exchange notes on any securities exchange or stock market. The liquidity of any market for the exchange notes will depend on the number of holders of those notes, the interest of securities dealers in making a market in those notes and other factors. Accordingly, we cannot assure you as to the development or liquidity of any market for the exchange notes. Historically, the market for noninvestment grade debt has been subject to disruptions that have caused substantial volatility in the prices of securities similar to the exchange notes. We cannot assure you that the market, if any, for the exchange notes will be free from similar disruptions. Any such disruption may adversely affect the holders of the exchange notes.
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Our tax treatment depends on our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, as well as our not being subject to entity-level taxation by states. If the IRS treats us as a corporation or we become subject to entity-level taxation for state tax purposes, it would substantially reduce our ability to make payments on the notes.
If we were classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate. Treatment of us as a corporation would cause a material reduction in our anticipated cash flow, which would materially and adversely affect our ability to make payments on the Notes.
In addition, because of widespread state budget deficits, several states are evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise or other forms of taxation. Imposition of such forms of taxation would reduce our cash flow.
You are urged to read “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” for a discussion of the expected material federal income tax consequences of exchanging the exchange notes.
The exchange offer is intended to satisfy our obligations under the applicable registration rights agreement. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the exchange notes in the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the exchange notes as contemplated by this prospectus, we will receive outstanding notes in a like principal amount. The form and terms of the exchange notes are identical in all respects to the form and terms of the outstanding notes, except the exchange notes do not include certain transfer restrictions, registration rights or provisions for additional interest. Outstanding notes surrendered in exchange for the exchange notes will be retired and cancelled and will not be reissued. Accordingly, the issuance of the exchange notes will not result in any change in our outstanding indebtedness.
RATIO OF E ARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The table below sets forth the ratios of earnings to fixed charges for us for the periods indicated. On July 31, 2001, we completed our initial public offering whereby we became successor to the business of Inergy Partners, LLC. As such, the periods ended September 30, 2001 and 2000 reflect the financial results of Inergy Partners, LLC.
| Year Ended September 30, |
Nine Months June 30, |
|||||||||||||||
| 2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
|||||||||||
| RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES |
—(a) | 1.63 | x | 1.87 | x | 2.25 | x | —(a) | 2.31x | |||||||
For purposes of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, plus fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness, the amortization of deferred financing costs, interest expense related to the write-off of deferred financing costs and interest associated with operating leases.
| (a) | Earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by $1.8 million for the year ended September 30, 2000 and $4.4 million for the year ended September 30, 2004. |
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We sold the outstanding notes on December 22, 2004, pursuant to the purchase agreement dated as of December 17, 2004, by and among us, Inergy Finance Corp. and the initial purchasers named therein. The outstanding notes were subsequently offered by the initial purchasers to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act.
We sold the outstanding notes in transactions that were exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements under the Securities Act. Accordingly, the outstanding notes are subject to transfer restrictions. In general, you may not offer or sell the outstanding notes unless either they are registered under the Securities Act or the offer or sale is exempt from or not subject to registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
In connection with the sale of the outstanding notes, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the outstanding notes. We are offering the exchange notes under this prospectus in an exchange offer for the outstanding notes to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement. During the exchange offer period, we will exchange the exchange notes for all outstanding notes properly surrendered and not withdrawn before the expiration date. The exchange notes have been registered and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and provisions for additional interest relating to the outstanding notes will not apply to the exchange notes.
Based on no-action letters of the Commission staff issued to third parties, we believe that exchange notes may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you without further compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act if:
| • | you are not an “affiliate” of us or Inergy Finance Corp. within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
| • | such exchange notes are acquired in the ordinary course of your business; and |
| • | you do not intend to participate in a distribution of the exchange notes. |
The Commission, however, has not considered the exchange offer for the exchange notes in the context of a no-action letter, and the Commission may not make a similar determination as in the no-action letters issued to these third parties.
If you tender in the exchange offer with the intention of participating in any manner in a distribution of the exchange notes, you
| • | cannot rely on such interpretations by the Commission staff; and |
| • | must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction. |
Unless an exemption from registration is otherwise available, any securityholder intending to distribute exchange notes should be covered by an effective registration statement under the Securities Act. The registration
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statement should contain the selling securityholder’s information required by Item 507 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.
This prospectus may be used for an offer to resell, resale or other transfer of exchange notes only as specifically described in this prospectus. If you are a broker-dealer, you may participate in the exchange offer only if you acquired the outstanding notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account in exchange for outstanding notes, where such outstanding notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge by way of the letter of transmittal that it will deliver this prospectus in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. Please read the section captioned “Plan of Distribution” for more details regarding the transfer of exchange notes.
Subject to the terms and conditions described in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal, we will accept for exchange any outstanding notes properly tendered and not withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. We will issue exchange notes in principal amount equal to the principal amount of outstanding notes surrendered in the exchange offer. Outstanding notes may be tendered only for exchange notes and only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.
The exchange offer is not conditioned upon any minimum aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes being tendered in the exchange offer.
As of the date of this prospectus, $425,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 are outstanding. This prospectus is being sent to DTC, the sole registered holder of the outstanding notes, and to all persons that we can identify as beneficial owners of the outstanding notes. There will be no fixed record date for determining registered holders of outstanding notes entitled to participate in the exchange offer.
We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the provisions of the registration rights agreement, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the “Exchange Act,” and the rules and regulations of the Commission. Outstanding notes whose holders do not tender for exchange in the exchange offer will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest. These outstanding notes will be entitled to the rights and benefits such holders have under the indenture relating to the outstanding notes and the registration rights agreement.
We will be deemed to have accepted for exchange properly tendered outstanding notes when we have given oral or written notice of the acceptance to the exchange agent and complied with the applicable provisions of the registration rights agreement. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purposes of receiving the exchange notes from us.
If you tender outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or, subject to the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of outstanding notes. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than certain applicable taxes described below, in connection with the exchange offer. Please read “—Fees and Expenses” for more details regarding fees and expenses incurred in connection with the exchange offer.
We will return any outstanding notes that we do not accept for exchange for any reason without expense to their tendering holder promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on , 2005, unless, in our sole discretion, we extend it.
Extensions, Delays in Acceptance, Termination or Amendment
We expressly reserve the right, at any time or various times, to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open. We may delay acceptance of any outstanding notes by giving oral or written notice of
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such extension to their holders at any time until the exchange offer expires or terminates. During any such extensions, all outstanding notes previously tendered will remain subject to the exchange offer, and we may accept them for exchange.
To extend the exchange offer, we will notify the exchange agent orally or in writing of any extension. We will notify the registered holders of outstanding notes of the extension no later than 9:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day after the previously scheduled expiration date.
If any of the conditions described below under “—Conditions to the Exchange Offer” have not been satisfied, we reserve the right, in our sole discretion
| • | to delay accepting for exchange any outstanding notes, |
| • | to extend the exchange offer, or |
| • | to terminate the exchange offer, |
by giving oral or written notice of such delay, extension or termination to the exchange agent. Subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement. We also reserve the right to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner.
Any such delay in acceptance, extension, termination or amendment will be followed as promptly as practicable by oral or written notice thereof to holders of the outstanding notes. If we amend the exchange offer in a manner that we determine to constitute a material change, we will promptly disclose such amendment by means of a prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will be distributed to holders of the outstanding notes. Depending upon the significance of the amendment and the manner of disclosure to holders, we will extend the exchange offer if it would otherwise expire during such period. If an amendment constitutes a material change to the exchange offer, including the waiver of a material condition, we will extend the exchange offer, if necessary, to remain open for at least five business days after the date of the amendment. In the event of any increase or decrease in the consideration we are offering for the outstanding notes or in the percentage of outstanding notes being sought by us, we will extend the exchange offer to remain open for at least 10 business days after the date we provide notice of such increase or decrease to the registered holders of outstanding notes.
Conditions to the Exchange Offer
We will not be required to accept for exchange, or exchange any exchange notes for, any outstanding notes if the exchange offer, or the making of any exchange by a holder of outstanding notes, would violate applicable law or any applicable interpretation of the staff of the Commission. Similarly, we may terminate the exchange offer as provided in this prospectus before accepting outstanding notes for exchange in the event of such a potential violation.
We will not be obligated to accept for exchange the outstanding notes of any holder that has not made to us the representations described under “—Procedures for Tendering” and “Plan of Distribution” and such other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable Commission rules, regulations or interpretations to allow us to use an appropriate form to register the exchange notes under the Securities Act.
Additionally, we will not accept for exchange any outstanding notes tendered, and will not issue exchange notes in exchange for any such outstanding notes, if at such time any stop order has been threatened or is in effect with respect to the exchange offer registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part or the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
We expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer, and to reject for exchange any outstanding notes not previously accepted for exchange, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions to the exchange offer specified above. We will give oral or written notice of any extension, amendment, non-acceptance or termination to the holders of the outstanding notes as promptly as practicable.
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These conditions are for our sole benefit, and we may assert them or waive them in whole or in part at any time or at various times prior to the expiration of the exchange offer in our sole discretion. If we fail at any time to exercise any of these rights, this failure will not mean that we have waived our rights. Each such right will be deemed an ongoing right that we may assert at any time or at various times prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.
To participate in the exchange offer, you must properly tender your outstanding notes to the exchange agent as described below. We will only issue exchange notes in exchange for outstanding notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the outstanding notes, and you should follow carefully the instructions on how to tender your outstanding notes. It is your responsibility to properly tender your outstanding notes. We have the right to waive any defects. However, we are not required to waive defects, and neither we, nor the exchange agent is required to notify you of defects in your tender.
If you have any questions or need help in exchanging your outstanding notes, please call the exchange agent whose address and phone number are described in the letter of transmittal included as Annex A to this prospectus.
All of the outstanding notes were issued in book-entry form, and all of the outstanding notes are currently represented by global certificates registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC. We have confirmed with DTC that the outstanding notes may be tendered using ATOP. The exchange agent will establish an account with DTC for purposes of the exchange offer promptly after the commencement of the exchange offer, and DTC participants may electronically transmit their acceptance of the exchange offer by causing DTC to transfer their outstanding notes to the exchange agent using the ATOP procedures. In connection with the transfer, DTC will send an “agent’s message” to the exchange agent. The agent’s message will state that DTC has received instructions from the participant to tender outstanding notes and that the participant agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal.
By using the ATOP procedures to exchange outstanding notes, you will not be required to deliver a letter of transmittal to the exchange agent. However, you will be bound by its terms just as if you had signed it.
There is no procedure for guaranteed late delivery of the outstanding notes.
Determinations Under the Exchange Offer. We will determine in our sole discretion all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, time of receipt, acceptance of tendered outstanding notes and withdrawal of tendered outstanding notes. Our determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any outstanding notes not properly tendered or any outstanding notes our acceptance of which would, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the right to waive any defect, irregularities or conditions of tender as to particular outstanding notes. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, including the instructions in the letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, all defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of outstanding notes must be cured within such time as we shall determine. Although we intend to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of outstanding notes, neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of outstanding notes will not be deemed made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any outstanding notes received by the exchange agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned to the tendering holder as soon as practicable following the expiration date of the exchange.
When We Will Issue Exchange Notes. In all cases, we will issue exchange notes for outstanding notes that we have accepted for exchange under the exchange offer only after the exchange agent receives, prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date,
| • | a book-entry confirmation of such outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at DTC; and |
| • | a properly transmitted agent’s message. |
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Return of Outstanding Notes Not Accepted or Exchanged. If we do not accept any tendered outstanding notes for exchange or if outstanding notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, the unaccepted or non-exchanged outstanding notes will be returned without expense to their tendering holder. Such non-exchanged outstanding notes will be credited to an account maintained with DTC. These actions will occur as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
Your Representations to Us. By agreeing to be bound by the letter of transmittal, you will represent to us that, among other things:
| • | any exchange notes that you receive will be acquired in the ordinary course of your business; |
| • | you have no arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution of the exchange notes; |
| • | you are not engaged in and do not intend to engage in the distribution of the exchange notes; |
| • | if you are a broker-dealer that will receive exchange notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes, you acquired those outstanding notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and you will deliver this prospectus, as required by law, in connection with any resale of the exchange notes; and |
| • | you are not an “affiliate,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, of us or Inergy Finance Corp. |
Except as otherwise provided in this prospectus, you may withdraw your tender at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. For a withdrawal to be effective you must comply with the appropriate ATOP procedures. Any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at DTC to be credited with withdrawn outstanding notes and otherwise comply with the ATOP procedures.
We will determine all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility and time of receipt of a notice of withdrawal. Our determination shall be final and binding on all parties. We will deem any outstanding notes so withdrawn not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer.
Any outstanding notes that have been tendered for exchange but that are not exchanged for any reason will be credited to an account maintained with DTC for the outstanding notes. This return or crediting will take place as soon as practicable after withdrawal, rejection of tender, expiration or termination of the exchange offer. You may retender properly withdrawn outstanding notes by following the procedures described under “— Procedures for Tendering” above at any time on or prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer.
We will bear the expenses of soliciting tenders. The principal solicitation is being made by mail; however, we may make additional solicitation by telegraph, telephone or in person by our officers and regular employees and those of our affiliates.
We have not retained any dealer-manager in connection with the exchange offer and will not make any payments to broker-dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. We will, however, pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and reimburse it for its related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
We will pay the cash expenses to be incurred in connection with the exchange offer. They include:
| • | Commission registration fees; |
| • | fees and expenses of the exchange agent and trustee; |
| • | accounting and legal fees and printing costs; and |
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| • | related fees and expenses. |
We will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of outstanding notes under the exchange offer. The tendering holder, however, will be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person, if a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of outstanding notes under the exchange offer.
Consequences of Failure to Exchange
If you do not exchange your outstanding notes for exchange notes under the exchange offer, the outstanding notes you hold will continue to be subject to the existing restrictions on transfer. In general, you may not offer or sell the outstanding notes except under an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We do not intend to register outstanding notes under the Securities Act unless the registration rights agreement requires us to do so.
We will record the exchange notes in our accounting records at the same carrying value as the outstanding notes. This carrying value is the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes, as reflected in our accounting records on the date of exchange. Accordingly, we will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes in connection with the exchange offer, other than the recognition of the fees and expenses of the offering as stated under “—Fees and Expenses.”
Participation in the exchange offer is voluntary, and you should consider carefully whether to accept. You are urged to consult your financial and tax advisors in making your own decision on what action to take.
We may in the future seek to acquire untendered outstanding notes in open market or privately negotiated transactions, through subsequent exchange offers or otherwise. We have no present plans to acquire any outstanding notes that are not tendered in the exchange offer or to file a registration statement to permit resales of any untendered outstanding notes.
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The exchange notes will be issued and the outstanding notes were issued under an Indenture dated as of December 22, 2004 among Inergy, L.P. and Inergy Finance Corp., as issuers, the Subsidiary Guarantors (as defined below) party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) (the “Indenture”). You can find the definition of various terms used in this Description of Exchange Notes under “—Definitions” below.
This Description of Exchange Notes is intended to be a useful overview of the material provisions of the exchange notes, the guarantees, and the Indenture. Since this Description of Exchange Notes is only a summary, you should refer to the exchange notes and the Indenture, forms of which are available from us and are also filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, for a complete description of our obligations and your rights.
In this description, the term “us,” “we” or “Company” refers only to Inergy, L.P., and not to any of its subsidiaries, the term “Finance Corp.” refers to Inergy Finance and the word “Issuers” refers jointly to Inergy and Finance Corp. References to the “notes” in this section of the prospectus include both the outstanding notes issued on December 22, 2004 and the exchange notes, unless the context otherwise requires.
If the exchange offer is consummated, holders of notes who do not exchange their notes for exchange notes will vote together with the holders of the exchange notes for all relevant purposes under the Indenture. In that regard, the Indenture requires that certain actions by the holders under the Indenture (including acceleration after an Event of Default) must be taken, and certain rights must be exercised, by specified minimum percentages of the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding notes issued under the Indenture. In determining whether holders of the requisite percentage in principal amount have given any notice, consent or waiver or taken any other action permitted under the Indenture, any notes that remain outstanding after the exchange offer will be aggregated with the exchange notes, and the holders of these notes and exchange notes will vote together as a single series for all such purposes. Accordingly, all references in this Description of Exchange Notes to specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes mean, at any time after the exchange offer for the notes is consummated, such percentage in aggregate principal amount of such notes and the exchange notes then outstanding.
Brief Description of the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees
The Notes. The notes:
| • | are general unsecured obligations of the Issuers; |
| • | are non-recourse to our general partners; |
| • | are equal in right of payment with all existing and future Senior Debt (as defined below) of either of the Issuers; and |
| • | are unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors on a senior unsecured basis. |
The Subsidiary Guarantees. Initially, the notes have been guaranteed by the Company’s operating subsidiary, Inergy Propane, LLC, which we call the “Operating Company” in this description, and by all of the Company’s other existing subsidiaries (other than its Canadian subsidiary).
Each guarantee of the notes:
| • | is a general unsecured obligation of the Guarantor; and |
| • | is equal in right of payment with all existing and future Senior Debt of that Guarantor. |
The indenture will permit us and the Guarantors to incur additional Indebtedness, including additional Senior Debt.
Initially, not all of our existing subsidiaries have guaranteed the notes. Furthermore, under the circumstances described below under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Additional Subsidiary Guarantees,” in the future one or more of our newly created or acquired subsidiaries may not guarantee the notes.
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In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of any of these non-guarantor subsidiaries, the non- guarantor subsidiaries will pay the holders of their debt and their trade creditors before they will be able to distribute any of their assets to us.
Our initial non-guarantor subsidiary has no outstanding Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness). Such non-guarantor subsidiary generated an immaterial percentage of our consolidated revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004 and held an immaterial percentage of our consolidated assets as of September 30, 2004.
As of the date of the indenture, all of our subsidiaries were “Restricted Subsidiaries.” However, under the circumstances described below under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,” we may designate certain of our subsidiaries as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries.” Our Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to many of the restrictive covenants in the indenture. Our Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not guarantee the notes.
Principal, Maturity and Interest
The Issuers have issued outstanding notes with an initial maximum aggregate principal amount of $425 million. In addition to the exchange notes offered hereby, the Issuers may issue additional notes from time to time after this offering. Any offering of additional notes is subject to the covenant described below under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.” The outstanding notes and any additional notes subsequently issued under the indenture, together with all exchange notes, will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the indenture, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. The Issuers may issue notes only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The notes will mature on December 15, 2014.
Interest on the notes will accrue at the rate of 6.875% per annum and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15. The initial interest payment was made on June 15, 2005. The Issuers will make each future interest payment to the Holders of record on the immediately preceding June 1 and December 1.
Interest on the notes will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid. In the case of the exchange notes, any interest accrued on outstanding notes will be treated as having accrued on the exchange notes that are issued in exchange for the outstanding notes. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.
Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes
If a Holder has given wire transfer instructions to the Issuers, the Issuers will pay all principal, interest and premium, if any, on that Holder’s notes in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on notes will be made at the office or agency of the paying agent and registrar within the City and State of New York unless the Issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders.
Paying Agent and Registrar for the Notes
Initially, the trustee is acting as paying agent and registrar. The Issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the Holders of the notes, and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
A Holder may transfer or exchange notes in accordance with the indenture. The registrar and the trustee may require a Holder to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of notes. No services charge will be imposed by the Issuers, the trustee or the registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of notes, but Holders will be required to pay all taxes due on transfer. The Issuers are not required to transfer or exchange any note selected for redemption. Also, the Issuers are not required to transfer or exchange any note for a period of 15 days before a selection of notes to be redeemed.
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Initially, the Operating Company and our other domestic Subsidiaries, excluding Finance Corp., have guaranteed the notes on a senior unsecured basis. In the future, the Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company will be required to guarantee the notes under the circumstances described under “—Certain Covenants—Additional Subsidiary Guarantees.” These Subsidiary Guarantees are joint and several obligations of the Guarantors. The obligations of each Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Notes Offering—The subsidiary guarantees could be deemed fraudulent conveyances under certain circumstances, and a court may try to subordinate or void the subsidiary guarantees.”
A Guarantor may not sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving Person), another Person, other than the Company or another Guarantor, unless:
| (1) | immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and |
| (2) | either: |
| (a) | the Person acquiring the properties or assets in any such sale or other disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Guarantor) unconditionally assumes all the obligations of that Guarantor, pursuant to a supplemental indenture substantially in the form specified in the indenture, under the notes, the indenture and its Subsidiary Guarantee on terms set forth therein; or |
| (b) | the Net Proceeds of such sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture. |
The Subsidiary Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:
| (1) | in connection with any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale or other disposition complies with the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture; |
| (2) | in connection with any sale or other disposition of all of the Capital Stock of that Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale or other disposition complies with the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture; |
| (3) | if the Company designates any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the indenture; |
| (4) | upon Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance as described below under the caption “—Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” or upon satisfaction and discharge of the indenture as described below under the caption “—Satisfaction and Discharge;” |
| (5) | in the case of any Guarantor other than the Operating Company, at such time as such Guarantor ceases to guarantee any other Indebtedness of either of the Issuers and any Indebtedness of the Operating Company; or |
| (6) | in the case of the Operating Company, at such time as the Operating Company ceases to guarantee any other Indebtedness of either of the Issuers, provided that it is then no longer an obligor with respect to any Indebtedness under any Credit Facility. |
See “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales.”
At any time prior to December 15, 2007, the Issuers may on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of notes issued under the indenture at a redemption price of 106.875% of the
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principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date), with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings by the Company, provided that:
| (1) | at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of notes issued under the indenture remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption (excluding notes held by the Company and its Subsidiaries); and |
| (2) | the redemption occurs within 120 days of the date of the closing of such Equity Offering. |
Except pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the notes will not be redeemable at the Issuers’ option prior to December 15, 2009.
On and after December 15, 2009, the Issuers may redeem all or a part of the notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the notes redeemed to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on December 15 of the years indicated below:
| Year |
Percentage |
||
| 2009 |
103.438 | % | |
| 2010 |
102.292 | % | |
| 2011 |
101.146 | % | |
| 2012 and thereafter |
100.000 | % |
Selection and Notice
If less than all of the notes are to be redeemed at any time, the trustee will select notes for redemption as follows:
| (1) | if the notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the notes are listed; or |
| (2) | if the notes are not listed on any national securities exchange, on a pro rata basis. |
No notes of $1,000 or less can be redeemed in part. Notices of redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of notes to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the indenture. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.
If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of the principal amount of that note that is to be redeemed. A new note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original note will be issued in the name of the Holder of notes upon cancellation of the original note. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on notes or portions of them called for redemption.
Except as set forth below under “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders,” neither of the Issuers is required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the notes or to repurchase the notes at the option of the Holders.
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Repurchase at the Option of Holders
Change of Control
If a Change of Control occurs, each Holder of notes will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000) of that Holder’s notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer on the terms set forth in the indenture. In the Change of Control Offer, the Company will offer a Change of Control Payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the notes repurchased, to the date of settlement (the “Change of Control Settlement Date”), subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the Change of Control Settlement Date. Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder and the Trustee describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and offering to repurchase notes as of the Change of Control Purchase Date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, pursuant to the procedures required by the indenture and described in such notice.
The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions of the indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions of the indenture by virtue of such conflict.
On the Change of Control Purchase Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment all notes or portions of notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer. Promptly thereafter on the Change of Control Settlement Date the Company will:
| (1) | deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all notes or portions of notes properly tendered; and |
| (2) | deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee the notes properly accepted together with an officers’ certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of notes or portions of notes being purchased by the Company. |
On the Change of Control Settlement Date, the paying agent will mail to each Holder of notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such notes (or, if all the notes are then in global form, make such payment through the facilities of DTC), and the trustee will authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new note will be in a principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.
The Credit Agreement provides that certain change of control events with respect to the Company, the Managing General Partner and the Operating Company would constitute a default or require repayment of the Senior Debt outstanding thereunder. Any future credit agreements or other agreements relating to Senior Debt to which the Company or any Guarantor becomes a party may contain similar restrictions and provisions. The indenture provides that, prior to complying with any of the provisions of this “Change of Control” covenant, but in any event no later than the Change of Control Purchase Date, the Company or any Guarantor must either repay all of its other outstanding Senior Debt or obtain the requisite consents, if any, under all agreements governing such Senior Debt to permit the repurchase of notes required by this covenant.
The provisions described above that require the Company to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of the indenture are applicable. Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the indenture does not contain provisions that permit the Holders of the notes to require that the Company repurchase or redeem the notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.
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The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the time and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer.
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating to the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a Holder of notes to require the Company to repurchase its notes as a result of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another Person or group may be uncertain.
Asset Sales
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:
| (1) | the Company (or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of; |
| (2) | the fair market value is determined by (a) an executive officer of the Managing General Partner if the value is less than $15.0 million and evidenced by a officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee, or (b) the Managing General Partner’s Board of Directors if the value is $15.0 million or more and evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors set forth in an officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee; and |
| (3) | at least 75% of the consideration received in the Asset Sale by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash. For purposes of this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash: |
| (a) | any liabilities, as shown on the Company’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet, of the Company or any Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement that releases the Company or such Subsidiary from further liability; and |
| (b) | any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are, within 90 days after the Asset Sale, converted by the Company or such Subsidiary into cash, to the extent of the cash received in that conversion. |
Within 360 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary may apply those Net Proceeds at its option to any combination of the following:
| (1) | to repay Senior Debt; |
| (2) | to acquire all or substantially all of the properties or assets of a Person primarily engaged in a Permitted Business; |
| (3) | to acquire a majority of the Voting Stock of a Person primarily engaged in a Permitted Business; |
| (4) | to make capital expenditures; or |
| (5) | to acquire other long-term assets that are used or useful in a Permitted Business. |
Pending the final application of any Net Proceeds, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary may invest the Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by the indenture. Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in the preceding paragraph will constitute “Excess Proceeds.”
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On the 361st day after the Asset Sale (or, at the Company’s option, any earlier date), if the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds then exceeds $20.0 million, the Company will make an Asset Sale Offer to all Holders of notes, and all holders of other Indebtedness that is pari passu with the notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in the indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets, to purchase the maximum principal amount of notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal to 100% of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of settlement, subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the date of settlement, and will be payable in cash. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the Company may use those Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by the indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of notes and other pari passu Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the trustee will select the notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.
The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture by virtue of such conflict.
Restricted Payments
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
| (1) | declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company); |
| (2) | purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) any Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company; |
| (3) | make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Indebtedness that is subordinated to the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, except a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity thereof; or |
| (4) | make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions set forth in these clauses (1) through (4) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), |
unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a consequence of such Restricted Payment and either:
| (1) | if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment is not less than 1.75 to 1.0, such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the next succeeding paragraph) with respect to the quarter for which such Restricted Payment is made, is less than the sum, without duplication, of: |
| (a) | Available Cash from Operating Surplus with respect to the Company’s preceding fiscal quarter, plus |
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| (b) | 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company (including the fair market value of any Permitted Business or long-term assets that are used or useful in a Permitted Business to the extent acquired in consideration of Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock)) after the date of the indenture as a contribution to its common equity capital or from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities of the Company that have been converted into or exchanged for such Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests (or Disqualified Stock or debt securities) sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company), plus |
| (c) | to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the date of the indenture is sold for cash or otherwise liquidated or repaid for cash, the lesser of (i) the cash return of capital with respect to such Restricted Investment (less the cost of disposition, if any) and (ii) the initial amount of such Restricted Investment, plus |
| (d) | the net reduction in Restricted Investments resulting from dividends, repayments of loans or advances, or other transfers of assets in each case to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from any Person (including, without limitation, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) or from redesignations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such amounts have not been included in Available Cash from Operating Surplus for any period commending on or after the date of the indenture (items (b), (c) and (d) being referred to as “Incremental Funds”), minus |
| (e) | the aggregate amount of Incremental Funds previously expended pursuant to this clause (1) and clause (2) below; or |
| (2) | if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment is less than 1.75 to 1.00, such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the next succeeding paragraph) with respect to the quarter for which such Restricted Payment is made (such Restricted Payments for purposes of this clause (2) meaning only distributions on limited partnership interests of the Company, plus the related distribution on the general partner interest and any distributions made with respect to incentive distribution rights), is less than the sum, without duplication, of: |
| (a) | $75 million less the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to this clause (2)(a) during the period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the date of such Restricted Payment and beginning on the date of the indenture, plus |
| (b) | Incremental Funds to the extent not previously expended pursuant to this clause (2) or clause (1) above. |
So long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby (except with respect to clause (1) below under which the payment of a distribution or dividend is permitted), the preceding provisions will not prohibit:
| (1) | the payment of any dividend or distribution within 60 days after the date of its declaration, if at the date of declaration the payment would have complied with the provisions of the indenture; |
| (2) | the redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition of any subordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor or of any Equity Interests of the Company in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent (a) contribution (other than from a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) to the equity capital of the Company or (b) sale (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) of, Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified |
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| Stock), with a sale being deemed substantially concurrent if such redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or acquisition occurs not more than 120 days after such sale; provided, however, that the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition will be excluded or deducted from the calculation of Available Cash from Operating Surplus and Incremental Funds; |
| (3) | the defeasance, redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of subordinated Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor with the net cash proceeds from an incurrence of, or in exchange for, Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; |
| (4) | the payment of any dividend or distribution by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis; or |
| (5) | the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Equity Interests of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company pursuant to any director or employee equity subscription agreement or equity option agreement or other employee benefit plan or to satisfy obligations under any Equity Interests appreciation rights or option plan or similar arrangement; provided that the aggregate price paid for all such repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests may not exceed $2.0 million in any calendar year. |
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the fair market value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment. The fair market value of any assets or securities that are required to be valued by this covenant will be determined, in the case of amounts under $5.0 million, by an officer of the Managing General Partner and, in the case of amounts over $5.0 million, by the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner, whose determination shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. Not later than the date of making any Restricted Payment (excluding any Restricted Payment described in the preceding clause (2), (3), (4) or (5)) the Company will deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that such Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the calculations required by this “Restricted Payments” covenant were computed. For purposes of determining compliance with this “Restricted Payments” covenant, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in the preceding clauses (1)-(5), the Company will be permitted to classify (or later classify or reclassify in whole or in part in its sole discretion) such Restricted Payment in any manner that complies with this covenant.
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively, “incur”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt), the Company will not issue any Disqualified Stock, and the Company will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any preferred securities; provided, however, that the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified Stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock is issued would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been incurred or Disqualified Stock had been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively, “Permitted Debt”) or the issuance of any preferred securities described in clause (10) below:
| (1) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness (including letters of credit) under one or more Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any |
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| one time outstanding under this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries thereunder) not to exceed the greater of (a) $325.0 million or (b) 20% of the Company’s Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; |
| (2) | the incurrence by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Existing Indebtedness; |
| (3) | the incurrence by the Company and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the outstanding notes and the related Subsidiary Guarantees and the exchange notes and the related Subsidiary Guarantees issued pursuant to any registration rights agreement; |
| (4) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case, incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction or improvement of property, plant or equipment used in the business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, in an aggregate principal amount, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refund, refinance or replace any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (4), not to exceed $15.0 million at any time outstanding; |
| (5) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to refund, refinance or replace Indebtedness that was permitted by the indenture to be incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant or clause (2) or (3) of this paragraph or this clause (5); |
| (6) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that: |
| (a) | if the Company is the obligor on such Indebtedness and a Guarantor is not the obligee, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the notes, or if a Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and neither the Company nor another Guarantor is the obligee, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Guarantor; and |
| (b) | (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is neither the Company nor a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (6); |
| (7) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations; |
| (8) | the guarantee by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this covenant; |
| (9) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness in respect of bid, performance, surety and similar bonds issued for the account of the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including guarantees and obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to letters of credit supporting such obligations (in each case other than an obligation for money borrowed); |
| (10) | the issuance by any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries to the Company or to any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any preferred securities; provided, however, that: |
| (a) | any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such preferred securities being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; and |
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| (b) | any sale or other transfer of any such preferred securities to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company |
shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an issuance of such preferred securities by such Restricted Subsidiary that was not permitted by this clause (10); and
| (11) | the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (a) $25.0 million or (b) 5% of the Company’s Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. |
For purposes of determining compliance with this “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” covenant, in the event that an item of Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt described in clauses (1) through (11) above, or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant, the Company will be permitted to classify (or later classify or reclassify in whole or in part in its sole discretion) such item of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this covenant. Any Indebtedness under Credit Facilities on the date of the indenture shall be considered incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant.
The accrual of interest, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified Stock for purposes of this covenant; provided, in each such case, that the amount thereof is included in Fixed Charges of the Company as accrued.
Liens
The Company will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any Lien of any kind (other than Permitted Liens) securing Indebtedness or Attributable Debt upon any of their property or assets, now owned or hereafter acquired, unless the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, is secured on an equal and ratable basis (or on a senior basis to, in the case of obligations subordinated in right of payment to the notes or such Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be) with the obligations so secured until such time as such obligations are no longer secured by a Lien.
Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
| (1) | pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
| (2) | make loans or advances to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or |
| (3) | transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. |
However, the preceding restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
| (1) | agreements as in effect on the date of the indenture and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements or the Indebtedness to which they relate, provided that the amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacement or refinancings are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend, distribution and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the date of the indenture; |
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| (2) | the indenture, the notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees; |
| (3) | applicable law; |
| (4) | any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired, provided that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was otherwise permitted by the terms of the indenture to be incurred; |
| (5) | customary non-assignment provisions in Hydrocarbon purchase and sale or exchange agreements or similar operational agreements or in licenses or leases, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices; |
| (6) | Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations, in each case for property acquired in the ordinary course of business that impose restrictions on that property of the nature described in clause (3) of the preceding paragraph; |
| (7) | any agreement for the sale or other disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition; |
| (8) | Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness, provided that the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced; |
| (9) | Liens securing Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred under the provisions of the covenant described above under the caption “—Liens” that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens; |
| (10) | provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business; |
| (11) | any agreement or instrument relating to any property or assets acquired after the date of the indenture, so long as such encumbrance or restriction relates only to the property or assets so acquired and is not and was not created in anticipation of such acquisitions; |
| (12) | restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; and |
| (13) | any instrument governing Indebtedness of an FERC Subsidiary, provided that such Indebtedness was otherwise permitted by the terms of the indenture to be incurred. |
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
Neither of the Issuers may, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not such Issuer is the survivor); or (2) sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions, to another Person; unless:
| (1) | either: (a) such Issuer is the survivor; or (b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than such Issuer) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made is a Person organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia; provided, however, that Finance Corp. may not consolidate or merge with or into any Person other than a corporation satisfying such requirement so long as the Company is not a corporation; |
| (2) | the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than such Issuer) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the obligations of such Issuer under the notes, the indenture and the registration rights agreement pursuant to agreements reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; |
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| (3) | immediately after such transaction no Default or Event of Default exists; |
| (4) | in the case of a transaction involving the Company and not Finance Corp., the Company or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made will, on the date of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock;” and |
| (5) | such Issuer has delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or disposition and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the indenture. |
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the Company is permitted to reorganize as any other form of entity in accordance with the following procedures provided that:
| (1) | the reorganization involves the conversion (by merger, sale, contribution or exchange of assets or otherwise) of the Company into a form of entity other than a limited partnership formed under Delaware law; |
| (2) | the entity so formed by or resulting from such reorganization is an entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| (3) | the entity so formed by or resulting from such reorganization assumes all the obligations of the Company under the notes, the indenture and the registration rights agreement pursuant to agreements reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; |
| (4) | immediately after such reorganization no Default or Event of Default exists; and |
| (5) | such reorganization is not materially adverse to the Holders or Beneficial Owners of the notes (for purposes of this clause (5) a reorganization will not be considered materially adverse to the Holders or Beneficial Owners of the notes solely because the successor or survivor of such reorganization (a) is subject to federal or state income taxation as an entity or (b) is considered to be an “includable corporation” of an affiliated group of corporations with the meaning of Section 1504(b)(i) of the Code or any similar state or local law). |
Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of a Person.
Transactions with Affiliates
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (each, an “Affiliate Transaction”), unless:
| (1) | the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; and |
| (2) | the Company delivers to the trustee: |
| (a) | with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $15.0 million, a resolution of the Board of Directors of the |
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| Managing General Partner set forth in an officers’ certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant and that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors; and |
| (b) | with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $25.0 million, a written opinion as to the fairness to the Holders of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing. |
The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of the prior paragraph:
| (1) | any employment, equity award, equity option or equity appreciation agreement or plan entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business; |
| (2) | transactions between or among any of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
| (3) | transactions with a Person that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns an Equity Interest in such Person; |
| (4) | transactions permitted by the terms of (a) the Partnership Agreement with respect to accounting, treasury, information technology, insurance and other corporate services, general overhead and other administrative matters and (b) any other agreements with Inergy Holdings and its subsidiaries that are identified in the indenture, in each case as such agreements are in effect on the date of the indenture, and any amendment or replacement of any of such agreements so long as such amendment or replacement agreement is no less advantageous to the Company in any material respect than the agreement so amended or replaced; |
| (5) | customary compensation, indemnification and other benefits made available to officers, directors or employees of the Company, a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or the Managing General Partner, including reimbursement or advancement of out-of-pocket expenses and provisions of officers’ and directors’ liability insurance; |
| (6) | sales of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) to Affiliates of the Company; |
| (7) | Restricted Payments that are permitted by the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “—Restricted Payments;” and |
| (8) | transactions effected in accordance with the terms of the leases with Robert A. Pascal and his Affiliates that are described under “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions—Related Party Transactions” and are identified more particularly in the indenture, in each case as such leases are in effect on the date of the indenture, and any amendment or extension of any of such leases so long as such amendment or extension agreement is no less advantageous to the Company in any material respect than the lease so amended or extended. |
Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries
The Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner may designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate fair market value of all outstanding Investments owned by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary properly designated will be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Restricted Payments” or represent Permitted Investments, as determined by the Company. That designation will only be permitted if the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the Subsidiary so designated otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
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The Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation will only be permitted if (1) such Indebtedness is permitted under the covenant described above under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock,” calculated on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the four-quarter reference period, and (2) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation.
Additional Subsidiary Guarantees
If, after the date of the indenture, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is not already a Guarantor guarantees any other Indebtedness of either of the Issuers or any Indebtedness of the Operating Company, or the Operating Company, if not then a Guarantor, guarantees any other Indebtedness of either of the Issuers or incurs any Indebtedness under any of the Credit Facilities, then in either case that Subsidiary will become a Guarantor by executing a supplemental indenture and delivering it to the trustee within ten Business Days of the date on which it guaranteed or incurred such Indebtedness, as the case may be; provided, however, that the preceding shall not apply to Subsidiaries of the Company that have properly been designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries in accordance with the indenture for so long as they continue to constitute Unrestricted Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding the preceding, any Guarantee of a Restricted Subsidiary that was incurred pursuant to this paragraph as a result of a guarantee of any Indebtedness shall provide by its terms that it shall be automatically and unconditionally released upon the release or discharge of the guarantee or repayment of the Indebtedness that resulted in the creation of such Restricted Subsidiary’s Guarantee, except a discharge or release by, or as a result of payment under, such Guarantee.
Sale and Leaseback Transactions
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any sale and leaseback transaction; provided that the Company or any Guarantor may enter into a sale and leaseback transaction if:
| (1) | the Company or that Guarantor, as applicable, could have (a) incurred Indebtedness in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt relating to such sale and leaseback transaction under the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” and (b) incurred a Lien to secure such Indebtedness pursuant to the covenant described above under the caption “—Liens;” |
| (2) | the gross cash proceeds of that sale and leaseback transaction are at least equal to the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner and set forth in an officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee, of the property that is the subject of that sale and leaseback transaction; and |
| (3) | the transfer of assets in that sale and leaseback transaction is permitted by, and the Company applies the proceeds of such transaction in compliance with, the covenant described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales.” |
Business Activities
The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than a Permitted Business, except to such extent as would not be material to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Finance Corp. may not incur Indebtedness unless (1) the Company is a co-obligor or guarantor of such Indebtedness or (2) the net proceeds of such Indebtedness are loaned to the Company, used to acquire outstanding debt securities issued by the Company or used to repay Indebtedness of the Company as permitted
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under the covenant described about under the caption “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.” Finance Corp. may not engage in any business not related directly or indirectly to obtaining money or arranging financing for the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries.
Reports
Whether or not required by the Commission, so long as any notes are outstanding, the Company will file with the Commission for public availability within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations (unless the Commission will not accept such a filing), and the Company will furnish to the trustee and, upon its prior request, to any of the Holders or Beneficial Owners of notes, within five Business Days of filing, or attempting to file, the same with the Commission:
| (1) | all quarterly and annual financial and other information with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries that would be required to be contained in a filing with the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such Forms, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to the annual information only, a report on the annual financial statements by the Company’s certified independent accountants; and |
| (2) | all current reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports. |
If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, then the quarterly and annual financial information required by the preceding paragraph will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Company.
In addition, the Company and the Guarantors have agreed that, for so long as any notes remain outstanding, they will furnish to the Holders and Beneficial Owners of the notes and to securities analysts and prospective investors in the notes, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
Covenant Termination
If at any time (a) the rating assigned to the notes by either S&P or Moody’s is an Investment Grade Rating and (b) no Default has occurred and is continuing under the indenture, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will no longer be subject to the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales” and the following provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants”:
| • | “—Restricted Payments,” |
| • | “—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Referred Stock,” |
| • | “—Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries,” |
| • | “—Transactions with Affiliates,” and |
| • | “—Business Activities.” |
However, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will remain subject to the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control,” and the following provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “—Covenants”:
| • | “—Liens,” |
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| • | “—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” (other than the financial test set forth in clause (4) of such covenant),” |
| • | “—Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries,” |
| • | “—Additional Subsidiary Guarantees,” |
| • | “—Sale and Leaseback Transactions” (other than the financial tests set forth in clauses (1)(a) and (3) of such covenant), |
| • | “—Reports,” and |
| • | the covenant respecting payments for consent described below in the last paragraph under the caption “Amendment, Supplement and Waiver.” |
Events of Default and Remedies
Each of the following is an Event of Default:
| (1) | default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on the notes; |
| (2) | default in payment when due of the principal of, or premium, if any, on the notes; |
| (3) | failure by the Company to comply with the provisions described under the captions “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales,” “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control” or “—Certain Covenants—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets;” |
| (4) | failure by the Company for 60 days after notice to comply with any of the other agreements in the indenture; |
| (5) | default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the indenture, if that default: |
| (a) | is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness (a “Payment Default”); or |
| (b) | results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity, |
and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $15.0 million or more; provided that if any such default is cured or waived or any such acceleration rescinded, or such Indebtedness is repaid, within a period of 30 days from the continuation of such default beyond the applicable grace period or the occurrence of such acceleration, as the case may be, such Event of Default and any consequential acceleration of the notes shall be automatically rescinded, so long as such rescission does not conflict with any judgment or decree;
| (6) | failure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of $15.0 million, which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days; |
| (7) | except as permitted by the indenture, any Subsidiary Guarantee shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee; and |
| (8) | certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in the indenture with respect to Finance Corp., the Company or any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of its Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken as a whole, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company. |
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In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, with respect to Finance Corp., the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of its Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, all outstanding notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding notes may declare all the notes to be due and payable immediately.
Holders of the notes may not enforce the indenture or the notes except as provided in the indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes may direct the trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The trustee may withhold notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default from Holders of the notes if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest, except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the notes.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes then outstanding by notice to the trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes.
In the case of any Event of Default occurring by reason of any willful action or inaction taken or not taken by or on behalf of an Issuer with the intention of avoiding payment of the premium that the Issuers would have had to pay if the Issuers then had elected to redeem the notes on or after December 15, 2009 pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of the indenture, an equivalent premium will also become and be immediately due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the acceleration of the notes. If an Event of Default occurs prior to December 15, 2009 by reason of any willful action (or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of an Issuer with the intention of avoiding the prohibition on redemption of the notes prior to that date, then the premium specified in the indenture with respect to the first year that the notes may be redeemed at the Issuers’ option (other than with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering) will also become immediately due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the acceleration of the notes.
The Issuers are required to deliver to the trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the indenture. Upon any officer of the Managing General Partner or Finance Corp. becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, the Issuers are required to deliver to the trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Unitholders and No Recourse to General Partners
Neither General Partner nor any director, officer, partner, employee, incorporator, manager or unitholder or other owner of Capital Stock of the Issuers, the General Partners or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Issuers or any Guarantor under the notes, the indenture or the Subsidiary Guarantees, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
The Issuers may, at their option and at any time, elect to have all of their obligations discharged with respect to the outstanding notes and all obligations of the Guarantors discharged with respect to their Subsidiary Guarantees (“Legal Defeasance”), except for:
| (1) | the rights of Holders of outstanding notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, and interest or premium, if any, on such notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to below; |
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| (2) | the Issuers’ obligations with respect to the notes concerning issuing temporary notes, registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust; |
| (3) | the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee, and the Issuers’ obligations in connection therewith; and |
| (4) | the Legal Defeasance provisions of the indenture. |
In addition, the Issuers may, at their option and at any time, elect to have their obligations released with respect to certain covenants that are described in the indenture (“Covenant Defeasance”) and thereafter any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to the notes. In the event Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including non-payment, bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events) described under “—Events of Default and Remedies” will no longer constitute an Event of Default with respect to the notes. If the Issuers exercise either their Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance option, each Guarantor will be released and relieved of any obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee and any security for the notes (other than the trust) will be released.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:
| (1) | the Issuers must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on the outstanding notes on the date of fixed maturity or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Issuers must specify whether the notes are being defeased to the date of fixed maturity or to a particular redemption date; |
| (2) | in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuers have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that: |
| (a) | the Issuers have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling; or |
| (b) | since the date of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, |
in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;
| (3) | in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuers have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that the Holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred; |
| (4) | no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit) or insofar as Events of Default from bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events are concerned, at any time in the period ending on the 91st day after the day of deposit; |
| (5) | such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound; |
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| (6) | the Issuers must have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that after the 91st day following the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; |
| (7) | the Issuers must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuers with the intent of preferring the Holders of notes over the other creditors of the Issuers with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Issuers or others; and |
| (8) | the Issuers must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with. |
Amendment, Supplement and Waiver
Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the indenture or the notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes), and any existing default or compliance with any provision of the indenture or the notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes).
Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not (with respect to any notes held by a non-consenting Holder):
| (1) | reduce the principal amount of notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; |
| (2) | reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption or repurchase of the notes (other than provisions relating to the covenants described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders”); |
| (3) | reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any note; |
| (4) | waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the notes by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration); |
| (5) | make any note payable in currency other than that stated in the notes; |
| (6) | make any change in the provisions of the indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes (other than as permitted in clause (7) below); |
| (7) | waive a redemption or repurchase payment with respect to any note (other than a payment required by one of the covenants described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders”); |
| (8) | release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or the indenture, except in accordance with the terms of the indenture; or |
| (9) | make any change in the preceding amendment, supplement and waiver provisions. |
Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any Holder of notes, the Issuers, the Guarantors and the trustee may amend or supplement the indenture or the notes:
| (1) | to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; |
| (2) | to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes; |
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| (3) | to provide for the assumption of an Issuer’s obligations to Holders of notes in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of such Issuer’s properties or assets; |
| (4) | to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any such Holder, provided that any change to conform the indenture to this prospectus will not be deemed to adversely affect such legal rights; |
| (5) | to secure the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees pursuant to the requirements of the covenant described above under the subheading “—Certain Covenants—Liens;” |
| (6) | to provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the indenture; |
| (7) | to add any additional Guarantor or to evidence the release of any Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee, in each case as provided in the indenture; |
| (8) | to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or |
| (9) | to evidence or provide for the acceptance of appointment under the indenture of a successor trustee. |
Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Beneficial Owner or Holder of any notes for or as an inducement to any consent to any waiver, supplement or amendment of any terms or provisions of the indenture or the notes, unless such consideration is offered to be paid or agreed to be paid to all Beneficial Owners and Holders of the notes which so consent in the time frame set forth in solicitation documents relating to such consent.
The indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all notes issued thereunder (except as to surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of the notes and as otherwise specified in the indenture), when:
| (1) | either: |
| (a) | all notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed notes that have been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Issuers, have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or |
| (b) | all notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year by reason of the mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise and the Issuers or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of fixed maturity or redemption; |
| (2) | no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit or will occur as a result of the deposit and the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound; |
| (3) | the Issuers or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under the indenture; and |
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| (4) | the Issuers have delivered irrevocable instructions to the trustee under the indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the notes at fixed maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be. |
In addition, the Issuers must deliver an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.
If the trustee becomes a creditor of an Issuer or any Guarantor, the indenture limits its right to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) after a Default has occurred and is continuing, it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the Commission for permission to continue or resign.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding notes will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee, subject to certain exceptions. The indenture provides that in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent man in the conduct of his own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any Holder of notes, unless such Holder has offered to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
The indenture, the notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Anyone who receives this prospectus may obtain a copy of the indenture and registration rights agreement without charge by writing to Inergy, L.P., Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64112, Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
The exchange notes will be issued initially only in the form of one or more global notes (collectively, the “Global Notes”). The Global Notes will be deposited upon issuance with the trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), in New York, New York, and registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co., in each case for credit to an account of a direct participant in DTC as described below. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes may be held through the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking, S.A. (“Clearstream”) (as indirect participants in DTC).
Except as set forth below, the Global Notes may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its nominee. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes may not be exchanged for notes in registered, certificated form (“Certificated Notes”) except in the limited circumstances described below. See “—Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes.”
The following description of the operations and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream are provided solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of the respective settlement systems and are subject to changes by them. We take no responsibility for these operations and procedures and urge investors to contact the system or their participants directly to discuss these matters.
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DTC has advised us that DTC is a limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities for its participating organizations (collectively, the “Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those securities between Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. The Participants include securities brokers and dealers (including the initial purchasers), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTC’s system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the “Indirect Participants”). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in, each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the records of the Participants and Indirect Participants.
DTC has also advised us that, pursuant to procedures established by it:
| (1) | upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the accounts of Participants designated by the exchange agent with portions of the principal amount of the Global Notes; and |
| (2) | ownership of these interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of these interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes). |
Investors in the Global Notes who are Participants in DTC’s system may hold their interests therein directly through DTC. Investors in the Global Notes who are not Participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations (including Euroclear and Clearstream) which are Participants in such system. Euroclear and Clearstream may hold interests in the Global Notes on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in their respective names on the books of their respective depositories, which are Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear, and Citibank, N.A., as operator of Clearstream. All interests in a Global Note, including those held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Those interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such systems.
The laws of some states require that certain Persons take physical delivery in definitive form of securities that they own. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Note to such Persons will be limited to that extent. Because DTC can act only on behalf of Participants, which in turn act on behalf of Indirect Participants, the ability of a Person having beneficial interests in a Global Note to pledge such interests to Persons that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interests, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing such interests.
Except as described below, owners of an interest in the Global Notes will not have notes registered in their names, will not receive physical delivery of Certificated Notes and will not be considered the registered owners or “Holders” thereof under the indenture for any purpose.
Payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on a Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee will be payable to DTC in its capacity as the registered Holder under the indenture. Under the terms of the indenture, the Issuers, the Guarantors and the trustee will treat the Persons in whose names the notes, including the Global Notes, are registered as the owners of the notes for the purpose of receiving payments and for all other purposes. Consequently, neither the Issuers, the Guarantors, the trustee nor any agent of an Issuer or the trustee has or will have any responsibility or liability for:
| (1) | any aspect of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to the beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes; or |
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| (2) | any other matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of its Participants or Indirect Participants. |
DTC has advised us that its current practice, at the due date of any payment in respect of securities such as the notes, is to credit the accounts of the relevant Participants with the payment on the payment date unless DTC has reason to believe it will not receive payment on such payment date. Each relevant Participant is credited with an amount proportionate to its beneficial ownership of an interest in the principal amount of the notes as shown on the records of DTC. Payments by the Participants and the Indirect Participants to the beneficial owners of notes will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will be the responsibility of the Participants or the Indirect Participants and will not be the responsibility of DTC, the trustee or the Issuers. Neither the Issuers nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC or any of its Participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the notes, and the Issuers and the trustee may conclusively rely on and will be protected in relying on instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes.
Transfers between Participants in DTC will be effected in accordance with DTC’s procedures, and will be settled in same-day funds, and transfers between participants in Euroclear and Clearstream will be effected in accordance with their respective rules and operating procedures.
Cross-market transfers between the Participants in DTC, on the one hand, and Euroclear or Clearstream participants, on the other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC’s rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by its depositary; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (Brussels time) of such system. Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its respective depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant Global Note in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear participants and Clearstream participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositories for Euroclear or Clearstream.
DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a Holder of notes only at the direction of one or more Participants to whose account DTC has credited the interests in the Global Notes and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which such Participant or Participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an Event of Default under the notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the Global Notes for Certificated Notes, and to distribute such notes to its Participants.
Although DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the Rule 144A Global Notes and the Regulation S Global Notes among participants in DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, they are under no obligation to perform or to continue to perform such procedures, and may discontinue such procedures at any time. None of the Issuers, the trustee or any of their respective agents will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.
Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes
A Global Note is exchangeable for Certificated Notes in minimum denominations of $1,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000, if:
| (1) | DTC (a) notifies the Issuers that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Note or (b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and in either event the Issuers fail to appoint a successor depositary within 90 days; or |
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| (2) | there has occurred and is continuing an Event of Default and DTC notifies the trustee of its decision to exchange the Global Note for Certificated Notes. |
In all cases, Certificated Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests in Global Notes will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the depositary (in accordance with its customary procedures).
Exchange of Certificated Notes for Global Notes
Certificated Notes may not be exchanged for beneficial interests in any Global Note.
Same-Day Settlement and Payment
The Issuers will make payments in respect of the notes represented by the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Global Note Holder. The Issuers will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to Certificated Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the Certificated Notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such Holder’s registered address. The notes represented by the Global Notes are eligible to trade DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. We expect that secondary trading in any Certificated Notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.
Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream participant purchasing an interest in a Global Note from a Participant in DTC will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear and Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. DTC has advised us that cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of interests in a Global Note by or through a Euroclear or Clearstream participant to a Participant in DTC will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTC’s settlement date.
Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the indenture. Reference is made to the indenture for a full disclosure of all such terms, as well as any other capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided.
“Acquired Debt” means, with respect to any specified Person:
| (1) | Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person was merged with or into or became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Subsidiary of, such specified Person, but excluding Indebtedness which is extinguished, retired or repaid in connection with such Person merging with or becoming a Subsidiary or such specified Person; and |
| (2) | Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person. |
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities,
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by agreement or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a Person will be deemed to be control by the other Person; and provided, further, that any third Person which also beneficially owns 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a specified Person shall not be deemed to be an Affiliate of either the specified Person or the other Person merely because of such common ownership in such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.
“Asset Sale” means:
| (1) | the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any properties or assets (including by way of a sale and leaseback transaction); provided that the disposition of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Change of Control” and/or the provisions described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” and not by the provisions of the Asset Sale covenant; and |
| (2) | the issuance of Equity Interests in any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries or the sale of Equity Interests in any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. |
Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items will not be deemed to be Asset Sales:
| (1) | any single transaction or series of related transactions that involves properties or assets having a fair market value of less than $5.0 million; |
| (2) | a transfer of assets between or among any of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, |
| (3) | an issuance or sale of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary; |
| (4) | the sale, lease or other disposition of equipment, inventory, accounts receivable or other properties or assets in the ordinary course of business; |
| (5) | the sale or other disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents, Hedging Obligations or other financial instruments in the ordinary course of business; |
| (6) | a Restricted Payment that is permitted by the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments” or a Permitted Investment; |
| (7) | any trade or exchange by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of properties or assets for properties or assets owned or held by another Person, provided that the fair market value of the properties or assets traded or exchanged by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (together with any cash) is reasonably equivalent to the fair market value of the properties or assets (together with any cash) to be received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and provided further that any cash received must be applied in accordance with the provisions described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales;” |
| (8) | the creation or perfection of a Lien that is not prohibited by the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Liens;” |
| (9) | dispositions in connection with Permitted Liens; |
| (10) | surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind; and |
| (11) | the grant in the ordinary course of business of any non-exclusive license of patents, trademarks, registrations therefor and other similar intellectual property. |
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“Attributable Debt” in respect of a sale and leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such sale and leaseback transaction including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended. Such present value shall be calculated using a discount rate equal to the rate of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP. As used in the preceding sentence, the “net rental payments” under any lease for any such period shall mean the sum of rental and other payments required to be paid with respect to such period by the lessee thereunder, excluding any amounts required to be paid by such lessee on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges. In the case of any lease that is terminable by the lessee upon payment of penalty, such net rental payment shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated.
“Available Cash” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement, as in effect on the date of the indenture.
“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have correlative meanings.
“Board of Directors” means:
| (1) | with respect to Finance Corp., the board of directors of the corporation; |
| (2) | with respect to the Company, the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner or any authorized committee thereof; and |
| (3) | with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function. |
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the applicable Person to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such Person and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the trustee.
“Business Day” means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in Kansas City, Missouri or in New York, New York or another place of payment are authorized or required by law to close.
“Capital Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.
“Capital Stock” means:
| (1) | in the case of a corporation, corporate stock; |
| (2) | in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock; |
| (3) | in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and |
| (4) | any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person. |
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“Cash Equivalents” means:
| (1) | United States dollars; |
| (2) | securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States government (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support of those securities) having maturities of not more than six months from the date of acquisition; |
| (3) | certificates of deposit and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any lender party to the Credit Agreement or with any domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of “B” or better; |
| (4) | repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above; |
| (5) | commercial paper having the highest rating obtainable from Moody’s or S&P and in each case maturing within six months after the date of acquisition; and |
| (6) | money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (5) of this definition. |
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:
| (1) | the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets (including Capital Stock of the Restricted Subsidiaries) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), which occurrence is followed by a Rating Decline with 90 days of the consummation of such transaction; |
| (2) | the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the removal of the Managing General Partner by the limited partners of the Company; |
| (3) | the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), excluding the Qualifying Owners identified in clauses (1) and (2) of the definition of Qualifying Owners, becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the Managing General Partner, measured by voting power rather than number of shares, which occurrence is followed by a Rating Decline within 90 days thereof; |
| (4) | the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), excluding the Qualifying Owners identified in clause (1) of the definition of Qualifying Owners, becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of Inergy Holdings, measured by voting power rather than number or percentage of membership interests, at a time when Inergy Holdings still Beneficially Owns more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the Managing General Partner, measured by voting power rather than number or percentage of membership interests, which occurrence is followed by a Rating Decline within 90 days thereof; or |
| (5) | the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner are not Continuing Directors, which occurrence is followed by a Rating Decline within 90 days thereof. |
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Notwithstanding the preceding, a conversion of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from a limited partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other form of entity to a limited partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other form of entity or an exchange of all of the outstanding Equity Interests in one form of entity for Equity Interests for another form of entity shall not constitute a Change of Control, so long as following such conversion or exchange the “persons” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) who Beneficially Owned the Capital Stock of the Company immediately prior to such transactions continue to Beneficially Own in the aggregate more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such entity, or continue to Beneficially Own sufficient Equity Interests in such entity to elect a majority of its directors, managers, trustees or other persons serving in a similar capacity for such entity, and, in either case no “person”, excluding any Qualifying Owner identified in clause (1) or (2) of the definition of Qualifying Owner, Beneficially Owns more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such entity.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
“Commission” or “SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Consolidated Cash Flow” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus:
| (1) | an amount equal to any net loss realized by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale, to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus |
| (2) | provision for taxes based on income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus |
| (3) | consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued and whether or not capitalized (including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with respect to Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings), and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations, to the extent that any such expense was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus |
| (4) | depreciation and amortization (including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period), impairment and other non-cash expenses (excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such depreciation and amortization, impairment and other non-cash expenses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus |
| (5) | unrealized non-cash losses resulting from foreign currency balance sheet adjustments required by GAAP to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus |
| (6) | all extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items of gain or loss, or revenue or expense; minus |
| (7) | non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income for such period, other than items that were accrued in the ordinary course of business, |
in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP.
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“Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that:
| (1) | the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting will be included, but only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash to the specified Person or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Person; |
| (2) | the Net Income of any Restricted Subsidiary will be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, partners or members; |
| (3) | the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles will be excluded; |
| (4) | unrealized losses and gains under derivative instruments included in the determination of Consolidated Net Income, including, without limitation those resulting from the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133 will be excluded; and |
| (5) | any nonrecurring charges relating to any premium or penalty paid, write off of deferred finance costs or other charges in connection with redeeming or retiring any Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity will be excluded. |
“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate amount of total assets included in such Person’s most recent quarterly or annual consolidated balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP less applicable reserves reflected in such balance sheet, after deducting the following amounts: (a) all current liabilities reflected in such balance sheet, and (b) all goodwill, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discounts and expenses and other like intangibles reflected in such balance sheet.
“Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner who:
| (1) | was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the indenture; or |
| (2) | was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of the Qualifying Owners identified in clauses (1) and (2) of the definition of Qualifying Owner or of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such nomination or election. |
“Credit Agreement” means that certain 5-Year Credit Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2004, among the Company, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, consisting of an acquisition facility and a working capital and letter of credit facility, including any related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time.
“Credit Facilities” means one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Credit Agreement), commercial paper facilities or secured capital markets financings, in each case with banks or other institutional lenders or institutional investors providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables), letters of credit or secured capital markets financings, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced (including refinancing with any capital markets transaction) in whole or in part from time to time.
“Default” means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.
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“Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the right to require the Company to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.”
“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering” means any public or private sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) made for cash on a primary basis by the Company after the date of the indenture.
“Existing Indebtedness” means the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement which is considered incurred under the first paragraph under the covenant entitled “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” and other than intercompany Indebtedness) in existence on the date of the indenture, until such amounts are repaid.
“FERC Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (or any successor thereof).
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means with respect to any specified Person for any four-quarter reference period, the ratio of the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees, repays, repurchases or redeems any Indebtedness (other than ordinary working capital borrowings) or issues, repurchases or redeems preferred stock subsequent to the commencement of the applicable four-quarter reference period and on or prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence, assumption, guarantee, repayment, repurchase or redemption of Indebtedness, or such issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred stock, and the use of the proceeds therefrom as if the same had occurred at the beginning of such period.
In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio:
| (1) | acquisitions that have been made by the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including through mergers, consolidations or otherwise (including acquisitions of assets used in a Permitted Business), and including in each case any related financing transactions (including repayment of Indebtedness) during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date, will be given pro forma effect as if they had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period, including any Consolidated Cash Flow and any pro forma expense and cost reductions that have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur, in the reasonable judgment of the chief financial or accounting officer of the Company (regardless of whether those cost savings or operating improvements could then be reflected in pro forma financial statements in accordance with Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the Commission related thereto); |
| (2) | the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded; |
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| (3) | the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, will be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date; and |
| (4) | interest income reasonably anticipated by such Person to be received during the applicable four-quarter period from cash or Cash Equivalents held by such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, which cash or Cash Equivalents exist on the Calculation Date or will exist as a result of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, will be included. |
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
| (1) | the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued (including, without limitation, amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed interest with respect to Attributable Debt, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings), and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations; plus |
| (2) | the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; plus |
| (3) | any interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or not such guarantee or Lien is called upon; plus |
| (4) | all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred securities of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable solely in Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, |
in each case, on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, which are in effect on the date of the indenture.
“General Partner” means each of the Non-managing General Partner and the Managing General Partner.
The term “guarantee” means a guarantee other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness. When used as a verb, “guarantee” has a correlative meaning.
“Guarantors” means each of:
| (1) | the Operating Company and the other Persons executing the indenture as initial Guarantors; and |
| (2) | any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that becomes a Guarantor in accordance with the provisions of the indenture; |
and their respective successors and assigns.
“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person incurred in the normal course of business and consistent with past practices and not for speculative purposes under:
| (1) | interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements entered into with one of more financial institutions and designed to protect the Person or any of its Restricted |
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| Subsidiaries entering into the agreement against fluctuations in interest rates with respect to Indebtedness incurred and not for purposes of speculation; |
| (2) | foreign exchange contracts and currency protection agreements entered into with one of more financial institutions and designed to protect the Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries entering into the agreement against fluctuations in currency exchanges rates with respect to Indebtedness incurred and not for purposes of speculation; |
| (3) | any commodity futures contract, commodity option or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect against fluctuations in the price of Hydrocarbons used, produced, processed or sold by that Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries at the time; and |
| (4) | other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries against fluctuations in interest rates, commodity prices or currency exchange rates. |
“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.
“Hydrocarbons” means crude oil, natural gas, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all constituents, elements or compounds thereof and products refined or processed therefrom.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent:
| (1) | in respect of borrowed money; |
| (2) | evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof); |
| (3) | in respect of bankers’ acceptances; |
| (4) | representing Capital Lease Obligations; |
| (5) | representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable; or |
| (6) | representing any Hedging Obligations, |
if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person.
The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will be:
| (1) | the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount; |
| (2) | in the case of any Hedging Obligation, the termination value of the agreement or arrangement giving rise to such Hedging Obligation that would be payable by such Person at such date; and |
| (3) | the principal amount of the Indebtedness, together with any interest on the Indebtedness that is more than 30 days past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness. |
“Inergy Holdings” means Inergy Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors.
“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s or BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P.
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“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans (including guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital contributions (excluding (1) commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business and (2) advances to customers in the ordinary course of business that are recorded as accounts receivable on the balance sheet of the lender), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, the Company will be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary not sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.” The acquisition by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person will be deemed to be an Investment made by the Company or such Subsidiary in such third Person in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Investment held by the acquired Person in such third Person on the date of any such acquisition in an amount determined as provided in the final paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.”
“Joint Venture” means any Person that is not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company in which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries makes any Investment.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction other than a precautionary financing statement respecting a lease not intended as a security agreement.
“Managing General Partner” means Inergy GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns as managing general partner of the Company.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
“Net Income” means, with respect to any specified Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however:
| (1) | any gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (but not loss), realized in connection with: (a) any Asset Sale; or (b) the disposition of any securities by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries; and |
| (2) | any extraordinary gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary gain (but not loss). |
“Net Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of:
| (1) | the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale, including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions, and any relocation expenses incurred as a result of the Asset Sale, |
| (2) | taxes paid or payable as a result of the Asset Sale, in each case, after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements, |
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| (3) | amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the properties or assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale, and |
| (4) | any amounts to be set aside in any reserve established in accordance with GAAP or any amount placed in escrow, in either case for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such properties or assets or for liabilities associated with such Asset Sale and retained by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries until such time as such reserve is reversed or such escrow arrangement is terminated, in which case Net Proceeds shall include only the amount of the reserve so reversed or the amount returned to the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries from such escrow arrangement, as the case may be. |
“Non-managing General Partner” means Inergy Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns as non-managing general partner of the Company.
“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness:
| (1) | as to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness), (b) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise, or (c) is the lender; |
| (2) | no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any holder of any other Indebtedness (other than the notes) of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment of the Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity; and |
| (3) | as to which the lenders have been notified in writing that they will not have any recourse to the stock or assets of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. |
For purposes of determining compliance with the covenant described under “Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” above, in the event that any Non-Recourse Debt of any of the Company’s Unrestricted Subsidiaries ceases to be Non-Recourse Debt of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, such event will be deemed to constitute an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company.
“Obligations” means any principal, premium, if any, interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization, whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding), penalties, fees, charges, expenses, indemnifications, reimbursement obligations, damages, guarantees, and other liabilities or amounts payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness or in respect thereto.
“Operating Company” means Inergy Propane, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors.
“Operating Surplus” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement, as in effect on the date of the indenture.
“Partnership Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P., dated as of February 9, 2004, as in effect on the date of the indenture and as such may be further amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
“Permitted Business” means either (1) marketing, distributing or otherwise handling propane or other Hydrocarbons, or activities or services reasonably related or ancillary thereto including entering into Hedging Obligations to support these businesses, or (2) any other business that generates gross income that constitutes “qualifying income” under Section 7704(d) of the Code.
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“Permitted Business Investments” means Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company or in any Joint Venture, provided that:
| (1) | either (a) at the time of such Investment and immediately thereafter, the Company could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” above or (b) such Investment does not exceed the aggregate amount of Incremental Funds (as defined in the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments”) not previously expended at the time of making such Investment; |
| (2) | if such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture has outstanding Indebtedness at the time of such Investment, either (a) all such Indebtedness is Non-Recourse Debt or (b) any such Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Joint Venture that is recourse to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (which shall include, without limitation, all Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture for which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may be directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, obligated to pay, whether pursuant to the terms of such Indebtedness, by law or pursuant to any guarantee, including, without limitation, any “claw-back,” “make-well” or “keep-well” arrangement) could, at the time such Investment is made, be incurred at that time by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries under the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described under “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock;” and |
| (3) | such Unrestricted Subsidiary’s or Joint Venture’s activities are not outside the scope of the Permitted Business. |
“Permitted Investments” means:
| (1) | any Investment in the Company or in a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; |
| (2) | any Investment in Cash Equivalents; |
| (3) | any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in a Person, if as a result of such Investment: |
| (a) | such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or |
| (b) | such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its properties or assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; |
| (4) | any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from: |
| (a) | an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described above under the caption “—Repurchase at the Option of Holders—Asset Sales;” or |
| (b) | pursuant to clause (7) of the items deemed not to be Asset Sales under the definition of “Asset Sale;” |
| (5) | any Investment in any Person solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company; |
| (6) | any Investments received in compromise of obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer, or as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment in default; |
| (7) | Hedging Obligations permitted to be incurred under the “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” covenant; |
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| (8) | Permitted Business Investments; and |
| (9) | other Investments in any Person having an aggregate fair market value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (9) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $25.0 million or 5.0% of the Company’s Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. |
“Permitted Liens” means:
| (1) | Liens securing any Indebtedness under any of the Credit Facilities; |
| (2) | Liens in favor of the Company or the Guarantors; |
| (3) | Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary; |
| (4) | Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition of the property by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such acquisition; |
| (5) | any interest or title of a lessor to the property subject to a Capital Lease Obligation; |
| (6) | Liens on any property or asset acquired, constructed or improved by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a “Purchase Money Lien”), which (a) are in favor of the seller of such property or assets, in favor of the Person developing, constructing, repairing or improving such asset or property, or in favor of the Person that provided the funding for the acquisition, development, construction, repair or improvement cost, as the case may be, of such asset or property, (b) are created within 360 days after the acquisition, development, construction, repair or improvement, (c) secure the purchase price or development, construction, repair or improvement cost, as the case may be, of such asset or property in an amount up to 100% of the fair market value (as determined by the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner if such fair market value is $15.0 million or more) of such acquisition, construction or improvement of such asset or property, and (d) are limited to the asset or property so acquired, constructed or improved (including the proceeds thereof, accessions thereto and upgrades thereof); |
| (7) | Liens existing on the date of the indenture other than Liens securing the Credit Facilities; |
| (8) | Liens to secure the performance of tenders, bids, statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, government contracts, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; |
| (9) | Liens on and pledges of the Equity Interests of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Joint Venture owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the extent securing Non-Recourse Debt or other Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture; |
| (10) | Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law; |
| (11) | Liens arising under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farmout agreements, division orders, contracts for sale, transportation or exchange of crude oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements and other agreements arising in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries that are customary in the Permitted Business; |
| (12) | Liens upon specific items of inventory, receivables or other goods or proceeds of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or |
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| receivables securitizations issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory, receivables or other goods and permitted by the covenant “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock;” |
| (13) | Liens securing Obligations of the Issuers or any Guarantor under the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, as the case may be; |
| (14) | Liens securing any Indebtedness equally and ratably with all Obligations due under the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to a contractual covenant that limits Liens in a manner substantially similar to the covenant described above under “—Certain Covenants—Liens;” |
| (15) | Liens to secure performance of Hedging Obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
| (16) | Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company with respect to obligations that do not exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding; and |
| (17) | any Lien renewing, extending, refinancing or refunding a Lien permitted by clauses (1) through (15) above; provided that (a) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien is not increased and (b) no assets encumbered by any such Lien other than the assets permitted to be encumbered immediately prior to such renewal, extension, refinance or refund are encumbered thereby. |
After termination of the covenants referred to in the first paragraph of “—Certain Covenants—Covenant Termination”, for purposes of complying with the “Liens” covenant, the Liens described in clauses (1) and (16) of this definition of “Permitted Liens” will be Permitted Liens only to the extent those Liens secure Indebtedness not exceeding, at the time of determination, 10% of the Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of the Company. Once effective, this 10% limitation on Permitted Liens will continue to apply during any later period in which the notes do not have an Investment Grade Rating by both rating agencies.
“Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:
| (1) | the principal amount of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all expenses and premiums incurred in connection therewith); |
| (2) | such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; |
| (3) | if the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is subordinated in right of payment to the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees on terms at least as favorable to the Holders of notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; and |
| (4) | such Indebtedness is not incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company if the Company is the obligor on the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded. |
Notwithstanding the preceding, any Indebtedness incurred under Credit Facilities pursuant to the covenant “Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock” shall be subject only to the refinancing provision in the definition of Credit Facilities and not pursuant to the requirements set forth in the definition of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness.
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“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.
“Qualifying Owners” means (1) the significant owners of the parent company of the Managing General Partner, Inergy Holdings, on the date of the indenture, consisting of John J. Sherman or any of his Affiliates, (2) Inergy Holdings and its subsidiaries and (3) any transferee of any of the foregoing to the extent such transferee is approved by the holders of a majority of the membership interests of the Managing General Partner (other than the transferor) or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing.
“Rating Category” means:
| (1) | with respect to S&P, any of the following categories: AAA, AA, A, BBB, BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D (or equivalent successor categories); and |
| (2) | with respect to Moody’s, any of the following categories: Aaa, Aa, A, Baa, Ba, B, Caa, Ca, C and D (or equivalent successor categories). |
“Rating Decline” means a decrease in the rating of the notes by either Moody’s or S&P by one or more gradations (including gradations within Rating Categories as well as between Rating Categories). In determining whether the rating of the notes has decreased by one or more gradations, gradations within Rating Categories, namely + or – for S&P, and 1, 2, and 3 for Moody’s, will be taken into account; for example, in the case of S&P, a rating decline either from BB+ to BB or BB- to B+ will constitute a decrease of one gradation.
“Registered Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth for such term in the applicable registration rights agreement.
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Notwithstanding anything in the indenture to the contrary, Finance Corp. shall be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company.
“S&P” refers to Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
“Senior Debt” means
| (1) | all Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary outstanding under Credit Facilities and all Hedging Obligations with respect thereto; |
| (2) | any other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary permitted to be incurred under the terms of the indenture, unless the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred expressly provides that it is subordinated in right of payment to the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee; and |
| (3) | all Obligations with respect to the items listed in the preceding clauses (1) and (2). |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding sentence, Senior Debt will not include:
| (a) | any intercompany Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the Company or any of its Affiliates; or |
| (b) | any Indebtedness that is incurred in violation of the indenture. |
For the avoidance of doubt, “Senior Debt” will not include any trade payables or taxes owed or owing by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.
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“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the date of the indenture.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Indebtedness, and will not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:
| (1) | any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership or limited liability company) of which more than 50% of the total voting power of Voting Stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and |
| (2) | any partnership (whether general or limited) or limited liability company (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner or managing member of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person, or (b) if there are more than a single general partner or member, either (x) the only general partners or managing members of which are such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof) or (y) such Person owns or controls, directly or indirectly, a majority of the outstanding general partner interests, member interests or other Voting Stock of such partnership or limited liability company, respectively. |
“Subsidiary Guarantee” means any guarantee by a Guarantor of the Issuers’ Obligations under the indenture and on the notes.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company (other than Finance Corp. or the Operating Company) that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Managing General Partner as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a Board Resolution, but only to the extent that such Subsidiary:
| (1) | has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt; |
| (2) | is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company unless the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company; |
| (3) | is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and |
| (4) | has not guaranteed or otherwise directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. |
Any designation of a Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the trustee by filing with the trustee a Board Resolution giving effect to such designation and an officers’ certificate certifying that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by the covenant described above under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Restricted Payments.” If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under the covenant described under the caption “—Certain Covenants—Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock,” the Company will be in default of such covenant.
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“Voting Stock” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
| (1) | the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by |
| (2) | the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness. |
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MATERIAL FEDERAL I NCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following discussion is a summary of material federal income tax consequences relevant to the exchange of exchange notes for outstanding notes but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, Treasury Regulations, Internal Revenue Service rulings and pronouncements and judicial decisions now in effect, all of which may be subject to change at any time by legislative, judicial or administrative action. These changes may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a holder of exchange notes. The description does not consider the effect of any applicable foreign, state, local or other tax laws or estate or gift tax considerations.
We believe that the exchange of exchange notes for outstanding notes should not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, a holder should have the same adjusted issue price, adjusted basis and holding period in the exchange notes as it had in the outstanding notes immediately before the exchange.
Based on interpretations by the staff of the Commission in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that you may transfer exchange notes issued under the exchange offer in exchange for the outstanding notes if:
| • | you acquire the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business; and |
| • | you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, and have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution of such exchange notes. |
You may not participate in the exchange offer if you are:
| • | an “affiliate” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act of us or Inergy Finance Corp.; or |
| • | a broker-dealer that acquired outstanding notes directly from us. |
Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver this prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. To date, the staff of the Commission has taken the position that broker-dealers may fulfill their prospectus delivery requirements with respect to transactions involving an exchange of securities such as this exchange offer, other than a resale of an unsold allotment from the original sale of the outstanding notes, with this prospectus. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of exchange notes received in exchange for outstanding notes where such outstanding notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed that, during the period described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the exchange notes, we will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until such date, all dealers effecting transactions in exchange notes may be required to deliver this prospectus.
If you wish to exchange notes for your outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will be required to make representations to us as described in “Exchange Offer — Procedures for Tendering — Your Representations to Us” in this prospectus. As indicated in the letter of transmittal, you will be deemed to have made these representations by tendering your outstanding notes in the exchange offer. In addition, if you are a broker-dealer who receives exchange notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes that were acquired by you as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you will be required to acknowledge, in the same manner, that you will deliver this prospectus in connection with any resale by you of such exchange notes.
We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of exchange notes by broker-dealers. Exchange notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions:
| • | in the over-the-counter market; |
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| • | in negotiated transactions; |
| • | through the writing of options on the exchange notes; or |
| • | a combination of such methods of resale; |
at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such exchange notes. Any broker-dealer that resells exchange notes of any series that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such exchange notes may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. Each letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering this prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.
For the period described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the exchange notes, we will promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents. We have agreed to pay all reasonable expenses incident to the exchange offers (including the expenses of one counsel for the holders of the outstanding notes) other than commissions or concessions of any broker-dealers and will indemnify the holders of the outstanding notes (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has issued an opinion about the legality of the exchange notes.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements and schedule included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended September 30, 2004 and the balance sheet of Inergy GP, LLC included in our Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 17, 2004, as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements and schedule are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The combined financial statements of Star Gas Propane, L.P. and Subsidiary as of September 30, 2003 and 2004 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2004 have been incorporated in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent auditors, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report on the combined financial statements of Star Gas Propane, L.P. and Subsidiary contains an explanatory paragraph that states that there is substantial doubt about the ability of Star Gas Propane, L.P.’s parent to continue as a going concern and consequently there is substantial doubt about the ability of Star Gas Propane, L.P. to continue as a going concern. The combined financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. The audit report refers to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.”
The combined financial statements of Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC and eCorp Marketing, LLC (“the Companies”) as of December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2004 have been incorporated in this prospectus and registration statement in reliance upon the report of Pannell Kerr Forster, of Texas P.C., independent auditors, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report on the combined financial statements of the Companies contains an explanatory paragraph that states that there have been various legal proceedings and claims between the Companies and other parties. Subsequent to December 31, 2004, the Companies entered into various release and settlement agreements resolving these disputes. In addition on July 8, 2005, the Companies entered into a purchase agreement whereby the members’ equity interest of the Companies were acquired by entities owned or controlled by Inergy, L.P. The transaction was consummated on August 9, 2005.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information filed by us at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such materials can be obtained by mail at prescribed rates from the public reference room of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room and its copy charges. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.
We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus.
Any information that we file under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and that is deemed “filed,” with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:
| • | Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A for the year ended September 30, 2004; |
| • | Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the period ended December 31, 2004, March 31, 2005 and June 30, 2005; and |
| • | Our Current Reports on Form 8-K and 8-K/A filed November 24, 2004; December 3, 2004; December 15, 2004; December 17, 2004; December 22, 2004; December 27, 2004, January 24, 2005; March 17, 2005; June 2, 2005; June 24, 2005; July 12, 2005; July 27, 2005; August 12, 2005; August 17, 2005 and August 29, 2005. |
You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:
Inergy, L.P.
Investor Relations
Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
(816) 842-8181
We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.inergyservices.com our annual reports on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.
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INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the information in this prospectus and the documents that we have incorporated herein by reference may contain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “believe,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue” or other similar words. These statements discuss plans, strategies, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Specific factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to:
| • | the effect of weather conditions on demand for propane; |
| • | the price volatility and availability of propane; |
| • | our inability to make business acquisitions on economically acceptable terms, including the integration of our acquisition of Star Gas Propane, L.P.; |
| • | our ability to achieve expected operating cost savings, synergies and productivity improvements from the integration of the businesses we acquire; |
| • | the availability of capacity to transport propane to market areas and our customers; |
| • | competition from other energy sources and within the propane industry; |
| • | improvements in energy efficiency and technology trends resulting in reduced demand for propane; |
| • | our ability to obtain new customers and retain existing customers; |
| • | operating hazards and risks incidental to transporting, storing and distributing propane and related products, including the risk of explosions and fires resulting in personal injury and property damage; |
| • | liability for environmental claims; |
| • | adverse labor relations; |
| • | governmental legislation and regulation; |
| • | the condition of the capital markets in the United States; and |
| • | the political and economic stability of oil producing nations of the world. |
A forward-looking statement may include a statement of the assumptions or bases underlying the forward-looking statement. We believe that we have chosen these assumptions or bases in good faith and that they are reasonable. However, we caution you that assumed facts or bases almost always vary from actual results, and the differences between assumed facts or bases and actual results can be material, depending on the circumstances. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus and the documents that we have incorporated by reference, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus. We will not update these statements unless the securities laws require us to do so.
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To Tender
Outstanding 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014
of
INERGY, L.P.
INERGY FINANCE CORP.
Pursuant to the Exchange Offer and Prospectus dated , 2005
The Exchange Agent for the Exchange Offer is:
U.S. Bank National Association
Attention: Specialized Finance
60 Livingston Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55107
Telephone: (800) 934-6802
Facsimile: (651) 495-8158
IF YOU WISH TO EXCHANGE CURRENTLY OUTSTANDING 6.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014 (THE “OUTSTANDING NOTES”) FOR AN EQUAL AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF 6.875% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2014 PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, YOU MUST VALIDLY TENDER (AND NOT WITHDRAW) OUTSTANDING NOTES TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M. NEW YORK CITY TIME ON THE EXPIRATION DATE BY CAUSING AN AGENT’S MESSAGE TO BE RECEIVED BY THE EXCHANGE AGENT PRIOR TO SUCH TIME.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt and review of the prospectus, dated , 2005 (the “Prospectus”), of Inergy, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), and Inergy Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Finance Corp.”), and this Letter of Transmittal (the “Letter of Transmittal”), which together describe the Partnership and Finance Corp.’s offer (the “Exchange Offer”) to exchange their 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Exchange Notes”) that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for a like principal amount of their issued and outstanding 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Outstanding Notes”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the respective meaning given to them in the Prospectus.
The Partnership reserves the right, at any time or from time to time, to extend the Exchange Offer at its discretion, in which event the term “Expiration Date” shall mean the latest time and date to which the Exchange Offer is extended. The Partnership shall notify the Exchange Agent and each registered holder of the Outstanding Notes of any extension by oral or written notice prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled Expiration Date.
This Letter of Transmittal is to be used by holders of the Outstanding Notes. Tender of Outstanding Notes is to be made according to the Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”) of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to the procedures set forth in the prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering.” DTC participants that are accepting the Exchange Offer must transmit their acceptance to DTC, which will verify the acceptance and execute a book-entry delivery to the Exchange Agent’s DTC account. DTC will then send a computer-generated message known as an “agent’s message” to the exchange agent for its acceptance. For you to validly tender your Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Agent must receive, prior to the Expiration Date, an agent’s message under the ATOP procedures that confirms that:
| • | DTC has received your instructions to tender your Outstanding Notes; and |
| • | You agree to be bound by the terms of this Letter of Transmittal. |
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By using the ATOP procedures to tender Outstanding Notes, you will not be required to deliver this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent. However, you will be bound by its terms, and you will be deemed to have made the acknowledgments and the representations and warranties it contains, just as if you had signed it.
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PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal.
2. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you represent and warrant that you have full authority to tender the Outstanding Notes described above and will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the Partnership to be necessary or desirable to complete the tender of Outstanding Notes.
3. The tender of the Outstanding Notes pursuant to all of the procedures set forth in the Prospectus will constitute an agreement between you and the Partnership as to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. The Exchange Offer is being made in reliance upon interpretations contained in no-action letters issued to third parties by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), including Exxon Capital Holdings Corp., Commission No-Action Letter (available May 13, 1988), Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., Commission No-Action Letter (available June 5, 1991) and Shearman & Sterling, Commission No-Action Letter (available July 2, 1993), that the Exchange Notes issued in exchange for the Outstanding Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by holders thereof (other than a broker-dealer who purchased Outstanding Notes exchanged for such Exchange Notes directly from the Partnership to resell pursuant to Rule 144A or any other available exemption under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and any such holder that is an “affiliate” of the Partnership or Finance Corp. within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act), without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act, provided that such Exchange Notes are acquired in the ordinary course of such holders’ business and such holders are not participating in, and have no arrangement with any person to participate in, the distribution of such Exchange Notes.
5. By tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, you represent and warrant that:
a. the Exchange Notes acquired pursuant to the Exchange Offer are being obtained in the ordinary course of your business, whether or not you are the holder;
b. neither you nor any such other person is engaging in or intends to engage in a distribution of such Exchange Notes;
c. neither you nor any such other person has an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of such Exchange Notes; and
d. neither the holder nor any such other person is an “affiliate,” as such term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act, of the Partnership or Finance Corp.
6. You may, if you are unable to make all of the representations and warranties contained in paragraph 5 above and as otherwise permitted in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined below), elect to have your Outstanding Notes registered in the shelf registration statement described in the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2004 relating to the 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), by and among the Partnership, Finance Corp. and the Initial Purchasers (as defined therein). Such election may be made only by notifying the Partnership in writing at Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64112, Attention: R. Brooks Sherman. By making such election, you agree, as a holder of Outstanding Notes participating in a shelf registration, to indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership, each of the directors of Inergy Partners, LLC, the managing general partner of the Partnership (the “General Partner”),
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Finance Corp., each of the directors and officers of either the General Partner or Finance Corp. who signs such shelf registration statement on behalf of the Partnership or Finance Corp., each person who controls the Partnership within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and each other holder of Outstanding Notes, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any shelf registration statement or prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or caused by the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; but only with respect to information relating to you furnished in writing by or on behalf of you expressly for use in a shelf registration statement, a prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto. Any such indemnification shall be governed by the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions regarding notice, retention of counsel, contribution and payment of expenses set forth therein. The above summary of the indemnification provision of the Registration Rights Agreement is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by the Registration Rights Agreement.
7. If you are a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Notes for your own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you acknowledge, by tendering Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer, that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, you will not be deemed to admit that you are an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. If you are a broker-dealer and Outstanding Notes held for your own account were not acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, such Outstanding Notes cannot be exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
8. Any of your obligations hereunder shall be binding upon your successors, assigns, executors, administrators, trustees in bankruptcy and legal and personal representatives.
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INSTRUCTIONS
FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER
1. Book-Entry Confirmations.
Any confirmation of a book-entry transfer to the Exchange Agent’s account at DTC of Outstanding Notes tendered by book-entry transfer (a “Book-Entry Confirmation”), as well as an agent’s message, and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Exchange Agent at its address set forth herein prior to 5:00 P.M. New York City time on the Expiration Date.
2. Partial Tenders.
Tenders of Outstanding Notes will be accepted only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The entire principal amount of Outstanding Notes delivered to the Exchange Agent will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise communicated to the Exchange Agent. If the entire principal amount of all Outstanding Notes is not tendered, then Outstanding Notes for the principal amount of Outstanding Notes not tendered and Exchange Notes issued in exchange for any Outstanding Notes accepted will be delivered to the holder via the facilities of DTC promptly after the Outstanding Notes are accepted for exchange.
3. Validity of Tenders.
All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including time of receipt), acceptance, and withdrawal of tendered Outstanding Notes will be determined by the Partnership, in its sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding. The Partnership reserves the absolute right to reject any or all tenders not in proper form or the acceptance for exchange of which may, in the opinion of counsel for the Partnership, be unlawful. The Partnership also reserves the absolute right to waive any of the conditions of the Exchange Offer or any defect or irregularity in the tender of any Outstanding Notes. The Partnership’s interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer (including the instructions on this Letter of Transmittal) will be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Outstanding Notes must be cured within such time as the Partnership shall determine. Although the Partnership intends to notify holders of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of Outstanding Notes, neither the Partnership, the Exchange Agent, nor any other person shall be under any duty to give notification of any defects or irregularities in tenders or incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of Outstanding Notes will not be deemed to have been made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any Outstanding Notes received by the Exchange Agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the Exchange Agent to the tendering holders via the facilities of DTC, as soon as practicable following the Expiration Date.
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Until , 2005 all dealers that effect transactions in the exchange notes, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
Inergy, L.P.
Inergy Finance Corp.
Offer to Exchange
Registered
$425,000,000 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014
for
Outstanding
$425,000,000 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014
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PART II.
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 20. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. The partnership agreement of Inergy, L.P. provides that, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:
| • | our general partners; |
| • | any departing general partner; |
| • | any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partners or any departing general partner; |
| • | any person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director employee, agent or trustee of our general partners or any departing general partner or any affiliate of our general partners or any departing general partner; or |
| • | any person who is or was serving at the request of our general partners or any departing general partners or any affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner as an officer, director, employee, member, partner, agent or trustee of another person. |
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partners will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under the partnership agreement.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, inter alia, empowers a Delaware corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Similar indemnity is authorized for such persons against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of any such threatened, pending or completed action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and provided further that (unless a court of competent jurisdiction otherwise provides) such person shall not have been adjudged liable to the corporation. Any such indemnification may be made only as authorized in each specific case upon a determination by the stockholders or disinterested directors or by independent legal counsel in a written opinion that indemnification is proper because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct.
Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify him under Section 145. Also, Article VI of the bylaws of Inergy Finance Corp. provides for the indemnification of directors and officers of and such directors and officers who serve at the request of the company as directors, officers, employees or agents of any other enterprise against certain liabilities under certain circumstances.
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The limited liability company agreement of Inergy GP, LLC provides that it will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and advance expenses to indemnitees (as defined therein) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an indemnitee, provided that in each case the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which such indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to the best interests of, the operating company. This indemnification would under certain circumstances include indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act. In addition, each indemnitee would automatically be entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with the foregoing indemnification. Any indemnification under these provisions will be only out of the assets of the operating company.
Item 21. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) Exhibits:
Reference is made to the Index to Exhibits following the signature pages hereto, which Index to Exhibits is hereby incorporated into this item.
(b) Financial Statement Schedules:
None.
Item 22. Undertakings.
Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of any registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, each registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by a registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of any registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to respond to requests for information that is incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Item 4, 10(b), 11 or 13 of this form, within one business day of receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request.
Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supply by means of a post-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in the registration statement when it became effective.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| INERGY, L.P.
By: INERGY GP, LLC, its Managing General Partner | ||
| By: | /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN | |
| Name: | John J. Sherman | |
| Title: |
President | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-4 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN John J. Sherman |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Inergy GP, LLC, Managing General Partner of Inergy, L.P. (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Inergy GP, LLC, Managing General Partner of Inergy, L.P. (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| INERGY FINANCE CORP. | ||
| By: | /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN | |
| Name: | John J. Sherman | |
| Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-4 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN John J. Sherman |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Sole Director of Inergy Finance Corp. (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Inergy Finance Corp. (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| INERGY PROPANE, LLC | ||
| By: | /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN | |
| Name: | John J. Sherman | |
| Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-4 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN John J. Sherman |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| L&L TRANSPORTATION, LLC INERGY TRANSPORTATION, LLC | ||
| By: | /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN | |
| Name: | John J. Sherman | |
| Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-4 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN John J. Sherman |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| INERGY ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC INERGY GAS MARKETING, LLC INERGY STAGECOACH II, LLC CENTRAL NEW YORK OIL AND GAS COMPANY, LLC STELLAR PROPANE SERVICE, LLC | ||
| By: | /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN | |
| Name: | John J. Sherman | |
| Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-4 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN John J. Sherman |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Representative (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-4 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| INERGY SALES & SERVICE INC. INERGY STORAGE INC. | ||
| By: | /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN | |
| Name: | John J. Sherman | |
| Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-4 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 31st day of August, 2005.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /S/ JOHN J. SHERMAN John J. Sherman |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Representative (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| *2.1 | Purchase Agreement dated as of July 8, 2005, among Inergy Acquisition Company, LLC, Inergy Storage, Inc., Inergy Stagecoach II, LLC, Stagecoach Holding, LLC, Stagecoach Energy, LLC and Stagecoach Holding II, LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on July 12, 2005) | |
| *3.1 | Certificate of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on March 14, 2001) | |
| *3.1 A | Certificate of Correction of Certificate of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32543) filed on May 12, 2003.) | |
| *3.2 | Form of Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on March 14, 2001) | |
| *3.2 A | Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2A to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-89010) filed on June 13, 2002) | |
| *3.2 B | Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on February 13, 2004) | |
| *3.2 C | Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on May 14, 2004) | |
| *3.2 D | Amendment No. 2 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on January 24, 2005) | |
| *3.2 E | Amendment No. 3 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K/A filed on August 17, 2005) | |
| *3.3 | Certificate of Formation as relating to Inergy Propane, LLC, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| *3.4 | Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Inergy Propane, LLC, dated as of July 31, 2001 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-89010 filed on May 24, 2002) | |
| *3.5 | Certificate of Formation of Inergy GP, LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| *3.6 | Limited Liability Company Agreement of Inergy GP, LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| *3.7 | Certificate of Formation as relating to Inergy Partners, LLC, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.7 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
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| Exhibit |
Description | |
| *3.8 | Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Inergy Partners, LLC, dated as of July 31, 2001 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.8 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-89010) filed on May 24, 2002) | |
| *3.9 | Certificate of Inergy Finance Corp. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.9 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-123399) filed on March 17, 2005). | |
| *3.10 | Bylaws of Inergy Finance Corp. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.10 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-123399) filed on March 17, 2005) | |
| *4.1 | Registration Rights Agreement (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 27, 2005) | |
| *4.2 | Indenture (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 27, 2005) | |
| *4.3 | Registration Rights Agreement dated August 9, 2005 between Inergy, L.P. and Inergy Holdings, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on August 12, 2005) | |
| *5.1 | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered | |
| *8.1 | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to tax matters (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
| *10.1 | Sixth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement by and among Inergy Propane, LLC and the lenders named therein, dated as of May 27, 2004 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on August 13, 2004) | |
| *10.1 A | 5-Year Credit Agreement dated as of December 17, 2004, among Inergy, L.P., the lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Lehman Commercial Paper, Inc. and Wachovia Bank, National Association, as Co-Syndication Agents, and Fleet National Bank and Bank of Oklahoma, National Association, as Co-Documentation Agents (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 22, 2005) | |
| *10.2 | Securities Purchase Agreement by and among Inergy Partners, LLC and various investors, dated as of January 12, 2001 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| *10.3 | Investor Rights Agreement by and among Inergy Partners, LLC and various investors, dated as of January 12, 2001 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| *10.4 | Inergy Employee Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on July 2, 2001) | |
| *10.4 A | Inergy Employee Long-Term Incentive Plan (Amended and Restated), adopted April 4, 2003. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32543) filed on May 12, 2003) | |
| *10.5 | Employment Agreement—John J. Sherman (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on July 2, 2001) | |
| *10.6 | Employment Agreement—Phillip L. Elbert (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
Table of Contents
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| *10.6 A | First Amendment to Employment Agreement—Phillip L. Elbert (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.9A to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on July 20, 2001) | |
| *10.7 | Employment Agreement—Carl A. Hughes (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on July 2, 2001) | |
| *10.8 | Employment Agreement—William C. Gautreaux (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on July 2, 2001) | |
| *10.9 | Intercreditor and Collateral Agency Agreement entered into as of June 7, 2002, by and among Wachovia Bank, National Association, the lenders named therein and the noteholders named therein (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to Inergy, L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-89010) filed on June 13, 2002) | |
| *10.10 | Option Agreement by and between Phillip L. Elbert and Inergy Holdings, LLC, dated January 12, 2001 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-K (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on December 26, 2002) | |
| *10.11 | Employment Agreement—R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-K (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on December 26, 2002) | |
| *10.12 | Option Agreement by and between R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. and Inergy Holdings, LLC, dated September 11, 2002 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-K (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on December 26, 2002) | |
| *10.13 | Employment Agreement—Dean E. Watson | |
| *10.14 | Amended and Restated Inergy Unit Purchase Plan | |
| *10.15 | Employment Agreement—David G. Dehaemers, Jr. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-K (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on December 9, 2004) | |
| *10.16 | Second Amendment to Employment Agreement—Phillip L. Elbert (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on February 9, 2005) | |
| *10.17 | Guaranty dated as of December 17, 2004 among Inergy Propane, LLC, L & L Transportation, LLC, Inergy Transportation, LLC, Inergy Sales & Service, Inc., Inergy Finance Corp., Inergy Acquisition Company, LLC, Stellar Propane Service, LLC and Inergy Gas, LLC in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations under the Credit Agreements (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 22, 2005) | |
| *10.18 | Pledge and Security Agreement dated as of December 17, 2004 among Inergy, L.P. and the other Subsidiaries of Inergy, L.P. listed on the signature pages thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the lenders party to the Credit Agreements (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 22, 2005) | |
| *10.19 | Trademark Security Agreement dated as of December 17, 2004 among Inergy, L.P. and the subsidiaries of Inergy, L.P. listed on the signature page attached thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent on behalf of itself and on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations under the Credit Agreements (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 22, 2005) | |
Table of Contents
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| *10.20 | Noncompetition Agreement, dated December 17, 2004, among Inergy Propane, LLC, Star Gas Partners, L.P. and Star Gas LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on December 22, 2005) | |
| *10.21 | First Amendment to Employment Agreement, dated as of June 20, 2005, by and between Inergy GP, LLC and R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on June 24, 2005) | |
| *10.22 | Special Unit Purchase Agreement dated August 9, 2005 by and between Inergy, L.P. and Inergy Holdings, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on August 12, 2005) | |
| **12.1 | Computation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges | |
| **21.1 | List of subsidiaries of Inergy, L.P. | |
| **23.1 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP | |
| **23.2 | Consent of KPMG LLP | |
| **23.3 | Consent of Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C. | |
| *23.4 | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1) | |
| *24.1 | Power of Attorney | |
| **25.1 | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of the Trustee under the Indenture | |
| * | Previously filed |
| ** | Filed herewith |
Exhibit 12.1
INERGY, L.P. and Subsidiary
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(In Thousands)
| Year Ended September 30, |
Nine Months Ended June 30, |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
|||||||||||||||||
| Earnings: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) |
$ | (1,829 | ) | $ | 4,349 | $ | 8,309 | $ | 13,512 | $ | (4,596 | ) | $ | 41,842 | ||||||||
| Income taxes |
7 | — | 93 | 103 | 167 | 358 | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense |
2,740 | 6,670 | 8,365 | 9,982 | 7,878 | 23,018 | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest portion of operating leases |
162 | 221 | 683 | 938 | 1,519 | 2,090 | ||||||||||||||||
| Write off of deferred financing costs |
— | — | 585 | (b) | — | 1,216 | (c) | 6,990 | (d) | |||||||||||||
| Make whole premium charge |
— | — | — | — | 17,949 | (c) | — | |||||||||||||||
| Income received from swap value |
— | — | — | — | (949 | )(c) | — | |||||||||||||||
| Earnings for ratio calculation |
$ | 1,080 | $ | 11,240 | $ | 18,035 | $ | 24,535 | $ | 23,184 | $ | 74,298 | ||||||||||
| Fixed Charges: |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense |
$ | 2,740 | $ | 6,670 | $ | 8,365 | $ | 9,982 | $ | 7,878 | $ | 23,018 | ||||||||||
| Interest portion of operating leases |
162 | 221 | 683 | 938 | 1,519 | 2,090 | ||||||||||||||||
| Write off of deferred financing costs |
— | — | 585 | (b) | — | 1,216 | (c) | 6,990 | (d) | |||||||||||||
| Make whole premium charge |
— | — | — | — | 17,949 | (c) | — | |||||||||||||||
| Income received from swap value |
— | — | — | — | (949 | )(c) | — | |||||||||||||||
| Total fixed charges |
$ | 2,902 | $ | 6,891 | $ | 9,633 | $ | 10,920 | $ | 27,613 | $ | 32,098 | ||||||||||
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges |
— | (a) | 1.63 x | 1.87 x | 2.25 x | — | (a) | 2.31 x | ||||||||||||||
For purposes of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, plus fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness and the amortization of deferred financing and interest associated with operating leases.
| (a) | Earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by $1.8 million for the year ended September 30, 2000, and $4.4 million for the year ended September 30, 2004. |
| (b) | The write of deferred financing costs of $.6 million for the year ended September 30, 2002 relates to the early retirement of bank debt. |
| (c) | The write off of deferred financing costs in the amount of $1.2 million, the make whole premium charge of $17.9 million, and the income of ($0.9) million received from swap value is associated with the January 2004 early retirement of $85.0 million of private placement notes. |
| (d) | Reflects amounts recognized as expense in the quarter ended December 31, 2004, incurred in connection with the retirement of Inergy’s 364-day credit facility used to fund a portion of the Star Gas Propane Acquisition, and deferred financing costs written off with the retirement of Inergy’s previous credit facility. |
Exhibit 21.1
INERGY, L.P.
Subsidiaries of the Registrant
| Name |
Jurisdiction of Formation | |
| Central New York Oil And Gas Company, L.L.C. |
New York | |
| Inergy Acquisition Company, LLC |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Canada Company |
Canada | |
| Inergy Finance Corp. |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Gas Marketing, LLC |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Propane, LLC |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Sales & Service, Inc. |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Stagecoach II, LLC |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Storage, Inc. |
Delaware | |
| Inergy Transportation, LLC |
Delaware | |
| L & L Transportation, LLC |
Delaware | |
| Stellar Propane Service, LLC |
Delaware |
| Certain subsidiaries of Inergy, L.P. do business under the following names: | ||
| Arrow Gas |
||
| Bastrop Propane |
||
| Bayless Gas |
||
| Best Butane Co. |
||
| Blue Flame Gas |
||
| Bradley Propane |
||
| Burnet Propane |
||
| Burnwell Propane |
||
| Centex Butane Co |
||
| Choctaw Propane |
||
| Coleman Propane |
||
| Country Gas |
||
| Deck’s Propane |
||
| DiFeo Oil & Propane |
||
| Direct Propane |
||
| Dobbins Propane |
||
| Dorsey Propane Gas Company |
||
| Name |
||
| East Side Hoosier Propane |
||
| Farmer LP Gas Co. |
||
| Frankston Reliance Gas Co. |
||
| Gas Tec |
||
| Gaylord Gas |
||
| Gilbert Gas Co. |
||
| Gilmer Butane Gas & Electric |
||
| Great Lakes Propane |
||
| H&S Gas |
||
| H. John Davis |
||
| Hall Propane Co. |
||
| Hancock Gas Service |
||
| Harper/Shelby LP Gas |
||
| Highland Propane Company |
||
| Hoosier Propane |
||
| Independent Gas Co. |
||
| Independent Propane Co. |
||
| Inergy Services |
||
| Ira Wyman Fuels |
||
| Kissimmee St. Cloud Gas |
||
| Knowles LP Gas |
||
| Lagasco Propane |
||
| Live Oak Gas Co. |
||
| Maingas |
||
| Maingas Service and Appliance |
||
| Marshall Propane |
||
| McBride Oil and Propane |
||
| McCracken Propane |
||
| Merle Oil |
| Name |
||
| Mid-Hudson Valley Propane |
||
| Midtex LP Gas |
||
| Modern Gas |
||
| Moulton Gas Service |
||
| Mount Vernon Bottled Gas |
||
| Nelson Propane |
||
| Northwest Energy |
||
| Northwest Propane |
||
| Ohio Gas |
||
| Ottawa Gas |
||
| Pearl Gas |
||
| Penny’s Propane Co. |
||
| Petersen Propane Company |
||
| Petosky Propane |
||
| Plum Creek Propane |
||
| Progas |
||
| Progas Propane |
||
| Pro-Gas Sales & Service Company |
||
| Propane Gas Service Co. |
||
| Propane Sales |
||
| Pulver Gas |
||
| Quality Propane |
||
| Reliance Gas Co. |
||
| Robbins Propane |
||
| Rosado Propane |
||
| Rural Natural Gas |
||
| Saam Propane |
||
| Sarpol Gas |
||
| Shade Propane |
||
| Shelby LP Gas |
||
| Silgas |
||
| Southeast Propane |
||
| Spe-D-Gas Company |
| Name |
||
| Steffen Oil |
||
| Steinheiser Propane |
||
| Sullivan County Gas Service |
||
| Sullivan County Propane |
||
| Tarkington Propane Inc. |
||
| Taylor Propane Gas Co. |
||
| Tru-Gas |
||
| Willis Propane |
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (Form S-4 No. 333-123399) and related Prospectus of Inergy, L.P. for the registration of $425,000,000 of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2014 and to the incorporation by reference therein of our reports (a) dated November 18, 2004, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of Inergy, L.P. and Subsidiary included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K/A) for the year ended September 30, 2004, and (b) dated December 16, 2004, with respect to the balance sheet of Inergy GP, LLC included in Inergy, L.P.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 16, 2004, both filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Kansas City, Missouri
August 29, 2005
EXHIBIT 23.2
Independent Auditors’ Consent
The Board of Directors
Inergy GP, LLC
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement on Form S-4 of Inergy, L.P. and Inergy Finance Corp. of our report dated December 10, 2004, with respect to the combined balance sheets of Star Gas Propane, L.P. and Subsidiary as of September 30, 2003 and 2004, and the related combined statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2004, and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
Our report contains an explanatory paragraph that states that there is substantial doubt about the ability of Star Gas Propane, L.P.’s parent to continue as a going concern and consequently there is substantial doubt about the ability of Star Gas Propane, L.P. to continue as a going concern. The combined financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Our report also refers to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Stamford, Connecticut
August 29, 2005
Exhibit 23.3
Independent Auditors’ Consent
To the Board of Directors
Inergy GP, LLC
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement on Form S-4 of Inergy, L.P. and Inergy Finance Corp. of our report dated May 13, 2005 except for the last paragraph of Note 6 as to which the date is August 9, 2005, with respect to the combined balance sheets of Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC and eCorp Marketing, LLC (the “Companies”) as of December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 and the related combined statements of operations, changes in members’ equity and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2004, and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
Our report contains an explanatory paragraph that states that there have been various legal proceedings and claims between the Companies and other parties. Subsequent to December 31, 2004, the Companies entered into various release and settlement agreements resolving these disputes. In addition on July 8, 2005, the Companies entered into a purchase agreement whereby the members’ equity interest of the Companies were acquired by entities owned or controlled by Inergy, L.P. The transaction was consummated on August 9, 2005.
/s/ Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C.
Houston, Texas
August 31, 2005
Exhibit 25.1
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM T-1
STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER
THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of
a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2)
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)
31-0841368
I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
| 800 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota |
55402 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Richard Prokosch
U.S. Bank National Association
60 Livingston Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55107
(651) 495-3918
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
Inergy, L.P.
Inergy Finance Corp.
(Issuer with respect to the Securities)
| Delaware Delaware |
43-1918951 20-1647744 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
| Two Brush Creek, Boulevard Suite 200 Kansas City, Missouri |
64112 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
6.875% Senior Notes Due 2014
(Title of the Indenture Securities)
FORM T-1
Item 1. GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.
| a) | Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject. |
Comptroller of the Currency
Washington, D.C.
| b) | Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. |
Yes
Item 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.
None
| Items 3-15 | Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee. |
Item 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.
| 1. | A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee.* |
| 2. | A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business.* |
| 3. | A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers.* |
| 4. | A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee.* |
| 5. | A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable. |
| 6. | The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6. |
| 7. | Report of Condition of the Trustee as of March 31, 2005 published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7. |
* Incorporated by reference to Registration Number 333-67188.
2
NOTE
The answers to this statement insofar as such answers relate to what persons have been underwriters for any securities of the obligors within three years prior to the date of filing this statement, or what persons are owners of 10% or more of the voting securities of the obligors, or affiliates, are based upon information furnished to the Trustee by the obligors. While the Trustee has no reason to doubt the accuracy of any such information, it cannot accept any responsibility therefor.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of St. Paul, State of Minnesota on the 19th of July, 2005.
| By: |
/s/ Richard Prokosch | |
| Richard Prokosch | ||
| Vice President |
| By: |
/s/ Benjamin J. Krueger | |
| Benjamin J. Krueger | ||
| Assistant Vice President |
3
Exhibit 6
CONSENT
In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.
Dated: July 19, 2005
| By: | /s/ Richard Prokosch | |
| Richard Prokosch Vice President | ||
| By: |
/s/ Benjamin J. Krueger | |
| Benjamin J. Krueger Assistant Vice President | ||
4
Exhibit 7
U.S. Bank National Association
Statement of Financial Condition
As of 3/31/2005
($000’s)
| 3/31/2005 | |||
| Assets |
|||
| Cash and Due From Depository Institutions |
$ | 8,894,661 | |
| Federal Reserve Stock |
0 | ||
| Securities |
42,846,194 | ||
| Federal Funds |
2,861,316 | ||
| Loans & Lease Financing Receivables |
125,284,459 | ||
| Fixed Assets |
1,780,370 | ||
| Intangible Assets |
10,263,150 | ||
| Other Assets |
8,917,028 | ||
| Total Assets |
$ | 197,847,178 | |
| Liabilities |
|||
| Deposits |
$ | 126,268,324 | |
| Fed Funds |
10,290,860 | ||
| Treasury Demand Notes |
0 | ||
| Trading Liabilities |
144,277 | ||
| Other Borrowed Money |
27,701,315 | ||
| Acceptances |
91,307 | ||
| Subordinated Notes and Debentures |
6,814,193 | ||
| Other Liabilities |
6,028,535 | ||
| Total Liabilities |
$ | 177,338,811 | |
| Equity |
|||
| Minority Interest in Subsidiaries |
$ | 1,022,821 | |
| Common and Preferred Stock |
18,200 | ||
| Surplus |
11,792,288 | ||
| Undivided Profits |
7,675,058 | ||
| Total Equity Capital |
$ | 20,508,367 | |
| Total Liabilities and Equity Capital |
$ | 197,847,178 | |
To the best of the undersigned’s determination, as of the date hereof, the above financial information is true and correct.
U.S. Bank National Association
| By: |
/s/ Richard Prokosch | |
| Vice President | ||
| Date: July | 19, 2005 |
5