Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Supplement to Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement
On the Closing Date, the Company and U.S. Bank, National Association ("U.S.
Bank"), as purchase contract agent, collateral agent, custodial agent and
securities intermediary, entered into a supplement (the "Supplement") to the
Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement, dated as of March 22, 2021 (as amended
and supplemented, the "PCPA"), between the Company and U.S. Bank. The Supplement
provides that, from and after the effective time of the Merger, the right to
receive a certain number of shares of the common stock, par value $1.25 per
share, of the Company ("Company common stock") upon settlement of the purchase
contracts forming a part of the Corporate Units (the "Purchase Contracts") will
be changed into a right to receive $36.00 in cash per each share of Company
common stock.
The foregoing descriptions of the Supplement and the transactions contemplated
thereby are subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to the full
text of the Supplement, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto and incorporated
herein by reference.
Five-Year Revolving Credit Agreement
Each of SJI, SJG and Elizabethtown Gas Company ("ETG"), an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of SJI, are parties to a Five-Year Revolving Credit Agreement, dated
as of September 1, 2021, with a syndicate of banks and Wells Fargo National
Bank, National Association, as administrative agent (the "2021 Credit
Agreement"). On the Closing Date, all amounts outstanding under the 2021 Credit
Agreement were repaid and such agreement was terminated. Consummation of the
Merger would have constituted a Change in Control and an Event of Default (each
as defined in the 2021 Credit Agreement).
In connection with the consummation of the Merger on the Closing Date, each of
SJI, SJG and ETG (each, a "Revolving Borrower") signed joinders to become
parties to that certain Five-Year Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of
September 14, 2022, initially between Parent and a syndicate of banks and
KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent (the "New Credit
Agreement"). Parent established the New Credit Agreement, which has a stated
termination date of February 1, 2028, to replace the 2021 Credit Agreement upon
the consummation of the Merger. At the time the Revolving Borrowers became
parties to, and borrowers under, the New Credit Agreement, Parent was released
from all obligations and liabilities under such agreement.
Similar to the 2021 Credit Agreement, the New Credit Agreement provides for
maximum borrowings under the revolving credit facility in a total aggregate
amount of $1 billion, including the issuance of swingline loans (in an amount
not to exceed an aggregate of $100 million) and letters of credit (in an amount
not to exceed an aggregate of $350 million), each at the applicable
ratings-based interest rates specified in the New Credit Agreement. Each
Revolving Borrower's obligations under the New Credit Agreement are several, not
joint and several, and each Revolving Borrower has access to a portion of the
facility (each, a "Sublimit"), which Sublimits may be reallocated from time to
time at the Revolving Borrowers' request subject to maximum and minimum
Sublimits for each Revolving Borrower. The initial Sublimits of SJI, SJG and ETG
are $500 million, $250 million and $250 million, respectively.
Subject to certain conditions set forth in the New Credit Agreement, the
Revolving Borrowers may request an increase in the amount of the commitments
available under the New Credit Agreement by an aggregate amount not to exceed
$250 million (for a total facility of up to $1.25 billion), although no lender
is obligated to increase its commitment. Upon becoming a Revolving Borrower, SJI
assumed liability for a $270 million loan and ETG assumed liability for a $165
million loan, in each case, under the New Credit Agreement. The proceeds of
such loans were applied to repay amounts the applicable Revolving Borrower owed
under the 2021 Credit Agreement on the Closing Date. In addition to such
repayment, proceeds from borrowings under the New Credit Agreement shall be used
by the Revolving Borrowers for working capital and other general corporate
purposes.
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The New Credit Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and
covenants, including a financial covenant limiting the ratio of Indebtedness (as
defined in the New Credit Agreement) of each Revolving Borrower and its
subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to Consolidated Total Capitalization (as
defined in the New Credit Agreement) of not more than 0.70 to 1.0. The New
Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default.
Lenders under the New Credit Agreement have in the past performed, and may in
. . .
Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.
The information set forth in Item 1.01 and 2.04 of this Current Report on Form
8-K with respect to the termination of the 2021 Credit Agreement and the $150
Million Term Loan Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety
into this Item 1.02.
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K with
respect to the New Credit Agreement and the Note Repurchase Credit Agreements is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Item 2.03.
Item 2.04. Triggering Events That Accelerate or Increase a Direct Financial
Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.
The description contained under the Introductory Note above and in Item 1.01 of
this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety into this Item 2.04.
Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement (PCPA)
The consummation of the Merger constituted a Fundamental Change (as defined in
the PCPA). Accordingly, as required by the PCPA, the Company intends to deliver
through the Depository Trust Company a notice of Fundamental Change within 10
business days after the Closing Date, specifying an early settlement date.
Thereafter, each holder of the Corporate Units will have a right to accelerate
settlement of their Purchase Contracts in the manner set forth in the PCPA. In
lieu of receiving shares of Company common stock on the early settlement date,
holders validly requesting early settlement will be entitled to receive an
amount equal to (i) $36.00 multiplied by the sum of (A) the Settlement Rate (as
defined in the PCPA), plus (B) a number of Make Whole Shares (as defined in the
PCPA), plus (ii) accrued and unpaid Contract Adjustment Payments (as defined in
the PCPA) to, but excluding, the early settlement date.
Offer to Repurchase Notes
Consummation of the Merger on the Closing Date constituted a Change in Control
pursuant to each Purchase Agreement. As a result of such Change in Control, each
Purchase Agreement requires the issuer (SJI, SJG or ETG, as applicable) to offer
to repurchase (a "Repurchase Offer") all, but not less than all, of a holder's
Notes (or a beneficial holder, in the case of Notes held by a nominee) under
such Purchase Agreement at a purchase price equal to the principal amount of
such holder's Notes thereunder plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon until
the date of payment for such Notes (the "Payment Date"). The Purchase Agreements
require that the respective issuer provide notice of such Repurchase Offer
within 15 Business Days (as defined in the applicable Purchase Agreement) of the
date of the Change in Control and that payment for Notes properly tendered be
made not less than 20 days and not more than 30 days (in the case of the SJI
Notes) or not more than 45 days (in the case of the SJG Notes or ETG Bonds) from
the date the Repurchase Offer is commenced. Each Repurchase Offer will expire
five Business Days prior to the applicable Payment Date. Currently, it is
contemplated that Repurchase Offers of each of SJI, SJG and ETG will commence on
February 22, 2023 and that the Payment Date for (a) the SJI Repurchase Offers
will be March 23, 2023, (b) the SJG Repurchase Offers will be April 4, 2023, and
(c) the ETG Repurchase Offers will be April 5, 2023, in each case subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in the change of control notice and offer to
purchase and the accompanying letter of transmittal to be delivered to the
holders of the Notes. The total principal amount of Notes subject to Repurchase
Offers is as follows: SJI - $460,000,000; SJG - $940,053,000; and ETG -
$925,000,000.
Termination of 2021 Credit Agreement
As indicated in Item 1.01, consummation of the Merger would have constituted a
Change in Control and an Event of Default under the 2021 Credit Agreement.
Accordingly, on the Closing Date, all amounts then outstanding under the 2021
Credit Agreement were repaid and such agreement was terminated.
Termination of $150 Million Term Loan Credit Agreement
SJI has entered into a $150 Million Credit Agreement (the "150 Million Term Loan
Credit Agreement"), dated as of December 20, 2022, with KeyBank as lender and
administrative agent. SJI has borrowed the entire $150 million under the
facility, and upon consummation of the Merger, the entire amount of the loan,
including accrued interest became due and payable. Accordingly, SJI has repaid
all amounts owing under the $150 million Term Loan Credit Agreement and such
agreement has been terminated.
Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.
The information set forth under the Introductory Note of this Current Report on
Form 8-K and Items 1.01 is incorporated by reference in this Item 3.03.
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