The
information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities
in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-223306
SUBJECT
TO COMPLETION,
Preliminary
Prospectus Supplement dated April 24, 2019
Prospectus
Supplement
(To Prospectus
dated February 28, 2018)
$900,000,000
AQUA
AMERICA, INC.
$ %
Senior Notes due 2029
$ %
Senior Notes due 2049
We
are offering $ aggregate principal amount of our % Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 notes”) and $ aggregate
principal amount of our % Senior Notes due 2049 (the “2049 notes”). We refer to the 2029 notes and the 2049 notes
together as the “notes.”
The
2029 notes will bear interest at the rate of %
per year and will mature on , 2029.
The 2049 notes will bear interest at the rate of % per year and will mature
on , 2049. Interest on the notes
will accrue from , 2019 and will be
payable semi-annually in arrears
on and of
each year, beginning on ,
2019.
At
our option, we may redeem some or all of the notes of each series at any time at the applicable redemption price for such series
of notes described in this prospectus supplement.
We intend
to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with the net proceeds from the other Financing Transactions (as defined herein),
to (1) fund the acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company membership
interests of LDC Funding LLC (“LDC”), the parent of a group of natural gas public utility companies (collectively
with LDC, “Peoples”), (2) complete the Company Debt Refinancing (as defined herein) and (3) pay related costs and
expenses. We intend to use the remaining balance of net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including
working capital and capital needs or repayment of borrowings under our existing revolving credit facility. See “Use
of Proceeds.”
This
offering is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Acquisition. However, if (i) the Acquisition has not been consummated
on or prior to April 22, 2020, (ii) on or prior to April 22, 2020 and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the Acquisition
Agreement (as defined herein) is terminated or (iii) prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, we otherwise publicly announce
that the Acquisition will not be consummated, then we will be required to redeem all of the outstanding notes on the Special Mandatory
Redemption Date (as defined herein) at a special mandatory redemption price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of
the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date as
described under the caption “Description of the Notes—Special Mandatory Redemption” in this prospectus supplement.
This
offering is not conditioned upon the completion of the Private Placement (as defined herein). This prospectus supplement is not
an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered in any of the other Financing Transactions.
The
notes will be our general unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other existing
and future unsecured senior indebtedness and guarantees, will be effectively subordinated to any of our secured indebtedness (to
the extent of the collateral securing such indebtedness) and will be structurally subordinated to the indebtedness and other liabilities
of our subsidiaries (including, upon consummation of the Acquisition, indebtedness and other liabilities of LDC and its subsidiaries
that we assume in connection with the Acquisition).
For a more
detailed description of the notes, see “Description of the Notes,” beginning on page S-27. of this prospectus supplement.
Investing
in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page S-13 of this prospectus supplement, page 8 of the accompanying
prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
|
|
Per 2029
Note
|
|
|
Per 2049
Note
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Public Offering Price
(1)
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
$
|
|
|
Underwriting Discount
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
$
|
|
|
Proceeds, before expenses, to
Aqua America
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
(1)
Plus accrued interest from , 2019, if
settlement occurs after that date.
Neither
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities
or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the
contrary is a criminal offense.
The
underwriters expect to deliver the notes in book-entry form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the accounts
of its participants, including Clearstream Banking S.A. and Euroclear Bank SA/NV, as operator of the Euroclear System, against
payment in New York, New York on or about , 2019.
Joint
Bookrunners
RBC
Capital Markets
|
|
Goldman
Sachs & Co. LLC
|
BofA
Merrill Lynch
|
Morgan
Stanley
|
Wells
Fargo Securities
|
Co-Managers
PNC
Capital Markets LLC
|
Barclays
|
Citizens
Capital Markets
|
Huntington
Capital Markets
|
MUFG
|
J.P. Morgan
|
TD
Securities
|
,
2019
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Prospectus
Supplement
Prospectus
ABOUT
THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Unless
otherwise specified or the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus supplement to (1) “Aqua
America,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar references refer
to Aqua America, Inc. and its subsidiaries prior to the proposed Acquisition, (2) the “combined company” refers
to Aqua America and its subsidiaries after completion of the Acquisition (as defined herein) and (3) “this
offering” refers to this offering of the notes pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus.
This
document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of
the notes and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by
reference in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information
about us, some of which does not apply to this offering of the notes. To the extent the information in this prospectus supplement
is inconsistent with the information in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.
We
have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus we may
provide to you in connection with this offering. Neither we nor the underwriters take any responsibility for, or provide any
assurances as to the reliability of, any additional or different information that others may give you. Neither we nor the
underwriters are offering to sell the notes or seeking offers to buy the notes in jurisdictions where offers or sales are not
permitted. You should assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and
any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of their respective dates or as of the respective dates specified in
such information, as applicable, and the information contained in documents incorporated by reference is accurate only as of
the respective dates of those documents or as of the respective dates specified in such information, as applicable, in each
case regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any such free writing
prospectus or any sale of the notes. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed
since those dates.
The
distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus and the offering
of the notes in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this prospectus supplement, the
accompanying prospectus and any such free writing prospectus come should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions.
This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any such free writing prospectus do not constitute, and may not be
used in connection with, an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized
or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to
make such offer or solicitation. See “Underwriting.”
BASIS
OF PRESENTATION
Unless
otherwise specified or the context requires otherwise, the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein,
(1) does not give effect to any of
the Transactions (as defined below) and (2) when giving effect to the Acquisition, assumes there are no adjustments to the
Default Cash Acquisition Consideration (as defined herein) and that the Cash Acquisition Consideration (as defined herein)
will therefore be $4.275 billion.
Although
(1) the Acquisition has not yet occurred and, if completed, will not occur until after the closing of this offering, (2)
the Private Placement has not yet closed, (3) this offering is not contingent upon the completion of the Private Placement,
the Acquisition or the Company Debt Refinancing, (4) the notes include a special mandatory redemption provision requiring us
to redeem the notes upon the occurrence of a Special Mandatory Redemption Event (as defined herein) and (5) the
securities issued in the TEU Offering (as defined herein) may be redeemed, repaid, or repurchased if the Acquisition is not
consummated or is not consummated by a specified date, the pro forma and certain of the as adjusted information included or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus gives pro forma effect to the
Acquisition, the Company Debt Refinancing and the Financing Transactions as if we had completed all such transactions as of
December 31, 2018, in the case of balance sheet data, and as of January 1, 2018, in the case of income statement data, unless
otherwise specified. The unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information included in our
Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 15, 2019
(the “Acquisition 8-K/A”), which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus and may be obtained as described in this prospectus supplement under the heading “Where You Can
Find Additional Information; Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference,” does not give effect to our issuance
of $150 million principal amount of notes in this offering, because we have assumed that the net proceds from
that portion of this offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital
needs or repayment of borrowings under our existing revolving credit facility. See “Use of Proceeds.”
Moreover, the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information included in the Acquisition 8-K/A and
certain pro forma and as adjusted information included in this prospectus supplement have been calculated on the basis of
assumptions made by our management at the time such information was prepared. For example, such unaudited pro forma
consolidated combined financial information reflects assumptions regarding (a) the amount of proceeds we will receive from,
and certain pricing and other terms of, the Financing Transactions, (b) the number of securities to be issued in connection
with the Financing Transactions and (c) the terms on which the Acquisition and the Company Debt Refinancing will be
completed. In particular, although we priced the Common Stock Offering (as defined herein) and the TEU Offering, and the
underwriters for the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering exercised in full their respective options to purchase
additional shares of our common stock and additional TEUs (as defined herein), and although we have entered into the CPPIB
Agreement (as defined herein) in respect of the Private Placement (as defined herein), such unaudited pro forma
consolidated combined financial information reflects assumptions regarding the number of shares of our common stock or TEUs,
as applicable, sold in each such offering (including the assumption that such options were not exercised) and the pricing
terms thereof, as well as assumptions regarding the amount of debt we expect to issue or incur to finance the Acquisition and
the Company Debt Refinancing, and such information has not been updated to reflect actual amounts or updated
expectations.
As
a result, purchasers of the notes in this offering should not place undue reliance on the pro forma and as adjusted information
included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus because this offering is not
contingent upon completion of any of the other transactions reflected in that information.
All
references to currency amounts included in this prospectus supplement are in U.S. dollars unless specifically noted otherwise.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Certain
statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents they incorporate by reference
contain, and any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering are “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are made
based upon, among other things, our current assumptions, expectations, plans, and beliefs concerning future events and their
potential effect on us. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are
outside our control that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases you can identify
forward-looking statements where statements are preceded by, followed by or include the words “believes,”
“expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “future,” “potential,”
“probably,” “predictions,” “intends,” “will,” “continue,”
“in the event” or the negative of such terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but
are not limited to, statements regarding:
|
·
|
recovery
of capital expenditures and expenses in rates;
|
|
·
|
projected
capital expenditures and related funding requirements;
|
|
·
|
our
capability to pursue timely rate increase requests;
|
|
·
|
the
availability and cost of capital financing;
|
|
·
|
developments,
trends and consolidation in the water and wastewater utility and infrastructure industries;
|
|
·
|
dividend
payment projections;
|
|
·
|
opportunities
for future acquisitions, both within and outside the water and wastewater industry, the
success of pending acquisitions and the impact of future acquisitions;
|
|
·
|
expectations
regarding the proposed Acquisition, including statements regarding regulatory approvals
for the Acquisition, potential financing transactions related to the Acquisition (including
statements regarding the Financing Transactions and the use of proceeds therefrom, including
the Company Debt Refinancing), closing of the Acquisition or the impact of the Acquisition
on the Company;
|
|
·
|
the
capacity of our water supplies, water facilities and wastewater facilities;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of federal and/or state tax policies, including changes in tax laws and policies
as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and the regulatory treatment of the
effects of those policies;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of geographic diversity on our exposure to unusual weather;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of conservation awareness of customers and more efficient plumbing fixtures and
appliances on water usage per customer;
|
|
·
|
our
authority to carry on our business without unduly burdensome restrictions;
|
|
·
|
the
continuation of investments in strategic ventures;
|
|
·
|
our
ability to obtain fair market value for condemned assets;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of fines and penalties;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of changes in and compliance with governmental laws, regulations and policies,
including those dealing with taxation, the environment, health and water quality, and
public utility regulation;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions to raise
or lower rates and decisions regarding potential acquisitions;
|
|
·
|
the
development of new services and technologies by us or our competitors;
|
|
·
|
the
availability of qualified personnel;
|
|
·
|
the
condition of our assets;
|
|
·
|
the
impact of legal proceedings;
|
|
·
|
general
economic conditions;
|
|
·
|
acquisition-related
costs and synergies;
|
|
·
|
the
sale of water and wastewater divisions; and
|
|
·
|
the
amount of income tax deductions for qualifying utility asset improvements and the Internal
Revenue Service’s ultimate acceptance of the deduction methodology.
|
Because
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to:
|
·
|
our
ability to integrate and otherwise realize all of the anticipated benefits of businesses,
technologies or services which we may acquire;
|
|
·
|
our
ability to manage the expansion of our business, including our ability to manage our
expanded operations following the closing of the Acquisition;
|
|
·
|
changes
in general economic, business, credit and financial market conditions;
|
|
·
|
changes
in governmental laws, regulations and policies, including those dealing with taxation,
the environment, health and water quality, and public utility regulation;
|
|
·
|
our
ability to treat and supply water or collect and treat wastewater;
|
|
·
|
Peoples’s
ability to transport, distribute and store natural gas;
|
|
·
|
the
profitability of future acquisitions;
|
|
·
|
changes
to the rules or our assumptions underlying our determination of what qualifies for an
income tax deduction for qualifying utility asset improvements;
|
|
·
|
conditions
to the completion of the Acquisition may not be satisfied or waived on a timely basis,
or at all;
|
|
·
|
the
decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions on rate increase
requests and decisions regarding potential acquisitions;
|
|
·
|
our
ability to file rate cases on a timely basis to minimize regulatory lag;
|
|
·
|
abnormal
weather conditions, including those that result in water use restrictions and seasonality
effects;
|
|
·
|
changes
in, or unanticipated, capital requirements;
|
|
·
|
changes
in our credit ratings or the market price of our common stock;
|
|
·
|
changes
in valuation of strategic ventures;
|
|
·
|
the
extent to which we are able to develop and market new and improved services;
|
|
·
|
the
effect of the loss of major customers;
|
|
·
|
our
ability to retain the services of key personnel and to hire qualified personnel as we
expand;
|
|
·
|
the
diversion of our management’s time and resources caused by the announcement and
pendency of the Acquisition;
|
|
·
|
increasing
difficulties in obtaining insurance and increased cost of insurance;
|
|
·
|
cost
overruns relating to improvements to, or the expansion of, our operations;
|
|
·
|
increases
in the costs of goods and services and commodity prices;
|
|
·
|
civil
disturbance or terroristic threats or acts;
|
|
·
|
the
continuous and reliable operation of our information technology systems, including the
impact of cyber security attacks or other cyber-related events;
|
|
·
|
changes
in accounting pronouncements;
|
|
·
|
changes
in environmental conditions, including the effects of climate change;
|
|
·
|
restrictions
on our subsidiaries’ ability to make dividends and other distributions;
|
|
·
|
restrictions
and limitations that may stem from financing arrangements we enter into or assume in
the future, or from the redemptions and repurchases we may undertake if the Acquisition is not consummated;
|
|
·
|
adverse
effects to holders of the notes related to any financing transactions, including the
Financing Transactions;
|
|
·
|
broad
discretion of our management to use the net proceeds from the Common Stock Offering if
the Acquisition is not consummated; and
|
|
·
|
the
availability of funds to redeem the notes in the event of a special mandatory redemption.
|
Given
these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. You should read this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents that we incorporate by reference into this prospectus
supplement completely and with the understanding that our actual results, performance and achievements may be materially
different from what we expect. These forward-looking statements represent assumptions, expectations, plans and beliefs only
as of the date of this prospectus supplement, the date of the document containing the applicable statement or the date
specified in such statement, as applicable. Except for our ongoing obligations to disclose certain information under the
federal securities laws, we are not obligated, and assume no obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, even
though our situation may change in the future. For further information or other factors which could affect our financial
results and such forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors.” We qualify all of our forward-looking statements
by these cautionary statements.
Investing
in the notes involves risks. You should review and consider carefully the risks, uncertainties and other factors that affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations and the value of the notes, including those described in the “Business,”
“Risk Factors,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”
sections and other sections in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and the Acquisition
8-K/A, and those described in the “Risk Factors” sections and other sections of this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus. You may obtain copies of these reports and documents as described under “Where You Can Find
Additional Information; Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in this prospectus supplement. These risks, uncertainties
and other factors could cause you to suffer a loss of all or part of your investment in the notes. Before making an investment
decision, you should carefully consider these risks, uncertainties and other factors, as well as other information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and any related free writing prospectus
we may provide to you in connection with this offering. However, additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us
or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business, operations, financial condition and financial results and the
value of the notes.
MARKET
AND INDUSTRY DATA
This
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus include, and any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this
offering may include, market, demographic and industry data and forecasts related to our business and to Peoples’s
business that are based on or derived from sources such as independent industry publications, publicly available information,
government data and other information from third parties or that have been compiled or prepared by our or Peoples’s
management or employees. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any of this information, and we have not
independently verified any of the information provided by third-party sources.
In
addition, market, demographic and industry data and forecasts involve estimates, assumptions and other uncertainties and are subject
to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus
supplement and under similar headings in the documents that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any of this information.
SUMMARY
INFORMATION
The
following summary highlights, and should be read together with, the information contained elsewhere in this prospectus
supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. This summary may not
contain all of the information that may be important to you, and you should carefully read this entire prospectus supplement,
the accompanying prospectus, any free writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering and the
documents incorporated by reference herein and therein before making an investment decision. You may obtain a copy of the
documents incorporated by reference by following the instructions in the section titled “Where You Can Find Additional
Information; Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference,” in this prospectus supplement. Unless we state otherwise
or the context otherwise requires, references appearing in this prospectus supplement to “Aqua America,” the
“Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” should be read to refer to Aqua America, Inc.
and its subsidiaries.
Aqua
America, Inc.
Aqua
America, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, is the holding company for regulated utilities providing water or wastewater
services to an estimated three million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana,
and Virginia. Our largest operating subsidiary is Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc., which accounted for approximately 53% of our
operating revenues and approximately 71% of our regulated segment’s income for 2018. As of December 31, 2018, Aqua
Pennsylvania provided water or wastewater services to approximately one-half of the total number of people we serve. Aqua
Pennsylvania’s service territory is located in the suburban areas in counties north and west of the City of
Philadelphia and in 27 other counties in Pennsylvania. Our other regulated utility subsidiaries provide similar services in
seven other states. In addition, the Company’s market-based activities are conducted through Aqua Infrastructure, LLC
(“Aqua Infrastructure”) and Aqua Resources Inc. (“Aqua Resources”). Aqua Infrastructure provides
non-utility raw water supply services for firms in the natural gas drilling industry. Aqua Resources provides water service
through operating and maintenance contracts with a municipal authority and another party close to our utility
companies’ service territory; and offers, through a third-party, water and sewer line protection solutions and repair
services to households. In 2017, we completed the sale of two business units that were reported within Aqua Resources, one
which installed and tested devices that prevent the contamination of potable water and another that constructed,
maintained, and repaired water and wastewater systems. Additionally, during 2016, we completed the sale of business units
within Aqua Resources, which provided liquid waste hauling and disposal services and inspection, and cleaning and repair of
storm and sanitary wastewater lines.
Aqua
America, which prior to its name change in 2004 was known as Philadelphia Suburban Corporation, was formed in 1968 as a
holding company for its primary subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania, formerly known as Philadelphia Suburban Water Company. In the
early 1990s, we embarked on a growth through acquisition strategy focused on water and wastewater operations. Our most
significant transactions to date have been the merger with Consumers Water Company in 1999, the acquisition of the regulated
water and wastewater operations of AquaSource, Inc. in 2003, the acquisition of Heater Utilities, Inc. in 2004, and the
acquisition of American Water Works Company, Inc.’s regulated water and wastewater operations in Ohio in 2012. Since
the early 1990s, our business strategy has been primarily directed toward the regulated water and wastewater utility
industry, where we have more than quadrupled the number of regulated customers we serve, and have extended our regulated
operations from southeastern Pennsylvania to include our current regulated utility operations throughout Pennsylvania and in
seven other states. During 2010 through 2013, we sold our utility operations in six states, pursuant to a portfolio
rationalization strategy to focus our operations in areas where we have critical mass and economic growth potential.
Currently, the Company seeks to acquire businesses in the U.S. regulated sector, which includes water and wastewater
utilities and other regulated utilities, and to pursue growth ventures in market-based activities, such as infrastructure
opportunities that are supplementary and complementary to our regulated businesses. On October 22, 2018, we entered into a
purchase agreement to acquire a group of natural gas public utility companies that we refer to as
“Peoples.” Peoples serves approximately 740,000 gas utility
customers
in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky. See “—Recent Developments—Proposed Peoples Gas Acquisition”
for additional information regarding Peoples and the Acquisition.
Our
growth in revenues over the past five years is primarily a result of increases in water and wastewater rates and customer growth.
The increase in our utility customer base, as shown below, has been due to customers added through acquisitions, partnerships
with developers, and organic growth (excluding dispositions):
Year
|
|
Utility Customer
Growth Rate
|
|
2018
|
|
|
2.3
|
%
|
2017
|
|
|
1.1
|
%
|
2016
|
|
|
1.6
|
%
|
2015
|
|
|
1.9
|
%
|
2014
|
|
|
1.3
|
%
|
In
2018, our customer count increased by 22,741 customers, primarily due to utility systems that we acquired and organic growth.
Overall, for the five-year period of 2014 through 2018, our utility customer base, adjusted to exclude customers associated with
utility system dispositions, increased at an annual compound rate of 1.6%. During the five-year period ended December 31, 2018,
our utility customer base, including customers associated with utility system acquisitions and dispositions, increased from 941,008
at January 1, 2014 to 1,005,590 at December 31, 2018. This five-year period includes the impact of the condemnation of our Fort
Wayne, Indiana system in 2014, which resulted in the loss of approximately 13,000 connections.
Our principal
executive office is located at 762 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010-3489, and our telephone number is 610-527-8000.
Our website may be accessed at
www.aquaamerica.com
. The reference to our website is intended to be an inactive textual
reference only, and the contents of our website are not incorporated by reference herein and should not be considered part
of this prospectus supplement.
Our
Business Strategy
Since
the early 1990s, our business strategy has been primarily directed toward the regulated water and wastewater utility industry,
where we have more than quadrupled the number of regulated customers we serve, and have extended our regulated operations from
southeastern Pennsylvania to include our current regulated utility operations throughout Pennsylvania and in seven other states.
We are focused on operating our businesses in a safe and efficient manner to provide exceptional service to our customers. Our
key strategic priorities are as follows:
Pursue
High-Quality, Low-Risk Earnings Growth
Growth
in our existing water and wastewater utility business comes from both customer growth and increases in water and wastewater
rates, driven by utility infrastructure investment. We expect to invest approximately $1.4 billion into our existing water
utility infrastructure over the 2019-2021 timeframe including approximately $550 million in 2019. These estimates exclude
planned capital expenditures by Peoples and the costs of new mains financed by advances and contributions in aid of
construction. Our investment plans are supported by constructive regulatory environments in the jurisdictions in which we
operate, and are expected to result in annual rate base growth over the same time period. Our regulators have a track record
of setting rates and establishing terms of service that allow our regulated subsidiaries to obtain a fair and reasonable
return on capital invested. Further, several of our regulators have put in place programs that incentivize prudent
investments in our utility system by providing for reduced regulatory lag. For example, New Jersey allows for an
infrastructure rehabilitation surcharge for water utilities, while Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina
allow for the use of an infrastructure rehabilitation surcharge for both water and wastewater utility
systems. Aqua Virginia is also piloting an infrastructure rehabilitation
surcharge for its water and wastewater utilities to be implemented in 2019, pursuant to the final order issued in Aqua Virginia’s
2018 rate case.
In
addition to our organic infrastructure investment, we expect to continue to actively explore opportunities to expand our
operations through acquisitions of government-owned and regulated water and wastewater systems that provide services in areas
near our existing service territories or in new service areas. With approximately 50,000 community water systems in the
United States, 81% of which serve less than 3,300 customers, the water industry is the most fragmented of the major utility
industries (telephone, natural gas, electric, water and wastewater). In the states where we operate regulated utilities, we
believe there are approximately 14,000 community water systems of widely-varying size, with the majority of the population
being served by government-owned water systems. Because of the fragmented nature of the water and wastewater utility
industries, we believe that there are many potential water and wastewater system acquisition candidates throughout the United
States. We believe numerous factors will drive continued consolidation of these systems, including the benefits of economies
of scale, the increasing cost and complexity of environmental regulations, the need for substantial capital investment and
the need for technological and managerial expertise.
Six
of the states in which we operate currently have some form of fair market value legislation. This legislation allows the relevant
public utility commission to utilize fair market value to set ratemaking rate base instead of the depreciated original cost of
water or wastewater assets for certain qualifying municipal acquisitions. We believe that this legislation is another factor that
will encourage consolidation in the water and wastewater industry, providing municipalities with an option for exiting the business
if they are dealing with challenges associated with their aging, deteriorating water and wastewater assets, do not have the expertise
or technical capabilities to continue to comply with ever increasing environmental regulations or simply want to focus on other
community priorities. In 2018, we closed six municipal acquisitions with over 13,700 customers and over $100 million of rate base.
Maintain
a Low-Risk Regulated Utility Profile
Our
core skill set is operating, maintaining and growing a regulated utility platform. The vast majority of our earnings are
derived from regulated utilities, and we intend to maintain our focus on regulated utility platforms. As further discussed in
“—Recent Developments—Peoples Gas Acquisition—Strategic Rationale for the Acquisition,” the
Acquisition is consistent with this strategy. Our focus on regulated utilities has contributed to our historically stable
earnings and cash flows, which forms the foundation for our dividend policy and has allowed us to raise dividends 28 times in
the last 27 years.
Maintain
Our Commitment to a Strong Balance Sheet
Our
goal is to maintain a strong balance sheet and liquidity position in addition to solid investment grade credit ratings. We believe
maintaining these objectives affords us the financial flexibility necessary to take advantage of significant growth opportunities
in our regulated utility businesses.
Our
Competitive Strengths
We
believe that we are well-positioned to meet our obligations to customers, grow our business and create shareholder value because
of the following factors:
Extensive
Track Record of Operating Stable Utilities
Our
earnings are principally derived from the return on investment we earn on our utility assets. We estimate that, as of December
31, 2018, our rate base was approximately $4.5 billion. We estimate that, as of December 31, 2019, assuming consummation of the
Acquisition, our rate base will be approximately $7.2 billion. Of the $7.2 billion expected rate base as of December 31, 2019,
we estimate that approximately 70% will be
derived from water and wastewater utilities and approximately 30%
will be derived from natural gas distribution. We have more than 130 years of service experience and a proven track record of
operational efficiency.
Operations
in Constructive Regulatory Jurisdictions
We
currently have regulated utility operations in eight different states, which have collectively provided constructive regulatory
environments for our utility operations, and following the Acquisition will have regulated utility operations in ten different
states, which we believe will provide constructive regulatory environments for our expanded utility operations. Two of these ten
states have in place rate decoupling mechanisms for water or gas utility businesses, which reduce the dependency of our revenues
to the changes in the volume of managed water or natural gas that may result from fluctuations in the weather, gas consumption,
water conservation, and other factors. Further, regulators in several of these states have put in place certain programs that
incentivize prudent capital investments in our utility system by providing for accelerated recovery of and on capital. The regulatory
framework in Pennsylvania, which accounted for approximately 71% of our Regulated segment’s income for 2018, is generally
considered progressive and is highly rated by Regulatory Research Associates. Pennsylvania’s high rating is based on the
probable level and quality of the earnings to be realized by the state’s utilities as a result of regulatory, legislative
and court actions, as well as the utilization of fully forecasted test years, Distribution Systems Improvement Charges and other
automatic adjustment clauses that are intended to reduce the gap between the time that a capital project is completed and the
recovery of costs in rates. As further discussed in “—Recent Developments—Peoples Gas Acquisition—Strategic
Rationale for the Acquisition,” the Acquisition would increase our presence in constructive regulatory jurisdictions, particularly
in Pennsylvania.
Significant
Infrastructure Needs & Core Competency in Infrastructure Investment
According
to recent U.S. EPA surveys, there are approximately 50,000 community water systems and approximately 15,000 wastewater
systems in the United States, a majority of which are municipally owned, and more than $740 billion will need to be spent to
maintain and improve U.S. water and wastewater infrastructure over the next 20 years. We have historically leveraged our
expertise in infrastructure improvement and pipeline replacement to improve safety and reliability throughout the states in
which we operate. For example, over the last 15 years, our investment in pipe replacement in southeastern Pennsylvania has
resulted in a 53% reduction in discolored water-quality-related service orders and a 60% reduction in main breaks. As
municipalities face the challenges of replacing deteriorating infrastructure, we provide a viable and valuable solution to
communities through our expertise and our economies of scale. In addition, we expect the Acquisition will introduce new
infrastructure investment opportunities, as discussed in “—Recent Developments—Peoples Gas
Acquisition—Strategic Rationale for the Acquisition.”
Consistent
History of Dividend Growth. We have paid dividends consecutively for 74 years
In
2018, our Board of Directors raised the quarterly dividend on our common stock by 7%, increasing the effective annual dividend
rate to $0.876 per share, beginning with the dividend payment in September 2018. This is the 28th dividend increase in the past
27 years and the 20th consecutive year that we have increased our dividend in excess of 5%.
Experienced
Management Team
Our senior
management team is highly experienced in the utility industry. The team is supported by a core group of employees in
leadership positions with substantial experience in the operation of regulated utility businesses. In addition, as discussed
in “—Recent Developments—Peoples Gas Acquisition—Strategic Rationale for the Acquisition,” the
Peoples’s management team has significant experience in the natural gas utility industry. Additionally, the Aqua
America CEO serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Water Companies.
Recent
Developments
Proposed Peoples
Gas Acquisition
On
October 22, 2018, we entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Acquisition Agreement”) with LDC Parent LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (“Seller”), to acquire all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company membership
interests of LDC, the parent of a group of natural gas public utility companies including Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC, a Pennsylvania
limited liability company, Peoples Gas Company LLC, a Pennsylvania limited liability company, Peoples Gas WV LLC, a West Virginia
limited liability company, Peoples Gas Kentucky LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, and Delta Natural Gas Co., Inc., a
Kentucky corporation, as well as other operating subsidiaries.
The
Acquisition, once consummated, will expand our regulated utility business to include natural gas distribution. The cash
purchase price for the Acquisition will be an amount equal to $4.275 billion (the “Default Cash Acquisition
Consideration”), subject to adjustments for working capital, certain capital expenditures, transaction expenses and
closing indebtedness as set forth in the Acquisition Agreement (as so adjusted, the “Cash Acquisition
Consideration”). The Company expects to assume, as a result of acquiring Peoples, approximately $1,370 million of
Peoples’s indebtedness upon the closing of the Acquisition, which would reduce the cash purchase price by approximately
$1,370 million pursuant to the foregoing adjustments. See “—Financing Transactions” and “Use of
Proceeds” for a discussion of our plans to finance the Cash Acquisition Consideration.
Closing
of the Acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions set forth in the Acquisition Agreement, including, among
others, (1) the absence of any law or governmental order prohibiting the consummation of the Acquisition, (2) the accuracy of
the parties’ representations and warranties, subject to customary materiality standards and certain other exceptions,
(3) compliance in all material respects of the parties with their applicable covenants under the Acquisition Agreement,
subject to certain exceptions, (4) the absence of a “material adverse effect” with respect to LDC and its
subsidiaries and (5) receipt of certain regulatory approvals, including from the public utility commission in Pennsylvania
and West Virginia. The closing of the Acquisition is not subject to any financing condition. We currently expect the
Acquisition will close in mid-2019.
The
Acquisition Agreement contains certain termination rights for each of us and Seller. The Acquisition Agreement may be
terminated at any time prior to the closing of the Acquisition in the event the Acquisition is not completed by October 22,
2019 (subject to extension, on the terms set forth in the Acquisition Agreement, to April 22, 2020 in order to obtain
necessary regulatory approvals) (the “Acquisition Outside Date”). However, neither we nor Seller may terminate
the Acquisition Agreement pursuant to the foregoing if our or Seller’s respective failure to fulfill any obligation
under the Acquisition Agreement was the primary cause of the failure of the closing to occur on or before the Acquisition
Outside Date. The Acquisition Agreement may also be terminated at any time prior to the closing of the Acquisition by mutual
written consent of us and Seller, and in other customary circumstances. In the event that the Acquisition Agreement is
terminated due to certain breaches by us, we would be required to pay a fee of $120 million to the Seller as liquidated
damages.
The
Acquisition and the Acquisition Agreement are described in more detail in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
October 23, 2018 (the “Acquisition 8-K”), which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. The foregoing summary description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the complete text of the Acquisition Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Acquisition 8-K.
The
Acquisition Agreement has been filed as an exhibit to our public reports filed with the SEC, and has been incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, solely to provide information to current and prospective investors
and security holders regarding its terms. The Acquisition
Agreement and the description of certain terms of the
Acquisition Agreement appearing in this prospectus supplement and some of the documents incorporated by reference in the
accompanying prospectus are not intended to provide any other factual information about Aqua America, Peoples, their
respective businesses, or the actual or future conduct of their respective businesses or to modify or supplement any factual
disclosures about Aqua America or Peoples included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the
documents incorporated by reference therein or Aqua America’s other public reports. The Acquisition Agreement and any
descriptions thereof should not be relied upon as representations or warranties about Aqua America or Peoples or, other than
with respect to the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, as disclosure about Aqua America or Peoples. No one should rely on
the representations, warranties and covenants in the Acquisition Agreement
or any descriptions
thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or conditions of Aqua America or Peoples or any of their respective
subsidiaries or affiliates. The representations and warranties contained in the Acquisition Agreement are the product of
negotiations among the parties thereto and that the parties made to, and solely for the benefit of, each other as of
specified dates. The assertions embodied in those representations and warranties are subject to qualifications and
limitations agreed to by the respective parties and are also qualified in important part by confidential disclosure
schedules delivered in connection with the Acquisition Agreement. In addition, those representations and warranties were made
for the purpose of allocating contractual risk between the parties to the Acquisition Agreement instead of establishing these
matters as facts, and may be subject to standards of materiality used by the contracting parties that differ from those
applicable to investors and security holders. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations and
warranties may change after the dates contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not
be reflected in this prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus or in Aqua America’s other public reports. The Acquisition Agreement and any such descriptions
thereof should not be read alone, but should instead be read in conjunction with the other information regarding Aqua America
or Peoples that is contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus
and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein.
The consummation
of this offering is not conditioned upon the closing of the Acquisition. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be
consummated on the terms or by the time currently contemplated, or at all, or, if consummated, that the terms of the Acquisition,
including the financing thereof and the closing date, will not differ, perhaps substantially, from those currently contemplated
or described in this prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus. The closing of the Acquisition is subject to, among other conditions, the receipt of regulatory approvals by the Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission. We filed an application for approval by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and several entities
have intervened in the proceeding. The procedural schedule requires rebuttal testimony to be filed on April 30, 2019. We have
initiated settlement discussions with the intervenors and those negotiations are ongoing. Whether through a settlement agreement
or through a litigated proceeding, we may be required to agree to certain actions, undertakings, terms, or other measures, including
those that may require increased capital or other expenditures by the Company. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to
the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions” in this prospectus supplement, “Risk Factors” in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and “Risk Factors” in the Acquisition 8-K/A
(as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus).
About
Peoples
Headquartered
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Peoples primarily engages in regulated distribution and transportation of natural gas to approximately
740,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. For the year ended December
31, 2018, Peoples’s operating revenues amounted to $914 million.
For a discussion
of Peoples’s business, operations, financial condition and financial results and the specific risks related to Peoples’s
business, operations, financial condition and financial results, please see the “Peoples’s Business,” “Risk
Factors related to Peoples” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations of Peoples” in the Acquisition 8-K/A.
Strategic
Rationale for the Acquisition
We
believe the Acquisition is a strategically compelling transaction that brings together two high-quality regulated utility companies
in regions with constructive regulatory environments and attractive demographics. Consistent with our strategy of growing our
regulated utility platform, we expect that the Acquisition will introduce a new platform for regulated growth, creating a leading
water and natural gas utility in the United States with scale across the water, wastewater and natural gas distribution sectors.
We believe this enhanced growth platform will present opportunities for the Company to grow our rate base through a wider range
of infrastructure investment opportunities. In addition, as a larger publicly traded utility, we expect to have better access
to capital to fund our infrastructure and capital expenditure needs. We also believe our enhanced scale and better access to the
capital markets will support our commitment to strong investment grade credit ratings.
Both
Aqua America and Peoples have demonstrated the ability to earn a return on and recover invested capital, with a history of sustained
growth in earnings and cash flow. We believe the Acquisition will diversify the Company’s cash flow while preserving our
low-risk regulated utility profile, resulting in a multi-platform utility with operations spanning ten states.
We
expect that the Acquisition will increase our presence in constructive regulatory jurisdictions, particularly Pennsylvania,
where the regulatory framework is generally considered progressive and is highly rated by Regulatory Research Associates.
Pennsylvania’s high rating is based on the probable level and quality of the earnings to be realized by the
state’s utilities as a result of regulatory, legislative, and court actions, as well as the utilization of fully
forecasted test years, Distribution Systems Improvement Charges and other automatic adjustment clauses that are intended to
reduce the gap between the time that a capital project is completed and the recovery of costs in rates. The Peoples’s
management team will bring significant experience investing in and operating critical energy and safety infrastructure; their
experience and knowledge is expected to be highly complementary to our core focus of operating our businesses in a safe and
efficient manner to provide exceptional service to our customers.
We
expect the Acquisition to increase our scale, cash flow diversity and rate base and strengthen our financial foundation,
creating an enhanced platform for long-term growth. However, there can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be
consummated on the terms or by the time currently contemplated, or at all, or, if consummated, that we will realize the
anticipated benefits of the Acquisition. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Acquisition and the Financing
Transactions” in this prospectus supplement and “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 (as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the SEC
that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus).
Financing
Transactions
In addition
to the issuance of our notes in connection with this offering, we expect to obtain additional financing to (1) fund the Acquisition,
(2) complete the redemption of approximately $314 million aggregate principal amount of our privately placed notes (such notes,
the “PPNs,” and such redemption, the “Company Debt Refinancing”) and (3) pay related costs and expenses
as described below. In addition, we intend to use the remaining balance of net proceeds from this offering for general
corporate purposes, including working capital and capital needs or repayment of borrowings under our existing revolving credit facility (the “Revolving
Credit Facility”). In connection with the Common Stock
Offering and the TEU Offering, we issued notices of redemption with respect to our PPNs as part of the Company Debt Refinancing.
Redemption of our PPNs is expected to occur on May 18, 2019. This prospectus supplement is not an offer or a solicitation of
an offer to buy or sell any of our PPNs. For information regarding sources and uses of funds in connection with the Acquisition
and the Financing Transactions, see “Use of Proceeds.
Common
Stock Offering
. On April 23, 2019, we completed an offering of 37,370,017 shares of our common stock, par value $0.50
per share (our “common stock”) (including 4,874,350 shares issued upon the underwriters exercise in full of their
option to purchase additional shares) at the public offering price of $34.62 per share (the “Common Stock
Offering”). We raised approximately $1,263.2 million in aggregate net proceeds from the Common Stock Offering, after
deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.
TEU
Offering.
On April 23, 2019, we completed an offering of 13,800,000 of our 6.00% tangible equity units
(“TEUs”) (including 1,800,000 TEUs issued upon the underwriters exercise in full of their option to purchase
additional TEUs) at the public offering price of $50 per TEU (the “TEU Offering”). Each TEU is comprised of two
parts: (1) a prepaid stock purchase contract issued by us (a “TEU purchase contract”) and (2) a senior amortizing
note issued by us (a “TEU amortizing note”). If the Acquisition has not occurred on or prior to April 22, 2020,
or if, prior to such date, the Acquisition Agreement is terminated, we may elect to redeem all, but not less than all, of the
outstanding TEU purchase contracts in accordance with the terms thereof (an “acquisition termination
redemption”). Upon any such acquisition termination redemption, holders of TEUs would have the right to require us to
repurchase their TEU amortizing notes at the relevant repurchase price. Unless earlier redeemed by us in connection with an
acquisition termination redemption or settled earlier at the holder’s option or at our option, each TEU purchase
contract will, subject to postponement in certain limited circumstances, automatically settle on April 30, 2022, and we will
deliver a specified number of shares of our common stock per TEU purchase contract based upon applicable settlement rates and
the market value of our common stock. The TEU amortizing notes have a specified initial principal amount and a
specified interest rate and we will make specified payments of interest and partial repayments of principal on quarterly
installment payment dates. We raised approximately $673.7 million in aggregate net proceeds from the TEU Offering, after
deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.
Private
Placement.
On March 29, 2019, we entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “CPPIB Agreement”) with Canada Pension
Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”) pursuant to which CPPIB agreed to purchase an aggregate of 21,661,095 newly issued
shares of our common stock at the lower of (1) $34.62 per share and (2) the volume weighted average price per share in our public
offerings of Common Stock to fund the Acquisition, the Company Debt Refinancing and pay related costs and expenses related thereto
(the “Private Placement”). Following the completion of the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering, the price per
share in the Private Placement is expected to be $34.62 per share, and we expect to raise net proceeds of approximately
$728.4
million from the Private Placement.
We
expect the Private Placement to close concurrently with the consummation of the Acquisition, subject to certain closing conditions,
including the closing of the Acquisition and the execution and delivery of a shareholder’s agreement between CPPIB and the
Company. The completion of the Private Placement is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Company Debt Refinancing or this
offering.
Pursuant to
the CPPIB Agreement, the shares purchased by CPPIB in the Private Placement will be subject to certain transfer restrictions until
the earlier of 15 months following the completion of the Private Placement or specified change of control events with respect
to the Company, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, subject to ownership thresholds and other customary requirements,
CPPIB will have, pursuant to the shareholder’s agreement to be entered into in connection with the closing of the Private
Placement, (1) the right
to appoint a member of our board of directors, (2) certain
pre-emptive rights, (3) certain registration rights in respect of our shares purchased by CPPIB in the Private Placement and
(4) certain “standstill” obligations with respect to the Company, subject to certain exceptions. Upon closing of
the Private Placement, the Company has agreed to reimburse CPPIB for reasonable out-of-pocket diligence
expenses of up to $4 million, subject to certain exceptions.
The
foregoing description of the Private Placement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
the full text of the CPPIB Agreement, which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
March 29, 2019 and incorporated by reference herein.
Bridge
Facility.
On October 22, 2018, we obtained a commitment (the “Bridge Commitment”) from Goldman Sachs Bank USA
and Royal Bank of Canada to provide 364-day senior unsecured bridge loans (the “Bridge Facility”), in an aggregate
amount of up to $5,100 million, subject to customary conditions set forth in the Bridge Commitment. As of the date of this prospectus
supplement, we have terminated approximately $3,570 million of commitments under the Bridge Commitment in connection
with, among other things, the replacement of our prior unsecured revolving credit facility, the expected assumption of Peoples’s
private placement notes and the completion of the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering. The Bridge Commitment may only be
drawn upon to fund the Acquisition, the Company Debt Refinancing and related fees and expenses, and will expire upon the earliest
to occur of (1) the termination of the Acquisition Agreement prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, (2) the closing of
the Acquisition or (3) the Acquisition Outside Date.
If and to
the extent the Private Placement is not completed, or such offering is completed for less aggregate net proceeds than anticipated,
we currently intend to fund any shortfall through the issuance of additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities
or with additional debt financings, which may include borrowings under the Bridge Facility and/or the Revolving Credit
Facility.
In
this prospectus supplement, references to the “Financing Transactions” refer to this offering, the Common Stock
Offering, the TEU Offering and the Private Placement, and references to the “Transactions” refer to the Financing
Transactions, the Acquisition and the Company Debt Refinancing, including the application of the net proceeds from the
Financing Transactions to complete such transactions, as described herein. In addition, unless otherwise specified or the
context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus supplement to the “consummation of the Acquisition” or
similar expressions shall be deemed to include the application of the net proceeds from the Financing Transactions to
complete such transactions, as described herein, including the consummation of the Company Debt Refinancing.
This offering
is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Private Placement, the Acquisition or the Company Debt Refinancing. However, if
(i) the Acquisition has not been consummated on or prior to the April 22, 2020 (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Outside
Date”), (ii) on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption Outside Date and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition,
the Acquisition Agreement is terminated or (iii) prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, we otherwise publicly announce
that the Acquisition will not be consummated, then we will be required to redeem all of the outstanding notes on the Special Mandatory
Redemption Date at a special mandatory redemption price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes, plus
accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date as described under the caption
“Description of the Notes—Special Mandatory Redemption.” In addition, the Private Placement will not be completed,
and the securities issued in the TEU Offering may be redeemed, repaid, or repurchased, if the Acquisition is not consummated or
is not consummated by a specified date. We cannot assure you that we will complete the Acquisition or the Private Placement on
the terms contemplated by this prospectus supplement, or at all.
THE
OFFERING
The
following summary describes certain terms of the notes and may not contain all of the information that may be important to
you. Certain of the terms and conditions described below are subject to important limitations and exceptions. The
“Description of the Notes” section of this prospectus supplement contains a more detailed description of the
terms and conditions of the notes. You should read this entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any free
writing prospectus we may provide to you in connection with this offering and the documents incorporated by reference herein
and therein before making an investment decision. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, references
to “Aqua America,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar
references refer only to Aqua America, Inc. and not to its consolidated subsidiaries.
Issuer
|
Aqua
America, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation
|
|
|
Notes Offered
|
$ aggregate
principal amount of %
Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 notes”).
|
|
|
|
$ aggregate
principal amount of %
Senior Notes due 2049 (the “2049 notes” and, together with the 2029 notes, are referred to collectively herein
as the “notes”).
|
|
|
|
The
2029 notes and the 2049 notes will each constitute a separate series of our debt securities under the indenture pursuant to
which the notes will be issued.
|
|
|
Maturity
|
2029
notes: , 2029.
|
|
|
|
2049
notes: , 2049.
|
|
|
Interest
Rate
|
2029
notes: % per year,
accruing from ,
2019.
|
|
|
|
2049
notes: % per year,
accruing from ,
2019.
|
|
|
Interest
Payment Dates
|
and of each year, beginning ,
2019.
|
|
|
Ranking
|
The
notes will be our general unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally in right
of payment with all of our other existing and future unsecured and senior indebtedness
and guarantees. The notes will rank senior to all of our existing and future indebtedness,
if any, that is subordinated to the notes. The notes will be effectively subordinated
to any secured indebtedness we have or may incur (to the extent of the collateral securing
such secured indebtedness) and will be structurally subordinated to all indebtedness
and other liabilities of our subsidiaries, including, upon consummation of the Acquisition,
indebtedness and other liabilities of LDC and its subsidiaries that we assume in connection
with the Acquisition.
We
conduct our operations primarily through our subsidiaries and substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by our subsidiaries.
|
|
As
of December 31, 2018, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Transactions:
·
Aqua
America would have had approximately $1,828 million of indebtedness outstanding, of which none would have been secured
indebtedness; and
·
Our
subsidiaries (including LDC and its subsidiaries) would have had a total of approximately $5,856 million of outstanding
liabilities, including indebtedness, owed to non-affiliated third parties.
See
“Description of the Notes—Ranking” and “—Recent Developments—Proposed Peoples Gas
Acquisition.”
|
|
|
Optional
Redemption
|
At
our option, we may redeem some or all of the notes of each series at any time at the applicable redemption price for such
series of notes described in this prospectus supplement. See “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption.”
|
|
|
Special
Mandatory Redemption
|
The offering
is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Acquisition, and the Acquisition may not be consummated on the terms described
herein or at all; however, if (i) the Acquisition has not been consummated on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption
Outside Date, (ii) on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption Outside Date and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition,
the Acquisition Agreement is terminated or (iii) prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, we otherwise publicly announce
that the Acquisition will not be consummated, then we will be required to redeem all outstanding notes on the Special Mandatory
Redemption Date at a special mandatory redemption price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes,
plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date. See “Description
of the Notes—Special Mandatory Redemption.” We are not required to deposit the proceeds from this offering into
an escrow account pending completion of the Acquisition, nor will we grant any security interest or other lien on those proceeds
to secure the redemption of the notes that are subject to special mandatory redemption as described above.
|
|
|
Certain
Covenants
|
The
notes and the related indenture do not contain any financial or other similar restrictive covenants. However, we will be subject
to the covenant described under the caption “Description of the Notes—Consolidation, Merger and Conveyance of
Assets as an Entirety.”
|
|
|
Use of Proceeds
|
We
estimate that the net proceeds from this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts
and estimated offering expenses, will be approximately $ million.
We intend
to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with the net proceeds from the other Financing Transactions, to (1)
fund the Acquisition, (2) complete the Company Debt Refinancing and (3) pay related costs and expenses as described below.
We intend to use the remaining balance of net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including working
capital and capital needs or repayment of borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility. See “Use of Proceeds.”
|
Trustee,
Registrar and Paying Agent
|
U.S.
Bank N.A.
|
|
|
Governing
Law
|
The
indenture and the notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
|
|
|
Risk Factors
|
Investing
in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and
in the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for a discussion
of some of the risks and other factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in the notes.
|
RISK
FACTORS
Investing
in the notes involves risks. You should review and carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and other factors described below
and all of the information included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any free writing prospectus
we may provide to you in connection with this offering and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein before deciding
to invest in the notes. We also urge you to consider carefully the risks, uncertainties and other factors set forth under the
headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Market and Industry Data.” However, additional risks and uncertainties
not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business, operations, financial condition and
financial results and the value of the notes.
Risks
Related to Our Business
For
a discussion of specific risks related to our business, operations, financial condition and financial results, including
certain risks related to the Acquisition, please see the “Business,” Risk Factors” and
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as updated by our annual, quarterly and other reports
and documents we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information; Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference,” in
this prospectus supplement. In addition, we provide the following risk factor.
Changes
in our earnings may differ from changes in our rate base.
Our
business is capital intensive and requires significant capital investments for additions to or replacement of property, plant
and equipment. These capital investments create assets that are used and useful in providing regulated utility service, and as
a result, increase our rate base, on which we generate earnings through the regulatory process. Changes in our reported earnings,
however, may differ from changes in our rate base in a given period due to several factors, including rate case timing and the
terms of such rate cases; over-or under-earnings in a given period due to changes in operating costs; the effects of tax rates
or tax treatment of capital investments, including the effect of repair tax; capital expenditures that are not eligible for DSIC
between rate cases; and acquisitions which have not yet been included in rate base. We anticipate that we may experience periods
in which growth in earnings is less than growth in rate base; such differences may be significant and may persist over multiple
reporting periods.
Risks
Related to Peoples’s Business
For a discussion
of specific risks related to Peoples’s business, please see “Risk Factors related to Peoples” in the Acquisition
8-K/A. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are not the only ones that Peoples faces. Additional risks, uncertainties
and other factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair Peoples’s business, operations,
financial condition and financial results. Any of these risks could, if the Acquisition is consummated, impair the combined company’s
business, operations, financial condition and financial results or could otherwise adversely impact our investment in Peoples,
in which case you may lose all or part of your investment in the notes.
Risks
Related to the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions
Aqua
America expects to incur significant additional indebtedness in connection with the Acquisition. As a result, it may be more difficult
for Aqua America to pay or refinance its debts or take other actions, and Aqua America may need to divert cash to fund debt service
payments.
As discussed
herein, Aqua America expects to incur significant additional indebtedness to finance the Cash Acquisition Consideration and the
Company Debt Refinancing and pay related transaction costs. Additionally, in connection with the Acquisition, Aqua America currently
intends to assume approximately $1,370 million of Peoples’s indebtedness. Moreover, although Aqua America has raised significant
proceeds through the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering and currently plans to fund a significant portion of the
Cash Acquisition Consideration and the Company Debt Refinancing through the Private Placement, if and to the extent that the Private
Placement is not completed or is completed for less aggregate net proceeds than anticipated, the amount of indebtedness it will
incur to finance the Acquisition, the Company Debt Refinancing and associated transactions costs could increase, perhaps
substantially. The increase in Aqua America’s debt service obligations resulting from additional indebtedness could have
a material adverse effect on the results of operations, financial condition and prospects of the combined company.
Aqua America’s
increased indebtedness could also:
|
·
|
make
it more difficult and/or costly for Aqua America to pay or refinance its debts as they
become due, particularly during adverse economic and industry conditions, because a decrease
in revenues or increase in costs could cause cash flow from operations to be insufficient
to make scheduled debt service payments;
|
|
·
|
limit
Aqua America’s flexibility to pursue other strategic opportunities or react to
changes in its business and the industry sectors in which it operates and, consequently,
put Aqua America at a competitive disadvantage to its competitors that have less debt;
|
|
·
|
require
a substantial portion of Aqua America’s available cash to be used for debt service
payments, thereby reducing the availability of its cash to fund working capital, capital
expenditures, development projects, acquisitions, dividend payments and other general
corporate purposes, which could harm Aqua America’s prospects for growth and the
market price of our common stock, TEUs and debt securities (including the notes offered
hereby), among other things;
|
|
·
|
result
in a downgrade in the credit ratings on Aqua America’s indebtedness, which could
limit Aqua America’s ability to borrow additional funds on favorable terms or at
all (including in order to refinance the Bridge Facility (if drawn) and/or its other
debt), increase the interest rates under its credit facilities and under any new indebtedness
it may incur, and reduce the trading prices of its outstanding debt securities (including
the notes offered hereby), common stock and TEUs (see “—Our credit ratings
may not reflect all risks of an investment in the notes” and “Summary Information—Recent
Developments—Financing Transactions”);
|
|
·
|
make
it more difficult for Aqua America to raise capital to fund working capital, make capital
expenditures, pay dividends, pursue strategic initiatives or for other purposes;
|
|
·
|
result
in higher interest expense, which could be further increased in the event of increases
in interest rates on Aqua America’s current or future borrowings subject to variable
rates of interest; and
|
|
·
|
require
that additional materially adverse terms, conditions or covenants be placed on Aqua America
under its debt instruments, which covenants might include, for example, limitations on
additional borrowings and specific restrictions on uses of its assets, as well as prohibitions
or limitations on its ability to create liens, pay dividends, receive distributions from
its subsidiaries, redeem or repurchase its stock or make investments, any of which could
hinder its access to capital markets and limit or delay its ability to carry out its
capital expenditure program or otherwise limit
its
flexibility in the conduct of its business and make it more vulnerable to economic downturns
and adverse competitive and industry conditions
.
|
It is possible
that this offering will be completed for less aggregate net proceeds than anticipated, which is a scenario in which we may incur
borrowings under the Bridge Facility and/or borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility. It is also possible that the Private
Placement will not be completed or, if completed, will generate less aggregate net proceeds than anticipated, in which case we
intend to fund any shortfall through the issuance of additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities or with
additional debt financings (which could include borrowings under the Bridge Facility) and/or borrowings under the Revolving Credit
Facility. Any such borrowings under the Bridge Facility or the Revolving Credit Facility may cause us to incur significantly higher
borrowing costs than the contemplated long-term financing, which would increase the overall cost of the Acquisition and could
harm our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. Any borrowings under the Bridge Facility will mature
364 days after they are incurred. We may not be able to refinance borrowings under the Bridge Facility on favorable terms or at
all before their maturity. In addition, the interest rate applicable to borrowings under the Bridge Facility will increase at
the end of each three-month period after the borrowing date. Accordingly, we may incur additional interest expense if we are unable
to refinance borrowings under the Bridge Facility before the interest rate increases take effect.
The increased
indebtedness in connection with the Acquisition could cause us to place more reliance on cash flow from operations to pay principal
and interest on debt and to satisfy our other obligations. Based on the current and expected results of operations and financial
condition of Aqua America and its subsidiaries and the currently anticipated financing structure for the Acquisition, Aqua America
believes that its cash flow from operations, together with the proceeds from borrowings, issuances of equity and debt securities
in the capital markets, and equity sales will generate sufficient cash on a consolidated basis to make all of the principal and
interest payments when such payments are due under Aqua America’s and its current subsidiaries’ existing credit facilities,
indentures and other instruments governing their outstanding indebtedness, under the indebtedness anticipated to be incurred to
fund the Cash Acquisition Consideration and the Company Debt Refinancing and under the indebtedness of Peoples anticipated to
be assumed as a result of the Acquisition. However, Aqua America’s expectation is based upon numerous estimates and assumptions
and is subject to numerous uncertainties. LDC and its subsidiaries will not guarantee any indebtedness of Aqua America or any
of its other subsidiaries, nor will any of them have any obligation to provide funds (nor will we have any ability to require
them to provide funds), whether in the form of dividends, loans or otherwise, to enable Aqua America to pay dividends on its common
stock or to enable Aqua America and its other subsidiaries to make required debt service payments or meet its other cash needs
(including those described above under “Summary Information—Recent Developments”). In addition, as described
below in “—Aqua America’s ability to meet its debt obligations largely depends on
the performance of its subsidiaries and the ability to utilize the cash flows from those subsidiaries,” certain of LDC and
its subsidiaries may face limitations on their ability to provide funds to Aqua America. As a result, Aqua America may substantially
increase its debt services obligations in anticipation of the Acquisition without any assurance that Aqua America will receive
any cash from LDC or any of its subsidiaries to assist Aqua America in servicing its indebtedness, paying dividends on its common
stock or meetings its other cash needs. Even if the Acquisition is consummated, Aqua America may not have access to the cash or
other assets of certain of LDC and its subsidiaries.
In order to
maintain its credit ratings, Aqua America may consider it appropriate to reduce the amount of its indebtedness outstanding
following the Acquisition. Aqua America may seek to reduce this indebtedness with the proceeds from the issuance of
additional shares of common stock and, possibly, other equity-linked securities, cash on hand and proceeds from asset sales. However, the
ability of Aqua America to raise additional equity financing after completion of the Acquisition will be subject to market
conditions and a number of other risks and uncertainties, including whether the results of operations of the combined company
meet the expectations of investors and securities analysts. Aqua America may not be able to issue additional shares of its
common stock or other equity securities after the Acquisition on terms that it considers acceptable or at all, and Aqua
America may not be able to reduce the amount of its outstanding indebtedness after the Acquisition, should it elect to do so,
to a level that permits
it to maintain its investment grade credit ratings. See “—Our credit ratings may not reflect all risks of an investment
in the notes” and “Summary Information—Recent Developments—Financing
Transactions.”
The
unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information and other adjusted information included or incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are presented for illustrative purposes only and do not purport
to represent what the financial position or results of operations of the combined company would have been had the Transactions
been completed on the dates assumed for purposes of that information, nor do they represent the actual financial position or results
of operations of the combined company following the Transactions, if consummated.
The
unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information and other adjusted information included or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are presented for illustrative purposes only, are
based on numerous adjustments, assumptions and estimates, are subject to numerous other uncertainties and do not purport to
reflect what the combined company’s financial position or results of operations would have been had the Transactions
been completed as of the dates assumed for purposes of that information, nor do they reflect the financial position or
results of operations of the combined company following the Transactions, if consummated. Such unaudited pro forma
consolidated combined financial information and certain other adjusted information reflects the assumptions of our management
at the time that such information was initially prepared, and therefore does not reflect the amount of proceeds we will
receive from, and certain pricing and other terms of, this offering and the Private Placement, and the actual amount of costs
and expenses and underwriting discounts we will pay in connection with the Transactions. In addition, although we closed the
Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering on April 23, 2019, the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial
information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus has not been updated to
reflect the actual amount of proceeds we received from those offerings, the actual number of shares and TEUs we issued in
those offerings, the actual underwriting discount we paid in those offerings or the actual size of this offering. Therefore,
actual amounts, including the actual amount of net proceeds from the respective Financing Transactions, may differ, perhaps
substantially, from the assumed amounts set forth in the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information and
the other adjusted information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus.
The
unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information and other adjusted information has also been prepared on the
assumption that the Transactions will be completed on the terms and in accordance with the assumptions set forth in such
unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information or such adjusted information, as applicable. Any changes
relative to these assumptions, including, without limitation, any changes in the assumed types or sizes of the Financing
Transactions, the assumed interest on debt we will issue or otherwise incur, the assumed amount of our Transactions costs,
the assumed amounts of net proceeds we receive from the respective Financing Transactions would result in a change relative
to such unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information or such other adjusted information, which could be
material. Because this offering is not contingent upon completion of the Acquisition, it is possible that this offering may
be completed even if the Acquisition is not consummated, in which case we may be required to redeem all of the outstanding
notes on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date as described under “Description of the Notes—Special Mandatory
Redemption”, and we may elect to redeem all of the TEU purchase contracts, in which case holders of TEUs would have the
right to require us to repurchase their outstanding TEU amortizing notes. It is also possible that this offering and the
Private Placement, if completed, will not generate the anticipated amount of net proceeds, in which case we may draw upon the
Bridge Commitment and/or incur borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and/or issue additional shares of common stock
or equity-linked securities. In any event, our and Peoples’s actual financial positions and results of operations prior
to the Acquisition and those of the combined company following the Acquisition, if consummated, may not be consistent with,
or evident from, the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information or other adjusted information included
or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
For
purposes of the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information, the Cash Acquisition Consideration has been
preliminarily allocated to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on limited information presently
available to estimate fair values. The Cash Acquisition Consideration will be allocated among the relative fair values of the
identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values as of the date of the Acquisition.
The relative fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are estimates, which are subject to change pending
further review. The actual amounts recorded at the completion of the Acquisition, if completed, may differ materially from
the information presented in the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information.
Although
the unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information and other adjusted information included or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus include sensitivity analyses that are intended to assist
you in quantifying the impact of changes in certain of the assumptions used in preparing such information, those sensitivity analyses
reflect the pro forma impact of only a limited number of those assumptions and therefore do not allow you to quantify the impact
of changes in certain other assumptions made in calculating this information. Changes in such other assumptions may have a material
impact on such information. Likewise, the sensitivity analyses we have provided do not necessarily address the impact of all possible
changes in the assumptions contemplated by such analyses. We do not intend to provide you with updated unaudited pro forma consolidated
combined financial information or other adjusted information that reflects the actual size and terms of the Financing Transactions
(other than to disclose the actual size and pricing terms of this offering and other than as provided in this prospectus supplement
with respect to the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering) prior to the time you will be required to make a decision whether
or not to invest in this offering.
As
a result of the foregoing, investors should not place undue reliance on unaudited pro forma consolidated combined financial information
and other adjusted information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
Risks
Related to the Notes
Aqua
America’s ability to meet its debt obligations largely depends on the performance of its subsidiaries and the ability to
utilize the cash flows from those subsidiaries.
Aqua
America is a holding company substantially all of whose assets are owned by its subsidiaries and substantially all of whose
operations are conducted through its subsidiaries. Aqua America’s ability to meet its debt and other obligations
depends almost entirely on cash flows from its subsidiaries and, in the short term, its ability to raise capital from
external sources. In the long term, cash flows from its subsidiaries depend on their ability to generate operating cash flows
in excess of their own expenditures, common and preferred stock dividends (if any), and debt or other obligations. Its
subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities that are not obligated to pay dividends or make loans or distributions
to Aqua America (whether to enable Aqua America to pay principal and interest on its debt (including the notes offered
hereby), to pay dividends on its common stock, to settle, repurchase or redeem its debt (including the TEU amortizing notes)
or other securities (including the TEU purchase contracts), or to satisfy its other obligations). In addition,
notwithstanding its controlling interest in such subsidiaries, many of them are limited in their ability to pay dividends or
make loans or distributions to Aqua America, including, without limitation, as a result of legislation, regulation, court
order, contractual restrictions and other restrictions or in times of financial distress. Likewise, certain of LDC and its
subsidiaries face similar restrictions that, if the Acquisition is consummated, will limit their ability to pay dividends or
make loans or distributions to Aqua America. As a result, the Company may not be able to cause such subsidiaries and other
entities to distribute funds or provide loans sufficient to enable it to meet its debt and other obligations, including
obligations under the notes, and to pay dividends.
The
notes are structurally subordinated to the liabilities of our subsidiaries, which will include the liabilities of Peoples and
its subsidiaries if the Acquisition is consummated.
The
notes will be Aqua America’s obligations exclusively and not of any of its subsidiaries. Therefore, the notes will be
structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries (including, upon
consummation of the Acquisition, indebtedness and other liabilities of LDC and its subsidiaries that we assume in connection
with the Acquisition). Any right of Aqua America to receive assets of any of its subsidiaries upon the liquidation or
reorganization thereof, and the consequent right of the holders of the notes to receive the proceeds of those assets, will be
effectively subordinated to the claims of that subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that Aqua America is itself
recognized as a creditor of such subsidiary. If Aqua America is recognized as a creditor of such subsidiary, the claims of
Aqua America would still be effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness to the extent of the collateral of that
subsidiary securing such indebtedness. As of December 31, 2018, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Transactions,
(i) Aqua America would have had approximately $1,828 million of indebtedness outstanding, of which none would have been
secured indebtedness and (ii) our subsidiaries (including LDC and its subsidiaries) would have had a total of approximately
$5,856 million of outstanding liabilities, including indebtedness, owed to non-affiliated third parties. The indenture that
will govern the notes will not restrict our subsidiaries’ ability to incur additional indebtedness or other
liabilities.
The
indenture that will govern the notes does not prohibit us or our subsidiaries from incurring additional indebtedness in the future,
and the limited covenants that will be included in the indenture that will govern the notes will not provide protection against
other important corporate events and may not protect your investment.
As of December
31, 2018, on an actual basis, we had $2,564 million of debt outstanding and, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Transactions,
would have had approximately $4,598 million of debt outstanding, including certain indebtedness of LDC and its subsidiaries
we expect to assume in the Acquisition. Despite our current debt levels and the indebtedness we expect to incur and assume in
connection with the Acquisition, we may be able to incur substantially more debt in the future. The indenture that will govern
the notes does not prohibit us from incurring additional indebtedness in the future, including additional secured indebtedness
that would be effectively senior to the notes to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness. The indenture
that will govern the notes will also permit unlimited additional borrowings by our subsidiaries that would be structurally senior
to the notes. Our incurrence of additional debt may have important consequences for you as a holder of the notes, including making
it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes, a loss in the market value of your notes and a
risk that the credit ratings of the notes is downgraded or withdrawn, which could negatively impact the price of the notes. See
“—Our credit ratings may not reflect all risks of an investment in the notes.”
In
addition, the indenture will not contain any restrictive covenants limiting our ability to make investments, pay dividends
or make payments on junior or other indebtedness, requiring us to maintain any financial ratios or specific levels of net
worth, revenues, income, cash flow or liquidity (and, accordingly, does not protect holders of the notes in the event that we
experience significant adverse changes in our financial condition or results of operations) or restricting our ability to
repurchase or prepay our securities or to enter into highly leveraged transactions. We could engage in many types of
transactions, such as certain acquisitions, refinancings or recapitalizations, that could substantially affect our capital
structure and the value of the notes.
The
notes will be subject to the prior claims of any secured creditors, and if a default occurs, we may not have sufficient funds
to fulfill our obligations under the notes.
The
notes are unsecured obligations, ranking equally with our senior unsecured indebtedness and effectively junior to any
secured indebtedness we may incur. The indenture that will govern the notes will not restrict our or our subsidiaries’
ability to incur additional secured debt and, if we do incur additional secured debt, our assets securing any such
indebtedness will be subject to prior claims by our secured creditors. In the event of the bankruptcy, insolvency,
liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up of Aqua America, Inc., our
assets
that secure debt will be available to pay obligations on the notes only after all debt secured by those assets has been repaid
in full. Holders of the notes will participate in any remaining assets ratably with all of Aqua America, Inc.’s other unsecured
and unsubordinated creditors, including trade creditors. If there are not sufficient assets remaining to pay all these creditors,
then all or a portion of the notes then outstanding would remain unpaid. As of December 31, 2018, on a pro forma basis after giving
effect to the Transactions, we would have had no secured indebtedness.
The
notes are subject to mandatory redemption if the Acquisition is not consummated on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption
Outside Date, or if, on or prior to such date and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the Acquisition Agreement is terminated,
or if prior to the consummation of the Acquisition we otherwise publicly announce that the Acquisition will not be consummated.
If we are required to redeem the notes, you may not obtain your expected return on the notes.
This
offering is not conditioned upon the completion of the Acquisition. Our ability to consummate the Acquisition is subject to various
conditions, certain of which are beyond our control. The Acquisition Agreement contains certain provisions permitting its termination
under certain circumstances.
If the Acquisition
has not been consummated on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption Outside Date, or if, on or prior to the Special Mandatory
Redemption Outside Date and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the Acquisition Agreement is terminated, or if prior
to the consummation of the Acquisition we otherwise publicly announce that the Acquisition will not be consummated, then we will
be required to redeem all outstanding notes on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date at a special mandatory redemption price equal
to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding,
the Special Mandatory Redemption Date. See “Description of the Notes—Special Mandatory Redemption” in this prospectus
supplement.
We
will not be required to deposit the proceeds from the issuance of the notes into an escrow account pending completion of the
Acquisition, nor will we be required to grant any security interest in or other lien on those proceeds to secure any
mandatory redemption of the notes. Similarly, any additional indebtedness, additional debt securities or other securities we
incur or issue may require or permit us to redeem or repay some or all of such indebtedness, debt securities or other
securities if the Acquisition does not occur by a specified date, the Acquisition Agreement is terminated or under similar
circumstances. Any such additional indebtedness or securities may not, and the terms of the TEUs do not, require us to
deposit the proceeds therefrom into an escrow account pending completion of the Acquisition or to grant any security interest
in or other lien on those proceeds to secure any required repayment or redemption of any such indebtedness, debt securities
or other securities. If we are required to redeem or repay any notes, or any other indebtedness, debt securities or other
securities, whether because the Acquisition is not completed by a specified date, the Acquisition Agreement is terminated or
under similar circumstances, our ability to pay the redemption or repayment price may be limited by our financial resources
at the time and the terms of our debt instruments and other instruments and agreements, and it is possible that we will not
have sufficient financial resources available to satisfy our obligations to redeem or repay any or all of the notes or any
such additional indebtedness, debt securities or other securities. In addition, whether or not a special mandatory redemption
of the notes or any such other indebtedness or securities is ultimately triggered, the existence of these redemption
provisions may adversely affect the trading prices of the notes until such time, if any, as the Acquisition is
consummated.
If
we are able to redeem notes pursuant to the special mandatory redemption, you may not obtain the return that you expected on your
investment in the notes that are so redeemed and you may not be able reinvest your redemption proceeds in an investment with a
return that is as high as the return you would have earned on the notes that we redeemed and/or that have a similar level of investment
risk.
Our
credit ratings may not reflect all risks of an investment in the notes.
The
notes are expected to be rated by at least two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. The ratings of the notes
may not reflect the potential impact of all risks related to structure and other factors on any trading market for, or trading
value of, the notes. In addition, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect any trading market for,
or trading value of, the notes. A credit rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be revised or
withdrawn by the rating agency at any time. A credit rating may not remain for any given period of time or a credit rating may
be lowered or withdrawn by the relevant rating agency if, in its judgment, circumstances so warrant. In the event that a credit
rating assigned to the notes or to us is subsequently lowered for any reason, no person or entity is obliged to provide any additional
support or credit enhancement with respect to the notes, and the market value of the notes is likely to be adversely affected.
An
active trading market may not develop for the notes.
Each
series of notes will be a new issue of securities for which currently there is no established trading market. We do not intend
to apply for the listing of the notes on any securities exchange or for quotation of the notes on any dealer quotation system.
A trading market may not develop for the notes. Even if a market for the notes does develop, there may not be liquidity in that
market or the notes might trade for less than their original value or face amount. The liquidity of any market for the notes will
depend on the number of holders of the notes, the interest of securities dealers in making a market in the notes and other factors.
If a liquid market for the notes does not develop, you may be unable to resell the notes for a long period of time, if at all.
This means you may not be able to readily convert your notes into cash, and the notes may not be accepted as collateral for a
loan.
Even
if a market for the notes develops, trading prices could be higher or lower than the initial offering price. The price of the
notes will depend on many factors, including prevailing interest rates, our operating results and the market for similar securities.
Declines in the market prices for debt securities generally may also materially and adversely affect the liquidity of the notes,
independent of our financial performance.
If
an active trading market does develop, many factors could adversely affect the market price of the notes.
The market
price of the notes will depend on many factors, including:
|
·
|
ratings
on our debt securities assigned by the credit rating agencies;
|
|
·
|
the
market demand for securities similar to the notes and the interest of securities dealers
in making a market for the notes;
|
|
·
|
the
number of holders of the notes;
|
|
·
|
the
prevailing interest rates being paid by other companies similar to us;
|
|
·
|
our
financial condition, financial performance and future prospects;
|
|
·
|
the
market price of our common stock;
|
|
·
|
the
prospects for companies in our industry generally; and
|
|
·
|
the
overall condition of the financial markets.
|
Historically,
the market for investment grade debt has been subject to disruptions that have caused volatility in prices of securities similar
to the notes. It is possible that the market for the notes will be subject to disruptions. Any disruptions may have a negative
effect on holders of the notes.
The
notes may not be a suitable investment for all investors.
You
must determine the suitability of your investment in light of your own circumstances. In particular, you should (1) have
sufficient knowledge and experience to make a meaningful evaluation of the notes, the merits and risks of investing in the
notes and the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus; (2) have access to, and knowledge of, appropriate analytical tools to evaluate, in the context of your particular
financial situation, an investment in the notes and the impact the notes will have on your overall investment portfolio; (3)
have sufficient financial resources and liquidity to bear all of the risks of an investment in the notes; (4) understand
thoroughly the terms of the notes and be familiar with the behavior of any relevant indices and financial markets; and (5) be
able to evaluate (either alone or with the help of a financial adviser) possible scenarios for economic, interest rate and
other factors that may affect your investment and your ability to bear the applicable risks.
We
may redeem the notes at our option, which may adversely affect your return on the notes.
The
notes are redeemable at our option, and we may, therefore, choose to redeem all or part of the notes at any time prior to the
maturity date, including at times when prevailing interest rates are relatively low. In the event that we redeem the notes prior
to maturity, you may not be able to reinvest the proceeds you receive from the redemption in a comparable security at an effective
interest rate as high as the interest rate on your notes being redeemed.
USE
OF PROCEEDS
We estimate
that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $ million
(after deducting underwriting discounts and our estimated offering expenses). We intend to use net proceeds from this offering,
together with the net proceeds from the TEU Offering, the Private Placement and the Common Stock Offering, to (1) fund the Acquisition,
(2) complete the redemption of approximately $314 million aggregate principal amount of the PPNs and (3) pay related costs and
expenses as described below. In addition, we intend to use the remaining balance of net proceeds from this offering for
general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital needs or repayment of borrowings under the Revolving
Credit Facility.
However, t
his offering is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Private
Placement, the Acquisition or the Company Debt Refinancing. In addition, the Private Placement will not be completed, and the
securities issued in the TEU Offering may be redeemed, repaid or repurchased, if the Acquisition is not consummated or is not
consummated by a specified date. Likewise, in the event that the Acquisition is not consummated on or prior to the Special Mandatory
Redemption Outside Date, or if, on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption Outside Date and prior to the consummation of
the Acquisition, the Acquisition Agreement is terminated, or if prior to the consummation of the Acquisition we otherwise publicly
announce that the Acquisition will not be consummated, then we will be required to redeem all of the outstanding notes on the
Special Mandatory Redemption Date. The proceeds of this offering will not be deposited into an escrow account pending any special
mandatory redemption of the notes. Pending application of the net proceeds of this offering for the foregoing purposes, the net
proceeds may be invested temporarily in investment-grade securities or similar instruments, or be used to temporarily reduce borrowings
under the Revolving Credit Facility.
The
following table outlines our intended use of proceeds from this offering, including other estimated sources and uses of funds
for the Acquisition, the Company Debt Refinancing and the related costs and expenses. The actual net proceeds from the Financing
Transactions and the costs and expenses related to the Transactions will likely vary from the estimates reflected in the following
table. See “Summary Information—Recent Developments—Financing Transactions.”
Sources of Funds
(1)
|
|
|
Uses of Funds
|
|
(in millions)
|
|
Notes offered hereby
|
$
|
900
|
|
|
Cash Acquisition Consideration
(2)
|
$
|
2,905
|
|
TEU Offering
|
690
|
|
|
Company Debt Refinancing
(3)
|
314
|
|
Private Placement
|
750
|
|
|
Transactions costs and expenses,
|
|
|
Common Stock Offering
|
1,294
|
|
|
including discounts and financing fees
|
265
|
|
Assumption of Peoples’s existing debt
|
1,370
|
|
|
Assumption of Peoples’s existing debt
|
1,370
|
|
|
|
|
|
General corporate purposes
(4)
|
150
|
|
Total sources of funds
|
5,004
|
|
|
Total uses of funds
|
5,004
|
|
(1)
|
All
amounts with respect to the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering reflect actual
gross proceeds before underwriting discounts and offering expenses, and include gross
proceeds from the shares of common stock and TEUs sold in such offerings upon the underwriters
exercise in full of their respective options. All other amounts are estimated proceeds
before underwriting discounts and offering expenses. If and to the extent that the Private
Placement is not completed, or if the aggregate net proceeds from this offering and the
Private Placement are less than the aggregate amount set forth in this table for such
offerings, we intend to fund any shortfall by issuing additional shares of common stock
or equity-linked securities or with additional debt financings, which may include
borrowings under the Bridge Facility and/or the Revolving Credit Facility.
|
(2)
|
Assumes
the only adjustment to the Default Cash Acquisition Consideration is a reduction of $1,370
million based upon the assumption by
the Company of $1,370 million aggregate principal amount of Peoples’s indebtedness upon closing of the Acquisition. To the
extent we assume less than $1,370 million aggregate principal amount of Peoples’s existing indebtedness, we may issue additional
shares of common stock, equity-linked securities and/or debt securities and/or incur borrowings under the Bridge Facility and/or
the Revolving Credit Facility.
|
(3)
|
In
connection with the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions, we expect to redeem approximately
$314 million in aggregate principal amount of our PPNs prior to the closing of the Acquisition.
Estimated premiums payable in connection with the Company Debt Refinancing are included
in “Transaction Costs and expenses, including discounts and financing fees”
above. The PPNs we intend to redeem in the Company Debt Refinancing have maturities ranging
from 2019-2037 and interest rates ranging from 3.57-5.83%. In connection with the
Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering, we issued notices of redemption with respect
to our PPNs as part of the Company Debt Refinancing. Redemption of our PPNs is expected
to occur on May 18, 2019. This prospectus supplement is not an offer or a solicitation
of an offer to buy or sell any of our PPNs.
|
(4)
|
Assumed
remaining balance of gross proceeds from this offering after application of net
proceeds from this offering and the other Financing Transactions to fund the Acquisition,
complete the Company Debt Refinancing and pay related costs and expenses. We intend to
use the remaining balance of net proceeds from this offering for general
corporate purposes, including working capital and capital needs or repayment of
borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility.
|
CAPITALIZATION
The
following table sets forth our consolidated cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of December 31, 2018:
|
·
|
on
an as adjusted basis to give effect to this offering; and
|
|
·
|
on
an as further adjusted basis to give effect to this offering, the Common Stock Offering
and the TEU Offering; and
|
|
·
|
on
a pro forma basis to give effect to the Transactions, including this offering, the Acquisition, the Company Debt Refinancing,
the TEU Offering, the Private Placement and the Common Stock Offering.
|
The
completion of this offering is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Private Placement, the Acquisition or the
Company Debt Refinancing. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on the pro forma information included in
this prospectus supplement because this offering is not conditioned upon the consummation of transactions reflected in such
information. In addition, even if the Transactions are completed, actual amounts may vary from such information depending on
several factors, including potential changes from our assumed financing plans as a result of market conditions or the timing
of the consummation of the Acquisition.
The
following data are qualified in their entirety by our financial statements and related notes and other information incorporated
by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This table should be read in conjunction with “Summary
Information—Recent Developments—Proposed Peoples Gas Acquisition,” “Risk Factors,” “Use of
Proceeds,” and our pro forma and consolidated financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the other information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
(in
thousands of dollars,
except for per share amounts)
|
|
Actual
|
|
|
As Adjusted for
this Offering
|
|
|
As Further
Adjusted for
the Common
Stock Offering
and the TEU
Offering
|
|
|
Pro Forma
for the
Transactions
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
(1)
|
|
$
|
3,627
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Debt:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt of subsidiaries
(2)
|
|
$
|
1,604,233
|
|
|
$
|
1,604,233
|
|
|
$
|
1,604,233
|
|
|
$
|
1,604,233
|
|
Revolving Credit Facility
(3)
|
|
|
370,000
|
|
|
|
370,000
|
|
|
|
370,000
|
|
|
|
370,000
|
|
Privately placed notes
(4)
|
|
|
589,427
|
|
|
|
589,427
|
|
|
|
589,427
|
|
|
|
275,927
|
|
Notes offered hereby
(5)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
900,000
|
|
|
|
900,000
|
|
|
|
900,000
|
|
Assumed Peoples’s indebtedness
(6)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
1,329,227
|
|
TEU amortizing notes that are components of the
TEUs
(7)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
119,081
|
|
|
|
119,081
|
|
Total debt
|
|
|
2,563,660
|
|
|
|
3,463,660
|
|
|
|
3,582,741
|
|
|
|
4,598,468
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock, $1.00 par value (1,770,819 shares authorized, none issued)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Common stock, $0.50 par value (300,000,000 shares authorized; 181,151,827 issued, actual and as adjusted; 218,521,844 issued, as further adjusted and 240,182,939 issued, pro forma)
(8)
|
|
|
90,576
|
|
|
|
90,576
|
|
|
|
109,261
|
|
|
|
120,091
|
|
Capital in excess of par value
(8)(9)
|
|
|
820,378
|
|
|
|
820,378
|
|
|
|
2,622,419
|
|
|
|
3,340,028
|
|
Retained earnings
(10)
|
|
|
1,174,245
|
|
|
|
1,174,245
|
|
|
|
1,174,245
|
|
|
|
1,130,168
|
|
Treasury stock, at cost
|
|
|
(75,835
|
)
|
|
|
(75,835
|
)
|
|
|
(75,835
|
)
|
|
|
(75,835
|
)
|
Total stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
2,009,364
|
|
|
|
2,009,364
|
|
|
|
3,830,090
|
|
|
|
4,514,452
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$
|
4,573,024
|
|
|
$
|
5,473,024
|
|
|
$
|
7,412,831
|
|
|
$
|
9,112,920
|
|
|
(1)
|
As
adjusted amount reflects the impact of the net proceeds of $ million
from this offering, which amount includes the portion of the net proceeds we intend to use
for general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital needs or repayment
of borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility. As further adjusted amount additionally
reflects the impact of the net proceeds of $1,263.3 million from the Common Stock
Offering and the net proceeds of $673.7 million from the TEU Offering, which amounts
include net proceeds from the shares of common stock and TEUs sold in such offerings
upon the underwriters exercise in full of their respective options. The pro forma amount
additionally reflects Peoples’s cash balance of $13.7 million as of December 31,
2018 and the estimated net proceeds from the Private Placement of $728.4 million, less
the estimated cash purchase price of Peoples of $2,945.8 million (see Note 6), the estimated
amount of the Company Debt Refinancing of approximately $314 million (see Note 4) and
additional estimated acquisition- related payments for expenses of $110.3 million. Cash
and cash equivalents may increase or decrease depending on, among other things, actual
costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions.
|
|
(2)
|
Such
amounts do not include subsidiary debt that is reflected in “Privately placed notes”
or in “Assumed Peoples’s indebtedness”.
|
|
(3)
|
In
December 2018, we entered into a five-year $550 million unsecured Revolving Credit Facility,
which replaced our prior unsecured revolving credit facility. Subject to customary conditions,
we may request that the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility provide an incremental
unsecured revolving credit facility of up to $450 million upon the closing of the Acquisition.
As described below in Note 6, at the closing of the Acquisition, we expect to borrow
$270 million under the Revolving Credit Facility in order to repay $270 million under
the Peoples’s revolving credit facility that is expected to be assumed at the closing
of the Acquisition and terminated).
|
|
(4)
|
In
connection with the Acquisition and the Financing Transactions, we expect to redeem approximately
$314 million in aggregate principal amount of our PPNs, of which $150.9 million in aggregate
principal amount is indebtedness of our subsidiaries, prior to the closing of the Acquisition.
In connection with the Common Stock Offering and the TEU Offering, we issued notices
of redemption with respect to our PPNs as part of the Company Debt Refinancing. Redemption
of our PPNs is expected to occur on May 18, 2019. This prospectus supplement is not
an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any of our PPNs.
|
|
(5)
|
The
pro forma amount of $900 million represents the assumed aggregate principal amount of
this offering (including the portion we intend to use for general corporate purposes,
including working capital and capital needs or repayment of borrowings under the
Revolving Credit Facility). If we do not consummate the Private Placement, or
if this offering is completed for less aggregate net proceeds than anticipated,
|
|
|
we may issue additional shares of common stock or
equity-linked securities or fund any shortfall with additional debt
financings, which may include borrowings under the Bridge Facility and/or the Revolving
Credit Facility. The terms of the notes will include a special mandatory redemption provision
requiring us to redeem the notes if the Acquisition is not consummated by a specified
date.
|
|
(6)
|
The
pro forma amount reflects approximately $1,329 million aggregate principal amount of
Peoples’s existing indebtedness expected to
be assumed in connection with the Acquisition as of December 31, 2018. We expect the amount of such assumed debt will be $1,370
million as of the closing of the Acquisition. Of the $1,370 million of expected assumed Peoples’s indebtedness at closing,
$270 million is expected to be borrowings under the Peoples’s revolving credit facility which is expected to be repaid at
the closing of the Acquisition with borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility and terminated.
|
|
(7)
|
Each
TEU includes a TEU amortizing note, as described in “Summary Information—Recent
Developments—Financing Transactions—TEU Offering.” Approximately 17.3%
of the stated amount of the TEUs, $119.1 million, is represented by the TEU amortizing
notes.
|
|
|
Under certain conditions, if the Acquisition does not occur, we may elect to redeem all,
but not less than all, of the outstanding TEU purchase contracts in accordance with the terms thereof, in which case holders
of TEUs would have the right to require us to repurchase their outstanding TEU amortizing notes at the relevant repurchase
price. See “Summary Information—Recent Developments—Financing Transactions—TEU Offering.” We
would not have the option to redeem the TEU amortizing notes.
|
|
(8)
|
As
further adjusted and pro forma share numbers and amounts ($18.7 million with respect
to “Common stock” and $1,244.6 million with respect to “Capital
in excess of par value”) with respect to the Common Stock Offering reflect related
underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses, and include shares and amounts
in respect of the underwriters exercise in full of their option to purchase additional
shares.
|
|
|
The pro forma share number and amount also reflects the expected issuance of 21,661,095
shares in the Private Placement at an offering price of $34.62 per share (an incremental $10.8 million with respect to
“Common stock” and an incremental $717.6 million with respect to “Capital in excess of par value”)
and reflects placement agent fees and other issuance costs. In addition to other closing conditions, the completion of the
Private Placement is conditioned upon the consummation of the Acquisition.
|
|
|
If
and to the extent that the Private Placement is not completed, or if the aggregate net
proceeds from this offering is less than anticipated, we currently intend to issue
additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities or fund any shortfall
with additional debt financings, which may include borrowings under the Bridge Facility
and/or the Revolving Credit Facility.
|
|
|
Share numbers and amounts do not reflect shares of our common stock issuable upon
settlement of the TEU purchase contracts, shares of our common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of stock options
outstanding, shares of our common stock reserved for issuance upon vesting of our time based restricted stock units
(including reinvested dividends), shares of our common stock reserved for issuance upon the vesting of our performance based
restricted stock units or performance share units or additional shares we may issue under our dividend reinvestment program,
employee stock purchase plan or 401(k) savings plans.
|
|
(9)
|
Each
TEU includes a TEU purchase contract. We will account for the TEU purchase contracts
as equity and will record the initial fair value of the TEU purchase contracts, net of
the assumed related underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses allocated
to the TEU purchase contracts, as capital in excess of par value, $557.5 million,
which amount includes net proceeds from the TEUs sold upon the underwriters exercise
in full of their option to purchase additional TEUs. The exact amount we record as
capital in excess of par value will not be determined until our determination of the
final offering expenses related thereto. See note (7) above.
|
|
|
Under certain conditions, if the Acquisition does not occur, we may elect to redeem all,
but not less than all, of the outstanding TEU purchase contracts in accordance with the terms thereof. We will pay a
redemption amount to be determined based on our common stock price at the time in cash and/or shares of our common stock in
accordance with the terms of the TEU purchase contract. If we elect to redeem the TEU purchase contracts, holders of TEUs
would have the right to require us to repurchase their outstanding TEU amortizing notes at the relevant repurchase price. See
“Summary Information—Recent Developments—Financing Transactions—TEU Offering.”
|
|
(10)
|
The
pro forma amount, a reduction of $44.1 million, reflects the payment of additional Acquisition-related
expenses and the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs.
|
DESCRIPTION
OF THE NOTES
The 2029 notes
and the 2049 notes will each be a series of our senior debt securities issued under an indenture, dated as of April 23,
2019 (as amended and supplemented to date, the “base indenture”) between Aqua America, as issuer, and
U.S. Bank N.A., as trustee (the “trustee”), and a related supplemental indenture, between Aqua America, as issuer,
and the trustee, to be dated the date of first issuance of the notes (collectively refered to herein as the “indenture”).
In this section and under the caption “Description of Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus, references
to “Aqua America,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Aqua America,
Inc. excluding its subsidiaries and affiliates, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.
The
summary of selected provisions of the notes and the indenture appearing below supplements, and to the extent inconsistent, supersedes
and replaces, the description of the general terms and provisions of the senior debt securities and the indenture contained in
the accompanying prospectus. This summary is not complete and is qualified by reference to provisions of the notes and the indenture.
Forms of the notes and the indenture have been or will be filed with the SEC as an exhibit to a current report on Form 8-K in
connection with this offering, and you may obtain copies as described under “Where You Can Find Additional Information;
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in this prospectus supplement.
Interest
Rate and Maturity
The
2029 notes will bear interest at the rate
of % per year and the 2049 notes
will bear interest at the rate
of % per year, in each case computed
on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Interest on the notes of each series will accrue
from , 2019 and will be
payable semi-annually in arrears on
and of each year, beginning
on , 2019, to the holders of record
at the close of business on the immediately
preceding and ,
respectively.
The 2029
notes will mature on , 2029 and the 2049 notes will mature on , 2049.
If any interest
payment date, redemption date (including, without limitation, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date, if any) or the maturity date
of the notes of a series is not a business day at any place of payment, then payment of the principal, premium, if any,
and interest may be made on the next business day at that place of payment. In that case, no interest will accrue on the amount
payable on the notes of such series for the period from and after the applicable interest payment date, redemption date or maturity
date, as the case may be, to the date of such payment on the next business day.
Ranking
The
notes will be our general unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other
existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness and guarantees and will be structurally subordinated to the indebtedness
and other liabilities of our subsidiaries, including, upon consummation of the Acquisition, indebtedness and other
liabilities of LDC and its subsidiaries that we assume in connection with the Acquisition. The notes will rank senior to all
of our existing and future indebtedness, if any, that is subordinated to the notes. The notes will be effectively
subordinated to any of our secured indebtedness (to the extent of the collateral securing that indebtedness).
The
notes are our obligations exclusively, and are not the obligations of any of our subsidiaries. We conduct our operations
primarily through our subsidiaries and substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by our subsidiaries and,
therefore, we depend on the cash flow of our subsidiaries to meet our obligations, including our obligations under the notes.
Many of our subsidiaries are limited in their ability to pay dividends or make loans or distributions to us, including,
without limitation, as a result of legislation, regulation, court order, contractual restrictions and other restrictions or
in times of financial distress. Likewise, certain of LDC and its subsidiaries face
similar
restrictions that, if the Acquisition is consummated, will limit their ability to pay dividends or make loans or distributions
to us. As a result, we may not be able to cause such subsidiaries and other entities to distribute funds or provide loans sufficient
to enable us to meet our debt and other obligations, including obligations under the notes. See “Risk Factors—Risks
Related to the Notes—Aqua America’s ability to meet its debt obligations largely depends on the performance of its
subsidiaries and the ability to utilize the cash flows from those subsidiaries.”
At December
31, 2018, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Transactions, (i) our subsidiaries (including LDC and its subsidiaries)
would have had a total of approximately $5,856 million of outstanding liabilities, including indebtedness, owed to non-affiliated
third parties and (ii) we would have had approximately $1,828 million of indebtedness outstanding, of which none would
have been secured indebtedness.
Optional
Redemption
Prior to the
Applicable Par Call Date, the notes of a series will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time,
at our option pursuant to the procedures set forth under “—Optional Redemption Procedures,” at a redemption
price, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, equal to
the greater
of:
|
·
|
100%
of the aggregate principal amount of such notes being redeemed on that redemption
date; and
|
|
·
|
the
sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest
on such notes being redeemed that would be due if the series of such
notes to be redeemed matured on the Applicable Par Call Date (not including any portion
of such payments of interest accrued to the redemption date) discounted to the redemption
date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months)
at the applicable Treasury Rate plus the Applicable Spread for the series of such
notes to be redeemed.
|
On and after
the Applicable Par Call Date, the notes of a series will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time and from time
to time, at our option at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes being redeemed,
plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.
If we redeem
notes of a series at our option, then (a) notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on the notes of such
series that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a redemption date for the notes of such series
will be payable on that interest payment date to the registered holders thereof as of the close of business on the relevant record
date according to the terms of the notes of such series and the indenture and (b) the redemption price will, if applicable, be
calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
“Applicable
Par Call Date”
means (i) with respect to the 2029 notes, (three months prior to the maturity date of such notes)
and (ii) with respect to the 2049 notes, (six months prior to the maturity date of such notes).
“Applicable
Spread”
means (i) with respect to the 2029 notes, basis points and (ii) with respect to the 2049 notes, basis
points.
“Comparable
Treasury Issue”
means, with respect to each series of notes offered hereby, the United States Treasury security
selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of such series of notes to
be redeemed (assuming that such series of notes matured on the Applicable Par Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time
of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of
comparable maturity to such remaining term.
“Comparable
Treasury Price”
means, with respect to any redemption date for a series of notes to be redeemed, (A) if the Independent
Investment Banker obtains four or more applicable Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Reference Treasury
Dealer Quotations after excluding the highest and lowest of such applicable Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations or (B) if the
Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four applicable Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.
“Independent
Investment Banker”
means, with respect to each series of notes offered hereby, one of the Reference Treasury Dealers
appointed by us to act as the “Independent Investment Banker.”
“Reference
Treasury Dealers”
mean, with respect to each series of notes offered hereby, (A) RBC Capital Markets, LLC and
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (or their respective affiliates which are Primary Treasury Dealers (as defined below)), and their
respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities
dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), we will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury
Dealer; and (B) any other Primary Treasury Dealer(s) selected by us.
“Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotation”
means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date for a
series of notes to be redeemed, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices
for the Comparable Treasury Issue for such series of notes to be redeemed on such redemption date (expressed in each case as
a percentage of its aggregate principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker by such Reference
Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the third business day preceding such redemption date. As used in the
preceding sentence, “business day” means any day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banking institutions
in The City of New York are not authorized or obligated by law or executive order to remain closed.
“Treasury
Rate”
means, with respect to any redemption date applicable to a series of notes, the rate per annum equal to the
semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue for such series of the notes to be redeemed on such
redemption date, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its aggregate principal
amount) equal to the applicable Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.
Optional
Redemption Procedures
The
following procedures will apply if we redeem the notes of a series, in whole or in part, at our option.
Notice
of redemption will be transmitted by us (or, at our request, by the trustee on our behalf) at least 10 days but not more than
60 days before the redemption date to each registered holder of the notes of the particular series to be redeemed in whole or
in part. Such notice of redemption shall specify the aggregate principal amount of notes to be redeemed, the CUSIP and ISIN
numbers of the notes to be redeemed, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price (or if not then ascertainable, the
manner of calculation thereof), any conditions applicable to a redemption, the place or places of payment and that payment
will be made upon presentation and surrender of such notes. Once notice of redemption is sent to holders, notes called for
redemption will, subject to satisfaction of any condition set forth in such notice, become due and payable on the redemption
date at the redemption price for such series, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the
redemption date. On or before 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the redemption date, we will deposit with the trustee
or with one or more paying agents (or, if the Company is acting as its own paying agent pursuant to the base indenture,
will segregate and hold in trust) an amount of U.S. dollars sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all of such notes
so called for redemption and that become so due and payable at the appropriate redemption price for such notes, together
with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. Unless we default in payment of
the redemption price for such notes or in the payment of accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding,
the redemption date, commencing on the redemption date interest on notes of
a series called for redemption and that become so
due and payable will cease to accrue
and holders of such notes will have no rights with respect to such notes except the right to receive the redemption price for
such notes and any unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the redemption date.
If
fewer than all of the notes of a particular series are being redeemed, selection of the notes to be redeemed will be made pro
rata or by lot by the trustee, or by such other method as the trustee shall deem fair and appropriate; provided that if all of
the notes of such series are represented by one or more global securities, interests in the notes of such series to be redeemed
will be selected for redemption by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) in accordance with its standard procedures
therefor. Upon surrender of any note redeemed in part, the holder will receive a new note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed
portion of the surrendered note. No notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.
In
addition, we may at any time purchase notes by tender, in the open market or by private agreement, subject to applicable law.
Any redemption
may, in our discretion, be subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent. If a redemption is subject to the
satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, we may delay the redemption date until such time as any or all such conditions
shall be satisfied, and any related redemption notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not
have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date so delayed.
Special
Mandatory Redemption
If (i) the
Acquisition (as defined below) has not been consummated on or prior to April 22, 2020 (the “Special Mandatory Redemption
Outside Date”), (ii) on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption Outside Date and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition,
the Acquisition Agreement (as defined below) is terminated or (iii) prior to the consummation of the Acquisition we otherwise
publicly announce that the Acquisition will not be consummated (each, a “Special Mandatory Redemption Event”), then
we will be required to redeem each series of outstanding notes on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date (as defined below)
at a special mandatory redemption price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes of such
series (the “special mandatory redemption price”), plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but
excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date (the “Special Mandatory Redemption”).
This offering
is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Acquisition.
The
“Special Mandatory Redemption Date” means the 20th day (or if such day is not a business day, the first business day
thereafter) after the occurrence of a Special Mandatory Redemption Event.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, installments of interest on the notes of a series that are due and payable on any interest payment dates
falling on or prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption Date will be payable on such interest payment dates to the registered
holders thereof as of the close of business on the relevant record dates in accordance with the terms of the notes of such series
and the indenture.
We will cause
the notice of special mandatory redemption to be transmitted, with a copy to the trustee, within five business days after the
occurrence of a Special Mandatory Redemption Event, to each registered holder of notes at its registered address. Such notice
shall state, in addition to the other matters required by the indenture, that a Special Mandatory Redemption Event has occurred
(and shall describe generally the nature of such event) and that all of the outstanding notes will be redeemed on the Special
Mandatory Redemption Date set forth in such notice. Once notice of Special Mandatory Redemption is sent to holders, the
notes of each series will become due and payable on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date at the special mandatory redemption
price for such series, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption
Date, and will be paid upon surrender thereof for redemption. Unless we default in payment of
the special mandatory redemption
price for a particular series of notes or in the payment of accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding,
the Special Mandatory Redemption Date, commencing on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date interest will cease to accrue on
the notes of such series and holders of such notes will have no rights with respect to such notes except the right to receive
the special mandatory redemption price for such notes and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory
Redemption Date.
The proceeds
from this offering will not be deposited into an escrow account pending completion of the Acquisition or any Special Mandatory
Redemption Event, nor will we be required to grant any security interest or other lien on those proceeds to secure any redemption
of the notes. Any failure to pay the special mandatory redemption price of the notes of a series on the Special Mandatory
Redemption Date would constitute an event of default under the indenture with respect to the notes of such series.
Solely
for purposes of the foregoing Special Mandatory Redemption provisions, the following terms have the meaning set forth below:
“Acquisition”
means our acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company membership interests of LDC, the parent
of a group of natural gas companies, in accordance with the Acquisition Agreement.
“Acquisition
Agreement”
means the Purchase Agreement dated October 22, 2018, by and between LDC Parent LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company and an indirect owner of 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests of LDC, as the same may be amended
or supplemented from time to time.
“LDC”
means LDC Funding LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
Upon
the occurrence of the closing of the Acquisition, the foregoing provisions regarding the Special Mandatory Redemption will cease
to apply.
Additional
Notes
We
may from time to time, without the consent of the holders of the notes, create and issue additional notes ranking equally
with a particular series of notes offered hereby in all respects so that such additional notes shall form a single series
with such notes and shall have the same terms as such notes, except for the public offering price, the issue date and, if
applicable, the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such additional notes and the first payment of
interest following the issue date of such additional notes; provided that if the additional notes are not fungible with the
outstanding notes of the applicable series for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the additional notes will have one or more
separate CUSIP numbers. No additional notes of a series may be issued if an event of default has occurred and is continuing
with respect to such series of notes. In addition to the notes, we may issue other series of debt securities under the
indenture. There is no limit on the total aggregate principal amount of debt securities that we can issue under the
indenture.
Discharge and Defeasance of Indenture
The defeasance provisions described in
the accompanying prospectus under “Description of Debt Securities—Defeasance” will be applicable to the notes;
provided that the coin or currency unit to be deposited with the trustee under such provisions shall be U.S. dollars.
Consolidation,
Merger and Conveyance of Assets as an Entirety
The
indenture will provide that the Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or sell, transfer,
lease or otherwise convey its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any entity, unless:
|
(a)
|
(i)
it is the continuing entity (in the case of a merger), or (ii) the successor entity formed
by such consolidation or into which it is merged or which acquires by sale, transfer,
lease or other conveyance of its properties and assets, as an entirety or substantially
as an entirety, is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United
States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes,
by supplemental indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium and
interest on the notes and the performance of all of the covenants under
the indenture; and
|
|
(b)
|
immediately
after giving effect to the transaction, no event of default, and no event which after
notice or lapse of time or both would become an event of default under the indenture,
has or will have occurred and be continuing.
|
Although there is a limited
body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially as an entirety,” 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 a disposition of our properties and assets “substantially as an
entirety.” As a result, it may be unclear as to whether the foregoing restrictions on mergers, consolidations, sales,
conveyances, transfers, leases and other dispositions would apply to a particular transaction as described above absent a
decision by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Events
of Default
Each
of the following will be an “event of default” under the indenture with respect to the notes of each series:
|
(a)
|
our
failure to pay for 30 days required interest on any notes of such series;
|
|
(b)
|
our
failure to pay principal or premium, if any, on any notes of such series when due (including,
without limitation, on any Special Mandatory Redemption Date);
|
|
(c)
|
our
failure to perform for 90 days after notice any other covenant in the indenture (other
than a covenant included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt
securities other than such series of notes); and
|
|
(d)
|
certain
events of bankruptcy or insolvency of Aqua America, whether voluntary or not.
|
Modifications and Amendments
We and the trustee may amend or supplement
the indenture or the notes without consent of the holders to:
|
·
|
cure
any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency in the indenture;
|
|
·
|
provide
for the assumption by a successor corporation as set forth in “-Consolidation,
Merger and Conveyance of Assets as an Entirety”;
|
|
·
|
comply
with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the indenture
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939;
|
|
·
|
evidence
and provide for the acceptance of appointment with respect to the notes by a successor
trustee in accordance with the indenture, and add or change any of the provisions of
the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of
the trusts under the indenture by more than one trustee;
|
|
·
|
add
guarantees with respect to the notes;
|
|
·
|
add
covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders or surrender any right
or power conferred upon us;
|
|
·
|
make
any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder in any material respect;
and
|
|
·
|
conform
the provisions of the indenture or the notes to any provision of the “Description
of the Notes” section in the preliminary prospectus supplement for this notes offering,
as supplemented by the related pricing term sheet.
|
We and the trustee may, with the consent
of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the notes of a series, modify the indenture
or the rights of the holders of notes of such series; provided that, in certain circumstances described under the heading “Modification
of the Indentures” in the accompanying prospectus, we may not modify the indenture or the rights of holders without the
consent of each holder affected thereby.
Governing
Law
The
indenture and the notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Waiver of Jury Trial
The indenture will provide that we and
the trustee will waive our respective rights to trial by jury in any action or proceeding arising out of or related to the notes,
the indenture or the transactions contemplated thereby, to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Other
The notes
of each series will not be subject to a sinking fund or entitled to any guarantees and you will not be permitted to require us
to redeem or repurchase the notes of either series at your option.
We
will pay principal of and premium, if any, on the notes at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise upon presentation of
the notes at the office of the trustee, as our paying agent. In our discretion, we may appoint one or more additional paying agents
and security registrars and designate one or more additional places for payment and for registration of transfer, but we must
at all times maintain a place of payment of the notes and a place for registration of transfer of the notes in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York.
The notes
of each series initially will be issued in book-entry form and represented by one or more global notes deposited with, or on behalf
of, DTC, as Depositary, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., its nominee. This means that you will not be entitled to
receive a certificate for the notes that you purchase except in limited circumstances described in the accompanying prospectus
under the caption “Description of Debt Securities—Book-Entry Procedures and Settlement.” The notes will be issued
only in fully registered form without coupons, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess
thereof. We expect that payments due on notes in book-entry form will be paid by wire transfer of funds to the Depositary or its
nominee. Accountholders in the Euroclear or Clearstream Banking clearance systems may hold beneficial interests in the notes through
the accounts that each of these systems maintains as participants in DTC.
For
additional information regarding notes in global form and the book-entry system, see “Description of Debt Securities—Book-Entry
Procedures and Settlement” in the accompanying prospectus.
CERTAIN
UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The
following is a summary of certain United States federal income and, in the case of non-U.S. holders (as defined below), estate
tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes. This summary deals only with notes held as capital assets
(within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code) by persons who purchase the notes for cash upon original issuance at their “issue
price” (the first price at which a substantial amount of the notes of the applicable series is sold for money to investors,
excluding sales to bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriter, placement agent
or wholesaler).
As
used herein, a “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of the notes that is, for United States federal income tax purposes,
any of the following:
|
·
|
an
individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
|
|
·
|
a
corporation that is created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state
thereof or the District of Columbia;
|
|
·
|
an
estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless
of its source; or
|
|
·
|
a
trust if it (i) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States
and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions
of the trust or (ii) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury
regulations to be treated as a United States person.
|
Except
as modified for estate tax purposes (as discussed below), the term “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of the
notes (other than an entity treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. holder.
If
any entity classified as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner
will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partnership or a partner
in a partnership considering an investment in the notes, you should consult your own tax advisors.
This
summary does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income tax consequences applicable to you if you
are a person subject to special tax treatment under the United States federal income tax laws, including, without limitation:
|
·
|
a
dealer in securities or currencies;
|
|
·
|
a
financial institution;
|
|
·
|
a
regulated investment company;
|
|
·
|
a
real estate investment trust;
|
|
·
|
a
person holding the notes as part of a hedging, integrated, conversion or constructive
sale transaction or a straddle;
|
|
·
|
a
trader in securities that has elected the mark-to-market method of accounting for your
securities;
|
|
·
|
a
person liable for alternative minimum tax;
|
|
·
|
a
partnership or other pass-through entity (or an investor in such an entity);
|
|
·
|
a
U.S. holder that holds notes through a non-U.S. broker or other non-U.S. intermediary;
|
|
·
|
a
U.S. holder whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar;
|
|
·
|
a
“controlled foreign corporation”;
|
|
·
|
a
“passive foreign investment company”;
|
|
·
|
a
person required to accelerate the recognition of any item of gross income with respect
to the notes as a result of such income being recognized on an applicable financial statement;
or
|
|
·
|
a
United States expatriate.
|
This
summary is based on the Code, United States Treasury regulations, administrative rulings and judicial decisions as of the date
hereof. Those authorities may be changed, possibly on a retroactive basis, so as to result in United States federal income and
estate tax consequences different from those summarized below. We have not and will not seek any rulings from the Internal Revenue
Service (“IRS”) regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not take positions
concerning the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of the notes that are different from those discussed
below.
This
summary does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income and estate tax consequences to you in
light of your particular circumstances and does not address the effects of any United States federal tax consequences other
than income taxes, and in the case of non-U.S. holders, estate taxes (such as gift taxes and the Medicare tax on certain
investment income) and does not address state, local or non-U.S. tax laws. It is not intended to be, and should not be
construed to be, legal or tax advice to any particular purchaser of notes. We expect, and this summary assumes, that the
notes will be issued with less than a
de minimis
amount of original issue discount.
If
you are considering the purchase of notes, you should consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular United States federal
income and estate tax consequences to you of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes, as well as the consequences
to you arising under other United States federal tax laws and the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
Treatment
of the Notes
In
certain circumstances (see, e.g., “Description of the Notes—Special Mandatory Redemption”), we may be
obligated to pay amounts in excess of stated interest or principal on the notes. The obligation to make these payments may
implicate the provisions of the United States Treasury regulations relating to “contingent payment debt
instruments.” We believe and intend to take the position that the foregoing contingencies should not cause the notes to
be subject to the contingent payment debt instrument rules. Our position is binding on you unless you disclose that you are
taking a contrary position in the manner required by applicable United States Treasury regulations. However, the position is
not binding on the IRS. If the IRS were to successfully challenge this position, you might be required to accrue interest
income at a higher rate than the stated interest rate on the notes, and to treat as ordinary income (rather than capital
gain) any gain realized on the taxable disposition of a note. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the notes will
not be treated as contingent payment debt
instruments.
Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application to the notes of the contingent payment
debt instrument rules and the consequences thereof.
Certain
Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders
The
following is a summary of certain United States federal income tax consequences that will apply to U.S. holders of the
notes.
Stated
Interest.
Stated interest on the notes generally will be taxable to you as ordinary income at the time it is received or accrued,
depending on your method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes.
Sale,
Exchange, Retirement, Redemption or Other Taxable Disposition of Notes.
Upon the sale, exchange, retirement, redemption
or other taxable disposition of a note, you generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between
the amount realized upon the sale, exchange, retirement, redemption or other taxable disposition (less any amount
attributable to accrued and unpaid stated interest, which will be treated in the manner described above) and the adjusted tax
basis of the note. Your adjusted tax basis in a note will, in general, be your cost for that note. Any gain or loss will
generally be capital gain or loss and will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if you have held the note for more
than one year. Long-term capital gains of non-corporate
U.S. holders (including individuals)
are eligible for reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Certain
Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders
The
following is a summary of certain United States federal income and estate tax consequences that will apply to non-U.S. holders
of the notes.
United
States Federal Withholding Tax
. Subject to the discussions of backup withholding and FATCA below, United States federal withholding
tax will not apply to any payment of interest on the notes under the “portfolio interest rule,” provided that:
|
·
|
interest
paid on the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business
in the United States;
|
|
·
|
you
do not actually (or constructively) own 10% or more of the total combined voting power
of all classes of our voting stock within the meaning of the Code and applicable United
States Treasury regulations;
|
|
·
|
you
are not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to us through stock ownership;
|
|
·
|
you
are not a bank whose receipt of interest on the notes is described in Section 881(c)(3)(A)
of the Code; and
|
|
·
|
either
(1) you provide your name and address on an applicable IRS Form W-8, and certify, under
penalties of perjury, that you are not a United States person as defined under the Code
or (2) you hold your notes through certain foreign intermediaries and satisfy the certification
requirements of applicable
United States Treasury regulations. Special certification rules apply to non-U.S. holders that are pass-through entities rather
than corporations or individuals.
|
If
you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to a 30% United States
federal withholding tax, unless you provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed:
|
·
|
IRS
Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form) certifying an exemption from
or reduction in withholding under the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty; or
|
|
·
|
IRS
Form W-8ECI (or other applicable form) certifying that interest paid on the notes is
not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with your conduct
of a trade or business in the United States (as discussed below under “—United
States Federal Income Tax”).
|
The
30% United States federal withholding tax generally will not apply to any payment of principal or gain that you realize on the
sale, exchange, retirement, redemption or other taxable disposition of a note.
United
States Federal Income Tax.
If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States and interest on the notes is effectively
connected with the conduct of that trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to
a United States permanent establishment), then you will be subject to United States federal income tax on that interest on a net
income basis in generally the same manner as if you were a United States person as defined under the Code. In addition, if you
are a foreign corporation, you may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or a lower applicable income tax treaty rate)
of your effectively connected earnings and profits, subject to adjustments. If interest received with respect to the notes is
effectively connected income (whether or not a treaty applies), the 30% withholding tax described above will not apply, provided
the certification requirements discussed above in “—United States Federal Withholding Tax” are satisfied.
Subject
to the discussion of backup withholding below, any gain realized on the sale or other taxable disposition of a note generally
will not be subject to United States federal income tax unless:
|
·
|
the
gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United
States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United
States permanent establishment), in which case such gain will be subject to United States
federal income tax (and possibly branch profits tax) in generally the same manner as
effectively connected interest is taxed; or
|
|
·
|
you
are an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable
year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met, in which case, unless
an applicable income tax treaty
provides otherwise, you will be subject to a flat 30% United States federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale or other
taxable disposition, which may be offset by certain United States-source capital losses.
|
United
States Federal Estate Tax
. If you are an individual who is neither a citizen nor a resident (as specifically defined for
United States federal estate tax purposes) of the United States at the time of your death, your estate will not be subject to
United States federal estate tax on notes beneficially owned (or deemed to be beneficially owned) by you at the time of your
death, provided that any payment to you of interest on the notes would be eligible for exemption from the 30% United States
federal withholding tax under the “portfolio interest rule” described above under “—United States
Federal Withholding Tax” without regard to the statement requirement described in the fifth bullet point of that
section.
Information
Reporting and Backup Withholding
U.S.
Holders.
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to payments of stated interest on the notes and the
proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition (including a retirement or redemption) of a note paid to you (unless you
are an exempt recipient such as a corporation). Backup withholding may apply to any payments described in the preceding
sentence if you fail to provide a correct taxpayer identification number or a certification that you are not subject to
backup withholding.
Backup
withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or
a credit against your United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the
IRS.
Non-U.S.
Holders.
Generally, the amount of interest paid to you and the amount of tax, if any, withheld with respect to those payments
will be reported to the IRS. Copies of the information returns reporting such interest payments and any withholding may also be
made available to the tax authorities in the country in which you reside under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.
In
general, you will not be subject to backup withholding with respect to payments of interest on the notes that we make to you provided
that the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person as
defined under the Code, and such withholding agent has received from you the required certification that you are a non-U.S. holder
described above in the fifth bullet point under “—Certain Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—United States
Federal Withholding Tax.”
Information
reporting and, depending on the circumstances, backup withholding will apply to the proceeds of a sale or other taxable disposition
(including a retirement or redemption) of notes within the United States or conducted through certain United States-related financial
intermediaries, unless you certify to the payor under penalties of perjury that you are a non-U.S. holder (and the payor does
not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person as defined under the Code), or you otherwise establish
an exemption.
Backup
withholding is not an additional tax and any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or
a credit against your United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the
IRS.
Foreign
Account Tax Compliance Act
Under Sections 1471
through 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as “FATCA”), a 30% United States federal withholding
tax may apply to any interest paid on the notes to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (as specifically defined
in the Code and whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary) which does not provide
sufficient documentation, typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E, evidencing either (x) an exemption from FATCA, or (y) its compliance
(or deemed compliance) with FATCA (which may alternatively be in the form of compliance with an intergovernmental agreement with
the United States) in a manner which avoids withholding, or (ii) a “non-financial foreign entity” (as specifically
defined in the Code and whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary) which does not provide
sufficient documentation, typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E, evidencing either (x) an exemption from FATCA, or (y) adequate information
regarding certain substantial United States beneficial owners of such entity (if any). If an interest payment is both subject
to withholding under FATCA and subject to the withholding tax discussed above under “—Certain Tax Consequences to
Non-U.S. Holders—United States Federal Withholding Tax,” an applicable withholding agent may credit the withholding
under FATCA against, and therefore reduce, such other withholding tax. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding these
rules and whether they may be relevant to your purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes.
CERTAIN
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The
following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase and holding of the notes by (i) employee benefit
plans that are subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“
ERISA
”),
(ii) plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code or provisions under
any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code
(collectively, “
Similar Laws
”), and (iii) entities which are deemed to hold the assets of any of the foregoing
types of plans, accounts or arrangements (each of the foregoing described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) being referred to herein
as a “
Plan
”).
General
fiduciary matters
ERISA
and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of
the Code (a “
Covered Plan
”) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of a Covered Plan and
its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority
or control over the administration of such a Covered Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of such a Covered
Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to such a Covered Plan, is generally considered to be
a fiduciary of the Covered Plan.
In
considering an investment in the notes of a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should determine whether the investment
is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any
Similar Law relating to a fiduciary’s duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation
of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.
Prohibited
transaction issues
Section
406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Covered Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan
assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or
“disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party
in interest or disqualified person who engaged in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and
other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the Covered Plan that engaged in such
a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code.
The
acquisition and/or holding of notes, including any interest in a note, by a Covered Plan with respect to which we or an
underwriter of any of our or their respective affiliates is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may
constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the
Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual
prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class
exemptions (each, a “PTCE”) that may apply to the acquisition and holding of the notes (or interest therein).
These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 84-14 respecting transactions determined by independent qualified
professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1 respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38 respecting bank
collective investment funds, PTCE 95-60 respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23 respecting
transactions determined by in-house asset managers. In addition, the statutory exemption under Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA
and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code provides relief from certain prohibited transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA
and Section 4975 of the Code for certain transactions between a Covered Plan and a person who is a party in interest or
disqualified person solely as a result of providing services to such Covered Plan or a relationship to such a service
provider, provided that neither the person transacting with the Covered Plan nor any of its affiliates has or exercises any
discretionary authority or control or renders any investment advice with respect to the assets
of
the Covered Plan involved in the transaction and provided, further, that the Covered Plan pays no more than, and receives no less
than, adequate consideration in connection with the transaction. Each of the above-noted exemptions contains conditions and limitations
on its application. Fiduciaries of Covered Plans considering acquiring and/or holding the notes (or interest therein) in reliance
on these or any other exemption should carefully review the exemption in consultation with counsel to assure it is applicable.
There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any of the foregoing exemptions or any other exemption will be satisfied.
Government
plans, foreign plans and certain church plans, while not subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of Title I of ERISA
or the prohibited transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, may nevertheless be subject to Similar
Laws. Fiduciaries of such Plans should consult with their counsel before acquiring notes or any interest in a note.
Because
of the foregoing, the notes (including any interest in a note) may not be purchased or held by any person investing assets of
any Plan, unless such purchase and holding will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code or a similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.
Representation
Accordingly,
by its acceptance of a note (including any interest in a note), each purchaser and subsequent transferee will be deemed to
have represented and warranted that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such purchaser or transferee to acquire or
hold the note or interest therein constitutes assets of any Plan or (ii) the acquisition and holding of the note or interest
by such purchaser or transferee will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of
ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.
The
foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the
penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries
or other persons considering purchasing or holding the notes (or any interest in a note) on behalf of, or with the assets of,
any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or any Similar Law
and whether an exemption would be required. Neither this discussion nor anything provided in this offering memorandum is, or is
intended to be, investment advice directed at any potential Plan purchasers, or at Plan purchasers generally, and such purchasers
of any notes should consult and rely on their own counsel and advisers as to whether an investment in notes is suitable for the
Plan. The sale of any notes to any Plan is in no respect a representation by us, an underwriter or any of our or their affiliates
or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by Plans generally
or any particular Plan, or that such investment is prudent or appropriate for plans generally or any particular Plan.
UNDERWRITING
Under
the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, the underwriters
named below, for whom RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as representatives, have severally agreed
to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, severally, the principal amount of notes indicated below:
Underwriters
|
|
Principal
Amount of
2029 Notes
|
|
|
Principal
Amount of
2049 Notes
|
|
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PNC Capital Markets LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barclays Capital Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citizens Capital Markets, Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Huntington Investment Company
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TD Securities (USA) LLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
The
underwriters and the representatives are collectively referred to as the “underwriters” and the
“representatives,” respectively. The underwriters are offering the notes subject to their acceptance of the notes
from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to
pay for and accept delivery of the notes offered by this prospectus supplement are subject to the approval of certain legal
matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the notes
offered by this prospectus supplement if any such notes are taken. The underwriters initially propose to offer the notes to
the public at the offering prices listed on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. In addition, the underwriters
initially propose to offer the notes to certain dealers at prices that represent a concession not in excess of
% of the principal amount, with
respect to the 2029 notes or % of
the principal amount, with respect to the 2049 notes. Any underwriter may allow, and any such dealer may reallow, a
concession not in excess of % of
the principal amount, with respect to with respect to the 2029 notes or
% of the principal amount, with
respect to the 2049 notes, to certain other dealers. After the initial offering of the notes, the underwriters may from time
to time vary the offering price and other selling terms. The underwriters may offer and sell notes through certain of their
affiliates.
The
following table shows the, underwriting discounts that we will pay to the underwriters in connection with the offering:
|
|
Per
2029 Note
|
|
|
Total for the
2029 Notes
|
|
|
Per
2049 Note
|
|
|
Total for the
2049 Notes
|
|
Underwriting discounts to be paid by us
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
|
|
%
|
|
$
|
|
|
The
estimated offering expenses payable by us, exclusive of the underwriting discounts, are approximately
$ . We have agreed to reimburse the
underwriters for expenses relating to any required review of this offering by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority,
Inc.
Each
series of notes is a new issue of securities, and there is currently no established trading market for the notes. We do not intend
to apply for the notes to be listed on any securities exchange or to arrange for the notes to be quoted on any quotation system.
The underwriters have advised us that they intend to make a market in the notes, but they are not obligated to do so. The underwriters
may discontinue any market making in the notes at any time at their sole discretion. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that a
liquid trading market will develop for the notes, that you will be able to sell your notes at a particular time or that the prices
you receive when you sell will be favorable.
We
have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities in connection with this offering, including liabilities
under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
In connection
with the offering, the underwriters are permitted to engage in transactions that stabilize the market price of each series of
notes. Such transactions consist of bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain the price of such series of notes. If the underwriters
create a short position in the notes of a series in connection with the offering, i.e., if they sell more notes of such
series than are on the cover page of this prospectus, the underwriters may reduce that short position by purchasing notes of such
series in the open market. Purchases of a security to stabilize the price or to reduce a short position could cause the price
of the security to be higher than it might be in the absence of such purchases. Neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any
representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on
the price of a series of notes. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any representation that the underwriters
will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
The
underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of
the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased notes sold by or for the account of such
underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
The
underwriters and their respective affiliates are full-service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which
may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment
research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective
affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment
banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. For example, RBC Capital
Markets, LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as our financial advisers in connection with the Acquisition, for which
they are receiving customary fees and expenses. Also in connection with the Acquisition, certain of the underwriters and/or
their affiliates have provided committed financing under the Bridge Commitment, pursuant to which they receive customary
commitment fees in connection with their respective commitments and, in the event we borrow under the Bridge Facility, would
receive certain additional funding and other fees. Certain of the underwriters and/or their affiliates are also lenders
and/or agents under the Revolving Credit Facility, which we expect to draw upon to refinance Peoples’s revolving credit
facility in connection with the Acquisition, and receive customary fees and expenses in connection therewith and will receive
proceeds from this offering in connection with our repayment of borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility as described
in “Use of Proceeds.” Certain of the underwriters in this offering are also acting as underwriters in the Common
Stock Offering and the TEU Offering, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. Certain of the
underwriters may also receive fees and expenses in connection with the Private Placement. In addition, in an effort to manage
our exposure to interest rate risk associated with this offering, we have entered into, and in the future, may enter into,
financial derivative instruments such as interest rate swap agreements with certain of the underwriters or their respective
affiliates.
In
addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make
or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related
derivative
securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers
and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities
activities may involve our securities and instruments. Certain of the underwriters and/or their affiliates have lending
relationships with us and may hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies.
Typically, the underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of
either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our
affiliates. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the notes
offered hereby. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations or publish or
express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to
clients that they acquire, long or short positions in such securities and instruments.
Selling
Restrictions
Canada
The
notes may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as
defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are
permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant
Obligations. Any resale of the notes must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to,
the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities
legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this
prospectus supplement (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission
or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s
province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s
province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant
to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, section
3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure
requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
European
Economic Area
The
notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made
available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (the “EEA”). For these purposes, a retail investor
means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU
(as amended, “MiFID II”); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC (as amended, the
“Insurance Mediation Directive”), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in
point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments
thereto, including by Directive 2010/73/EU, the “Prospectus Directive”). Consequently no key information document
required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the notes
or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the
notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. This
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been prepared on the basis that any offer of notes in any Member
State of the EEA will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a
prospectus for offers of notes. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not a prospectus for the
purposes of the Prospectus Directive.
United
Kingdom
In
addition, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed
at: (i) in the United Kingdom, persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article
19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”), and/or
persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order; (ii) persons who are outside the United Kingdom; and (iii) any other
persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be distributed (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”).
This document must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity
to which this document relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, relevant persons.
Australia
No
placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian
Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”) in relation to the offering. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying
prospectus and any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes or this offering do not constitute a prospectus,
product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure
document under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”), and do not purport to include the information
required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.
Any
offer in Australia of the notes may only be made to persons (the “Exempt Investors”) who are “sophisticated
investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within
the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708
of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the notes without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations
Act.
The
notes applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia for a period of 12 months after
the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the
Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or
where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person
acquiring notes must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.
This
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain general information only and do not take account of the
investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. They do not contain any securities
recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the
information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and
circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
Hong
Kong
The
notes may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute
an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional
investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder,
or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the
Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued
or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is
directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong
(except
if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to notes which are or are intended to be disposed of
only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures
Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
Japan
The
notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of
1948, as amended) (the “FIEA”). The notes may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or
for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized
under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of
any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in
compliance with any relevant laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
Korea
Neither
this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes
or the offering should be construed in any way as our (or any of our affiliates or agents) soliciting investment or offering
to sell the notes in the Republic of Korea (“Korea”). We are not making any representation with respect to the
eligibility of any recipients of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing
material relating to the shares or the offering to acquire the notes under the laws of Korea, including, without limitation,
the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act (the “FSCMA”), the Foreign Exchange Transaction Act
(the “FETA”), and any regulations thereunder. The notes have not been registered with the Financial Services
Commission of Korea (the “FSC”) in any way pursuant to the FSCMA, and the notes may not be offered, sold or
delivered, or offered or sold to any person for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Korea or to any resident of
Korea except pursuant to applicable laws and regulations of Korea. Furthermore, the notes may not be resold to any Korean
resident unless such Korean resident as the purchaser of the resold notes complies with all applicable regulatory
requirements (including, without limitation, reporting or approval requirements under the FETA and regulations thereunder)
relating to the purchase of the resold notes.
Singapore
Neither
this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes or
the offering has been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, neither this prospectus
supplement, the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes or the offering may
be circulated or distributed, nor may the notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or
purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore, other than (a) to an institutional investor under Section 274
of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (b) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant
to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (c) pursuant to, and in accordance
with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where
the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (i) a corporation (which is not an
accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one
or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or
(ii) a trust (where the trustee is
not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares,
debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that
trust shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the notes under Section 275
except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to
Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is
given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.
Solely
for the purposes of its obligations pursuant to sections 309B(1)(a) and 309B(1)(c) of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter
289 of Singapore) (the “SFA”), we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A
of the SFA) that the notes are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital
Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale
of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).
Switzerland
The
notes may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on
any other exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and
any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes or this offering do not constitute a prospectus within the
meaning of and have been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or
art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX
Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland.
Neither
this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes or
the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus supplement,
the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the notes has
been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of notes will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority,
and the offer of notes has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (the
“
CISA
”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under
the CISA does not extend to acquirers of the notes.
Taiwan
The
notes have not been and will not be registered or filed with, or approved by, the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan and/or
any other regulatory authority of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued or offered
within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances which could constitute an offer within the meaning of the Securities
and Exchange Act of Taiwan or relevant laws and regulations that require a registration, filing or approval of the Financial Supervisory
Commission of Taiwan and/or other regulatory authority of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer or
sell the notes in Taiwan.
United
Arab Emirates
The
notes have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including
the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Dubai International Financial Centre) other than in compliance with the laws, regulations
and rules of the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Dubai International Financial Centre governing the
issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any other offering
or marketing material relating to the notes or the offering do not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab
Emirates (including the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Dubai International Financial Centre) and are not intended to be a public
offer. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes
or the offering have not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities
Authority, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The
validity of the issuance of the notes offered by the prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Simpson Thacher &
Bartlett LLP, New York, New York. Ballard Spahr LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will issue an opinion regarding certain matters
of Pennsylvania law. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, New York,
New York.
EXPERTS
The
financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which
is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus supplement
by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 have been so incorporated
in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority
of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The consolidated
financial statements of LDC Funding LLC as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and for each of the three years in the period ended December
31, 2018, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus from the Acquisition 8-K/A, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors,
as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference herein, and are incorporated in reliance upon the report of such
firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION; INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
We
file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website at
www.sec.gov
that contains periodic and current reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding
registrants that are filed electronically with the SEC.
These
documents are also available, free of charge, through the Investors section of our website, which is located at
http://ir.aquaamerica.com/
.
Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying
prospectus and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the
accompanying prospectus.
We
have filed with the SEC a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to
the securities that may be offered by this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement is a part of that registration statement,
but does not contain all of the information in the registration statement. We have omitted certain parts of the registration statement
in accordance with rules and regulations of the SEC. Statements made in this prospectus supplement as to the contents of any contract,
agreement or other documents are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, we refer you to a copy of such document filed
as an exhibit to the registration statement, of which this prospectus supplement is a part, or otherwise filed with the SEC. For
more detail about us and any securities that may be offered by this prospectus supplement, you may examine the registration statement
on Form S-3 and the exhibits filed with it at the locations listed in the previous paragraph.
The
SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus the
information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those
documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement. When we file
information with the SEC in the future, that information will automatically update and supersede this information. We
incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
until we sell all of the securities covered by this prospectus supplement or this offering is terminated; provided, however, that
we are not incorporating, in each case, any portions of documents or information furnished or deemed to have been furnished and
not filed in accordance with SEC rules:
|
·
|
Our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on
February 26, 2019;
|
|
·
|
The
portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on March
22, 2019, that are incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018; and
|
|
·
|
Our
Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 23, 2018, February 19, 2019
(Item 8.01 only), March 29, 2019 and April 23, 2019, and our Current Report on Form
8-K/A filed with the SEC on April 15, 2019.
|
These
documents contain important business and financial information about us that is not included in or delivered with this prospectus
supplement. You may request a copy of any or all documents that we incorporate by reference at no cost, by writing or telephoning
us at:
Aqua America,
Inc.
762
W. Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-3489
Telephone:
610-527-8000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
We
have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus we may
provide to you in connection with this offering. Neither we nor the underwriters take any responsibility for, or provide any
assurances as to the reliability of, any additional or different information that others may give you. You should assume that
the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectus we may
provide to you in connection with this offering is accurate only as of their respective dates or as of the respective dates
specified in such information, as applicable, and the information contained in documents incorporated by reference is
accurate only as of the respective dates of those documents or as of the respective dates specified in such information, as
applicable, in each case regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or
any such free writing prospectus or any sale of the notes. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects may have changed since those dates.
Any
statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained herein, in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein or in the accompanying prospectus,
modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
and superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.
PROSPECTUS
AQUA AMERICA, INC.
Common Stock
Preferred
Stock
Common Stock Purchase Contracts
Warrants
Units
Depositary Shares
Debt Securities
Aqua America, Inc.
may,
from time to time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell common stock, preferred stock, common stock purchase contracts,
warrants, units, depositary shares and debt securities. The debt securities and preferred stock may be convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for other securities.
We
will provide specific terms of any offering
and the offered securities in supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements may also add, update or change information
contained in this prospectus.
We may offer and sell these
securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents, directly to purchasers or through a combination of these methods. If
an offering of securities involves any underwriters, dealers or agents, then the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents and
the terms of the arrangements with such entities will be stated in an accompanying prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is listed
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WTR.” We have not yet determined whether any of the other securities
that may be offered by this prospectus will be listed on any exchange, inter-dealer quotation system or over-the-counter market.
If we decide to seek listing of any such securities upon issuance, an accompanying prospectus supplement will disclose the exchange,
quotation system or market on which the securities will be listed.
The prospectus may not be used
to sell our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
Investing in our securities
involves risk. Before you invest, you should carefully read and evaluate the risk factors and other information included in this
prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including the documents incorporated by reference. See “
Risk Factors
”
beginning on page 8 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and
Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus
is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus
is February 28, 2018.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This document is called a prospectus
and is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) using a “shelf”
registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, in one or more offering, offer and sell common stock,
preferred stock, common stock purchase contracts, warrants, units, depositary shares and debt securities. This prospectus provides
you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell any securities under this prospectus, we will
provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering and the offered securities.
That prospectus supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities.
The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus
and the applicable prospectus supplement and the exhibits filed with our registration statement together with the additional information
described below under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” before you decide whether to invest in the
securities.
The registration statement
(including the exhibits) of which this prospectus is a part contains additional information about us and the securities we may
offer by this prospectus. Specifically, we have filed certain legal documents that control the terms of the securities offered
by this prospectus as exhibits to the registration statement. We will file certain other legal documents that will control the
terms of the securities we may offer by this prospectus as exhibits to the registration statement or to reports we file with the
SEC. The registration statement and the reports can be read at the SEC website or at the SEC offices mentioned under the heading
“Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only upon the
information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement that contains
specific information about the securities we are offering. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different
information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an
offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information
appearing in this document is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this document. Our business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
Except as otherwise provided
in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to “Aqua America,” “we,”
“us” or “our” refer to Aqua America, Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. In addition, references
to “Aqua Pennsylvania” refer to our wholly-owned subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc., and its subsidiaries.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this
prospectus, or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A
of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are made based upon, among other things,
our current assumptions, expectations, plans, and beliefs concerning future events and their potential effect on us. These forward-looking
statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside our control, that may cause our actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied
by these forward-looking statements. In some cases you can identify forward- looking statements where statements are preceded by,
followed by, or include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,”
“future,” “potential,” “probably,” “predictions,” “intends,” “will,”
“continue” or the negative of such terms or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus, or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus, include, but are not limited to, statements regarding:
|
·
|
recovery of capital expenditures and expenses in rates;
|
|
·
|
projected capital expenditures and related funding requirements;
|
|
·
|
our capability to pursue timely rate increase requests;
|
|
·
|
the availability and cost of capital financing;
|
|
·
|
developments, trends and consolidation in the water and wastewater utility and infrastructure
industries;
|
|
·
|
dividend payment projections;
|
|
·
|
opportunities for future acquisitions, both within and outside the water and wastewater industry,
the success of pending acquisitions and the impact of future acquisitions;
|
|
·
|
the capacity of our water supplies, water facilities and wastewater facilities;
|
|
·
|
the impact of federal and/or state tax laws or policies and the regulatory treatment of the effects
of those laws or policies, including the
Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act;
|
|
·
|
the impact of geographic diversity on our exposure to unusual weather;
|
|
·
|
the impact of conservation awareness of customers and more efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances
on water usage per customer;
|
|
·
|
our authority to carry on our business without unduly burdensome restrictions;
|
|
·
|
the continuation of investments in strategic ventures;
|
|
·
|
our ability to obtain fair market value for condemned assets;
|
|
·
|
the impact of fines and penalties;
|
|
·
|
the impact of changes in and compliance with governmental laws, regulations and policies, including
those dealing with taxation, the environment, health and water quality, and public utility regulation;
|
|
·
|
the impact of decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions to raise or
lower
rates;
|
|
·
|
the development of new services and technologies by us or our competitors;
|
|
·
|
the availability of qualified personnel;
|
|
·
|
the condition of our assets;
|
|
·
|
the impact of legal proceedings;
|
|
·
|
general economic conditions;
|
|
·
|
acquisition-related costs and synergies;
|
|
·
|
the sale of water and wastewater divisions; and
|
|
·
|
the amount of income tax deductions for qualifying utility asset improvements and the Internal
Revenue
Service’s
ultimate acceptance of the deduction methodology.
|
Because forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to:
|
·
|
changes in general economic, business, credit and financial market conditions;
|
|
·
|
changes in governmental laws, regulations and policies, including those dealing with taxation,
the environment, health and water quality, and public utility regulation;
|
|
·
|
the profitability of future acquisitions;
|
|
·
|
changes to the rules or our assumptions underlying our determination of what qualifies for an
income tax deduction for qualifying utility asset improvements;
|
|
·
|
the decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions on rate increase requests;
|
|
·
|
our ability to file rate cases on a timely basis to minimize regulatory lag;
|
|
·
|
abnormal weather conditions, including those that result in water use restrictions;
|
|
·
|
changes in, or unanticipated, capital requirements;
|
|
·
|
changes in our credit rating or the market price of our common stock;
|
|
·
|
changes in valuation of strategic ventures;
|
|
·
|
our ability to integrate businesses, technologies or services which we may acquire;
|
|
·
|
our ability to manage the expansion of our business;
|
|
·
|
our ability to treat and supply water or collect and treat wastewater;
|
|
·
|
the extent to which we are able to develop and market new and improved services;
|
|
·
|
the effect of the loss of major customers;
|
|
·
|
our ability to retain the services of key personnel and to hire qualified personnel as we expand;
|
|
·
|
increasing difficulties in obtaining insurance and increased cost of insurance;
|
|
·
|
cost overruns relating to improvements to, or the expansion of, our operations;
|
|
·
|
increases in the costs of goods and services;
|
|
·
|
civil disturbance or terroristic threats or acts;
|
|
·
|
the continuous and reliable operation of our information technology systems, including the impact
of cyber security attacks or other cyber-related events;
|
|
·
|
changes in accounting pronouncements;
|
|
·
|
litigation and claims; and
|
|
·
|
changes in environmental conditions, including the effects of climate change.
|
Given these risks and uncertainties, you should
not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we incorporate
by reference into this prospectus completely and with the understanding that our actual future results, performance and achievements
may be materially different from what we expect. These forward-looking statements represent assumptions, expectations, plans and
beliefs only as of the date of this prospectus. Except for our ongoing obligations to disclose certain information under the federal
securities laws, we are not obligated, and assume no obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, even though our situation
may change in the future. For further information or other factors which could affect our financial results and such forward-looking
statements, see “Risk Factors.” We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
AQUA AMERICA, INC.
Aqua America, Inc. is the holding
company for regulated utilities providing water or wastewater services to an estimated three million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Texas,
Illinois, North Carolina, New
Jersey,
Indiana, and Virginia. Our largest operating subsidiary is Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc., which accounted for approximately 52%
of our operating revenues and approximately 74% of our net income for 2017. As of December 31, 2017, Aqua Pennsylvania provided
water or wastewater services to approximately one-half of the total number of people we serve. Aqua Pennsylvania’s service
territory is located in the suburban areas in counties north and west of the City of Philadelphia and in 27 other counties in Pennsylvania.
Our other regulated utility subsidiaries provide similar services in seven other states. In addition, the Company’s market-based
activities are conducted through Aqua Infrastructure, LLC and Aqua Resources Inc. Aqua Infrastructure provides non- utility raw
water supply services for firms in the natural gas drilling industry. Aqua Resources provides water and wastewater service through
two operating and maintenance contracts with municipal authorities close to our utility companies’ service territory; and
offers, through a third
party,
water and wastewater line repair service and protection
solutions to households. In 2017, we completed the sale of business units that are reported within Aqua Resources, which installed
and tested devices that prevent the contamination of potable water and repaired water and wastewater systems, and repaired and
performed maintenance on water and wastewater systems. Additionally, during 2016, we completed the sale of business units within
Aqua Resources, which provided liquid waste hauling and disposal services and inspection, and cleaning and repair of storm and
sanitary wastewater lines.
Aqua America, which prior to
its name change in 2004 was known as Philadelphia Suburban Corporation, was formed in 1968 as a holding company for its primary
subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania, formerly known as Philadelphia Suburban
Water
Company.
In the early 1990s, we embarked on a growth through acquisition strategy focused on water and wastewater operations. Our most significant
transactions to date have been the merger with Consumers
Water
Company in 1999, the
acquisition of the regulated water and wastewater operations of AquaSource, Inc. in 2003, the acquisition of Heater Utilities,
Inc. in 2004, and the acquisition of American Water Works Company, Inc.’s regulated water and wastewater operations in Ohio
in 2012. Since the early 1990s, our business strategy has been primarily directed toward the regulated water and wastewater utility
industry, where we have more than quadrupled the number of regulated customers we serve, and have extended our regulated operations
from southeastern Pennsylvania to include our current regulated utility operations throughout Pennsylvania and in seven other states.
During 2010 through 2013, we sold our utility operations in six states, pursuant to a portfolio rationalization strategy to focus
our operations in areas where we have critical mass and economic growth potential. Currently, the Company seeks to acquire businesses
in the U.S. regulated sector, which includes water and wastewater utilities and other regulated utilities, and to pursue growth
ventures in market-based activities, such as infrastructure opportunities that are supplementary and complementary to our regulated
businesses.
Our growth
in revenues over the past five years is primarily a result of increases in water and wastewater rates and customer growth. The
increase in our utility customer base has been due to customers added through acquisitions, partnerships with developers, and organic
growth (excluding dispositions) as shown below:
Year
|
Utility Customer
Growth Rate
|
2017
|
1.1
|
%
|
2016
|
1.6
|
%
|
2015
|
1.9
|
%
|
2014
|
1.3
|
%
|
2013
|
1.3
|
%
|
In 2017, our customer count
increased by 10,584 customers, primarily due to utility systems that we acquired and organic growth. Overall, for the five-year
period of 2013 through 2017, our utility customer base, adjusted to exclude customers associated with utility system dispositions,
increased at an annual compound rate of 1.4%. During the five-year period ended December 31, 2017, our utility customer base including
customers associated with utility system acquisitions and dispositions increased from 968,357 at January 1, 2013 to 982,849 at
December 31, 2017. This five-year period includes the impact of the condemnation of our Fort Wayne, IN system in 2014, which resulted
in the loss of approximately 13,000 connections.
Our principal executive office
is located at 762
W.
Lancaster
Avenue,
Bryn
Mawr,
Pennsylvania 19010- 3489, and our telephone number is 610-527-8000. Our website
may be accessed at www.aquaamerica.com. The references to our website and the
SEC’s
website are intended to be inactive textual references
only,
and the contents
of those websites are not incorporated by reference herein and should not be considered part of this prospectus.
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities
involves risks. Please see the risk factors described under the section captioned “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as such risk factors may be updated from time to time in filings we make with
the SEC subsequent to the date hereof. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risk factors,
together with all other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any applicable prospectus
supplement (which includes information contained in certain filings we make with the SEC subsequent to the date hereof as set forth
in the section below captioned “Where You Can Find More Information”). Please also refer to the section above captioned
“Forward-Looking Statements.”
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless we otherwise specify
in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities we may offer by this
prospectus to fund our capital expenditures, to provide capital for our growth
strategy,
which includes potential future acquisitions of municipally owned and investor- owned water and wastewater systems, regulated
utilities and infrastructure projects, and market-based activities complementary to our regulated business, to fund the integration
of any businesses that we acquire into our existing business, and to purchase and maintain plant equipment, as well as for working
capital and other general corporate purposes. Our management will have broad discretion in the allocation of net proceeds from
the sale of any securities sold by us.
CERTAIN RATIOS
Our ratio of earnings to fixed
charges and ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the periods indicated below were as follows:
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
2014
|
|
2013
|
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
|
|
|
3.90
|
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
4.15
|
|
|
|
4.05
|
|
|
|
3.79
|
|
Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends
|
|
|
3.90
|
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
|
|
4.15
|
|
|
|
4.05
|
|
|
|
3.79
|
|
The ratios of earnings to fixed
charges and the ratios of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends were computed by dividing our earnings
by fixed charges and by combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends, respectively. For the purpose of these computations,
earnings include the sum of income from continuing operations before income taxes and non-controlling interest, and fixed charges,
less
capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest
on all indebtedness, whether expensed or capitalized, amortization of debt expense, and the estimated interest attributable to
rental and lease expense calculated using an assumed interest factor of 33% of rental and lease expense.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL
STOCK
As of February 13, 2018 our
authorized capital stock was 301,770,819 shares, consisting of:
|
·
|
300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.50 per share, of which 177,750,505 shares were
outstanding; and
|
|
·
|
1,770,819 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of which no shares were outstanding.
|
The following summary of certain
terms of our common stock and preferred stock is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our articles of incorporation and
bylaws each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes
a part.
Common Stock
This section
describes the general terms of our common stock. For more detailed information, you should refer to our articles of incorporation
and bylaws, including any amendments thereto, copies of which have been filed with the SEC. These documents are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus.
Voting Rights
Holders of our common stock
are entitled to one vote for each share held by them at all meetings of the shareholders and are not entitled to cumulate their
votes for the election of directors.
Dividend Rights and Limitations
Holders of our common stock
may receive dividends when declared by our board of directors. Because we are a holding company, the funds we use to pay any dividends
on our common stock are derived predominantly from the dividends that we receive from our subsidiaries and the dividends they receive
from their subsidiaries. Therefore, our ability to pay dividends to holders of our common stock depends upon our subsidiaries’
earnings, financial condition and ability to pay dividends. Most of our subsidiaries are subject to regulation by state utility
commissions and the amounts of their earnings and dividends are affected by the manner in which they are regulated. In addition,
they are subject to restrictions on the payment of dividends contained in their various debt agreements. Under our most restrictive
debt agreements, the amount available for payment of dividends to us as of December 31, 2017 was approximately $1.4 billion of
Aqua Pennsylvania’s retained earnings and $143 million of the retained earnings of certain other subsidiaries. Payment of
dividends on our common stock is also subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any outstanding preferred stock.
Liquidation Rights
In the event that we liquidate,
dissolve or wind-up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all of the assets that remain after we pay
our liabilities. This right is subject, however, to the prior distribution rights of any outstanding preferred stock.
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors has
the authority, from time to time and without further action by our shareholders, to divide our unissued capital stock into one
or more classes and one or more series within any class and to
make determinations of the designation and number
of shares of any class or series and determinations of the voting rights, preferences, limitations and special rights, if any,
of the shares of any class or series. The rights, preferences, limitations and special rights of different classes of capital stock
may differ with respect to dividend rates, amounts payable on liquidation, voting rights, conversion rights, redemption provisions,
sinking fund provisions and other matters. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of each series may be fixed by
the designations of that series set forth in either a restated version of our articles of incorporation or a certificate of designations
relating to that series, which will be filed with the SEC as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in the registration statement
of which this prospectus constitutes a part.
The issuance of preferred stock
may be perceived by some as possibly having the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us without further
action by our shareholders. The issuance of preferred stock with voting and conversion rights may also adversely affect the voting
power of the holders of our common stock. In certain circumstances, an issuance of preferred stock could possibly have the effect
of decreasing the market price of our common stock.
Whenever preferred stock is
to be sold pursuant to this prospectus, we will file a prospectus supplement relating to that sale which will specify:
|
·
|
the number of shares in the series of preferred stock;
|
|
·
|
the designation for the series of preferred stock by number, letter or title that will distinguish
the series from any other series of preferred stock;
|
|
·
|
the dividend rate, if
any,
and whether dividends
on that series of preferred stock will be cumulative, noncumulative or partially cumulative;
|
|
·
|
the voting rights of that series of preferred stock, if any;
|
|
·
|
any conversion provisions applicable to that series of preferred stock;
|
|
·
|
any redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to that series of preferred stock;
|
|
·
|
any preemptive rights provisions applicable to that series of preferred stock;
|
|
·
|
the liquidation preference per share of that series of preferred stock; and
|
|
·
|
the terms of any other preferences or rights, if
any,
applicable
to that series of preferred stock.
|
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Pennsylvania State Law Provisions
Under Section 1712 of the Pennsylvania
Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended (PBCL), which is applicable to us, directors stand in a fiduciary relation to their
corporation and, as such, are required to perform their duties in good faith, in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the
best interests of the corporation and with such care, including reasonable
inquiry,
skill
and diligence, as a person of ordinary prudence would use under similar circumstances. Under Section 1715 of the PBCL, in
discharging
their duties, directors
may,
in considering
the
best interests of their corporation, consider various constituencies, including, shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers
and creditors of the corporation, and upon communities in which offices or other establishments of
the
corporation are located. Directors are not required to give prominent consideration to the interests of any particular
constituency.
Absent a breach of fiduciary
duty,
a lack of good faith or self-dealing, any act of
the board of directors,
a committee thereof or an individual director is
presumed to be in the best interests of the corporation. Actions by directors relating to an acquisition or potential acquisition
of control of the corporation are not subject to any greater obligation to
justify,
or
higher burden of proof, than is applied to any other acts of directors. The PBCL expressly provides that the fiduciary duty of
directors does not require them to (i) redeem or otherwise render
inapplicable
outstanding
rights issued under any shareholder rights plan; (ii) render inapplicable the anti-takeover statutes
set
forth in Chapter 25 of the PBCL (described below); or (iii) take any action solely because of the
effect
it may have on a proposed acquisition or the consideration to be received by shareholders in such a transaction. In addition, Section
2513 of the PBCL specifically validates shareholder rights plans, or “poison pills,” and the discriminatory dilution
provisions contained in such
plans.
Chapter 25 of the PBCL contains
several anti-takeover statutes applicable to publicly-traded corporations. Corporations may opt-out of such anti-takeover statutes
under certain circumstances. We have not opted-out of any of such statutes.
Section 2538 of Subchapter
25D of the PBCL requires certain transactions with an “interested shareholder” to be approved by a majority of disinterested
shareholders. “Interested shareholder” is defined broadly to include any shareholder who is a party to the transaction
or who is treated differently than other shareholders and affiliates of the interested shareholder.
Subchapter 25E of the PBCL
requires a person or group of persons acting in concert which acquires 20% or more of the voting shares of the corporation to offer
to purchase the shares of any other shareholder at “fair value.” “Fair value” means the value not less
than the highest price paid per share by the controlling person or group during the 90-day period prior to the control transaction,
plus a control premium. Among other exceptions, Subchapter 25E does not apply to shares acquired directly from the corporation
in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, or to a one-step
merger.
Subchapter 25F of the PBCL
generally establishes a 5-year moratorium on a “business combination” with an “interested shareholder.”
“Interested shareholder” is defined generally to be any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the corporation’s
voting stock or an affiliate or associate of the corporation that at any time within the prior five-year period was a beneficial
owner of 20% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. “Business combination” is defined broadly to include
mergers, consolidations, asset sales and certain self-dealing transactions. Certain restrictions apply to business combination
following the 5-year period. Among other exceptions, Subchapter 25F will be rendered inapplicable if the board of directors approves
the proposed business combination, or approves the interested shareholder’s acquisition of 20% of the voting shares, in either
case prior to the date on which the shareholder first becomes an interested shareholder.
Subchapter 25G of the PBCL
provides that “control shares” lose voting rights unless such rights are restored by the affirmative vote of a majority
of (i) the disinterested shares (generally, shares held by persons other than the acquiror, executive officers of the corporation
and certain employee stock plans) and (ii) the outstanding voting shares of the corporation. “Control shares” are defined
as shares which, upon acquisition, will result in a person or group acquiring for the first time voting control over (a) 20%, (b)
33 1/3% or (c) 50% or more of the outstanding shares, together with shares acquired within 180 days of attaining the applicable
threshold and shares purchased with the intention of attaining such threshold. A corporation may redeem control shares if the acquiring
person does not request restoration of voting rights as permitted by Subchapter 25G. Among other exceptions, Subchapter 25G does
not apply to a merger, consolidation or a share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction agreement.
Subchapter 25H of the PBCL
provides in certain circumstances for the recovery by the corporation of profits realized from the sale of its stock by a controlling
person or group if the sale occurs within 18 months after the controlling person or group became a controlling person or group,
and the stock was acquired during such month period or within 24 months before such period. A controlling person or group is a
person or group that
has acquired, offered to acquire, or publicly disclosed
an intention to acquire 20% or more of the voting shares of the corporation or a person or group that has otherwise publicly disclosed
or caused to be disclosed that it
may
seek to acquire control of the corporation through
any means. Among other exceptions, Subchapter 25H does not apply to transactions approved by both the board of directors and the
shareholders prior to the acquisition or distribution, as appropriate.
Subchapter 25I of the PBCL
mandates severance compensation for eligible employees who are terminated within 24 months after the approval of a control-share
acquisition. Eligible employees generally are all employees employed in Pennsylvania for at least two years prior to the control-share
approval. Severance equals the weekly compensation of the employee multiplied by the employee’s years of service (up to 26
years), less payments made due to the termination.
Subchapter 25J of the PBCL
requires the continuation of certain labor contracts relating to business operations owned at the time of a control-share approval.
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions
Certain provisions of our articles
of incorporation and bylaws may have the effect of discouraging unilateral tender offers or other attempts to take over and acquire
our business. These provisions might discourage some potentially interested purchaser from attempting a unilateral takeover bid
for us on terms which some shareholders might favor. Our articles of incorporation require that certain fundamental transactions
must be approved by the holders of 75% of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote on the matter unless at
least a majority of the members of the board of directors has approved the transaction, in which case the required shareholder
approval will be the minimum approval required by applicable law. The fundamental transactions that are subject to this provision
are those transactions that require approval by shareholders under applicable law or the articles of incorporation. These transactions
include certain amendments of our articles of incorporation or bylaws, certain sales or other dispositions of our assets, certain
issuances of our capital stock, or certain transactions involving our merger, consolidation, division, reorganization, dissolution,
liquidation or winding up. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws provide that:
|
·
|
a special meeting of shareholders may only be called by the chairman, the president, the board
of directors or shareholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes which all shareholders are entitled to cast at the particular
meeting;
|
|
·
|
nominations for election of directors may be made by any shareholder entitled to vote for election
of directors if the name of the nominee and certain information relating to the nominee is filed with our corporate secretary not
less than 14 days nor more than 50 days before any meeting of shareholders to elect directors; and
|
|
·
|
certain advance notice procedures must be met for shareholder proposals to be made at annual
meetings of shareholders. These advance notice procedures generally require a notice to be delivered not less than 90 days nor
more than 120 days before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders.
|
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar
for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS
We may issue stock purchase
contracts, representing contracts entitling or obligating holders to purchase from us, and us to sell to the holders, a specified
number of shares or amount of common stock at a future date or dates. The price per share of common stock may be fixed at the time
each contract is issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the contract. Each common stock purchase
contract may be issued separately or as a part of a unit, each consisting of a common stock purchase contract and, as security
for the holder’s obligation to purchase the common stock under the contract, the following:
|
·
|
our senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities described under “Description
of Debt Securities;”
|
|
·
|
debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities;
|
|
·
|
any other asset as security described in the applicable prospectus supplement; or
|
|
·
|
any combination of the foregoing.
|
Each common stock purchase
contract may require us to make periodic payments to the holder of the unit or vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or
prefunded on some basis discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each common stock purchase contract may require holders
to secure their obligations thereunder in a specified manner and, in certain circumstances, we may deliver a newly issued prepaid
common stock purchase contract, which is referred to as a “prepaid security,” upon release to a holder of any collateral
securing such holder’s obligations under the original contract.
The applicable prospectus supplement
will describe the terms of any common stock purchase contract and, if applicable, prepaid security. The description in the prospectus
supplement will not purport to be complete
and will be qualified in its entirety by reference
to the contracts, the collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements, if applicable, relating to such contracts and, if applicable,
the prepaid securities and the documents pursuant to which such prepaid securities will be issued. The applicable prospectus supplement
will also describe the material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the common stock purchase contracts.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
General
The following summary of certain
provisions of the warrants does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the
provisions of the warrant agreement that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of such warrants.
We
may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. Warrants may be issued independently
or together with debt securities, preferred stock or common stock offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or
separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered
into between the Company and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as the Company’s
agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders
or beneficial owners of warrants.
Debt Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating
to a particular issue of debt warrants will describe the terms of such debt warrants, including the following: (a) the title of
such debt warrants; (b) the offering price for such debt warrants, if any; (c) the aggregate number of such debt warrants; (d)
the designation and terms of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise of such debt warrants; (e) if applicable, the designation
and terms of the debt securities with which such debt warrants are issued and the number of such debt warrants issued with each
such debt security; (f) if applicable, the date from and after which such debt warrants and any debt securities issued therewith
will be separately transferable; (g) the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of a debt warrant and the
price at which such principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon exercise (which price may be payable in cash, securities,
or other property); (h) the date on which the right to exercise such debt warrants shall commence and the date on which such right
shall expire; (i) if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such debt warrants that may be exercised at any one time; (j)
whether the debt warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the
debt warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form; (k) information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; (1) the
currency or currency units in which the offering price, if
any,
and the exercise price
are payable; (m) if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations; (n) the anti-dilution
provisions of such debt warrants, if any; (o) the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to such debt warrants; (p)
any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price for the debt warrants and (q) any additional terms of such debt
warrants, including terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such debt warrants.
Stock Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating
to any particular issue of preferred stock warrants or common stock warrants will describe the terms of such warrants, including
the following: (a) the title of such warrants; (b) the offering price for such warrants, if any; (c) the aggregate number of such
warrants; (d) the designation and terms of the common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of such warrants; (e)
if applicable, the designation and terms of the offered securities with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants
issued with each such offered security; (f) if applicable, the date from and after which such warrants and any offered securities
issued therewith will be separately transferable; (g) the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon
exercise of a warrant and the price at which such shares may be purchased upon exercise; (h) the date on which the right to exercise
such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire; (i) if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of
such warrants that may be exercised at any one time; (j) the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and
the exercise price are payable, (k) if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations; (l)
the anti-dilution provisions of such warrants, if any; (m) the redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to such warrants;
(m) any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price for the stock warrants and any additional terms of such
warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may, from time to time,
issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities that may be offered under this prospectus, in any combination. Each
unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of
a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued
may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time, or at any time before
a specified date.
The applicable prospectus supplement
will describe the terms of any unit. The description in the prospectus supplement will not purport to be complete and will be qualified
in its entirety by reference to units, the collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements, if applicable, relating to such
units and, if applicable, the prepaid securities and the documents pursuant to which such prepaid securities will be issued. The
applicable prospectus supplement will also describe the material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to
the units.
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITORY
SHARES
We may, at our option, offer
fractional shares of our preferred stock, rather than whole shares of our preferred stock. In the event we do so, we will issue
receipts for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fraction (to be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating
to offering of the depositary shares) of a share of the related series of preferred stock.
The shares of our preferred
stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company selected
by us having its principal office in the United States and that meets certain other requirements. Subject to the terms of the deposit
agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred
stock, represented by the depositary share to all of the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary
shares (including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights).
The above description of depositary
shares is only a summary, is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by the description in the applicable
prospectus supplement and the provisions of the deposit agreement, which will contain the form of depository receipt. A copy of
the deposit agreement will be filed with the SEC as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
Please note that in this section
entitled “Description of Debt Securities,” references to “we,” “us,” “ours” or
“our” refer only to Aqua America, Inc. and not to its consolidated subsidiaries. Also, in this section, references
to “holders” mean those who own debt securities registered in their own names, on the books that we maintain or the
trustee maintains for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in debt securities registered in street name or
in debt securities issued in book-entry form through one or more depositaries. Owners of beneficial interests in the debt securities
should read the section below entitled “Book-Entry Procedures and Settlement.”
General
The debt securities offered
by this prospectus will be our unsecured obligations, except as otherwise set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement, and
will be either senior or subordinated debt.
We
will issue senior debt under a senior
debt indenture, and we will issue subordinated debt under a subordinated debt indenture.
We
sometimes refer to the senior debt indenture and the subordinated debt indenture, individually, as an indenture and, collectively,
as the indentures.
We
have filed forms of the indentures with the SEC as exhibits
to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
You
can obtain
copies of the indentures by following the directions outlined in “Where
You
Can
Find More Information,” or by contacting the applicable indenture trustee.
A form of each debt security,
reflecting the particular terms and provisions of a series of offered debt securities, will be filed with the SEC at the time of
the offering and incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
The following briefly summarizes certain material
provisions that may be included in the indentures. Other terms, including pricing and related terms, will be disclosed for a particular
issuance in an accompanying prospectus supplement. You should read the more detailed provisions of the applicable indenture, including
the defined terms, for provisions that may be important to you. You should also read the particular terms of a series of debt securities,
which will be described in more detail in an accompanying prospectus supplement. So that you may easily locate the more detailed
provisions, the numbers in parentheses below refer to sections in the applicable indenture or, if no indenture is specified, to
sections in each of the indentures. Wherever particular sections or defined terms of the applicable indenture are referred to,
such sections or defined terms are incorporated into this prospectus by reference, and the statement in this prospectus is qualified
by that reference.
The trustee under each indenture
will be determined at the time of issuance of debt securities, and the name of the trustee will be provided in an accompanying
prospectus supplement.
The indentures provide that
our senior or subordinated debt securities may be issued in one or more series, with different terms, in each case as we authorize
from time to time.
We
also have the right to “reopen” a previous issue
of a series of debt securities by issuing additional debt securities of such series without the consent of the holders of debt
securities of the series being reopened or any other series. Any additional debt securities of the series being reopened will have
the same ranking, interest rate, maturity and other terms as the previously issued debt securities of that series. These additional
debt securities, together with the previously issued debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of debt securities
under the terms of the applicable indenture.
Types of Debt Securities
We
may issue fixed or floating rate debt securities. Fixed rate debt securities will bear interest at a fixed rate described
in the prospectus supplement. This type includes zero coupon debt securities, which bear no interest and are often issued at a
price lower than the principal amount. United States federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable
to any debt securities issued at a discount will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Upon the request of the holder
of any floating rate debt security, the calculation agent will provide the interest rate then in effect for that debt security,
and, if determined, the interest rate that will become effective on the next interest reset date. The calculation agent’s
determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of the amount of interest for any interest period, will be final and binding
in the absence of manifest error.
All percentages resulting from
any interest rate calculation relating to a debt security will be rounded upward or downward, as appropriate, to the next higher
or lower one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point.
All amounts used in or resulting
from any calculation relating to a debt security will be rounded upward or downward, as appropriate, to the nearest cent, in the
case of U.S. dollars, or to the nearest corresponding hundredth of a unit, in the case of a currency other than U.S. dollars, with
one-half cent or one-half of a corresponding hundredth of a unit or more being rounded upward.
In determining the base rate
that applies to a floating rate debt security during a particular interest period, the calculation agent may obtain rate quotes
from various banks or dealers active in the relevant market, as described in the prospectus supplement. Those reference banks and
dealers may include the calculation agent itself and its affiliates, as well as any underwriter, dealer or agent participating
in the distribution of the relevant floating rate debt securities and its affiliates.
Information in the Prospectus Supplement
The prospectus supplement for
any offered series of debt securities will describe the following terms, as applicable:
|
·
|
whether the debt is senior or subordinated;
|
|
·
|
whether the debt securities are secured or unsecured and, if secured, the collateral securing
the debt;
|
|
·
|
the total principal amount offered;
|
|
·
|
the percentage of the principal amount at which the debt securities will be sold and, if applicable,
the method of determining the price;
|
|
·
|
the maturity date or dates;
|
|
·
|
whether the debt securities are fixed rate debt securities or floating rate debt securities;
|
|
·
|
if the debt securities are fixed rate debt securities, the yearly rate at which the debt security
will bear interest, if
any,
and the interest payment dates;
|
|
·
|
if the debt security is an original issue discount debt
security,
the yield to maturity;
|
|
·
|
if the debt securities are floating rate debt securities, the interest rate basis; any applicable
index currency or maturity, spread or spread multiplier or initial, maximum or minimum rate; the interest reset, determination,
calculation and payment dates, and the day count used to calculate interest payments for any period;
|
|
·
|
the date or dates from which any interest will accrue, or how such date or dates will be determined,
and the interest payment dates and any related record dates;
|
|
·
|
if other than in U.S. dollars, the currency or currency unit in which payment will be made;
|
|
·
|
the denominations in which the currency or currency unit of the securities will be issuable if
other than denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof;
|
|
·
|
the terms and conditions on which the debt securities may be redeemed at our option;
|
|
·
|
any obligation we may have to redeem, purchase or repay the debt securities at the option of
a holder upon the happening of any event and the terms and conditions of redemption, purchase or repayment;
|
|
·
|
the names and duties of the trustee and any co-trustees, depositaries, authenticating agents,
calculation agents, paying agents, transfer agents or registrars for the debt securities;
|
|
·
|
any material provisions of the applicable indenture described in this prospectus that do not
apply to
the
debt securities;
|
|
·
|
a discussion of United States federal income tax, accounting and special considerations, procedures
and limitations with respect to the debt securities;
|
|
·
|
whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts to holders in respect of
any tax assessment or government charge, and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than
pay such additional amounts; and
|
|
·
|
any other specific terms of the debt securities that are consistent with the provisions of the
indenture.
|
The terms on which a series
of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for other of our securities or any other entity will be set forth in
the prospectus supplement relating to such series. Such terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory,
at the option of the holder or at our option. The terms may include provisions pursuant to which the number of other securities
to be received by the holders of such series of debt securities may be adjusted.
We
will issue the debt securities only in registered form. As currently anticipated, debt securities of a series will trade
in book-entry form, and global notes will be issued in physical (paper) form, as described below under “Book-Entry Procedures
and Settlement.” Unless otherwise provided in the accompanying prospectus supplement, we will issue debt securities denominated
in U.S. dollars and only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.
The prospectus supplement relating
to offered debt securities denominated in a foreign or composite currency will specify the denomination of the offered debt securities.
The debt securities may be
presented for exchange, and debt securities other than a global security may be presented for registration of transfer, at the
principal corporate trust office of the trustee named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Holders will not have to pay any
service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with such registration of transfer (Section 3.05).
Payment and Paying Agents
Distributions on the debt securities
other than those represented by global notes will be made in the designated currency against surrender of the debt securities at
the principal corporate trust office of the trustee named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Payment will be made to the
registered holder at the close of business on the record date for such payment. Interest payments will be made at the principal
corporate trust office of the trustee named in the applicable prospectus supplement, or by a check mailed to the holder at his
registered address. Payments in any other manner will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Calculation Agents
Calculations relating to floating
rate debt securities and indexed debt securities will be made by the calculation agent, an institution that we appoint as our agent
for this purpose.
We
may appoint one of our affiliates as calculation agent.
We
may appoint a different institution to serve as calculation agent from time to time after the original issue date of the
debt security without your consent and without notifying you of the change. The initial calculation agent will be identified in
the applicable prospectus supplement.
Senior Debt
We may issue senior debt securities
under the senior debt indenture. Senior debt will constitute our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank on a basis
equal in priority with all our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt.
Subordinated Debt
We
may issue subordinated debt securities under the subordinated debt indenture. Subordinated debt will constitute our unsecured
and subordinated obligations and will be junior in right of payment to our senior debt (including senior debt securities), which
is defined as “senior indebtedness” in the subordinated debt indenture (Section 16.01).
If we default in the payment
of any principal of, or premium, if
any,
or interest on any senior debt when it becomes
due and payable after any applicable grace period, then, unless and until the default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, we
cannot make a payment on account of or redeem or otherwise acquire the subordinated debt securities (Section 16.04).
If there is any insolvency,
bankruptcy, liquidation or other similar proceeding relating to us or our property, then all senior debt must be paid in full before
any payment may be made to any holders of subordinated debt securities (Section 16.02).
Furthermore, if we default
in the payment of the principal of and accrued interest on any subordinated debt securities that is declared due and payable upon
an event of default under the subordinated debt indenture, holders of all our senior debt will first be entitled to receive payment
in full in cash before holders of such subordinated debt can receive any payments (Section 16.03).
Except as may be otherwise set
forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement, senior debt means:
|
·
|
the principal, premium, if
any,
and interest in respect
of indebtedness for money borrowed and indebtedness evidenced by securities, notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments
issued, including, as to us, the senior debt securities;
|
|
·
|
all capitalized lease obligations;
|
|
·
|
all obligations representing the deferred purchase price of property; and
|
|
·
|
all deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of obligations of the type referred to above
(Section 1.01 of Subordinated Indenture).
|
However, senior debt does not include:
|
·
|
the subordinated debt securities (Section 16.01 of Subordinated Indenture);
|
|
·
|
any indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated to, or ranks in priority on an equal basis
with, subordinated debt securities (Section 1.01 of Subordinated Indenture); and
|
|
·
|
items of indebtedness (other than capitalized lease obligations) that would not appear as liabilities
on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
|
Covenants
The accompanying prospectus
supplement will contain any covenants applicable to the debt securities.
Modification of the Indentures
The indentures will provide
that we and the relevant trustee may enter into supplemental indentures to establish the form and terms of any new series of debt
securities without obtaining the consent of any holder of debt securities (Section 9.01).
We and the trustee may, with
the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the debt securities of a series,
modify the applicable indenture or the rights of the holders of the securities of such series (Section 9.02).
No such modification may, without
the consent of each holder of an affected security:
|
·
|
extend the fixed maturity of any such security;
|
|
·
|
reduce the rate or change the time of payment of interest on such security;
|
|
·
|
reduce the principal amount of such securities or the premium, if
any,
on such security;
|
|
·
|
change any obligation of ours to pay additional amounts with respect to such security;
|
|
·
|
reduce the amount of the principal payable on acceleration of such security if issued originally
at a discount;
|
|
·
|
adversely affect the right of repayment or repurchase of such security at the option of the holder;
|
|
·
|
reduce or postpone any sinking fund or similar provision with respect to such security;
|
|
·
|
change the currency or currency unit in which such security is payable or the right of selection
thereof;
|
|
·
|
impair the right to sue for the enforcement of any payment with respect to such security on or
after the maturity of such security;
|
|
·
|
reduce the percentage of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of debt securities of the
series referred to above whose holders need to consent to the modification or a waiver without the consent of such holders; or
|
|
·
|
change any obligation of ours with respect to such security to maintain an office or agency.
|
Defaults
Except as may be otherwise
set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement, each indenture will provide that events of default regarding any series of
debt securities will be:
|
·
|
our failure to pay for 30 days required interest on any debt security of such series;
|
|
·
|
our failure to pay principal or premium, if
any,
on
any debt security of such series when due;
|
|
·
|
our failure to make any required scheduled installment payment for 30 days on debt securities
of such series;
|
|
·
|
our failure to perform for 90 days after notice any other covenant
in the relevant indenture other
than
a covenant included in the relevant indenture
solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than such series; and
|
|
·
|
certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, whether voluntary or not (Section 5.01).
|
Except as may be otherwise
set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement, if an event of default regarding debt securities of any series issued under
the indentures should occur and be continuing, either the trustee or the holders of 25% in the principal amount of outstanding
debt securities of such series may declare each debt security of that series due and payable (Section 5.02). We may be required
to file annually with the trustee a statement of an officer as to the fulfillment by us of our obligations under the indenture
during the preceding year.
No event of default regarding
one series of debt securities issued under an indenture is necessarily an event of default regarding any other series of debt securities.
Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will be entitled to control certain actions of the trustee under
the indentures and to waive past defaults regarding such series (Sections 5.12 and 5.13). The holders of debt securities generally
will not be able to require the trustee to take any action, unless one or more of such holders provides to the trustee reasonable
security or indemnity (Section 6.02).
If an
event of default occurs and is continuing regarding a series of debt securities, the trustee may use any sums that it holds under
the relevant indenture for its own reasonable compensation and expenses incurred prior to paying the holders of debt securities
of such series (Section 5.06).
Before any holder of any series
of debt securities may institute action for any remedy, except payment on such holder’s debt security when due, the holders
of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of that series outstanding must request the trustee to take action.
Holders must also offer and give the satisfactory security and indemnity against liabilities incurred by the trustee for taking
such action (Section 5.07).
Defeasance
Except as may otherwise be
set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement, after we have deposited with the trustee, cash or government securities, in
trust for the benefit of the holders sufficient to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of
such series when due, and satisfied certain other conditions, including receipt of an opinion of counsel that holders will not
recognize taxable gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes, then:
|
·
|
we will be deemed to have paid and satisfied our obligations on all outstanding debt securities
of such series, which is known as defeasance and discharge (Section 14.02); or
|
|
·
|
we will cease to be under any obligation, other than to pay when due the principal of, premium,
if
any,
and interest on such debt securities, relating to the debt securities of such
series, which is known as covenant defeasance (Section 14.03).
|
When there is a defeasance
and discharge, the applicable indenture will no longer govern the debt securities of such series, we will no longer be liable for
payments required by the terms of the debt securities of such series and the holders of such debt securities will be entitled only
to the deposited funds. When there is a covenant defeasance, however, we will continue to be obligated to make payments when due
if the deposited funds are not sufficient.
Governing Law
Unless otherwise stated in
the prospectus supplement, the debt securities and the indentures will be governed by Pennsylvania law (Section 1.12).
Concerning the Trustee Under the Indentures
We may have banking and other
business relationships with the trustee named in the prospectus supplement, or any subsequent trustee, in the ordinary course of
business.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We
will issue debt securities only in registered form; no debt securities will be issued in bearer form (Section 2.03).
We
will issue each debt security in book-entry form
only,
unless otherwise specified
in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We
will issue any common stock issuable upon
conversion of any debt security being offered in both certificated and book-entry form, unless otherwise specified in the applicable
prospectus supplement. Debt securities in book-entry form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a
depositary, which will be the holder of all the debt securities represented by the global security (Section 2.04). Those who own
beneficial interests in a global security will do so through participants in the depositary’s system, and the rights of these
indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. Only the depositary
will be entitled to transfer or exchange a debt security in global form, since it will be the sole holder of the debt security
(Section 3.05). These book-entry securities are described below under “Book-Entry Procedures and Settlement.”
If any debt securities are
issued in non-global form or cease to be book-entry securities (in the circumstances described in the next section), the following
will apply to them:
|
·
|
The debt securities will be issued in fully registered form in denominations stated in the prospectus
supplement.
You
may exchange debt securities for debt securities of the same series
in smaller denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of the same series of larger denominations, as long as the total
amount is not changed (Section 3.05).
|
|
·
|
You
may exchange, transfer, present
for payment or exercise debt securities at the office of the relevant trustee or agent indicated in the prospectus supplement (Section
3.05).
You
may also replace lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated debt securities at
that office.
We
may appoint another entity to perform these functions or may perform
them (Section 3.06).
|
|
·
|
You
will not be required to pay
a service charge to transfer or exchange the debt securities, but you may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge
associated with the transfer or exchange (Sections 3.05 and 3.06). The transfer or exchange, and any replacement, will be made
only if our transfer agent is satisfied with your proof of legal ownership. The transfer agent may also require an indemnity before
replacing any debt securities (Section 3.06).
|
|
·
|
If we have the right to redeem, accelerate or settle any debt securities before their maturity
or expiration, and we exercise that right as to less than all those debt securities, we may block the transfer or exchange of those
debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of exercise and ending on the day of that
mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing.
We
may also
refuse to register transfers of or exchange any debt security selected for early settlement, except that we will continue to permit
transfers and exchanges of the unsettled portion of any debt security being partially settled (Section 3.05).
|
|
·
|
If fewer than all of the debt securities represented by a certificate that are payable or exercisable
in part are presented for payment or exercise, a new certificate will be issued for the remaining amount
of
securities (Section 15.02).
|
Book-Entry Procedures and Settlement
Most offered debt securities
will be book-entry (global) securities. Upon issuance, all book-entry securities will be represented by one or more fully registered
global securities, without coupons (Section 3.02). Each global security will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository
Trust Company, or DTC, a securities depository, and will be registered in the name of DTC or a nominee of DTC (Section 3.01). DTC
will thus be the only registered holder of these debt securities.
Purchasers of debt securities
may only hold interests in the global notes through DTC if they are participants in the DTC system. Purchasers may also hold interests
through a securities intermediary—banks, brokerage houses and other institutions that maintain securities accounts for customers—that
has an account with DTC or its nominee. DTC will maintain accounts showing the security holdings of its participants, and these
participants will in turn maintain accounts showing the security holdings of their customers. Some of these customers may themselves
be securities intermediaries holding securities for their customers. Thus, each beneficial owner of a book-entry security will
hold that debt security indirectly through a hierarchy of intermediaries, with DTC at the top and the beneficial owner’s
own securities intermediary at the bottom.
The debt securities of each
beneficial owner of a book-entry security will be evidenced solely by entries on the books of the beneficial owner’s securities
intermediary. The actual purchaser of the debt securities will generally not be entitled to have the debt securities represented
by the global securities registered in its name and will not be considered the owner under the declaration. In most cases, a beneficial
owner will also not be able to obtain a paper certificate evidencing the holder’s ownership of debt securities. The book-entry
system for holding securities eliminates the need for physical movement of certificates and is the system through which most publicly
traded common stock is held in the United States. However, the laws of some jurisdictions require some purchasers of securities
to take physical delivery of their securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer book-entry securities.
A beneficial owner of book-entry
securities represented by a global security may exchange the securities for definitive (paper) securities only if:
|
·
|
DTC is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for such global security and we do not appoint
a qualified replacement for DTC within 90 days; or
|
|
·
|
We
in our sole discretion decide
to allow some or all book-entry securities to be exchangeable for definitive securities in registered form (Section 3.05).
|
Unless we indicate otherwise,
any global security that is exchangeable will be exchangeable in whole for definitive securities in registered form, with the same
terms and of an equal aggregate principal amount. Definitive securities will be registered in the name or names of the person or
persons specified by DTC in a written instruction to the registrar of the securities (Section 3.05). DTC may base its written instruction
upon directions that it receives from its participants.
In this prospectus, for book-entry
securities, references to actions taken by security holders will mean actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its participants,
and references to payments and notices of redemption to security holders will mean payments and notices of redemption to DTC as
the registered holder of the securities for distribution to participants in accordance with DTC’s procedures.
DTC is a limited purpose trust
company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a clearing corporation within
the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a clearing agency registered under section 17A of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
We will not have any responsibility
or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interest in the book-entry
securities or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to the beneficial ownership interests.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell any of the securities
being offered by this prospectus separately or together:
|
·
|
to or through underwriters who may act directly or through a syndicate represented by one or
more managing underwriters;
|
|
·
|
through a block trade in which the broker or dealer engaged to handle
the block trade will attempt to sell the securities as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to
facilitate the transaction;
|
|
·
|
through “at the market” offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities
Act of 1933, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market on an exchange or otherwise;
|
|
·
|
in exchange for our outstanding indebtedness;
|
|
·
|
directly to purchasers, through a specific bidding, auction or other process; or
|
|
·
|
through a combination of any of these methods of sale.
|
If the securities offered under
this prospectus are issued in exchange for our outstanding securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms
of the exchange, and the identity and the terms of sale of the securities offered under this prospectus by the selling security
holders.
The distribution of securities
may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices that may be changed, at market prices
prevailing at the time of sale or prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
Agents designated by us from
time to time may solicit offers to purchase the securities. We will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities
and set forth any commissions payable by us to an agent in the prospectus supplement for that transaction. Unless otherwise indicated
in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent may
be deemed to be an “underwriter” of the securities as that term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933.
If we utilize an underwriter
or underwriters in the sale of securities, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter or underwriters at the
time we reach an agreement for sale. We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the names of the specific managing underwriter
or underwriters, as well as any other underwriters, and the terms of the transactions, including compensation of the underwriters
and dealers. This compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters and others participating
in any offering of securities may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of securities.
We will describe any of these activities in the prospectus supplement.
If a dealer is utilized in
the sale of the securities, we or an underwriter will sell securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the
securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. The prospectus supplement will
set forth the name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions.
We may directly solicit offers
to purchase the securities, and we may sell directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters
within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any resale of the securities. The prospectus supplement will describe
the terms of any direct sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, if utilized.
Agreements we enter into with
agents, underwriters and dealers may entitle them to indemnification by us against specified liabilities, including liabilities
under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribution by us to payments they may be required to make in respect of these liabilities.
The prospectus supplement will describe the terms and conditions of indemnification or contribution.
Certain of the agents, underwriters
and dealers that we sell the securities offered under this prospectus to or through, and certain of their affiliates, engage in
transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of business. We may enter into hedging transactions in connection
with any particular issue of the securities offered under this prospectus, including forwards, futures, options, interest rate
or exchange rate swaps and repurchase or reverse repurchase transactions with, or arranged by, the applicable agent, underwriter
or dealer, an affiliate of that agent, underwriter or dealer or an unrelated entity. We, the applicable agent, underwriter or dealer
or other parties may receive compensation, trading gain or other benefits in connection with these transactions. We are not required
to engage in any of these transactions. If we commence these transactions, we may discontinue them at any time. Counterparties
to these hedging activities also may engage in market transactions involving the securities offered under this prospectus.
No securities may be sold under
this prospectus without delivery (in paper format, in electronic format, in electronic format on the Internet, or by other means)
of the applicable prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering.
LEGAL MATTERS
Unless otherwise indicated
in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities that may be offered hereby will be passed upon for us by
Ballard Spahr LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If legal matters in connection with the offering made by this prospectus are passed
on by counsel for the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The financial statements and
management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s
Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE
INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and
current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s
Public Reference Room at 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. You may also obtain our SEC filings from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or from our website
at http:// ir.aquaamerica.com/.
We have filed with the SEC
a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to the securities that may be
offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of that registration statement, but does not contain all of the information
in the registration statement. We have omitted certain parts of the registration statement in accordance with rules and regulations
of the SEC. Statements made in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract, agreement or other documents are not necessarily
complete, and, in each instance, we refer you to a copy of such document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, of
which this prospectus is a part, or otherwise filed with the SEC. For more detail about us and any securities that may be offered
by this prospectus, you may examine the registration statement on Form S-3 and the exhibits filed with it at the locations listed
in the previous paragraph.
The SEC allows us to “incorporate
by reference” the information we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring
you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. When we file information
with the SEC in the future, that information will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference
the documents listed below and any future filings we will make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 until we sell all of the securities covered by this prospectus; provided, however, that we are not incorporating,
in each case, any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules:
·
Our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2018; and
·
The description of our common stock set forth in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, including
any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
These documents contain important
business and financial information about us that is not included in or delivered with this prospectus. You may request a copy of
any or all documents that we incorporate by reference at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at:
Aqua America, Inc.
762 W. Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-3489
Telephone: 610-527-8000
Attention: Corporate Secretary
You
should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any supplements to
this prospectus.
We
have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information.
If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
You
should not assume that the information provided in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate
as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus or the date of those documents. Our business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
If you find inconsistencies
between the documents, or between the documents and this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on
the most recent document, prospectus or prospectus supplement.
$900,000,000
AQUA
AMERICA, INC.
$ %
Senior Notes due 2029
$ %
Senior Notes due 2049
PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT
Joint
Bookrunners
RBC
Capital Markets
|
|
Goldman
Sachs & Co. LLC
|
BofA
Merrill Lynch
|
Morgan
Stanley
|
Wells
Fargo Securities
|
Co-Managers
PNC
Capital Markets LLC
|
Barclays
|
Citizens
Capital Markets
|
Huntington
Capital Markets
|
MUFG
|
J.P. Morgan
|
TD
Securities
|
,
2019
Aqua America (NYSE:WTR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2024 to Jan 2025
Aqua America (NYSE:WTR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jan 2024 to Jan 2025