Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On April 29, 2009, Old Republic International Corporation (the "Company")
completed a registered underwritten public offering of 8.00% Convertible Senior
Notes due 2012 in the aggregate principal amount of $316,250,000 (the "Notes")
pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated April 23, 2009, between the Company
and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representative of the
several underwriters named therein (the "Underwriting Agreement").
The Notes were registered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3
(No. 333-142462), including the preliminary prospectus supplement dated
April 22, 2009, and a final prospectus supplement dated April 23, 2009, filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.
The Company issued the Notes under an indenture dated as of August 15, 1992 (the
"Base Indenture"), as supplemented by a supplemental indenture dated as of
April 29, 2009 (the "Supplemental Indenture" and, together with the Base
Indenture, the "Indenture"), each between the Company and Wilmington Trust
Company, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The Base Indenture was filed as Exhibit 4.1
to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 22, 2009. The
Supplemental Indenture (including the form of Notes) is filed as Exhibit 4.1
hereto. The terms of the Indenture and the Notes issued pursuant to the
Indenture are described in the sections of the Preliminary Supplement and Final
Supplement relating to the Notes entitled "Description of Notes," which is
incorporated herein by reference. The following description of the Notes and the
Indenture is a summary and is not meant to be a complete description of the
Notes and the Indenture. This description is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the detailed provisions of the Supplemental Indenture.
The Notes bear interest at a rate of 8.00% per annum, payable semi-annually in
arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, beginning on November 15, 2009.
The Notes will mature on May 15, 2012, unless earlier repurchased by the Company
or converted. The Notes are convertible at any time prior to the close of
business on the second scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date (as
described in the Supplemental Indenture) at an initial conversion rate of
86.8056 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (which
represents an initial conversion price of approximately $11.52 per share),
subject to adjustment in certain circumstances as set forth in the Supplemental
Indenture. The initial conversion price represents a conversion premium of 20%
over the closing price of our common stock on April 23, 2009 of $9.60 per share.
Upon a fundamental change (as described in Section 3.01 of the Supplemental
Indenture), holders may require the Company to repurchase all or a portion of
their Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of
the Notes to be repurchased, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but
excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date. The Notes are not redeemable
at the Company's option prior to maturity.
The Indenture contains customary terms and covenants, including that upon
certain events of default occurring and continuing, either the Trustee or the
holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding may declare the entire principal amount of all the Notes, and the
interest accrued on such Notes, if any, to be immediately due and payable. In
the case of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization relating
to the Company or a significant subsidiary, the principal amount of the
securities together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon will
automatically be and become immediately due and payable.
In connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of the Notes as
described in response to Item 1.01 of this Current Report, the following
exhibits are filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by
reference into the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration
No. 333-142462): (i) the Underwriting Agreement (Exhibit 1.1 to this Current
Report), (ii) the Supplemental Indenture and form of Note (Exhibit 4.1 to this
Current Report), (iii) the Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
(Exhibit 12.1 to this Current Report), and (iv) the legal opinions and consents
of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP (Exhibits 5.1, 8.1 and 23.1 to this Current
Report).
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information required by Item 2.03 relating to the Notes and the Indenture is
contained in Item 1.01 above and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
1.1 Underwriting Agreement, dated April 23, 2009, between the Company and
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.
4.1 Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 29, 2009, between the Company and
Wilmington Trust Company as trustee (including the form of Notes)
5.1 Opinion of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
8.1 Opinion of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
12.1 Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.1 Consent of Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 and
Exhibit 8.1)