Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On July 13, 2009, Atlas Energy Operating Company, LLC ("ATN Operating") and
Atlas Energy Finance Corp. (collectively with ATN Operating, the "Issuers"),
wholly-owned subsidiaries of Atlas Energy Resources, LLC ("ATN"), ATN and
certain other subsidiaries of ATN named therein (the "Guarantors") entered into
an underwriting agreement with J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as representative of
the several underwriters named therein (the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which
the Issuers sold an aggregate of $200,000,000 principal amount of their 12.125%
Senior Notes due 2017 (the "Notes") to the Underwriters (the "Offering").
On July 16, 2009, the Notes were issued under, and the Issuers and the
Guarantors entered into (1) an indenture for senior debt securities (the "Base
Indenture") among the Issuers, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National
Association, as trustee (the "Trustee"), and (2) a first supplemental indenture
among the Issuers, the Guarantors and the Trustee (the "First Supplemental
Indenture" and, together with the Base Indenture, the "Indenture").
The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 12.125% per year, payable
semiannually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on
February 1, 2010.
In the event of a change of control, as defined in the First Supplemental
Indenture, the holders of the Notes may require the Issuers to purchase their
Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes,
plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
The Notes are the Issuers' unsecured, senior obligations, ranking senior in
right of payment to the ATN's existing and future indebtedness that is expressly
subordinated to the Notes and equal in right of payment with the Issuers'
existing and future unsecured indebtedness that is not by its terms subordinated
to the Notes, including the Issuers' existing 10.75% senior notes due 2018. In
addition, the Notes will rank effectively junior to the Issuers' existing and
future secured indebtedness, including ATN Operating's indebtedness under the
revolving credit facility (the "Revolver"), to the extent of the value of the
assets securing such indebtedness, and will be structurally subordinated to the
existing and future indebtedness.
The Notes initially will be fully, unconditionally and jointly and
severally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by ATN and certain of its
existing subsidiaries named in the Indenture as Guarantors. In the future, the
subsidiary guarantees may be released or terminated under certain circumstances.
The obligations of each Guarantor will be the general unsecured obligations of
such Guarantor and will rank senior in right of payment to the existing and
future subordinated indebtedness of such Guarantor and equal in right of payment
to all existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of such Guarantor. In
addition, the guarantee by each Guarantor will be effectively junior to the
applicable Guarantor's existing and future secured indebtedness, including its
guarantee of indebtedness under the Revolver, to the extent of the value of the
assets of such Guarantor constituting collateral securing such indebtedness.
The Indenture contains covenants that, among other things, limit the
Issuers' ability and the ability of ATN and ATN's restricted subsidiaries (as
defined in the First Supplemental Indenture) to:
• incur additional debt;
• make certain investments or pay dividends or distributions on ATN's capital
stock or purchase or redeem or retire capital stock;
• sell assets, including capital stock of the restricted subsidiaries;
• restrict dividends or other payments by restricted subsidiaries;
• create liens that secure debt;
• enter into transactions with affiliates; and
• merge or consolidate with another company.
These covenants are subject to important limitations and exceptions that are
described in the Indenture.
The Offering was made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form
S-3 (File No. 333-160483), which became effective upon its filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 2009. A Prospectus Supplement
dated July 13, 2009 relating to the Notes and supplementing the Prospectus dated
July 8, 2009 was filed with the SEC on July 14, 2009.
A copy of the underwriting agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1
incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Underwriting Agreement
in this report is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the
Underwriting Agreement. The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes were
estimated to be approximately $190.9 million (after deducting underwriting
discounts and commissions and estimated expenses). Certain of the Underwriters
are also lenders under the Revolver. More than 10% of the net proceeds of the
sale of the Notes was paid to affiliates of the Underwriters as a result of the
repayment of a portion of the borrowings outstanding under the Revolver. The
Revolver's $650.0 million borrowing base will be reduced by 25% of the aggregate
stated principal amount of the Notes, or $50.0 million, to $600.0 million as a
result of the Offering.
Copies of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture are
attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2 and incorporated herein by
reference. The form of Note issued pursuant to the First Supplemental Indenture
is included as Annex A to the First Supplemental Indenture and incorporated
herein by reference. The description of the Indenture in this Form 8-K is a
summary and is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the Indenture.
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The disclosure set forth in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference in
this Item 2.03.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
4.1 Senior Indenture dated July 16, 2009.
4.2 First Supplemental Indenture dated July 16, 2009.
4.3 Form of Note for 12.125% Senior Notes due 2017 (contained in Annex A to
Exhibit 4.2).
10.1 Underwriting Agreement dated July 13, 2009.