Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On September 22, 2009, Willis North America Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Issuer"), Willis Group Holdings Limited, a Bermuda company and parent company
of the Issuer (the "Parent") and Willis UK Holdings Limited, TA I Limited, TA II
Limited, TA III Limited, Trinity Acquisition plc, TA IV Limited and Willis Group
Limited (each a company organized under the laws of England and Wales, and,
together with Parent, the "Guarantors") entered into an underwriting agreement
(the "Underwriting Agreement") with Banc of America Securities LLC and J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc., as the representatives of the several underwriters named
therein (the "Underwriters"), in connection with the offer and sale of
$300 million aggregate principal amount of the Issuer's 7.0% Senior Notes due
2019, fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors (the "Notes"). The
Notes are being sold in a public offering pursuant to a registration statement
on Form S-3 (File No. 333 -160129) and a related preliminary prospectus
supplement and prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
The Notes will be issued pursuant to a base indenture (the "Indenture") dated
July 1, 2005 among the Issuer, the guarantors named therein and The Bank of New
York (now known as The Bank of New York Mellon), as trustee (the "Trustee"), as
amended to date and as further amended by the fourth supplemental indenture
dated as of September 29, 2009 between the Issuer, the Guarantors and the
Trustee (the "Fourth Supplemental Indenture").
The Notes will mature on September 29, 2019 and interest will be paid on
March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing March 15, 2010. The interest
rate payable on the notes will be subject to adjustment from time to time if
either of the debt ratings assigned to the Notes is downgraded to a
non-investment grade rating.
The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer and rank equally with
all of the Issuer's existing and future senior debt, including the 5.125% senior
notes due 2010, the 5.625% senior notes due 2015, the 6.200% senior notes due
2017, its guarantee of Trinity Acquisition plc's existing 12.875% senior notes
due 2016 and any debt under the senior credit facilities. The Notes will be
senior in right of payment to all of the Issuer's future subordinated debt and
will be effectively subordinated to all of the Issuer's future secured debt to
the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt.
The Issuer may redeem the Notes prior to maturity in whole at any time or in
part from time to time, at the Issuer's option, at a redemption price equal to
the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed; and
(ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of
principal and interest on the notes being redeemed (not including any portion of
such payments of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the
date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of
twelve 30-day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points.
The Issuer received net proceeds, after underwriting discounts and expenses, of
approximately $296 million, which the Issuer intends to use to purchase any and
all of its outstanding 5.125% senior notes due 2010 that are validly tendered
and accepted for payment under the cash tender offer announced on September 22,
2009. Any remaining proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes.
The foregoing disclosure of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the
Fourth Supplemental Indenture is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture. The
Indenture has been included as Exhibit 4.1 to the Parent's Current Report on
Form 8-K, filed on July 1, 2005, and the Underwriting Agreement was filed as
Exhibit 1.1 to the Parent's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed September 28,
2009. The Fourth Supplemental Indenture is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP, counsel to the Parent, has issued an opinion to the
Parent, dated September 29, 2009, regarding the legality of the senior notes and
the guarantees upon issuance thereof. A copy of the opinion is filed as
Exhibit 5.1 hereto.
Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information contained in Item 1.01 concerning the Parent's direct financial
obligation is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
4.1. Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 29, 2009.
5.1 Opinion of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.
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