THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES 424B3
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-136014
Prospectus
$100,000,000
2.375% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026
We issued the notes in a private placement on May 22, 2006.
This prospectus may be used by selling securityholders to resell
their notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes from time to time.
The notes bear interest at a rate of 2.375% per annum on
the principal amount of the notes. We will pay interest on the
notes on May 15 and November 15 of each year,
beginning on November 15, 2006. Beginning on May 15,
2013, we also will pay contingent interest on the notes if the
trading price of the notes is above a specified level during a
specified period, as described in this prospectus. The notes
will mature on May 15, 2026, unless earlier converted,
redeemed or repurchased.
The notes may be converted by the holder into cash and shares,
if any, of our common stock initially at a conversion rate of
20.8125 shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which
is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately
$48.05 per share of common stock, subject to adjustment in
certain events, under the following circumstances:
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during any calendar quarter commencing after June 30, 2006,
if the last reported sale price of our common stock for at least
20 trading days in the period of 30 consecutive trading days
ending on the last trading day of the preceding calendar quarter
is greater than or equal to 130% of the applicable conversion
price on such last trading day; |
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during the five consecutive business-day period following any
five consecutive trading-day period in which the average trading
price for the notes was less than 98% of the product of the
average of the closing sale price of our common stock during
such five trading-day period and the then-current conversion
rate; |
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on or after May 15, 2021; |
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if such notes have been called for redemption by us; or |
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upon the occurrence of specified corporate transactions. |
The notes will be convertible into cash and shares of our common
stock, if any, based on a daily conversion value calculated on a
proportionate basis for each day of a 30 trading-day cash
settlement averaging period.
If a holder elects to convert the notes in connection with
certain fundamental changes, we will in certain circumstances
increase the conversion rate by a number of additional shares of
common stock, or, in lieu thereof, we may in certain
circumstances elect to adjust the conversion rate and related
conversion obligation so that the notes are convertible into
shares of the acquiring or surviving company.
The notes will be jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior
unsecured basis by all of our existing and future restricted
material domestic subsidiaries. The notes and the guarantees
will be general unsecured unsubordinated obligations ranking
equally with our and the guarantors other unsecured
unsubordinated debt, but will be effectively subordinated to all
of our and the guarantors secured debt to the extent of
the assets securing such debt, including all borrowings under
our existing and future senior secured credit facilities, and to
all of our non-guarantor subsidiaries debt, whether
secured or unsecured.
On or after May 15, 2013, we may redeem all or a portion of
the notes at a redemption price of 100% of the principal amount
of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest. Holders may
require us to repurchase all or a portion of their notes on
May 15, 2013, May 15, 2016, and May 15, 2021 and
in the event of a fundamental change, as described in this
prospectus, at a price of 100% of the principal amount of the
notes plus accrued and unpaid interest.
We and each holder of the notes have agreed in the indenture to
treat the notes as debt instruments subject to U.S. federal
income tax contingent payment debt regulations. See United
States Federal Income Tax Considerations.
Shares of our common stock are listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol GBX. On August 4,
2006, the last reported closing sale price of our common stock
was $27.17.
We will not receive any proceeds from the resale by the selling
securityholders of the notes or the common stock. Other than
selling commissions and fees and stock transfer taxes, we will
pay all expenses of the registration of the notes, guarantees
and shares of common stock and certain other expenses.
This investment involves significant risks. See Risk
Factors beginning on page 11.
Neither the Securities 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 August 9, 2006.
You should rely only on the information contained in or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We have not
authorized any person to provide you with any information or
represent anything about us or this offering that is different.
If given or made, any such other information or representation
should not be relied upon as having been authorized by us.
Offers to sell, and offers to buy, the notes or common stock
issuable upon conversion of the notes are valid only in
jurisdictions where the offers and sales are permitted.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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NOTICE TO NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS
Neither the fact that a registration statement or an
application for a license has been filed under
Chapter 421-b of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes
Annotated, 1955, as amended, with the state of New Hampshire nor
the fact that a security is effectively registered or a person
is licensed in the state of New Hampshire constitutes a finding
by the secretary of state that any document filed under RSA
421-b is true, complete and not misleading. Neither any such
fact nor the fact that any exemption or exception is available
for a security or a transaction means that the secretary of
state has passed in any way upon the merits or qualifications
of, or recommended or given approval to, any person, security,
or transaction. It is unlawful to make, or cause to be made, to
any prospective purchaser, customer, or client any
representation inconsistent with the provisions of this
paragraph.
MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA
Market, industry and other similar data is contained in or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Such data
reflect estimates and are based on managements own
estimates, independent industry publications
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or other published independent sources. While we believe these
estimates are reasonable, we have not independently verified the
data or any of the assumptions or raw data on which the
estimates are based and the data may prove to be inaccurate. As
a result, you should be aware that any such market, industry or
other similar data may not be reliable.
WHERE YOU CAN OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements
and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, or SEC, in accordance with the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). You can
inspect and copy, at prescribed rates, these reports, proxy
statements and other information at the public reference
facilities of the SEC, in Room 1580, 100 F. Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for
further information on its public reference room. The SEC also
maintains a website that contains these reports, proxy
statements and other information at http://www.sec.gov. You can
also inspect reports and other information that we file at the
office of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad
Street, New York, New York 10005.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on
Form S-3 with the
SEC, of which this prospectus is a part, relating to the notes
and common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes offered
by this prospectus. As allowed by SEC rules, this prospectus
does not contain all of the information set forth in the
registration statement and the related exhibits. We refer you to
the registration statement and related exhibits for further
information, and this prospectus is qualified in its entirety by
such other information.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including information incorporated by
reference, contains statements that we believe are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and the
Exchange Act, including statements as to our expectations,
beliefs and strategies regarding the future. Statements made in
or incorporated by reference into this prospectus that are not
statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements.
You can identify these forward-looking statements by
forward-looking words such as expect,
anticipate, believe, intend,
plan, seek, forecast,
estimate, continue, may,
will, would, could,
likely and similar expressions. These
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our
control and could cause actual results to differ materially from
those currently anticipated. Important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those currently
anticipated or suggested by these forward-looking statements and
that could adversely affect our future financial performance and
stockholder value are identified in Risk Factors and
may also include the following:
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continued industry demand at current levels for railcar
products, given substantial price increases; |
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industry overcapacity and our manufacturing capacity utilization; |
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ability to utilize beneficial tax strategies; |
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decreases in carrying value of assets due to impairment; |
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changes in future maintenance requirements; |
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effects of local statutory accounting conventions on compliance
with covenants in certain loan agreements; |
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availability of subcontractors; |
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energy shortages or operating difficulties that might disrupt
manufacturing operations or the flow of cargo; |
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changes in fuel and/or energy prices; |
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delays in receipt of orders, risks that contracts may be
canceled during their term or not renewed and that customers may
not purchase as much equipment under existing contracts as
anticipated; and |
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ability to replace maturing lease revenue and earnings with
revenue and earnings from additions to the lease fleet and
management services. |
Any forward-looking statement should be considered in light of
these factors and reflects our belief only at the time the
statement is made. We assume no obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results,
changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the
forward-looking statements.
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
We are incorporating by reference into this prospectus the
documents we file with the SEC. This means that we are
disclosing important information to you by referring you to
those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an
important part of this prospectus, and information that we file
later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the
information contained in this prospectus. We are incorporating
by reference the following documents.
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Our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended August 31, 2005, filed with the SEC on
November 4, 2005; |
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Our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended November 30, 2005, filed with the SEC on
January 5, 2006; |
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Our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended February 28, 2006, filed with the SEC on
April 5, 2006; |
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Our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended May 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on
June 29, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on November 10, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K/ A filed
with the SEC on November 16, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on December 1, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on January 12, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on January 26, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on March 2, 2006 (SEC Accession
No. 0000950124-06-000942); |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on March 2, 2006 (SEC Accession
No. 0000950124-06-000944); |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on April 13, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on May 12, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on May 15, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on May 18, 2006; |
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on May 25, 2006; and |
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All documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the date of this prospectus and prior to the completion of the
offering made pursuant to this prospectus. |
Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference
in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for the purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a
statement contained in this
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prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that is
also incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or
superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. Information
that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus will
automatically modify and supersede the information included or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus to the extent that
the subsequently filed information modifies or supersedes the
existing information.
We will provide without charge, upon written or oral request, a
copy of any or all of the documents that are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus, other than exhibits to such
documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by
reference in such documents. You may request a copy of these
filings at the following address and telephone:
The Greenbrier Companies, Inc.
One Centerpointe Drive, Suite 200
Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035
Attention: Investor Relations
Telephone: (503) 684-7000
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information contained in or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This summary
does not contain all of the information that may be important to
you. We urge you to read carefully this entire prospectus, all
documents incorporated by reference, including the financial
statements and the notes to the financial statements, and the
Risk Factors section. Unless the context requires
otherwise, references in this prospectus to we,
us and our refer to The Greenbrier
Companies, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Our Business
We are one of the leading designers, manufacturers and marketers
of railroad freight car equipment in North America and Europe
and a leading provider of leasing and other services to the
railroad and related transportation industries in North America.
Our mission is to deliver complete freight car solutions to our
customers through a comprehensive set of high quality freight
car products and related services.
In North America, we operate an integrated business model that
combines freight car manufacturing, repair and refurbishment,
leasing and fleet management services to provide customers with
a comprehensive set of freight car solutions. This model allows
us to exploit synergies between our various business activities
and to generate enhanced returns by providing creative solutions
to a customers freight car needs, while capturing profits
at multiple points during the transaction.
For the years ended August 31, 2005 and 2004, we generated
total revenue of $1.0 billion and $729.5 million and
earnings from continuing operations of $29.8 million and
$20.0 million, respectively. For the nine months ended
May 31, 2006 and 2005, we generated revenue of
$688.7 million and $759.0 million and earnings from
continuing operations of $27.3 million and
$19.2 million, respectively.
Through our integrated business model, we offer our customers
the following products and services:
Railcar Manufacturing
We are the leading North American manufacturer of intermodal
railcars with an average market share of 63% over the five years
ended December 31, 2005. In addition to our strength in
intermodal railcars, we build a broad array of other railcar
types in North America and have demonstrated an ability to
capture high market shares in the car types we build. We have
commanded an average market share of 41% in flat cars and 27% in
boxcars over the five years ended December 31, 2005.
Our European manufacturing operation produces a variety of
railcar types, including a comprehensive line of pressurized
tank cars, non-pressurized tank cars, flat cars, coil cars, coal
cars, gondolas, sliding wall cars and rolling highway cars.
Although no formal statistics are available for the European
market, we believe we are the second largest new freight car
manufacturer, with an estimated 20% market share.
Railcar deliveries for the nine months ended May 31, 2006
were approximately 8,200 units, compared to
9,900 units for the nine months ended May 31, 2005.
Our new railcar manufacturing backlog stands at approximately
16,900 units valued at approximately $1.14 billion at
May 31, 2006. This backlog includes approximately
13,000 units that will be delivered to a customer over a
five-year period, with approximately 7,700 units that are
scheduled for delivery after 2007 being subject to our
fulfillment of certain competitive conditions.
Railcar Repair and Refurbishing
We believe we operate one of the largest repair and
refurbishment networks in North America with 17 facilities
nationwide. Our network of railcar repair and maintenance shops
competes in three primary markets: heavy railcar repair and
refurbishment, routine railcar maintenance, and railcar wheel
and axle servicing.
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Marine Vessel Fabrication
We fabricate a variety of marine barges, including conventional
deck barges, double-hull tank barges, railcar/deck barges,
barges for aggregates and ocean-going dump barges.
Railcar Leasing and Services
Our leasing and services business owns approximately
9,000 railcars and provides a comprehensive range of fleet
management services for approximately 135,000 additional
railcars owned by railroads, other leasing companies and
shippers. We also originate leases with railroads and shippers
and may subsequently sell a portion of these leases to financial
institutions to which we then provide management services. Our
fleet management services include revenue collection,
maintenance management, administration of car hire receivables
and payables, remarketing and other services.
Attractive Industry Market Trends
Our largest business is the production of new railcars for North
America. Demand for new railcars is strong and deliveries are
projected to average over 61,000 railcars per year from 2006
through 2010, according to Global Insight. An average of almost
40,000 railcars was delivered per year from 2001 through 2005,
according to data from Global Insight and the Railway Supply
Institute. Industry backlog was 85,692 railcars as of
June 30, 2006, according to the Railway Supply Institute.
We believe the key trends affecting demand for new railcars in
North America are:
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Long-term demand for new railcars is supported by continued
growth in demand for rail freight that offers cost efficiencies
when used over long distances; |
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Intermodal loadings will continue to grow at a faster pace than
overall freight car loadings due to increased international
trade and growth in domestic containerization; |
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Long-term replacement demand for railcars is underpinned by an
aging fleet; and |
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Railroads are shifting ownership of railcars to shippers and
leasing companies and are outsourcing services. |
Competitive Strengths
Leading market positions in intermodal and non-intermodal
railcars.
We are the leading manufacturer of intermodal railcars in North
America. In addition, we are one of the leading manufacturers of
non-intermodal freight cars with an extensive portfolio of
proven product designs. We currently have strong competitive
positions in flat cars, boxcars and covered hopper cars in North
America, and we believe we also hold a leading market position
in the manufacturing of railcars in Europe.
Integrated business model providing competitive
advantage.
In North America, we operate an integrated business model that
combines freight car manufacturing, repair and refurbishment,
leasing and fleet management services to provide customers with
a comprehensive set of freight car solutions. We believe that
the quality of our products, in conjunction with our marketing
and lease origination capabilities, enhances demand for our
products. We can also take advantage of opportunities,
especially during economic downturns, by adding new and used
railcars to our own lease fleet at attractive asset valuations.
Outstanding product quality, on-time delivery and product
reliability.
We are the only manufacturer of new railcars in North America to
have earned the prestigious TTX Excellent Supplier
award every year since it was introduced 15 years ago. Each
of our wheel shops servicing
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TTX Company has earned the award every year for 14 years.
We believe our customers value our quality and service and have
demonstrated a willingness to make purchasing decisions based in
part on these factors.
Track record of product innovation.
We have been a leading innovator in the freight car industry for
over two decades, as evidenced by our numerous innovations in
both intermodal and non-intermodal railcar designs. We devote
substantial effort to developing and testing freight cars that
improve the operating economics of rail transport for our
customers.
Flexible supply chain and low-cost manufacturing
network.
Our network of domestic and foreign sourcing agreements provides
us with dependable access to low-cost parts, sub-assemblies,
castings and fabrications. Our supply chain includes a number of
important relationships that provide us with multiple cost
competitive sourcing options. In addition, we believe our use of
outsourced sub-assemblies and fabricated components allows us to
maintain higher levels of output at our manufacturing plants.
We are the only builder of new railcars serving the North
American market with production facilities in all three NAFTA
countries, which allows us to allocate production among our
facilities after taking into account the costs of production and
capacity at each facility.
Seasoned management team and experienced workforce.
Our senior management team is highly experienced with an average
of approximately 24 years experience in the railcar
manufacturing and leasing industries. Supervisors in our
manufacturing operations have an average of approximately
25 years of railcar manufacturing experience. We believe
our management and workforce have the experience and knowledge
to successfully grow our business by leveraging the existing
business platform and by identifying and pursuing new growth
opportunities.
Our Strategy
Leverage our integrated business model to deliver superior
returns.
We intend to continue to leverage our unique combination of
integrated railcar manufacturing, repair, refurbishment, leasing
and management services businesses to increase the volume of
business transacted with our customers. Through our extensive
product and comprehensive service offerings, we believe we are
well-positioned to capitalize on changing industry trends,
reduce our exposure to any single product line or customer and
better serve the diverse needs of our customers in any economic
environment.
Maintain our leadership in intermodal freight cars.
We intend to maintain our leadership position in the North
American intermodal marketplace. Our double-stack units
currently constitute approximately 60% of the entire installed
base of double-stack units in the North American fleet. We
believe we have the broadest intermodal product portfolio and
intend to continue our innovative design efforts to support our
leadership position.
Build on our strong market position in non-intermodal
cars.
We also intend to build on our historically strong market
position in certain non-intermodal railcars. We expect to
continue to develop and introduce new generations of flat cars
including center partitions, bulkhead flatcars, flatcars for
automotive transportation and solid waste service flatcars,
boxcars, covered hopper cars and other conventional railcars
through new designs and product offerings with load capacities
and configurations designed to improve operating economics of
rail transport for our customers.
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Expand our leasing and services business.
We intend to accelerate the growth of our leasing and services
business. We have demonstrated an ability to originate
attractive lease transactions for both used and new railcars
produced by us and other manufacturers. Our management services
business offers a broad range of services that complement our
lease origination activities. Our objective is to become one of
the leading providers of these services in North America and to
take advantage of economies of scale as our leasing business
grows.
Reduce manufacturing costs while maintaining our
reputation for quality.
We intend to continue to develop our domestic and international
supply chain to reduce our manufacturing costs and selectively
expand our manufacturing capacity through investment in existing
facilities or through the addition of new capacity. We intend to
maintain our focus on product quality, on-time delivery and
product reliability through the application of Total
Quality processes. Our goal is to improve our quality,
cost competitiveness and manufacturing margins through the
application of Lean Manufacturing practices.
Pursue opportunities to supplement growth.
We believe that there are opportunities within the railcar
industry for us to expand our product portfolio, add
manufacturing capacity, grow our fleet of leased railcars,
enhance our global supply chain and add to our repair and
refurbishment network. We also believe there are opportunities
to grow our marine vessel business. We will continue to identify
and pursue strategic transactions that create value for our
shareholders and offer returns in excess of our cost of capital.
Exploit international growth opportunities in core railcar
manufacturing business.
The European railcar fleet is old and the replacement rate is
below required levels to maintain fleet efficiency. We believe
our European operations are well-positioned to capitalize on any
increased demand due to our reputation as a high-quality
manufacturer with an extensive portfolio of designs, a
modernized facility, favorable geographic location and access to
low-cost labor.
Our strategic alliance with Zhuzhou Rolling Stock Works in China
includes a collaboration agreement for the co-operative
development of global commercial opportunities combining the
technology, engineering and designs of both companies in the
North American, European and Chinese markets.
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The Notes
The following summary contains basic information about the
notes. It may not contain all the information that is important
to you. For a more complete understanding of the notes, we
encourage you to read this entire prospectus and the documents
to which we have referred you.
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Issuer |
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The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. |
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Securities Offered |
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$100.0 million aggregate principal amount of
2.375% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 and the common
stock issuable upon conversion of the notes. |
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Maturity Date |
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May 15, 2026, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed, or
converted. |
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Subsidiary Guarantees |
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The notes are jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior
unsecured basis by all of our existing and future restricted
material domestic subsidiaries. The aggregate revenue, Adjusted
EBITDA and assets for and as of the nine months ended
May 31, 2006 of our subsidiaries that will not guarantee
the notes represented approximately 26.1%, 10.5% and 6.3%,
respectively, of our total revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and assets
for and as of the nine months ended May 31, 2006. |
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Ranking |
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The notes and the related subsidiary guarantees rank: |
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Equally in right of payment with all of our and the
guarantors existing and future unsubordinated unsecured
indebtedness, including trade payables and our
83/8
% senior notes; |
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Effectively junior in right of payment to all of our
and the guarantors existing and future secured
indebtedness, including any borrowings under our and their
credit facilities, to the extent of the assets securing such
indebtedness; |
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Effectively junior to all of the liabilities of our
subsidiaries that have not guaranteed the notes; and |
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Senior in right of payment to any future
subordinated indebtedness of ours and the guarantors. |
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At May 31, 2006, the notes and the subsidiary guarantees
ranked junior to: |
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$12.6 million of secured indebtedness of
entities guaranteeing the notes; and |
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$138.4 million of liabilities, including trade
payables but excluding intercompany obligations, of our
non-guarantor subsidiaries. |
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Interest |
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The notes bear interest at an annual rate of 2.375% from
May 22, 2006, or from the most recent date to which
interest has been paid or provided for, until, but not
including, May 15, 2026. Interest (including contingent
interest and additional interest, if any) will be payable
semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15,
beginning November 15, 2006, of each year to holders of
record at the close of business on the May 1 or
November 1 immediately preceding such interest payment date. |
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Interest generally will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year comprised
of twelve 30-day months. |
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Contingent Interest |
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We also will pay contingent interest to holders of the notes
during any six-month period from May 15 to
November 14, and from November 15 to May 14,
commencing with the six-month period beginning on May 15,
2013, if the trading price of a note for each of the five
trading days ending on the third trading day immediately
preceding the first day of the relevant six-month period equals
120% or more of the principal amount of the note. The amount of
the contingent interest payable per note with respect to any
six-month period will be equal to 0.375% per annum of the
average trading price of such note for the five trading days
referred to above. |
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Conversion Rights |
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The notes may be converted by the holder into cash and shares,
if any, of our common stock (as described below), initially at a
conversion rate of 20.8125 shares per $1,000 principal
amount of notes (equal to an initial conversion price of
approximately $48.05 per share), subject to adjustment in
certain events, under the following circumstances: |
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During any calendar quarter commencing after
June 30, 2006, if the last reported sale price of our
common stock for at least 20 trading days in the period of
30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of
the preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal to 130%
of the applicable conversion price on such last trading day; |
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During the five consecutive business-day period
following any five consecutive trading-day period in which the
average trading price for the notes was less than 98% of the
average of the closing sale price of our common stock during
such five trading-day period multiplied by the then-current
conversion rate; |
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On or after May 15, 2021; |
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If we have called the notes for redemption, until
the close of business on the business day prior to the
redemption date; or |
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Upon the occurrence of specified corporate
transactions. |
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As described under Description of Notes
Conversion Rate Adjustments, the conversion rate may be
adjusted upon the occurrence of certain events, including for
any quarterly cash dividend that exceeds $0.08 per share of
common stock, but will not be adjusted for accrued and unpaid
interest. By delivering to the holder cash and shares of our
common stock, if any, we will satisfy our obligations with
respect to the notes subject to the conversion. |
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Upon any conversion, you will not receive any cash payment
representing accrued and unpaid interest (including contingent
interest and additional interest, if any), except in certain
limited circumstances. Instead, interest will be deemed paid by
the cash and shares, if any, of common stock issued to you upon |
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conversion. Notes called for redemption may be surrendered for
conversion prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
second business trading day immediately preceding the redemption
date. |
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Conversion Settlement |
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Upon any conversion, we will deliver cash and shares of our
common stock, if any, in an amount equal to the daily settlement
amounts during the 30 trading-day period commencing after the
third trading day following the date the notes are tendered for
conversion. |
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The daily settlement amount will consist of: |
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Cash equal to the lesser of (i) $33.3333 and
(ii) the daily conversion value, which is
1/30
th of the product of (A) the applicable
conversion rate and (B) the volume weighted average price
per share of our common stock for such day; and |
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To the extent the daily conversion value exceeds
$33.3333, a number of shares of our common stock equal to
(i) the difference between the daily conversion value and
$33.3333, divided by (ii) the volume weighted average price
of our common stock. |
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We may elect to pay cash in lieu of all or a portion of the
shares of our common stock, if any, deliverable as described in
the preceding paragraph. |
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See Description of Notes Payment Upon
Conversion. |
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Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain Corporate
Transactions |
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Prior to May 15, 2013, as described in Description of
Notes Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions, if and only to the extent a holder
elects to convert its notes in connection with a
make-whole transaction, we will increase the
conversion rate for the notes surrendered for conversion by a
number of additional shares, based on the effective date of and
the price paid per share of our common stock in such fundamental
change. |
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If holders of our common stock receive only cash in such
fundamental change transaction, the stock price will be the cash
amount paid per share. Otherwise, the stock price will be the
average of the closing sale prices of our common stock on the
five trading days prior to but not including the effective date
of such fundamental change transaction. |
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Conversion After a Public Acquirer Change of Control |
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In the event of a public acquirer change of control, as
described in Description of Notes Conversion
Rights Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions Conversion After a Public
Acquirer Change of Control, we may, in lieu of issuing
additional shares upon conversion, elect to adjust the
conversion rate and the related conversion obligation such that
from and after the effective time of such public acquirer change
of control, holders of notes will be entitled to convert their
notes (subject to satisfaction of the certain conditions) into
cash and, to the extent the conversion value exceeds the
principal amount of |
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the notes converted, shares of the public acquirers common
stock, and the conversion rate in effect immediately before the
public acquirer change of control will be adjusted by
multiplying it by a fraction: |
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The numerator of which will be: |
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in the case of a share exchange,
consolidation, merger or binding share exchange pursuant to
which our common stock is converted into cash, securities or
other property, the average value of all cash and any other
consideration as determined by our board of directors paid or
payable per share of common stock, or |
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in the case of any other public acquirer
change of control, the average of the closing sale prices of our
common stock for the five consecutive trading days prior to but
excluding the effective date of such public acquirer change of
control, and |
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The denominator of which will be the average of the
closing sale prices of the public acquirer common stock for the
five consecutive trading days commencing on the trading day next
succeeding the effective date of such public acquirer change of
control. |
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Optional Redemption |
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On or after May 15, 2013, we may redeem for cash all or a
portion of the notes at a redemption price of 100% of the
principal amount of the notes to be redeemed plus accrued and
unpaid interest (including contingent interest and additional
interest, if any) to, but not including, the redemption date. |
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Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option |
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Holders have the right to require us to purchase all or a
portion of their notes for cash on May 15, 2013, 2016 and
2021, each of which we refer to as a purchase date.
In each case, upon at least five business days prior
notice we will pay a purchase price equal to 100% of the
principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest
(including contingent interest and additional interest, if any)
to but not including the purchase date. |
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Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option Upon a
Fundamental Change |
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Upon the occurrence of a fundamental change, and before the
maturity or redemption of the notes, holders have the right to
require us to purchase all or a portion of their notes for cash
at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus
accrued and unpaid interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) to but not including, the
fundamental change purchase date. |
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Sinking Fund |
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None. |
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Registration Rights |
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We and the guarantors agreed to use our reasonable best efforts
to file with the SEC within 90 calendar days after the original
issuance of the notes, and to use our reasonable best efforts to
cause to become effective within 180 calendar days after the
original issuance of the notes, a shelf registration statement,
of which this prospectus is a part, with respect to the resale
of the |
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notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes. See Description of Notes Registration
Rights. |
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We and the guarantors have agreed to: |
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use their reasonable best efforts to keep each such
shelf registration statement effective until the earliest of: |
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two years after the last date of original issuance
of any of the notes; |
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the date on which the holders of the notes and
common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes that are not
affiliates of ours are able to sell all such securities
immediately without restriction in accordance with the
provisions of Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act; |
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the date on which all of the notes and common stock
issuable upon conversion of the notes have been registered under
the shelf registration statement and disposed of in accordance
with such shelf registration statement; and |
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the date on which all of the notes and common stock
issuable upon conversion of the notes have ceased to be
outstanding (whether as a result of repurchase and cancellation,
conversion or otherwise) or been disposed of in accordance with
the shelf registration statement. |
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If we fail to maintain our obligation with respect to
registration, we will be required to pay you additional interest
on your notes as described in this prospectus. |
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Book-Entry Form |
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The notes are issued in book-entry form and are represented by
permanent global certificates deposited with, or on behalf of,
The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, and registered in the name
of a nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests in any of the notes
are shown on and transfers may be effected only through, records
maintained by DTC or its nominee and any such interest may not
be exchanged for certificated securities, except in limited
circumstances. |
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Absence of a Public Market |
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There is currently no established market for the notes. We have
not applied and do not intend to apply for the listing of the
notes on any securities exchange. An active or liquid market may
not develop for the notes. See Plan of Distribution. |
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Symbol for Common Stock |
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Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol GBX. |
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U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations |
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The notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes are subject to special and complex United States federal
income tax rules. Holders are urged to consult their own tax
advisors with respect to the federal, state, local and foreign
tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of the
notes and common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes.
See United States Federal Income Tax Considerations. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We will not receive any proceeds from the resale by the selling
securityholders of the notes or the common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes. |
Risk Factors
Prospective investors are urged to read the information set
forth under the caption Risk Factors in this
prospectus for a discussion of certain risks associated with an
investment in the notes.
10
RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider the risks described below and
all other information contained in or incorporated by reference
into this prospectus before purchasing the notes. There also may
be additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us,
or risks that we currently consider immaterial, which could
impair our operations or results. If any of these risks actually
materialize, we may not be able to conduct our business as
currently planned, and our financial condition and operating
results could be seriously affected. In that case, you could
lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business
During economic downturns, the cyclical nature of our
business results in lower demand for our products and reduced
revenue.
The railcar business is cyclical. Overall economic conditions
and the purchasing habits of railcar buyers have a significant
effect upon our railcar manufacturing and leasing businesses due
to the impact on demand for new, refurbished, used and leased
products. As a result, during downturns, we operate with a lower
level of backlog and may temporarily shut down production at
some or all of our facilities. Economic conditions that result
in higher interest rates increase the cost of new leasing
arrangements, which could cause some of our leasing customers to
lease fewer of our railcars or demand shorter terms. An economic
downturn or increase in interest rates may reduce demand for
railcars, resulting in lower sales volumes, lower prices, lower
lease utilization rates and decreased profits or losses.
The failure of the railcar business to grow as forecasted
by industry analysts may have an adverse effect on our financial
condition and results of operations.
Our future success depends in part upon continued growth in the
railcar industry. If growth rates do not materialize as
forecasted by industry analysts, railcar replacement rates do
not increase or industry demand for railcar products does not
continue at current levels due to price increases or other
reasons, our financial condition and results of operations could
be adversely affected.
We compete in a highly competitive and concentrated
industry, and this competition or industry consolidation may
adversely impact our financial results.
We face aggressive competition by a concentrated group of
competitors in all geographic markets and each industry sector
in which we operate. Some of these companies have significantly
greater resources than we have. The effect of this competition
could reduce our revenues and margins, limit our ability to
grow, increase pricing pressure on our products, and otherwise
affect our financial results. In addition, because of the
concentrated nature of our competitors, customers and suppliers,
we face a heightened risk that further consolidation in the
industry among or between our competitors, customers and
suppliers could adversely affect our revenues, cost of revenues
and profitability.
We derive a significant amount of our revenue from a
limited number of customers, the loss of one or more of which
could have an adverse effect on our business.
A significant portion of our revenue is generated from two major
customers. In 2005, revenues from one of these customers, TTX
Company, accounted for approximately 44% of our total revenues
and for 48% of our manufacturing revenue. Revenues from another
customer, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company,
accounted for less than 10% of our total revenues, but for
approximately 31% of our leasing and services revenue in 2005.
Although we have some long-term contractual relationships with
our major customers, we cannot assure you that our customers
will continue to use our products or services or that they will
continue to do so at historical levels. In addition, due to our
production schedule, any customer may account for a
significantly higher percentage of our total manufacturing or
leasing revenue in any given period. A reduction in the purchase
or leasing of our products or a termination of our services by
one or more of our major customers could have an adverse effect
on our business and operating results.
11
Fluctuations in the availability and price of steel and
other raw materials could have an adverse effect on our ability
to manufacture and sell our products on a cost-effective
basis.
A significant portion of our business depends upon the adequate
supply of steel at competitive prices and a small number of
suppliers provide a substantial amount of our requirements. The
cost of steel and all other materials (including scrap metal)
used in the production of our railcars represented over 70% of
our direct manufacturing costs per railcar in 2005.
Our businesses depend upon the adequate supply of other raw
materials, including castings and specialty components, at
competitive prices. Although we believe we have multiple sources
for these raw materials, the number of suppliers has generally
declined while global demand has increased. We cannot assure you
that we will continue to have access to suppliers of necessary
components for manufacturing railcars. Our ability to meet
demand for our products could be adversely affected by the loss
of access to any of these suppliers, the inability to arrange
alternative access to any materials, or suppliers limiting
allocation of materials to us. In addition, raw material
shortages and allocations may result in inefficient operations
and an inventory build-up, which could negatively affect our
working capital position.
If the price of steel or other raw materials were to increase
and we were unable to increase our selling prices or reduce
operating costs to offset the price increases, our margins would
be adversely affected. The loss of suppliers or their inability
to meet our price, quality, quantity and delivery requirements
could have an adverse effect on our ability to manufacture and
sell our products on a cost-effective basis.
Our backlog may not be necessarily indicative of the level
of our future revenues.
In this prospectus, we have described our new railcar backlog,
which is the number of railcars for which we have written orders
from our customers in various periods, and estimated potential
revenue attributable to the backlog. Although we believe backlog
is an indicator of our future revenues, our reported backlog may
not be converted to sales in any particular period and actual
sales from such contracts may not equal our backlog estimates.
As of May 31, 2006, our backlog included approximately
13,000 units that will be delivered to a customer over a
five-year period, but approximately 7,700 units that are
scheduled for delivery after 2007 are subject to our fulfillment
of certain competitive conditions, which we may not be able to
achieve. Therefore, our backlog may not necessarily be
indicative of the level of our future revenues.
The timing of our lease remarketing and railcar sales may
cause significant differences in our quarterly results and
liquidity.
We may build railcars in anticipation of a customer order or
that are leased to a customer and ultimately sold to a third
party. The difference in timing of production and sale of the
railcars could cause a fluctuation in our quarterly results and
liquidity. As a result, comparisons of our quarterly revenues,
income and liquidity between quarterly periods within one year
and between comparable periods in different years may not be
meaningful and should not be relied upon as indicators of our
future performance.
A change in our product mix, failure of our new products
or technologies to achieve market acceptance, or introduction of
products by our competitors could have an adverse effect on our
profitability and competitive position.
We manufacture and repair a variety of railcars, and the demand
for specific types of railcars varies from time to time. These
shifts in demand may affect our margins and could have an
adverse effect on our profitability.
We continue to introduce new railcar products and technologies.
We cannot ensure that new products or technologies will achieve
sustained market acceptance or that the railcars can be
profitability manufactured and sold. In addition, new
technologies, changes in product mix or the introduction of new
railcars and product offerings by our competitors could render
our products obsolete or less competitive. As a result, our
ability to compete effectively could be harmed.
12
We may be unable to remarket leased railcars on favorable
terms upon lease termination or realize the expected residual
values, which could reduce our revenue and decrease our overall
return.
We re-lease or sell railcars we own upon the expiration of
existing lease terms. The total rental payments we receive under
our operating leases do not fully amortize the acquisition costs
of the leased equipment, which exposes us to risks associated
with remarketing the railcars. Our ability to remarket leased
railcars profitably is dependent upon several factors,
including, among others, market and industry conditions, cost of
and demand for newer models, costs associated with the
refurbishment of the railcars and interest rates. Our inability
to re-lease or sell leased railcars on favorable terms could
result in reduced revenues and decrease our overall return.
A reduction in negotiated or arbitrated car hire rates
could reduce future car hire revenue.
A significant portion of our leasing and services revenue is
derived from car hire, which is a fee that a
railroad pays for the use of railcars owned by other railroads
or third parties. Until 1992, the Interstate Commerce Commission
directly regulated car hire rates by prescribing a formula for
calculating these rates. The system of government-prescribed
rates has been superseded by a system known as deprescription,
whereby railcar owners and users have the right to negotiate car
hire rates. If the railcar owner and railcar user cannot come to
an agreement on a car hire rate, then either party has the right
to call for arbitration, in which either the owners or
users rate is selected by the arbitrator to be effective
for a one-year period. Substantially all railcars in our fleet
are subject to deprescription. There is a risk that car hire
rates could be negotiated or arbitrated to lower levels in the
future. A reduction in car hire rates could reduce future car
hire revenue and adversely affect our financial results.
Risks related to our operations outside of the United
States could adversely impact our operating results.
Our operations outside of the United States are subject to the
risks associated with cross-border business transactions and
activities. Political, legal, trade or economic changes or
instability could limit or curtail our foreign business
activities and operations. Some foreign countries in which we
operate have regulatory authorities that regulate railroad
safety, railcar design and railcar component part design,
performance and manufacturing. If we fail to obtain and maintain
certifications of our railcars and railcar parts within the
various foreign countries where we operate, we may be unable to
market and sell our railcars in those countries. In addition,
unexpected changes in regulatory requirements, tariffs and other
trade barriers, more stringent rules relating to labor or the
environment, adverse tax consequences and price exchange
controls could limit operations and make the manufacture and
distribution of our products difficult. The uncertainty of the
legal environment in these and other areas could limit our
ability to enforce our rights effectively. Any international
expansion or acquisition that we undertake could amplify these
risks related to operating outside of the United States.
Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may lead
to increased costs and lower profitability.
Outside of the United States, we operate in Canada, Mexico,
Germany and Poland, and our
non-U.S. businesses
conduct their operations in local currencies and other regional
currencies. We also source materials worldwide. Fluctuation in
exchange rates may affect demand for our products in foreign
markets or our cost competitiveness and may adversely affect our
profitability. Although we attempt to mitigate a portion of our
exposure to changes in currency rates through currency rate
hedges, similar financial instruments and other activities,
these efforts cannot fully eliminate the risks associated with
the foreign currencies. In addition, some of our borrowings are
in foreign currency, giving rise to risk from fluctuations in
exchange rates. A material or adverse change in exchange rates
could result in significant deterioration of profits or in
losses for us.
13
We have potential exposure to environmental liabilities,
which may increase costs or have an adverse effect on results of
operations.
We are subject to extensive national, state, provincial and
local environmental laws and regulations concerning, among other
things, air emissions, water discharge, solid and hazardous
substances handling and disposal and employee health and safety.
These laws and regulations are complex and frequently change. We
may incur unexpected costs, penalties and other civil and
criminal liability if we fail to comply with environmental laws.
We also may incur costs or liabilities related to off-site waste
disposal or cleaning up soil or groundwater contamination at our
properties. In addition, future environmental laws and
regulations may require significant capital expenditures or
changes to our operations.
Our Portland facility is located adjacent to a portion of the
Willamette River that has been designated as a federal
National Priority List or Superfund site
due to sediment contamination. We, and more than 60 other
parties, have received a General Notice of potential
liability related to the Portland facility. The letter advised
that we may be liable for the cost of investigation and
remediation (which liability may be joint and several with other
potential responsible parties) as well as natural resource
damages resulting from the release of hazardous substances to
the site. As a result of the above-described matters, we have
incurred, and expect to incur in the future, costs associated
with an EPA-mandated remedial investigation/feasibility study
and the State of Oregons mandate to control groundwater
discharges and the release of hazardous substances to the
environment. Because this work is still underway, we are unable
to determine the amount of our ultimate liability relating to
these matters. However, based on the results of the pending
investigations and future assessments of natural resource
damages, we may be required to incur costs associated with
additional phases of investigation or remedial action, and we
may be liable for damages to natural resources. In addition, we
may be required to perform periodic maintenance dredging in
order to continue to launch vessels from our launch ways on the
river, and the rivers classification as a Superfund site
could result in some limitations on future dredging and launch
activities. The outcome of these matters could have an adverse
effect upon our business, results of operations, current cash
flows and on our ability to realize value from a potential sale
of the land.
The Internal Revenue Service has conducted an audit of our
federal income tax returns for the years ended 1999 through
2002, which will affect tax deductions that we have previously
taken.
The Internal Revenue Service has conducted an audit of our
federal income tax returns for the years ended 1999 to 2002. In
connection with the audit, the Internal Revenue Service has
reviewed our decision to take a tax deduction in the amount of
$52.6 million on our 2002 federal tax return relating to
European operations. We have been in settlement discussions with
the staff of the Internal Revenue Service and have reached a
tentative settlement regarding the amount and timing of the tax
deductions to be taken. The net amount disallowed under this
settlement along with accrued interest is $7.1 million
pre-tax. The amount disallowed in 2002 remains deductible after
2005 if and when sufficient evidence exists to demonstrate no
reasonable hope of recovery of any of the investment with
respect to which the deduction was taken. As a result of the
tentative settlement, we took a $3.0 million
after-tax charge in the
consolidated statement of operations in the third quarter ended
May 31, 2006, which consisted of accrued interest of
$0.8 million and taxes of $2.2 million. The settlement
remains subject to final documentation and the final approval of
the Internal Revenue Service. It is also subject, as required by
law, to the approval of the Congressional Joint Committee on
Taxation. We do not expect Joint Committee review to be
completed before the fall of 2006 at the earliest.
Our manufacturers warranties expose us to
potentially significant claims.
We offer our customers limited warranties for many of our
products. Accordingly, we may be subject to significant warranty
claims in the future, such as multiple claims based on one
defect repeated throughout our production process or claims for
which the cost of repairing the defective part is highly
disproportionate to the original cost of the part. These types
of warranty claims could result in costly product recalls,
customers seeking monetary damages, significant repair costs and
damage to our reputation.
14
If warranty claims are not recoverable from third-party
component manufacturers due to their poor financial condition or
other reasons, we may be subject to warranty claims and other
risks for using these materials on our railcars. We and one of
our European customers have raised concerns regarding a
component we installed on 372 railcars produced in Europe with
an aggregate value of $20.0 million. The supplier of the
component filed for the United Kingdom equivalent of a
bankruptcy protection. Our customer has initiated arbitration
proceedings against us seeking an unspecified amount of damages,
alleging that the cars are defective, and we have counterclaimed
based upon the terms of the contract with the customer. Given
the financial condition of the supplier, our recourse against
the supplier may be limited or of no value.
We may be liable for physical damage or product liability
claims that exceed our insurance coverage.
The nature of our business subjects us to physical damage and
product liability claims, especially in connection with the
repair and manufacture of products that carry hazardous or
volatile materials. We maintain reserves and liability insurance
coverage at commercially reasonable levels compared to similarly
sized heavy equipment manufacturers. However, an unusually large
physical damage or product liability claim or a series of claims
based on a failure repeated throughout our production process
may exceed our insurance coverage or result in damage to our
reputation.
Some of our employees belong to labor unions and strikes
or work stoppage could adversely affect our operations.
We are a party to collective bargaining agreements with various
labor unions in Canada and Poland, representing approximately
27% of our workforce, and the agreement with the labor union in
Canada expires in October 2006. Disputes with regard to the
terms of these agreements or our potential inability to
negotiate acceptable contracts with these unions in the future
could result in, among other things, strikes, work stoppages or
other slowdowns by the affected workers. We cannot assure you
that our relations with our workforce will remain positive or
that union organizers will not be successful in future attempts
to organize at some of our other facilities. If our workers were
to engage in a strike, work stoppage or other slowdown, or other
employees were to become unionized or the terms and conditions
in future labor agreements were renegotiated, we could
experience a significant disruption of our operations and higher
ongoing labor costs. In addition, we could face higher labor
costs in the future as a result of severance or other charges
associated with lay-offs, shutdowns or reductions in the size
and scope of our operations.
We depend on a third party to provide most of the labor
services for our Mexico operations and if such third party fails
to provide the labor, it could adversely effect our
operations.
In Mexico, we depend on a third party to provide us with most of
the labor services for our Mexico operations under a services
agreement with a term of four years expiring on December 1,
2008, with two three-year options to renew. All of the labor
provided is subject to collective bargaining agreements with the
third party, over which we have no control. If the third party
fails to provide us with the services required by our agreement
for any reason, including labor stoppages or strikes or a sale
of facilities owned by the third party, our operations could be
adversely effected. In addition, we do not have significant
experience in hiring labor in Mexico and, if required to provide
our own labor, could face significantly higher labor costs,
which also could have an adverse effect on our operations.
Our relationships with our alliance partners may not be
successful, which could adversely affect our business.
In recent years, we have entered into several agreements with
other companies to increase our sourcing alternatives, reduce
costs, and pursue opportunities for growth through design
improvements. We may seek to expand our relationships or enter
into new agreements with other companies. If these relationships
are not successful in the future, our manufacturing costs could
increase, we could encounter production disruptions, or growth
opportunities may not materialize, any of which could adversely
affect our business.
15
We may have difficulty integrating the operations of any
companies that we acquire, which may adversely affect our
results of operations.
The success of our acquisition strategy will depend upon our
ability to successfully complete acquisitions and integrate any
businesses that we acquire into our existing business. The
integration of acquired business operations could disrupt our
business by causing unforeseen operating difficulties, diverting
managements attention from
day-to-day operations
and requiring significant financial resources that would
otherwise be used for the ongoing development of our business.
The difficulties of integration may be increased by the
necessity of coordinating geographically dispersed
organizations, integrating personnel with disparate business
backgrounds and combining different corporate cultures. In
addition, we may not be effective in retaining key employees or
customers of the combined businesses. We may face integration
issues pertaining to the internal controls and operational
functions of the acquired companies and we also may not realize
cost efficiencies or synergies that we anticipated when
selecting our acquisition candidates. Any of these items could
adversely affect our results of operations.
We may not be able to procure insurance on a
cost-effective basis in the future.
The ability to insure our businesses, facilities and rail assets
are important aspects of our ability to manage risk. As there is
only one provider of this insurance to the railcar industry,
there is no guarantee that such insurance will be available on a
cost-effective basis in the future.
An adverse outcome in any pending or future litigation
could negatively impact our business and results of
operations.
We are a defendant of several pending cases in various
jurisdictions. If we are unsuccessful in resolving these claims,
our business and results of operations could be adversely
affected. In addition, future claims that may arise relating to
any pending or new matters could distract managements
attention from business operations and increase our legal and
defense costs, which may also negatively impact our business and
results of operations.
Our failure to comply with regulations imposed by federal
and foreign agencies could negatively affect our financial
results.
Our railcar operations are subject to extensive regulation by
governmental regulatory and industry authorities and by federal
and foreign agencies. These organizations establish rules and
regulations for the railcar industry, including construction
specifications and standards for the design and manufacture of
railcars; mechanical, maintenance and related standards; and
railroad safety. New regulatory rulings and regulations from
these federal or foreign agencies may impact our financial
results and the economic value of our assets. In addition, if we
fail to comply with the requirements and regulations of these
agencies, we could face sanctions and penalties that could
negatively affect our financial results.
Our governing documents contain some provisions that may
prevent or make more difficult an attempt to acquire us.
Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, as currently in
effect, contain some provisions that may be deemed to have
antitakeover effects, including:
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a classified board of directors, with each class containing as
nearly as possible one-third of the total number of members of
the board of directors and the members of each class serving for
staggered three-year terms; |
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a vote of at least 55% of our voting securities to amend some
provisions of the Articles of Incorporation; |
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no less than 120 days advance notice with respect to
nominations of directors or other matters to be voted on by
shareholders other than by or at the direction of the board of
directors; |
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removal of directors only with cause; and |
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the calling of special meetings of shareholders only by the
president, a majority of the board of directors or the holders
of not less than 25% of all votes entitled to be cast on the
matters to be considered at such meeting. |
We also maintain a stockholder rights plan pursuant to which
each shareholder has received a dividend distribution of one
preferred stock purchase right per share of common stock owned.
The stockholder rights plan and the other provisions discussed
above may have antitakeover effects because they may delay,
defer or prevent an unsolicited acquisition proposal that some,
or a majority, or our shareholders might believe to be in their
best interests or in which stockholders might receive a premium
for their common stock over the then-prevailing market price.
Risks Related to the Notes and Our Common Stock
Our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our
financial condition.
As of May 31, 2006, we had approximately
$396.1 million of indebtedness, representing approximately
66% of our total capitalization, including $235 million
principal amount of our
83/8
% senior notes due 2015 and $100 million
principal amount of these notes.
Our indebtedness level could have adverse consequences to us,
including:
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our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital,
capital expenditures and strategic transactions may be reduced; |
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a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations may have
to be dedicated to the payment of the principal of, and interest
on, our indebtedness; |
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our leverage may make us more vulnerable to economic downturns
and may limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures; |
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we may have a higher level of indebtedness than some of our
competitors, which could put us at a competitive disadvantage
and reduce our flexibility in planning for, or responding to,
changing conditions in our industry, including increased
competition or regulation; and |
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our ability to refinance the indebtedness on favorable terms may
be impaired. |
We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient
cash flow from operations or that future borrowings will be
available to us under our existing and future credit
arrangements in an amount sufficient to enable us to make
payments on our indebtedness, including the notes, or to fund
our other liquidity needs.
Despite our level of indebtedness, we are able to incur
more debt, which may intensify the risks associated with our
increased leverage.
Our existing debt arrangements permit us, subject to certain
conditions, to incur additional indebtedness. Certain of our
revolving credit facilities were amended on April 10, 2006
to permit the issuance of the notes and to increase the
permitted ratio of debt to total capitalization. As of
May 31, 2006, we had the ability to borrow an additional
$108.3 million. See Description of Other
Indebtedness. Our existing indenture for our
83/8
% senior notes and the indenture under which the
notes were issued permit us to incur additional indebtedness. If
we incur additional indebtedness, the risks associated with our
increased leverage, including our ability to service our debt,
could intensify.
17
The notes and the guarantees are general unsecured
unsubordinated obligations ranking equally with our and the
guarantors other unsecured unsubordinated debt, but are
effectively subordinated to all of our and the guarantors
secured debt to the extent of the assets securing such
debt.
In the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization,
or certain other events, our assets will be available to pay
obligations on the notes only after all of our secured debt, to
the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt, has
been paid in full, and only then on an equal basis with other
unsecured unsubordinated debt. Consequently, there may not be
sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all of
the notes then outstanding. In addition, to the extent our
assets cannot satisfy in full the secured indebtedness, the
holders of the secured indebtedness would have a claim for any
shortfall that would rank equally in right of payment with the
notes.
The operating and financial restrictions imposed by our
debt agreements, including our credit facilities, the indenture
related to our
83/8% senior
notes and the indenture relating to the notes, may limit our
ability to finance operations and capital needs or engage in
other business activities.
Our existing and future debt agreements may contain covenants
that restrict our ability, among other things, to:
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incur additional indebtedness (including guarantees); |
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incur liens; |
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dispose of assets; |
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make certain acquisitions; |
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pay dividends and make other restricted payments; |
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enter into sale and leaseback transactions; |
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make loans and investments; |
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enter into new lines of business; and |
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engage in transactions with affiliates. |
In addition, our credit facilities requires us to comply with
specified financial ratios.
Our ability to comply with these covenants and requirements in
the future may be affected by events beyond our control,
including prevailing economic, financial and industry
conditions. Our breach or failure to comply with any of these
covenants could result in a default under our credit facilities,
the indenture governing our
83/8
% senior notes and the indenture governing the
notes. If we default under our credit facilities, the lenders
could cease to make further extensions of credit, cause all of
our outstanding obligations under these credit facilities to
become due and payable, require us to apply all of our available
cash to repay the indebtedness under these credit facilities,
prevent us from making debt service payments on, or cause an
event of default under or acceleration of, any other
indebtedness we owe and/or proceed against the collateral
granted to them to secure repayment of those amounts. If a
default under an indenture occurs, the holders of notes issued
under that indenture could elect to declare such notes
immediately due and payable. If our payment obligations in
respect of our indebtedness are accelerated, we may not have
sufficient assets to repay amounts due under our debt
agreements, other debt securities then outstanding or the notes.
We are a holding company with no independent operations.
Our ability to meet our obligations depends upon the performance
of our subsidiaries and their ability to make distributions to
us.
As a holding company, we are dependent on the earnings and cash
flows of, and dividends, distributions, loans or advances from,
our subsidiaries to generate the funds necessary to meet certain
of our obligations, including the payment of principal, premium,
if any, and interest on debt obligations, including the notes.
Any payment of dividends, distributions, loans or advances to us
by our subsidiaries could be subject to statutory restrictions
on dividends or repatriation of earnings under applicable local
law
18
and monetary transfer restrictions in the jurisdictions in which
our subsidiaries operate. In addition, many of our subsidiaries
are parties to credit facilities that contain restrictions on
the timing and amount of any payment of dividends,
distributions, loans or advances that our subsidiaries may make
to us. Under certain circumstances, some or all of our
subsidiaries may be prohibited from making any such payments.
We may not be able to pay the settlement of any conversion
of the notes by the holder, purchase the notes at the option of
the holder or upon a fundamental change, or pay the holder upon
the redemption or maturity of the notes, each as required by the
indenture governing the notes.
The notes may be converted by the holders into cash and shares,
if any, of our common stock as described under Description
of Notes Payment Upon Conversion. On
May 15, 2013, May 15, 2016, and May 15, 2021,
holders of the notes may require us to purchase all or any
portion of their notes for cash as described under
Description of Notes Purchase of Notes at a
Holders Option, and may also require us to purchase
all or any portion of their notes in cash upon a fundamental
change as described under Description of Notes
Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option Upon a Fundamental
Change. We may also redeem for cash all or a portion of
the notes at any time on or after May 15, 2013 as described
under Description of Notes Optional Redemption
by Greenbrier. Unless earlier converted, purchased, or
redeemed, the notes will be due on May 15, 2026, payable by
us in cash as described under Description of
Notes Payments on the Notes. However, our
ability to purchase or make payment upon the conversion,
redemption or maturity of the notes as described above is
restricted by the terms of our credit facilities, our ability to
make restricted payments, which include any repurchase of notes
at a holders option and may include repayment of the notes
at maturity, to amounts equal to up to 50% of our net income
from January 1, 2005, and may be restricted by our existing
credit agreement, the loans under which have a maturity date of
June 29, 2010. Furthermore, we may not have sufficient
funds to redeem, purchase, pay the cash portion of the
settlement of any conversion of, or make payment in cash upon
maturity of, the notes. Our failure to redeem, purchase, pay the
settlement amount of any conversion of, or make payment upon
maturity of the notes at a time when redemption, purchase or
payment is required by the indenture would constitute a default
under the indenture and could lead to a default under existing
and future agreements governing our indebtedness, including our
existing credit facilities. If, due to a default, the repayment
of related indebtedness were to be accelerated after any
applicable notice or grace periods, we may not have sufficient
funds to repay such indebtedness and the notes.
We cannot assure you that an active trading market will
develop for the notes.
There is no established trading market for the notes and we do
not intend to list the notes on any national securities
exchange. We cannot assure you as to the development or
liquidity of any markets for the notes, the ability of holders
of the notes to sell their notes or the price at which holders
would be able to sell their notes. If any active public market
does not develop, the market price and liquidity of the notes
may be adversely affected. We cannot assure you that
registration of the notes under federal or state securities law
will positively affect the trading market for the notes.
If you are able to resell your notes, many other factors
may affect the price you receive, which may be lower than you
believe to be appropriate.
If you are able to resell your notes, the price you receive will
depend on many other factors that may vary over time, including:
the number of potential buyers; the level of liquidity of the
notes; our financial performance; the amount of indebtedness we
have outstanding; the level, direction and volatility of market
interest rates generally; the market for similar securities; the
market price of our common stock; the redemption and repayment
features of the notes to be sold; and the time remaining to the
maturity of the notes. As a result of these factors, you may
only be able to sell your notes at prices below those you
believe to be appropriate, including prices below the price you
paid for them.
19
Not all of our subsidiaries guarantee our obligations
under the notes, and the assets of the non-guarantor
subsidiaries may not be available to make payments on the
notes.
Our present material domestic subsidiaries guarantee the notes
and our future material domestic subsidiaries also will
guarantee the notes, except material domestic subsidiaries that
may be designated as unrestricted with respect to the indenture.
Our present foreign subsidiaries are not, and our future foreign
subsidiaries will not be, guarantors of the notes. Payments on
the notes are required to be made only by us and the guarantors.
The historical consolidated financial statements incorporated by
reference into this prospectus are presented on a consolidated
basis, including our domestic and foreign subsidiaries. The
aggregate revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and assets for and as of the
nine months ended May 31, 2006 of our subsidiaries that
will not guarantee the notes represented approximately 26.1%,
10.5% and 6.3%, respectively, of our total revenue, Adjusted
EBITDA and assets for and as of the nine months ended
May 31, 2006. The aggregate revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and
assets for and as of the year ended August 31, 2005 of our
subsidiaries that do not and will not guarantee the notes
represented approximately 31.8%, 15.4% and 7.5%, respectively,
of our total revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and assets for and as of
the year ended August 31, 2005.
In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of
any of the non-guarantor subsidiaries, holders of their
indebtedness, including their trade creditors, will generally be
entitled to payment of their claims from the assets of those
subsidiaries before any assets are made available for
distribution to us. As a result, the notes are effectively
subordinated to the indebtedness of our non-guarantor
subsidiaries.
Upon conversion of the notes, we will pay cash and,
depending upon the price of shares of our common stock at that
time, we may issue shares of our common stock, such that you
might not receive shares of our common stock upon conversion of
the notes.
We will satisfy our conversion obligation to holders generally
by paying cash and shares (if any) having a conversion value
based upon volume weighted average prices of our common stock
during a 30-day trading
period following the surrender of notes for conversion. We will
deliver cash and may issue shares of our common stock in
settlement of our conversion obligations if the conversion value
so calculated exceeds a computed dollar amount as described in
Description of Notes Conversion
Rights Payment Upon Conversion. Accordingly,
upon conversion of a note, holders might not receive any shares
of our common stock. In addition, because the settlement is
based on the volume weighted average price of our common stock
during a 30-day trading
period following the surrender of notes for conversion,
settlement upon conversion of the notes will be delayed for
approximately 36 trading days following our receipt of the
holders conversion notice. See Description of
Notes Conversion Rights Payment Upon
Conversion. Upon conversion of the notes, you may receive
proceeds in an amount that is less than expected because the
value of our common stock may decline (or may not appreciate as
much as you may expect) between the day that you exercise your
conversion right and the day the conversion value of your notes
is determined.
Some significant restructuring transactions may not
constitute a fundamental change, in which case we would not be
obligated to offer to repurchase the notes.
The fundamental change provisions in the indenture will afford
protection to holders of notes only in the event of certain
transactions. For example, certain transactions, such as
leveraged recapitalizations, refinancings, restructurings or
acquisitions initiated by us, would not constitute a fundamental
change requiring us to repurchase the notes. Certain other
transactions may not constitute a fundamental change because
they do not involve a change in voting power or beneficial
ownership of the magnitude required under the definition of
fundamental change. Further, the definition of fundamental
change includes the conveyance, transfer, sale, lease or
disposition of all or substantially all of our
assets. There is no precise, established definition of
substantially all under applicable law. In the event
of any such transaction, holders of the notes would not have the
right to require us to repurchase the notes, even though each of
these transactions could increase the amount of our
indebtedness, or otherwise adversely affect our capital
structure or credit ratings, thus adversely affecting the
holders of the notes.
20
The additional shares of common stock issuable upon
conversion of notes converted in connection with specified
corporate transactions may not adequately compensate you for the
lost value of your notes as a result of such
transactions.
If a specified corporate transaction that constitutes a
make-whole transaction occurs on or prior to
May 15, 2013, we will under certain circumstances increase
the conversion rate on notes converted in connection with such
specified corporate transaction. The revised conversion rate
will be determined based on the date on which the specified
corporate transaction becomes effective and the price paid per
share of our common stock in such transaction, as described
below under Description of Notes Adjustment to
Conversion Rate Upon Certain Corporate Transactions. The
additional shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of
notes converted in connection with a specified corporate
transaction may not adequately compensate you for the lost value
of your notes as a result of such transaction. In addition, if
the specified corporate transaction occurs after May 15,
2013 or if the price of our common stock in the transaction is
greater than $125.00 per share or less than $36.96 per
share (in each case, subject to adjustment), there will be no
increase in the conversion rate.
Holders of the notes will not be entitled to any rights
with respect to our common stock, but will be subject to all
changes made with respect to our common stock.
Holders of the notes will not be entitled to any rights with
respect to our common stock (including, without limitation,
voting rights and rights to receive any dividends or other
distributions on our common stock), but the shares of common
stock, if any, issuable upon conversion of the notes will be
subject to all changes affecting our common stock. Holders of
the notes will only be entitled to rights with respect to the
common stock if and when we deliver shares of common stock upon
conversion of their notes. For example, if an amendment is
proposed to our articles of incorporation or by-laws requiring
stockholder approval and the record date for determining the
stockholders of record entitled to vote on the amendment occurs
before delivery of the common stock upon conversion of the
notes, holders of the notes will not be entitled to vote on the
amendment, although they will nevertheless be subject to any
changes in the powers, preferences or special rights of our
common stock.
If quarterly cash dividends paid on our common stock
exceed $0.08 per share, you will be deemed to have received
a taxable dividend without the receipt of any cash.
If we increase the quarterly cash dividends that we pay on our
common stock to more than $0.08 per share, we are required
under the indenture to adjust the conversion rate. As a result
of the adjustment to the conversion rate, you will be deemed to
have received a distribution for United States federal income
tax purposes without the receipt of any cash. This result also
may occur if we adjust the conversion rate upon a fundamental
change or public acquiror change of control. See United
States Federal Income Tax Considerations
Consequences to U.S. Holders Constructive
Distributions and Consequences to
Non-U.S. Holders
Dividends and Constructive Distributions.
The conversion rate of the notes may not be adjusted for
all dilutive events, including third-party tender or exchange
offers, that may adversely affect the trading price of the notes
or the common stock, if any, issuable upon conversion of the
notes.
The conversion rate of the notes is subject to adjustment upon
certain events, including the issuance of stock dividends on our
common stock, the issuance of rights or warrants, subdivisions,
combinations, distributions on capital stock, indebtedness or
assets, cash dividends and issuer tender or exchange offers as
described under Description of Notes
Conversion Rights Conversion Upon Specified
Corporate Transactions. The conversion rate will not be
adjusted for certain other events, such as third-party tender or
exchange offers, that may adversely affect the trading price of
the notes or the common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes.
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U.S. Holders will recognize income for
U.S. federal income tax purposes significantly in excess of
interest payments on the notes, and gains, if any, recognized on
a disposition of notes will generally be taxed as ordinary
income.
We and each holder of the convertible notes have agreed in the
indenture to treat the notes, for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, as contingent payment debt instruments. As
a result of such treatment, U.S. Holders (as defined under
United States Federal Income Tax Considerations) of
the notes will be required to include interest in gross income
in an amount significantly in excess of the stated interest on
the convertible notes. In addition, any gain recognized by a
U.S. Holder on the sale, exchange, repurchase, redemption,
retirement or conversion of a note will generally be ordinary
interest income and any loss will generally be ordinary loss to
the extent of the interest previously included in income by the
U.S. Holder and, thereafter, capital loss. There is some
uncertainty as to the proper application of the Treasury
regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments and,
if our agreed treatment is successfully challenged by the
Internal Revenue Service, it might be determined that, among
other things, you should have accrued interest income at a lower
or higher rate, or should have recognized capital gain or loss,
rather than ordinary income or loss, upon the conversion or
taxable disposition of the notes. See United States
Federal Income Tax Considerations.
We may issue securities that could dilute common stock
ownership.
We may decide to raise additional funds through public or
private debt or equity financing to fund our operations and may
issue equity securities as consideration for acquisitions we may
make. If we issue additional equity securities, the percentage
ownership of our stockholders will be reduced and the new equity
securities may have rights prior to those of the common stock
issuable upon conversion of the notes.
The rating assigned to the notes may be reduced in the
future, which could adversely affect the market price of the
notes and our stock.
If one or more rating agencies reduces any rating in the future,
the trading volume and market price of the notes and our stock
may be adversely affected.
Our stock price may be volatile, which may adversely
affect the value of any stock you acquire upon conversion of the
notes.
The price of our common stock may fluctuate widely, depending
upon many factors, including:
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differences between our actual financial and operating results
and those expected by investors and analysts; |
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the liquidity of our stock; |
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changes in analysts recommendations or projections; |
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the operating results of other companies in the railcar
industry; and |
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changes in general economic or market conditions. |
In addition, renewed terrorist attacks, or threats of attacks,
may contribute to global unrest, an economic slowdown and to
instability in the U.S. and other global equity markets. All of
these factors may increase the volatility of our stock price and
could have an adverse effect on your investment if you choose to
convert your notes to shares of our common stock.
Certain events may delay payment on, lead to the
subordination of or void our and our subsidiaries
obligations under the notes.
In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, you
would likely not receive any payment of principal or interest
due under the notes so long as such cases were pending. In
addition, the notes and the
22
subsidiary guarantees may be subject to review under federal,
state and similar foreign fraudulent conveyance laws if a
bankruptcy, reorganization, liquidation or rehabilitation case
or a lawsuit, including circumstances in which bankruptcy is not
involved, were commenced by, or on behalf of, our unpaid
creditors or unpaid creditors of our guarantors at some future
date. Courts, under specific circumstances, may void the notes
and the subsidiary guarantees and require holders of the notes
to return payments received from us or the guarantors.
An unpaid creditor or representative of creditors could file a
lawsuit claiming that the issuance of the notes or the making of
the subsidiary guarantees constituted a fraudulent
conveyance. To make such a determination, a court would
have to find that we or the relevant guarantor did not receive
fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value for the notes
or the giving of the subsidiary guarantees, and that, at the
time the notes or the subsidiary guarantees were issued, we or
the relevant guarantors:
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were insolvent; |
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were rendered insolvent by the issuance of the notes or
subsidiary guarantee; |
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were engaged or were about to engage in a business or
transaction for which our or the guarantors remaining
assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or |
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intended to incur, or believed that we or the guarantor would
incur, debts (including contingent obligations) beyond our or
its ability to repay those debts as they mature. |
If a court were to make such a finding, it could void all or a
portion of our and our subsidiaries obligations under the
notes or the subsidiary guarantees, subordinate the claim in
respect of the notes or the subsidiary guarantees to our other
existing and future indebtedness or take other actions
detrimental to you as a holder of the notes, including in credit
circumstances, invalidating the notes and permitting recovery of
prior payments received with respect to the notes and the
subsidiary guarantees. Moreover, regardless of solvency, a court
could void an incurrence of indebtedness, including the notes or
the subsidiary guarantees, if it determined that the transaction
was made with intent to hinder, delay or defraud creditors, or a
court could subordinate the indebtedness, including the notes or
the subsidiary guarantees, to the claims of all existing and
future creditors on similar ground.
Furthermore, although the subsidiary guarantees provide the
holders of the notes with a direct claim against the assets of
the guarantors, enforcement of the subsidiary guarantees against
any guarantor would be subject to suretyship
defenses available to guarantors generally. Enforcement could
also be subject to other defenses available to the guarantors.
To the extent that the subsidiary guarantees are not
enforceable, the notes would be effectively subordinated to all
liabilities of the guarantors, including trade payables.
Our financial failure or the financial failure of any of
our subsidiaries may result in our assets and the assets of any
or all of our subsidiaries becoming subject to the claims of our
creditors and the creditors of all of our subsidiaries.
A financial failure by us or our subsidiaries could affect
payment of the notes if a bankruptcy court were to
substantively consolidate us and our subsidiaries.
If a bankruptcy court substantively consolidated us and our
subsidiaries, the assets of each entity would be subject to the
claims of creditors of all consolidated entities. This would
expose holders of the notes not only to the usual impairments
arising from bankruptcy, but also to potential dilution of the
amount ultimately recoverable because of the larger creditor
base. Furthermore, forced restructuring of the notes could occur
through the cram-down provision of the bankruptcy
code. Under this provision, the notes could be restructured over
the objections of the holders of the notes as to their general
terms, including interest rate and maturity.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
All of the notes and shares of common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes being offered pursuant to this
prospectus are being offered for resale by the selling
securityholders. We will not receive any proceeds from any
resale by the selling securityholders of the notes or the common
stock issuable upon conversion of the notes.
24
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol GBX. As of June 30, 2006, there were
approximately 508 record holders of our common stock. The
following table shows the reported high and low sales prices of
our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange for the periods
indicated.
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High | |
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Low | |
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2006
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Fourth quarter (through August 4, 2006)
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$ |
34.90 |
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$ |
25.53 |
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Third quarter
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46.63 |
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32.80 |
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Second quarter
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40.00 |
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26.75 |
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First quarter
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33.56 |
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24.67 |
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2005
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Fourth quarter
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$ |
30.70 |
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$ |
25.80 |
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Third quarter
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37.15 |
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25.40 |
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Second quarter
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36.99 |
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25.56 |
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First quarter
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29.85 |
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19.69 |
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2004
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Fourth quarter
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$ |
24.12 |
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$ |
16.25 |
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Third quarter
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18.55 |
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14.01 |
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Second quarter
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20.25 |
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14.40 |
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First quarter
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15.85 |
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12.25 |
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DIVIDEND POLICY AND INFORMATION
Payment of dividends is made at the discretion of our board of
directors and depends upon our operating results, capital
requirements, financial condition and other factors our board of
directors deems relevant. We declared dividends of
$0.08 per share in each of the four quarters of our fiscal
year 2006 and in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2005. We
declared dividends of $0.06 per share in each of the first
three quarters of fiscal year 2005 and in the fourth quarter of
fiscal year 2004. We did not declare any dividends during the
first three quarters of fiscal year 2004. The revolving and
operating lines of credit, along with notes payable, contain
covenants with respect to us and our subsidiaries, which, among
other things, may limit our ability to pay dividends.
25
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
Set forth below is information concerning our ratio of earnings
to fixed charges on a consolidated basis for the periods
indicated. This ratio shows the extent to which our business
generates enough earnings after the payment of all expenses
other than interest to make the required interest payments on
the notes.
The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is computed by dividing
earnings before fixed charges by fixed charges. Earnings before
fixed charges consist of earnings (loss) before income tax,
minority interest and equity in unconsolidated subsidiaries,
plus fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest expense,
including amortization of debt issuance costs, and the portion
of rental expense that we believe is representative of the
interest component of lease expense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months | |
|
|
Years Ended August 31, | |
|
Ended May 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
2001 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2006 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except for ratios) | |
Earnings (loss) before income tax, minority interest and equity
in unconsolidated subsidiaries
|
|
$ |
8,523 |
|
|
$ |
(47,230 |
)(1) |
|
$ |
10,758 |
|
|
$ |
31,194 |
|
|
$ |
50,000 |
|
|
$ |
32,391 |
|
|
$ |
49,117 |
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
22,264 |
|
|
|
19,055 |
|
|
|
14,489 |
|
|
|
11,553 |
|
|
|
14,000 |
|
|
|
8,909 |
|
|
|
19,310 |
|
Estimated interest portion of net rent expense
|
|
|
7,181 |
|
|
|
6,287 |
|
|
|
6,136 |
|
|
|
5,388 |
|
|
|
5,591 |
|
|
|
4,154 |
|
|
|
4,526 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
37,968 |
|
|
$ |
(21,888 |
) |
|
$ |
31,383 |
|
|
$ |
48,135 |
|
|
$ |
69,591 |
|
|
$ |
43,454 |
|
|
$ |
72,953 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed charges
|
|
$ |
29,445 |
|
|
$ |
25,342 |
|
|
$ |
20,625 |
|
|
$ |
16,941 |
|
|
$ |
19,591 |
|
|
$ |
13,063 |
|
|
$ |
23,836 |
|
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
|
|
|
1.29 |
x |
|
|
(0.86 |
)x |
|
|
1.52 |
x |
|
|
2.84 |
x |
|
|
3.55 |
x |
|
|
3.48 |
x |
|
|
3.06 |
x |
|
|
(1) |
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2002, there was a
deficiency of earnings to fixed charges of $47.2 million. |
26
MANAGEMENT
The following table identifies our executive officers and
directors and indicates their ages and current positions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age | |
|
Position |
|
|
| |
|
|
William A. Furman
|
|
|
62 |
|
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
Robin D. Bisson
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales and President of
Greenbrier Railcar LLC |
Linda M. Olinger
|
|
|
44 |
|
|
Vice President and Corporate Controller |
Mark J. Rittenbaum
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
Senior Vice President and Treasurer |
James T. Sharp
|
|
|
51 |
|
|
President of Greenbrier Leasing Company LLC |
Timothy A. Stuckey
|
|
|
55 |
|
|
President of Gunderson Rail Services LLC |
Norriss M. Webb
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
Executive Vice President and General Counsel |
Joseph K. Wilsted
|
|
|
51 |
|
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
L. Clark Wood
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
President of Manufacturing Operations |
Victor G. Atiyeh
|
|
|
83 |
|
|
Director |
Duane C. McDougall
|
|
|
54 |
|
|
Director |
A. Daniel ONeal, Jr.
|
|
|
70 |
|
|
Director |
Charles J. Swindells
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
Director |
C. Bruce Ward
|
|
|
75 |
|
|
Director |
Donald A. Washburn
|
|
|
61 |
|
|
Director |
Benjamin R. Whiteley
|
|
|
77 |
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Directors |
Set forth below is biographical information for our executive
officers and directors.
William A. Furman, President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director. Mr. Furman has held these positions since 1994.
Mr. Furman is also Managing Director of TrentonWorks
Limited, a manufacturing subsidiary, and has held this position
since March 1995. Mr. Furman was Chief Executive Officer of
Gunderson LLC, a manufacturing subsidiary, from 1990 to 2000 and
was Vice President of Greenbrier, or its predecessor company,
from 1974 to 1994. Prior to 1974, Mr. Furman was Group Vice
President for the Leasing Group of TransPacific Financial
Corporation, and earlier he was General Manager of the Finance
Division of FMC Corporation. Mr. Furman serves as a
director of Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., a steel recycling
and manufacturing company.
Robin D. Bisson, Senior Vice President Marketing and
Sales. Mr. Bisson has held this position since 1996 and has
been President of Greenbrier Railcar LLC, a subsidiary that
engages in railcar leasing, since 1991. Mr. Bisson was Vice
President of Greenbrier Railcar LLC from 1987 to 1991 and has
been Vice President of Greenbrier Leasing Company LLC, a
subsidiary that engages in railcar leasing, since 1987.
Linda M. Olinger, Vice President and Corporate
Controller. Ms. Olinger has held this position since
January 2004. Prior to becoming Vice President, she was
Corporate Controller since 2000.
Mark J. Rittenbaum, Senior Vice President and Treasurer
of the Company. Mr. Rittenbaum has held this position since
2001. Prior to becoming Senior Vice President, he was Vice
President and Treasurer since 1994. Mr. Rittenbaum is also
Vice President of Greenbrier Leasing Company LLC and Greenbrier
Railcar LLC, positions he has held since 1993 and 1994.
James T. Sharp, President of Greenbrier Leasing Company
LLC. Mr. Sharp has held this position since February 2004,
prior to which he served as Vice President of Marketing and
Operations of the Company since 1999 and was Vice President of
Sales from 1996 to 1999.
Timothy A. Stuckey, President of Gunderson Rail Services
LLC. Mr. Stuckey has held this position with our repair and
refurbishment subsidiary since May 1999, prior to which he
served as Assistant Vice President of Greenbrier Leasing Company
LLC since 1987.
27
Norriss M. Webb, Executive Vice President and General
Counsel. Mr. Webb has held this position since 1994. He has
also been Vice President and Secretary of Gunderson LLC since
1985. Mr. Webb was Vice President of the Company from 1981
to 1994.
Joseph K. Wilsted, Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer. Mr. Wilsted was appointed to this
position in January 2006. Prior to becoming Chief Financial
Officer, he was Senior Vice President, Operations and Corporate
Development beginning in 2005. From 2003 until 2005, he was Vice
President, Finance of a division of Ingersoll Rand and from 1994
to 2003 held the position of President of several operating
divisions of Invensys Corporation.
L. Clark Wood, President of Manufacturing
Operations. Mr. Wood has held this position since April
1998, and he has also been Chief Executive Officer of Gunderson
LLC from 2000 to 2005, and Chief Executive Officer of
TrentonWorks Limited since June 1995. Mr. Wood was
President of Gunderson LLC from 1990 to 1999.
Victor G. Atiyeh, Director. Mr. Atiyeh has served as
a member of the Board since 1994. He has been a principal in
Victor Atiyeh & Co., international trade consultants,
since 1987. He was Governor of the State of Oregon from January
1979 to January 1987. Prior to being elected Governor,
Mr. Atiyeh was President of Atiyeh Brothers, a private
retail company. He also serves as a director and Vice Chairman
of Cedars Bank, located in Los Angeles, California.
Duane C. McDougall, Director. Mr. McDougall has
served as a member of the Board since 2003. He served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of Willamette Industries,
Inc., an international forest products company, from 1998 to
2002. Prior to becoming President and Chief Executive Officer,
he served as Chief Operating Officer and also Chief Accounting
Officer during his
21-year tenure with
Willamette Industries, Inc. He also serves as a Director of West
Coast Bancorp, InFocus Corporation and Cascade Corporation.
A. Daniel ONeal, Jr., Director.
Mr. ONeal has been a member of the Board since 1994.
From 1973 until 1980, Mr. ONeal served as a
Commissioner of the Interstate Commerce Commission and, from
1977 until 1980, served as its Chairman. From 1989 until 1996 he
was Chief Executive Officer and owner of a freight
transportation services company. He was Chairman of Washington
States Freight Mobility Board from its inception in 1998
until July, 2005. Mr. ONeal is the current Chairman
of the Washington State Transportation Commission.
Charles J. Swindells, Director. Mr. Swindells was
appointed as a director in September 2005. Mr. Swindells
served as United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa from
2001 to 2005. Before becoming Ambassador, Mr. Swindells was
Vice Chairman of US Trust Company, N.A. from 1993 until 2001;
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capital
Trust Management Corporation from 1985 until 1993; and
Managing Director/Founder of Capital Trust Company from 1981
until 1993. He also served as Chairman of World Wide Value Fund,
a closed-end investment company listed on the New York Stock
Exchange, from 1985 until 1996. Mr. Swindells was one of
five members on the Oregon Investment Council overseeing the
$20 billion Public Employee Retirement Fund Investment
Portfolio from 1984 until 1990 and was a member of numerous
non-profit boards of trustees, including serving as Chairman of
the Board for Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon
from 1998 until 2001.
C. Bruce Ward, Director. Mr. Ward has served as
a member of the Board since 1994. He served as President and
Chief Executive Officer of Gunderson LLC from 1985 to 1989.
Mr. Ward is a former director of Stimson Lumber Company, a
privately held forest products company.
Donald A. Washburn, Director. Mr. Washburn was
appointed as a director in August 2004. Mr. Washburn served
as Executive Vice President of Northwest Airlines, Inc., an
international airline, from 1995 to 1998. Prior to becoming
Executive Vice President, he served as Senior Vice President for
Northwest Airlines, Inc. from 1990 to 1995. Mr. Washburn
served in several positions from 1980 to 1990, including
Executive Vice President for Marriott Corporation, an
international hospitality operation. He also serves as a
director of LaSalle Hotel Properties, Key Technology, Inc.,
Amedisys, Inc., as well as several privately held companies and
non-profit corporations.
28
Benjamin R. Whiteley, Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Whiteley has served as a member of the Board since
1994. He is retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Standard Insurance Company, an Oregon-based life insurance
company, where he served in a number of capacities over
44 years ending in 2000. Mr. Whiteley has served
previously as a director of several publicly held companies and
currently serves as Chairman of the Oregon Community Foundation.
Executive officers are designated by the board of directors.
There are no family relationships among any of our executive
officers or directors. One of our wholly owned subsidiaries,
Gunderson LLC, employs Ms. Julie Ward, the daughter of
Mr. C. Bruce Ward, who is one of our directors. During
fiscal year 2005, Ms. Ward earned approximately $72,720 in
salary and bonus.
29
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
James-Furman & Company Partnership.
Mr. Alan James, a former Director, and Mr. Furman were
partners in a general partnership, James-Furman &
Company (the Partnership), that, among other things,
engaged in the ownership, leasing and marketing of railcars and
programs for refurbishing and marketing of used railcars. As a
result of Mr. James death, the Partnership dissolved
as of January 28, 2005. In 1989, we entered into presently
existing agreements with the Partnership pursuant to which we
manage and maintain railcars owned by the Partnership in
exchange for a fixed monthly fee that is no less favorable to us
than the fee we could obtain for similar services rendered to
unrelated parties. The maintenance and management fees paid to
us under such agreements in 2005 aggregated $109,112. In
addition, the Partnership paid us fees of $60,000 in 2005 for
administrative and other services. The management and
maintenance agreements presently in effect between us and the
Partnership provide that in remarketing railcars owned by the
Partnership and us, as well as by unaffiliated lessors, we will,
subject to the business requirements of prospective lessees and
regulatory requirements, grant priority to that equipment which
has been off-lease and available for the longest period of time.
Additions to the lease fleet of new or used equipment are deemed
to be off-lease and available from the date of addition to the
fleet.
Such agreements also provide that the Partnership will grant to
us a right of first refusal with respect to any opportunity
originated by the Partnership in which we may be interested
involving the manufacture, purchase, sale, lease, management,
refurbishing or repair of railcars. The right of first refusal
provides that prior to undertaking any such transaction the
Partnership must offer the opportunity to us and must provide
the disinterested, independent members of our board of directors
a period of not less than 30 days in which to determine
whether we desire to pursue the opportunity. The right of first
refusal in favor of us continues for a period of 12 months
after the date that both of Messrs. James and Furman cease
to be our officers or directors. Prior to Mr. James
death, the Partnership advised us that it does not currently
expect to pursue acquisitions of additional railcars. As of the
date of this prospectus, it has not been determined how the
agreements between us and the Partnership will be affected by
the Partnerships dissolution.
Indebtedness of Management. Since the beginning of our
last fiscal year, none of our directors or executive officers
has been indebted to us in excess of $60,000 except that L.
Clark Wood, President of our manufacturing operations, is
indebted to, and has executed a promissory note in favor of,
Greenbrier Leasing Company LLC. The largest aggregate amount
outstanding during fiscal year 2005 under such promissory note
was $200,000. As of May 31, 2006, $100,000 remained
outstanding under such note. The promissory note is payable upon
demand and is secured by a mortgage on Mr. Woods
residence. The note does not bear interest and has not been
amended since its issuance in 1994.
Policy. We follow a policy that all proposed transactions
by us with directors, officers, five percent stockholders and
their affiliates be entered into only if such transactions are
on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained from
unaffiliated parties, are reasonably expected to benefit us and
are approved by a majority of the disinterested, independent
members of our board of directors.
30
PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
The following table sets forth information, as of June 30,
2006, with respect to beneficial ownership of our common stock
(our only class of shares of outstanding voting securities) by
each director, by our five most highly compensated executive
officers as of the end of our last fiscal year, by all directors
and executive officers as a group, and by each person who is
known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent
of our outstanding common stock. Unless otherwise indicated,
each person has sole voting power and sole investment power.
Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each person listed is
One Centerpointe Drive, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, Oregon
97035.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount and Nature | |
|
|
|
|
of Beneficial | |
|
Percent of | |
Name of Beneficial Owner |
|
Ownership | |
|
Class(1) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
William A. Furman
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
6.3 |
% |
Victor G. Atiyeh
|
|
|
3,611 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
A. Daniel ONeal, Jr.
|
|
|
7,796 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
Duane C. McDougall
|
|
|
5,311 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
Charles J. Swindells
|
|
|
1,970 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
C. Bruce Ward
|
|
|
1,970 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
Donald A. Washburn
|
|
|
3,311 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
Benjamin R. Whiteley
|
|
|
23,811 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
Robin D. Bisson
|
|
|
30,001 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
James T. Sharp
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
(3 |
) |
Mark J. Rittenbaum
|
|
|
41,300 |
(2) |
|
|
(3 |
) |
L. Clark Wood
|
|
|
16,416 |
(2) |
|
|
(3 |
) |
All directors and executive officers as a group (16 persons)
|
|
|
1,185,598 |
(2) |
|
|
7.4 |
% |
Tontine Capital Partners, L.P.
|
|
|
1,375,300 |
(4) |
|
|
8.6 |
% |
|
55 Railroad Avenue, 3rd Floor
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FMR Corporation
|
|
|
1,163,700 |
(5) |
|
|
7.3 |
% |
|
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Westfield Capital Management Co. LLC
|
|
|
834,950 |
(6) |
|
|
5.2 |
% |
|
One Financial Center, 24th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02111-2690 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Calculated based on the number of outstanding shares as of
June 30, 2006, which is 15,953,535, plus the total number
of shares as to which the respective reporting person has the
right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days
following June 30, 2006. |
|
(2) |
The shares shown as beneficially owned included
10,000 shares for Mr. Rittenbaum, 6,116 shares
for Mr. Wood, and 18,216 shares for the group, which
such persons and the group have the right to acquire by exercise
of stock options within 60 days after June 30, 2006. |
|
(3) |
Less than one percent. |
|
(4) |
As reported in Amendment No. 1 to a Schedule 13G dated
December 31, 2005, and filed with the SEC on
February 14, 2006, by Tontine Capital Partners, L.P.
(TCP), Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C.
(TCM), the general partner of TCP, and Jeffrey L.
Gendell, the managing member of TCM. The Schedule 13G
discloses that TCP, TCM and Mr. Gendell share the power to
vote and dispose of the shares. |
|
(5) |
As reported in a Schedule 13G filed jointly on
February 14, 2006 by FMR Corp., Edward C. Johnson 3d,
Fidelity Management & Research Company
(Fidelity) and Fidelity Low Priced Stock Fund.
Fidelity, |
31
|
|
|
82 Devonshire Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of FMR Corp. and an investment adviser
registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, is the
beneficial owner of 985,000 shares or 6.352% of the common
stock outstanding, as a result of acting as investment adviser
to various investment companies registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940. The ownership of Fidelity Low Priced Stock
Fund amounted to 832,200 shares or 5.367% of the common
stock outstanding. Fidelity Low Priced Stock Fund has its
principal business office at 82 Devonshire Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109. Edward C. Johnson 3d and FMR Corp., through
its control of Fidelity, and the Fidelity Funds each has sole
power to dispose of the 985,000 shares owned by the
Fidelity Funds. Neither FMR Corp. nor Edward C. Johnson 3d,
Chairman of FMR Corp., has the sole power to vote or direct the
voting of the shares owned directly by the Fidelity Funds, which
power resides with the Funds Boards of Trustees. Fidelity
carries out the voting of the shares under written guidelines
established by the Funds Boards of Trustees. Members of
the Edward C. Johnson 3d family are the predominant owners of
Class B shares of common stock of FMR Corp., representing
approximately 49% of the voting power of FMR Corp. The Johnson
family group and all other Class B shareholders have
entered into a shareholders voting agreement under which
all Class B shares will be voted in accordance with the
majority vote of Class B shares. Accordingly, through their
ownership of voting common stock and the execution of the
shareholders voting agreement, members of the Johnson
family may be deemed, under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
to form a controlling group with respect to FMR Corp. Fidelity
Management Trust Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FMR Corp.
having its principal business office at 82 Devonshire Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109, is the beneficial owner of
178,700 shares, or 1.152% of the common stock outstanding,
as a result of its serving as investment manager of
institutional accounts. Edward C. Johnson 3d and FMR Corp.,
through its control of Fidelity Management Trust Company, each
has sole dispositive power over 178,700 shares and sole
power to vote or direct the voting of 178,700 shares owned
by the institutional accounts as reported above |
|
(6) |
As reported in a Schedule 13G dated December 31, 2005
and filed with the SEC on February 13, 2006, by Westfield
Capital Management Co., LLC (Westfield Capital). The
shares reported are owned of record by various mutual funds,
institutional accounts and/or separate accounts managed by
Westfield Capital, an investment adviser registered under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Westfield Capital has sole
voting power with respect to 520,650 of the shares reported and
sole dispositive power with respect to all 834,950 shares
reported. |
32
SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS
We originally issued $100.0 million aggregate principal
amount of the notes to the initial purchasers in a private
placement on May 22, 2006. The initial purchasers resold
the notes in transactions exempt from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act to persons reasonably
believed by the initial purchasers to be qualified institutional
buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities
Act. Selling securityholders, including their transferees,
pledges or donees or their successors, may from time to time
offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus any or all of the
notes, including the common stock into which the notes are
convertible.
The following table sets forth certain information with respect
to the principal amounts of the notes owned by selling
securityholders, together with the shares of common stock
issuable upon conversion of those notes, that may be offered
using this prospectus. The information is based on information
provided to us by or on behalf of the selling securityholders in
selling securityholder questionnaires and is as of the
respective dates specified by the selling securityholders in
such questionnaires. The selling securityholders identified
below may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, in
transactions exempt from the registration requirements under the
Securities Act, all or a portion of their notes since the time
they provided us information regarding their holdings.
Information concerning the selling securityholders may change
from time to time and any changed information will be set forth
in supplements to this prospectus, if necessary.
Since the selling securityholders may offer from time to time
all or a portion of their notes (and the common stock into which
the notes are convertible), we cannot estimate the amount of the
notes (or common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes)
that will be held by the selling securityholders upon
consummation of any particular offering. See Plan of
Distribution.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
Percentage of | |
|
|
Principal | |
|
Percentage | |
|
Issuable upon | |
|
Common | |
|
|
Amount of | |
|
of Notes | |
|
Conversion of | |
|
Stock | |
Name of Selling Securityholder |
|
Notes Owned | |
|
Outstanding | |
|
Notes (1) | |
|
Outstanding(2) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
CQS Convertible and Quantitative Strategies Master Fund
|
|
$ |
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1.00 |
% |
|
|
20,812.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Amaranth LLC(3)**
|
|
|
16,250,000 |
|
|
|
16.25 |
% |
|
|
338,203.13 |
|
|
|
2.08 |
% |
CNH CA Master Account, L.P.(4)
|
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
62,437.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
VanKampen Harbor Fund(5)***
|
|
|
1,950,000 |
|
|
|
1.95 |
% |
|
|
40,584.38 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Morgan Stanley Convertible Securities Trust(6)***
|
|
|
1,050,000 |
|
|
|
1.05 |
% |
|
|
21,853.13 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Vicis Capital Master Fund(7)
|
|
|
7,000,000 |
|
|
|
7.00 |
% |
|
|
145,687.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Radcliffe SPC, Ltd for and on behalf of the Class A
Convertible Crossover Segregated Portfolio(8)
|
|
|
6,500,000 |
|
|
|
6.50 |
% |
|
|
135,281.25 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Stark Master Fund Ltd.(9)**
|
|
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
|
5.00 |
% |
|
|
104,062.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
DBAG London**
|
|
|
8,000,000 |
|
|
|
8.00 |
% |
|
|
166,500.00 |
|
|
|
1.03 |
% |
RBC Capital Markets Corp(10)**
|
|
|
6,400,000 |
|
|
|
6.40 |
% |
|
|
133,200.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Boilermakers Blacksmith Pension Trust(11)
|
|
|
1,025,000 |
|
|
|
1.03 |
% |
|
|
21,332.81 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Delta Airlines Master Trust(11)
|
|
|
205,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
4,266.56 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Attorneys Title Insurance Fund (11)
|
|
|
40,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
832.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
FPL Group Employees Pension Plan(11)
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
4,162.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Aloha Airlines Non Pilots Pension Trust(11)
|
|
|
30,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
624.38 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Inflective Convertible Opportunity Fund I, Ltd.(12)**
|
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
1.50 |
% |
|
|
31,218.75 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Institutional Benchmarks Series Ivan Segregated
Account(12)**
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
10,406.25 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Lyxor/ Inflective Convertible Opportunity Fund(12)**
|
|
|
800,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
16,650.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Inflective Convertible Opportunity Fund I L.P.(12)**
|
|
|
650,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
13,528.13 |
|
|
|
* |
|
American Investors Life Insurance Company(12)**
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
8,325.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans(13)**
|
|
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
|
2.00 |
% |
|
|
41,625.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
TQA Master Fund
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1.00 |
% |
|
|
20,812.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.(14)***
|
|
|
5,565,000 |
|
|
|
5.57 |
% |
|
|
115,821.56 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Highbridge International LLC(15)
|
|
|
4,000,000 |
|
|
|
4.00 |
% |
|
|
83,250.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
Percentage of | |
|
|
Principal | |
|
Percentage | |
|
Issuable upon | |
|
Common | |
|
|
Amount of | |
|
of Notes | |
|
Conversion of | |
|
Stock | |
Name of Selling Securityholder |
|
Notes Owned | |
|
Outstanding | |
|
Notes (1) | |
|
Outstanding(2) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Kayne Anderson Income Partners, LP**
|
|
$ |
50,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,040.63 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Kayne Anderson Capital Income Partners (QP), LP**
|
|
|
700,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
14,568.75 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Kayne Anderson Capital Income Fund Ltd.**
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
4,162.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
HFR RU Performance Master Trust(16)
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
1,040.63 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Aristeia International Limited(17)
|
|
|
7,040,000 |
|
|
|
7.04 |
% |
|
|
146,520.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Aristeia Partners LP (17)
|
|
|
960,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
|
|
19,980.00 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Polygon Global Opportunities Master Fund (18)
|
|
|
3,000,000 |
|
|
|
3.00 |
% |
|
|
62,437.50 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Other holders of notes (19)
|
|
|
13,885,000 |
|
|
|
13.89 |
% |
|
|
288,981.56 |
|
|
|
1.78 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
100,000,000 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
2,081,250.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** |
This selling securityholder is an affiliate of a broker-dealer.
This selling securityholder has represented to us that it
purchased the notes in the ordinary course of business, and at
the time it purchased the notes, it had no agreements or
understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to
distribute the notes or the shares of common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes. |
|
|
*** |
This selling securityholder is a broker-dealer registered under
Section 15 of the Exchange Act. This selling securityholder
has represented to us that it purchased the notes in the
ordinary course of business, and at the time it purchased the
notes, it had no agreements or understandings, directly or
indirectly, with any person to distribute the notes or the
shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes. |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Assumes a conversion rate of 20.8125 shares of common stock
per $1,000 principal amount of the notes and a cash payment in
lieu of any fractional interest. This initial conversion rate is
subject to adjustment as described elsewhere in this prospectus,
such that the number of shares of common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes may increase or decrease in the future. |
|
|
(2) |
We calculated the percentage of common stock outstanding for
each securityholder pursuant to
Rule 13d-3(d)(i)
of the Exchange Act using 15,953,535 shares of common stock
outstanding as of June 30, 2006 and the number of shares of
common stock issuable upon conversion of only that particular
securityholders notes and not any other
securityholders notes. |
|
|
(3) |
Amaranth Advisors L.L.C., the trading advisor for Amaranth LLC,
exercises dispositive power with respect to these securities. As
of May 22, 2006, Amaranth LLC also beneficially owned
21,200 shares of our common stock and Amaranth Global
Equities Master Fund Limited, an affiliate of Amaranth LLC,
beneficially owned 3,800 shares of our common stock. |
|
|
(4) |
CNH Partners, LLC is the investment advisor to CNH CA Master
Account, L.P. and has sole voting and dispositive power with
respect to these securities. |
|
|
(5) |
VanKampen Asset Management is the investment advisor to
VanKampen Harbor Fund and has voting and dispositive power with
respect to these securities. |
|
|
(6) |
Morgan Stanley Investment Management has voting and dispositive
power with respect to these securities. |
|
|
(7) |
Vicis Capital LLC has voting and dispositive power with respect
to these securities. |
|
|
(8) |
Pursuant to an investment management agreement, RG Capital
Management, L.P. (RG Capital) serves as the
investment manager of Radcliffe SPC, Ltd.s Class A
Convertible Crossover Segregated Portfolio. RGC Management
Company, LLC (Management) is the general partner of
RG Capital. Steve Katznelson and Gerald Stahlecker serve as the
managing members of Management. Each of RG Capital, Management
and Messrs. Katznelson and Stahlecker disclaims beneficial
ownership of the securities owned by Radcliffe SPC, Ltd. for and
on behalf of the Class A Convertible Crossover Segregated
Portfolio. |
|
|
(9) |
Stark Offshore Management, LLC is the investment manager for
Stark Master Fund Ltd. Brian Stark and Michael Roth have voting
and dispositive power with respect to these securities. |
34
|
|
(10) |
Royal Bank of Canada has voting and dispositive power with
respect to these securities. |
|
(11) |
Froley Revy Investment Company Inc. is the investment advisor to
the listed selling securityholder and has voting and dispositive
power with respect to these securities. |
|
(12) |
Inflective Asset Management is the investment advisor to the
listed selling securityholder and has voting and dispositive
power with respect to these securities. |
|
(13) |
Thrivent Investment Management Inc. is the investment advisor to
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and has sole voting and
dispositive power with respect to these securities. |
|
(14) |
Bear, Stearns & Co served as a joint book-running manager in
connection with the sale of the notes. In addition, they have
engaged in, and may in the future engage in, other investment
banking and commercial dealings with us in the ordinary course
of business. As of June 26, 2006, Bear, Stearns &
Co. had a short position of 94,720 shares of our common
stock. |
|
(15) |
Highbridge Capital Management, LLC (Highbridge) is
the trading manager of Highbridge International LLC
(HIC) and consequently has voting control and
investment discretion over securities held by HIC. Glenn Dubin
and Henry Swieca control Highbridge. Each of Highbridge, Glenn
Dubin and Henry Swieca disclaims beneficial ownership of the
securities held by HIC. |
|
(16) |
Kayne Anderson Investment Mgmt, Inc. is the investment advisor
to HFR RV Performance Master Trust and has voting and
dispositive power with respect to these securities. |
|
(17) |
Aristeia Capital LLC is the investment manager to Aristeia
International Limited and has voting and dispositive power with
respect to these securities. Aristeia Advisors LLC is the
general partner for Aristeia Partners LP. Aristeia Capital LLC
and Aristeia Advisors LLC are jointly owned by Kevin Jones,
Robert H. Lynch Jr., Anthony Frascella and William R. Techar. |
|
(18) |
Polygon Investment Partners LLP and Polygon Investment Partners
LP (the Investment Managers), Polygon Investments
Ltd. (the Manager), Alexander E. Jackson, Reade E.
Griffith and Patrick G. G. Dear share voting and dispositive
power of the securities held by Polygon Global Opportunities
Master Fund. The Investment Managers, the Manager, Alexander E.
Jackson, Reade E. Griffith and Patrick G. G. Dear disclaim
beneficial ownership of the securities held by Polygon Global
Opportunities Master Fund. |
|
(19) |
These holders of notes have not notified us of their intention
to offer for resale their notes and have not provided us with
information in a selling securityholder questionnaire.
Information regarding such other selling securityholders will be
set forth in supplements to this prospectus, if necessary. |
35
DESCRIPTION OF OTHER INDEBTEDNESS
The following description briefly summarizes material terms
of certain of our credit arrangements, including credit
arrangements of our subsidiaries. The description is only a
brief summary and does not purport to describe all of the terms
of the credit arrangements that may be important. Unless the
context requires otherwise, all amounts originating in foreign
currency have been translated at the May 31, 2006 exchange
rate for purposes of the following discussion.
Revolving Credit Facilities
Our revolving credit facilities related to our North American
operations aggregate $151.4 million. On April 10,
2006, we amended these credit facilities to permit the issuance
of the notes, by increasing the amount of unsecured indebtedness
that we can incur and by increasing the
debt-to-capitalization
ratio that is permitted under the credit facilities. The credit
facilities include a $125.0 million, five-year revolving
credit facility, including up to $25.0 million for letters
of credit and up to $25.0 million for multi-currency
borrowings for United States and Mexican operations. The credit
facility is guaranteed by all of our material domestic
subsidiaries. The arrangement also includes a five-year
revolving credit facility for our principal Canadian
manufacturing operations in an amount of approximately
$26.4 million, which we have guaranteed. Lines of credit
totaling $22.8 million are available for working capital
for our European manufacturing operations. Advances bear
interest at rates that depend on the type of borrowing and the
ratio of debt to total capitalization. At May 31, 2006,
there were no borrowings outstanding under the North American
credit facilities. The European manufacturing credit line had
$21.3 million outstanding at May 31, 2006 at interest
rates ranging from 5.1% to 5.2%.
83/8% Senior
Notes Due 2015
On May 11, 2005, we issued through a private placement
$175.0 million aggregate principal amount of
83/8% senior
notes due 2015. In August 2005 we filed a registration statement
with respect to an offer to exchange the
83/8% senior
notes for a new issue of identical notes registered with the
SEC. In September 2005, the exchange was completed. Payment of
the
83/8
% senior notes is guaranteed by certain of our
domestic subsidiaries. Interest is paid semiannually in arrears
on November 15 and May 15.
On November 21, 2005, we issued through a private placement
an additional $60.0 million aggregate principal amount of
83/8% senior
notes due 2015. In January 2006, we filed a registration
statement with respect to an offer to exchange these
83/8% senior
notes for a new issue of identical notes registered with the
SEC. In March 2006, the exchange was completed. Payment of the
83/8
% senior notes is guaranteed by certain of our
domestic subsidiaries. Interest is paid semiannually in arrears
on November 15 and May 15.
Term Loans
As of May 31, 2006, the total amount of our term loans
outstanding was $34.8 million. The following summarizes key
provisions of our term loans.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding as of | |
|
|
|
Effective Interest | |
Lender |
|
May 31, 2006 | |
|
Maturity Date | |
|
Rate (%) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
($ in thousands) | |
|
|
|
|
Bank of America, N.A.
|
|
|
7,997 |
|
|
|
August 31, 2017 |
|
|
|
5.82 |
|
Kreditanstalt fur Wiedraufbau
|
|
|
7,224 |
|
|
|
March 31, 2011 |
|
|
|
7.41 |
|
KeyCorp Leasing
|
|
|
6,627 |
|
|
|
August 31, 2006 |
|
|
|
7.31 |
|
Bombardier Transportation
|
|
|
6,000 |
|
|
|
December 1, 2009 |
|
|
|
4.36 |
|
Kreditanstalt fur Wiedraufbau
|
|
|
5,950 |
|
|
|
March 31, 2011 |
|
|
|
5.61 |
|
KeyCorp Leasing
|
|
|
960 |
|
|
|
June 2007 |
|
|
|
5.79 |
|
Noncompete agreements (3 persons)
|
|
|
32 |
|
|
|
July 1, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
36
Subordinated Debt
In 1990, we entered into an agreement to purchase, refurbish and
lease over 10,000 used railcars between 1990 and 1997. In
connection with that agreement, we issued subordinated notes
that amounted to approximately $5.0 million as of
May 31, 2006 to the seller of these railcars. The
subordinated notes bear interest at 9.0%, with the principal due
ten years from the date of issuance of the notes. The agreement
includes an option that, under certain conditions, provides for
the seller to repurchase the railcars, at the date the
underlying subordinated notes are due, in an amount equal to our
original acquisition cost. We have received notice that the
seller intends to exercise its purchase options, and amounts due
under the subordinated notes will be paid off from the
repurchase proceeds.
37
DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
The notes were issued under an indenture dated as of
May 22, 2006 among The Greenbrier Companies, Inc., as
issuer, the guarantors named therein, and U.S. Bank
National Association, as trustee (the
indenture). The notes and any shares of
common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes also are
covered by a registration rights agreement among us, the
Guarantors and the initial purchasers. Initially, the trustee
will also be the paying agent and conversion agent. You may
request a copy of the notes, the indenture and the registration
rights agreement from us.
The following description is a summary of the material
provisions of the notes, the indenture and the registration
rights agreement. It does not purport to be complete. This
summary is subject to and is qualified by reference to all the
provisions of the indenture and the registration rights
agreement, including the definitions of certain terms used in
the indenture and the registration rights agreement. The terms
of the notes and the guarantees include those provided in the
indenture and those made a part of the indenture by reference to
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and those provided
in the registration rights agreement. You should read the notes,
the indenture and the registration rights agreement because
they, and not this description, will define your rights as a
holder of the notes.
As used in this Description of Notes, references to
Greenbrier, we, us, and
our refer solely to The Greenbrier Companies, Inc.
and not to any of our current or future Subsidiaries.
Brief Description of the Notes
The notes:
|
|
|
|
|
are limited to $100.0 million in aggregate principal amount; |
|
|
|
bear interest at an annual rate of 2.375% of the principal
amount from May 22, 2006, or from the most recent date to
which interest has been paid or duly provided for. We will pay
interest, including contingent interest and additional interest,
if any (as set forth under Contingent
Interest and Registration Rights,
respectively), on May 15 and November 15 of each year,
commencing on November 15, 2006, to holders of record on
May 1 and November 1, respectively; |
|
|
|
will bear additional interest if we fail to comply with certain
obligations as set forth below under
Registration Rights; |
|
|
|
are general unsecured obligations of Greenbrier and |
|
|
|
|
|
are pari passu in right of payment with all other unsubordinated
indebtedness and other obligations of Greenbrier (including our
trade payables and 8.375% Senior Notes due 2015 (the
8.375% Notes)); |
|
|
|
are effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness of
Greenbrier (including obligations under the Credit Agreement); |
|
|
|
are senior in right of payment to all subordinated indebtedness
of Greenbrier; and |
|
|
|
are unconditionally guaranteed by each of our existing and
future Domestic Subsidiaries (other than any Domestic Subsidiary
that is an Immaterial Subsidiary) (the
Guarantors); |
|
|
|
|
|
may be converted by the holders into cash and shares, if any, of
our common stock (as provided below) initially at a conversion
rate of 20.8125 shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes
(equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately
$48.05 per share) only under the following circumstances: |
|
|
|
|
|
during any calendar quarter (and only during such calendar
quarter) commencing after June 30, 2006 if the closing sale
price of our common stock for at least 20 trading days in the
period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading
day of the preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal
to 130% of the applicable conversion price on the last trading
day of such calendar quarter; |
38
|
|
|
|
|
during the five consecutive business-day period following any
five consecutive trading-day period in which the trading price
for the notes (as determined following a request by a holder of
the notes in accordance with the procedures described below) on
each such trading day was less than 98% of the closing sale
price of our common stock multiplied by the applicable
conversion rate on such trading day; |
|
|
|
at any time on or after May 15, 2021; |
|
|
|
if such notes have been called for redemption by us; or |
|
|
|
upon the occurrence of specified corporate transactions; |
|
|
|
provided that upon the occurrence of certain events described
under Conversion Rights Adjustment
to Conversion Rights Upon Certain Fundamental
Changes General, Conversion
Rights Adjustment to Conversion Rights Upon Certain
Fundamental Changes Conversion After Public Acquiror
Change of Control or Conversion
Rights Conversion Rate Adjustments, such
initial conversion rate may be adjusted as described in each
such section; |
|
|
|
|
|
are convertible into cash and shares of our common stock, if
any, or, at our option, cash, in an amount equal to the sum of
the daily settlement amounts (as described herein) for each day
of the 30 trading-day cash settlement averaging period; |
|
|
|
are redeemable by us in whole or in part at any time on or after
May 15, 2013, upon at least 30 days notice but not
more than 60 days notice, at a redemption price equal to
100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus
accrued and unpaid interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) to, but not including, the
redemption date, unless the redemption date falls after a
regular record date and on or prior to the related interest
payment date, in which case we will pay such interest to the
holder of record on the regular record date; |
|
|
|
are subject to a holders option to require us to purchase
all or a portion of its notes, as described under
Purchase of Notes at a Holders
Option, on May 15, 2013, May 15, 2016 and
May 15, 2021, at a cash purchase price equal to 100% of the
principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest
(including contingent interest and additional interest, if any)
to, but not including, the purchase date; |
|
|
|
are subject to a holders option to require us to purchase
all or a portion of its notes upon a fundamental change, as
described under Purchase of Notes at a
Holders Option Upon a Fundamental Change, at a cash
purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the
notes plus accrued and unpaid interest (including contingent
interest and additional interest, if any) to, but not including,
the purchase date; and |
|
|
|
are due on May 15, 2026 (the maturity
date), payable in cash in an amount equal to the
principal amount of each note, plus accrued and unpaid interest
(including contingent interest and additional interest, if any)
to, but not including, the maturity date, unless earlier
purchased, redeemed or converted. |
Each Guarantee of a Guarantor:
|
|
|
|
|
is a general unsecured obligation of that Guarantor; |
|
|
|
is pari passu in right of payment with any existing and future
unsubordinated indebtedness and other obligations of that
Guarantor; and |
|
|
|
is effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness of that
Guarantor (including the applicable Guarantors guarantee
under the Credit Agreement) to the extent of the assets securing
such indebtedness. |
We may, without the consent of the holders, issue additional
notes under the indenture with the same terms and with the same
CUSIP numbers in an unlimited aggregate principal amount as
these notes, provided that no such additional notes may be
issued unless they are fungible with these notes for
U.S. federal income
39
tax purposes. We may also, from time to time, repurchase the
notes in open market purchases or negotiated transactions
without prior notice to holders.
The indenture does not contain any financial covenants and does
not restrict Greenbrier or our Subsidiaries from paying
dividends, incurring additional indebtedness or issuing or
repurchasing other securities. The indenture also does not
protect a holder of notes in the event of a highly leveraged
transaction or a fundamental change, as defined below, of
Greenbrier, except to the extent described below under
Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option
Upon a Fundamental Change and Conversion
Rights Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions.
No sinking fund is provided for the notes.
The notes are issued in book-entry form only in denominations of
$1,000 principal amount at issuance and integral multiples
thereof. Beneficial interests in the notes are shown on, and
transfers may be effected only through, records maintained by
the Depository Trust Company (DTC), or its
nominee, and any such interests may not be exchanged for
certificated securities except in limited circumstances.
There is currently no established market for the notes. The
notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or automated
quotation system. Accordingly, we cannot assure the liquidity
of, or a trading market for, the notes.
Credit Agreement means the Credit Agreement,
dated June 29, 2005, as amended from time to time, among
Greenbrier, TrentonWorks Limited, each lender from time to time
party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent,
and Bank of America, National Association, acting through its
Canada branch, and any agreement or agreements evidencing any
refunding, replacement, refinancing or renewal, in whole or in
part, of the Credit Agreement; provided that such refunding,
replacement, refinancing or renewal shall be effected in the
commercial bank or institutional lending market, and not in the
capital markets.
Domestic Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of
Greenbrier that was formed under the laws of the United States
or any state thereof or the District of Columbia that guarantees
or otherwise provides direct credit support for any indebtedness
of Greenbrier or any other Subsidiary that guarantees or
otherwise provides direct credit support for any indebtedness of
Greenbrier.
Immaterial Subsidiary means, as of any date,
any Domestic Subsidiary whose total assets, as of that date, are
less than $1.0 million and whose total revenues for the
most recent 12-month
period does not exceed $1.0 million; provided that a
Domestic Subsidiary will not be considered an Immaterial
Subsidiary if it, as of any date, together with all other
Immaterial Subsidiaries, has net assets as of such date in
excess of $5.0 million or has total revenues for the most
recent 12-month period
in excess of $5.0 million; provided further that a Domestic
Subsidiary will not be considered to be an Immaterial Subsidiary
if it, directly or indirectly provides a guarantee or is
otherwise an obligor in respect of any indebtedness of
Greenbrier.
The term indebtedness means, with respect to
any specified person, any indebtedness of such person, whether
or not contingent: (1) in respect of borrowed money;
(2) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar
instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in
respect thereof); (3) in respect of bankers
acceptances; (4) representing capital lease obligations;
(5) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the
purchase price of any property, except any such balance that
constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable; or
(6) representing any hedging obligations, if and to the
extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit
and hedging obligations) would appear as a liability upon a
balance sheet of the specified person prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, the
term indebtedness includes all indebtedness
of others secured by a lien on any asset of the specified person
(whether or not such indebtedness is assumed by the specified
person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the guarantee
by the specified person of any indebtedness of any other person.
Joint Venture means a joint venture,
partnership or other similar arrangement, whether in corporate,
partnership or other legal form; provided, however, that at the
time any Joint Venture becomes, directly or indirectly,
majority-owned by Greenbrier and its Subsidiaries, Greenbrier
shall designate whether such Joint Venture shall be deemed a
Subsidiary for purposes of the indenture and any such
designation of a Joint
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Venture as a Subsidiary shall be irrevocable and made by a
resolution of the board of directors of Greenbrier set forth in
an officers certificate delivered to the trustee
contemporaneously with such designation; provided, further that
if, at any time, Greenbrier and its Subsidiaries acquire all of
the outstanding capital stock and all warrants, options or other
rights to acquire capital stock (but excluding any debt security
that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, capital stock) of
any such Joint Venture, such Joint Venture shall become, without
further action by Greenbrier or any other person, a Subsidiary
in accordance with the terms of the indenture.
Subsidiary means, in respect of any person,
any corporation, association, partnership or other business
entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of
shares of capital stock or other interests (including
partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the
occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of
directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such person,
(ii) such person and one or more Subsidiaries of such
person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such person;
provided, however, that a Joint Venture that is majority-owned
by Greenbrier and its Subsidiaries shall not be deemed a
Subsidiary for purposes of the indenture unless Greenbrier shall
designate such Joint Venture as a Subsidiary for purposes of the
indenture, which designation shall be irrevocable and made by
resolution of the board of directors of Greenbrier set forth in
an officers certificate delivered to the trustee
contemporaneously with such designation; provided, further that
if, at any time, Greenbrier and its Subsidiaries acquire all of
the outstanding capital stock and all warrants, options or other
rights to acquire capital stock (but excluding any debt security
that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, capital stock) of
any such Joint Venture, such Joint Venture shall become, without
further action by Greenbrier or any other person, a Subsidiary
for purposes of the indenture.
As used herein, trading day means a day
during which (i) trading in our common stock generally
occurs, (ii) there is no market disruption event and
(iii) a closing sale price for our common stock is provided
on New York Stock Exchange or, if our common stock is not listed
on the New York Stock Exchange, on the principal other
U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which our
common stock is then listed or, if our common stock is not
listed on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange,
on the principal other market on which our common stock is then
traded or, if our common stock is not traded on any market, then
trading day shall mean a day on which the applicable price can
be obtained (as determined by our board of directors).
Market disruption event means the occurrence
or existence on any trading day for our common stock of any
suspension or limitation imposed on trading (by reason of
movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the stock
exchange or otherwise) in our common stock or in any options,
contracts or future contracts relating to our common stock.
Payments on the Notes
We maintain an office or agency in The City of New York, where
we will pay the principal on the notes and you may present the
notes for conversion, registration of transfer or exchange for
other denominations, which initially is the principal corporate
trust office of the trustee presently located at U.S. Bank,
National Association, Corporate Trust Office, 100 Wall
Street, Suite 1600, New York, NY 10005.
Except as provided below, we will pay interest on:
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global notes to DTC in immediately available funds; |
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any certificated notes having an aggregate principal amount of
$5.0 million or less by check mailed to the holders of
those notes; and |
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any certificated notes having an aggregate principal amount of
more than $5.0 million by wire transfer in immediately
available funds if requested in writing by the holders of those
notes at least 10 days prior to the relevant interest
payment date and otherwise by check mailed to the holders of
those notes. |
On the maturity date, each holder will be entitled to receive
the principal amount of each note and accrued and unpaid
interest (including contingent interest and additional interest,
if any) to, but not
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including, the maturity date. With respect to global notes,
principal and interest will be paid to DTC in immediately
available funds. With respect to any certificated notes,
principal and interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) will be payable at our office or
agency in New York City, which shall initially be the principal
corporate trust office of the trustee at the address set forth
above.
Interest
The notes bear interest at an annual rate of 2.375% per
annum from May 22, 2006, or from the most recent date to
which interest has been paid or provided for. In addition, we
will pay contingent interest on the notes in the circumstances
described under Contingent Interest and
we will pay additional interest on the notes in the
circumstances described under Registration
Rights. Interest will be payable semi-annually in arrears
on May 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on
November 15, 2006, to the holders of record at the close of
business on the May 1 or November 1 immediately
preceding such interest payment date. As used in this
prospectus, the term close of business means
5:00 p.m., New York City time.
Except as described below, we will not make any separate payment
or other adjustment for accrued and unpaid interest (including
contingent interest and additional interest, if any) on any
notes when they are converted. Our delivery to the holder of the
cash payment and any shares of our common stock deliverable in
respect of the conversion of a note will be deemed to satisfy
our obligation to pay (i) the principal amount of the note
and (ii) accrued but unpaid interest attributable to the
period from the most recent interest payment date to the
conversion date. As a result, accrued but unpaid interest to the
conversion date is deemed to be paid in full rather than
cancelled, extinguished or forfeited.
If a holder of notes converts after the close of business on a
regular record date for an interest payment but prior to the
corresponding interest payment date, the holder on the regular
record date will receive accrued interest (including contingent
interest and additional interest, if any) on those notes on that
interest payment date, notwithstanding the conversion of those
notes prior to that interest payment date. However, at the time
that the holder surrenders those notes for conversion, the
holder must pay to us an amount equal to the interest (including
contingent interest and additional interest, if any) that has
accrued and that will be paid on the interest payment date. The
preceding sentence does not apply to (1) a holder that
converts notes that have been called by us for redemption and in
respect of which we have specified a redemption date that is
after a record date and on or prior to the related interest
payment date, (2) a holder that converts notes in respect
of which we have specified a fundamental change purchase date
that is after a regular record date and on or prior to the
corresponding interest payment date, and (3) any overdue
interest existing at the time of conversion with respect to the
notes converted, but only to the extent of the amount of such
overdue interest. Accordingly, under the circumstances described
in clauses (1) and (2), if a holder of notes chooses to
convert those notes on a date that is after a regular record
date but prior to the corresponding interest payment date, the
holder will not be required to pay us, at the time the holder
surrenders those notes for conversion, the amount of interest
(including contingent interest and additional interest, if any)
the holder of those notes on the record date will receive on the
interest payment date.
If any interest payment date (other than an interest payment
date coinciding with the maturity date or earlier redemption
date) of a note falls on a day that is not a business day, such
interest payment date will be postponed to the next succeeding
business day. If the maturity date or a redemption date of a
note falls on a day that is not a business day, the required
payment of interest, if any, and principal will be made on the
next succeeding business day and no interest on such payment
will accrue for the period from and after the maturity date or
redemption date to such next succeeding business day.
The term business day means, with respect to
any note, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on
which banking institutions in the City of New York are
authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to
close.
Each payment of interest due on the notes will include interest
accrued through the day before the applicable interest payment
date. Interest will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year comprised
of twelve 30-day months.
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Interest will cease to accrue on a note upon its maturity,
conversion, redemption, or purchase, including upon a
fundamental change.
Contingent Interest
Subject to the accrual and record date provisions described
above, we will pay contingent interest to the holders of notes
during any six-month period from May 15 to November 14 and
from November 15 to May 14, commencing with the
six-month period beginning on May 15, 2013, if the trading
price of a note for each of the five trading days ending on the
third trading day immediately preceding the first day of the
relevant six-month period equals 120% or more of the principal
amount of the note.
The amount of contingent interest payable per note with respect
to any six-month period will equal 0.375% per annum of the
average trading price of such note for the five trading days
referred to above.
The trading price of a note on any date of
determination means the average of the secondary market bid
quotations per note obtained by the bid solicitation agent for
$5.0 million principal amount of notes at approximately
3:30 p.m., New York City time, on such determination date
from two independent nationally-recognized securities dealers we
select, but if only one such bid can reasonably be obtained by
the bid solicitation agent, this one bid shall be used. If the
bid solicitation agent cannot reasonably obtain at least one bid
for $5.0 million principal amount of the notes from a
nationally-recognized securities dealer or if, in our reasonable
judgment, the bid quotations are not indicative of the secondary
market value of the notes, then the market price of a note will
be determined by our board of directors based on a good faith
estimate of fair value of the notes.
The bid solicitation agent will initially be the trustee. We may
change the bid solicitation agent, but the bid solicitation
agent will not be our affiliate. The bid solicitation agent will
solicit bids from securities dealers that are believed by us to
be willing to bid for the notes.
Upon determination that holders of notes will be entitled to
receive contingent interest that will become payable during a
relevant six-month period, on or prior to the start of such
six-month period, we will provide notice to the trustee setting
forth the amount of contingent interest per $1,000 principal
amount of notes and disseminate a press release through a public
medium that is customary for such press releases.
We may unilaterally increase the amount of contingent interest
we may pay or pay interest or other amounts we are not obligated
to pay, but we will have no obligation to do so.
Under the indenture, we and each holder agreed, for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat the notes as
indebtedness that is subject to Treasury regulations governing
contingent payment debt instruments.
Subsidiary Guarantees
The notes are unconditionally guaranteed (the
Subsidiary Guarantees) by each existing or
future Domestic Subsidiary (other than any Domestic Subsidiary
that is an Immaterial Subsidiary). These Subsidiary Guarantees
are joint and several obligations of the Guarantors. The
obligations of each Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee are
limited as necessary to prevent that Subsidiary Guarantee from
constituting a fraudulent transfer under applicable law. See
Risk Factors Certain events may delay payment
on, lead to the subordination of, or void our and our
subsidiaries obligations under the notes.
The Subsidiary Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:
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(1) prior to the satisfaction and discharge of the
indenture governing the 8.375% Notes (the
8.375% Note Indenture),
(A) upon consummation of any sale or other disposition of
all of the capital stock of that Guarantor to a person that is
not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction)
Greenbrier or a Restricted Subsidiary (as defined in the
8.375% Note Indenture) of Greenbrier if the sale or
other disposition does not violate the Asset Sale
provisions in the 8.375% Note Indenture or (B) if
Greenbrier designates any such Guarantor to be an Unrestricted
Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the
8.375% Note Indenture; |
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(2) after the satisfaction and discharge of the 8.375% Note
Indenture, upon consummation of any sale or other disposition of
all of the capital stock of that Guarantor to a person that is
not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction)
Greenbrier or a subsidiary of Greenbrier if the sale or other
disposition does not violate the terms of any other indebtedness
of Greenbrier guaranteed by that Guarantor; |
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(3) if that Guarantor ceases to directly or indirectly
guarantee any indebtedness of Greenbrier; or |
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(4) upon satisfaction and discharge of the indenture as
provided below under the caption Satisfaction
and Discharge. |
Ranking of Notes
The notes are our senior unsecured obligations and the
Subsidiary Guarantees are the senior unsecured obligations of
the Guarantors and rank equally in right of payment with all of
our and the Guarantors existing and future unsecured and
unsubordinated indebtedness and other obligations (including
trade payables and the 8.375% Notes) and senior in right of
payment to all of our existing and future subordinated
indebtedness. The notes are effectively subordinated to any of
our and the Guarantors existing and future secured
indebtedness (including any borrowings under the Credit
Agreement) to the extent of the value of the assets securing
such indebtedness. In addition, the notes are effectively
subordinated to all liabilities of our Subsidiaries that have
not guaranteed the notes.
Conversion Rights
Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions and during the
periods described below under Conversion Upon
Satisfaction of Sale Price Condition,
Conversion Upon Satisfaction of Trading Price
Condition, Conversion Upon Notice of
Redemption, and Conversion Upon
Specified Corporate Transactions or on or after
May 15, 2021, a holder may convert each of its notes prior
to the close of business on the business day immediately
preceding the stated maturity of the notes into cash and shares
of our common stock, if any, initially at a conversion rate of
20.8125 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount
of notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of
approximately $48.05 per share). The conversion rate and
the conversion price in effect at any given time are referred to
as the applicable conversion rate and the
applicable conversion price, respectively,
and will be subject to adjustment as described below.
A holder may convert fewer than all of its notes so long as the
notes converted are in a principal amount that is an integral
multiple of $1,000. Upon surrender of a note for conversion, we
will deliver cash and shares of our common stock, if any, as
described below under Payment Upon
Conversion.
Holders may surrender notes for conversion under the following
circumstances:
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during any calendar quarter commencing after June 30, 2006,
if the closing sale price per share of our common stock for at
least 20 trading days in the period of 30 consecutive trading
days ending on the last trading day of the preceding calendar
quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the applicable
conversion price on such last trading day (the sale
price condition); |
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on or after May 15, 2021; |
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if we have called the notes for redemption, until the close of
business on the second trading day immediately preceding the
redemption date; |
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during the five consecutive business-day period following any
five consecutive trading-day period in which the trading price
for the notes on each such trading day was less than 98% of the
closing sale price of our common stock multiplied by the
applicable conversion rate on such trading day; and |
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during prescribed periods, upon the occurrence of specified
corporate transactions. |
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Each of these circumstances (other than the ability to convert
on or after May 15, 2021) is more fully described below.
We will promptly notify holders by press release once the notes
have become convertible upon any of the foregoing circumstances;
provided that if the event resulting in the notes becoming
convertible is the satisfaction of the sale price condition and
such condition has been satisfied in two or more consecutive
quarters, we may notify holders of the continued convertibility
of the notes by including a notice on our corporate website.
If we call a holders notes for redemption, the holder may
convert the notes only until the close of business on the second
trading day immediately preceding the redemption date unless we
fail to pay the redemption price. If a holder has already
delivered a purchase election with respect to a note as
described under either Purchase of Notes at a
Holders Option or Purchase of
Notes at a Holders Option Upon a Fundamental Change,
it may not surrender that note for conversion until it has
withdrawn the purchase election in accordance with the
indenture. If a holder converts its notes, we will pay any
documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on the
issue of shares of our common stock upon the conversion, unless
the tax is due because a holder requests the shares to be issued
or delivered to another person, in which case that holder will
pay that tax.
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Conversion Upon Satisfaction of Sale Price
Condition |
A holder may surrender its notes for conversion during any
calendar quarter (and only during such calendar quarter)
commencing after June 30, 2006, if the closing sale price
per share of our common stock for at least 20 trading days
during the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the
last trading day of the preceding calendar quarter is greater
than or equal to 130% of the applicable conversion price per
share of our common stock on such last trading day. Upon
surrender by a holder of its notes for conversion, we will
deliver cash and shares of common stock, if any, as described
below under Payment Upon Conversion.
The closing sale price of our common stock on
any date means the closing sale price per share (or, if no
closing sale price is reported, the average of the bid and asked
prices or, if there is more than one bid or ask price, the
average of the average bid and the average asked prices) on such
date as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange or, if our common
stock is not quoted on the New York Stock Exchange, in composite
transactions for the principal U.S. national securities
exchange on which our common stock is traded. If our common
stock is not listed for trading on a U.S. national or
regional securities exchange on the relevant date, the
closing sale price will be the last quoted bid price
for our common stock in the
over-the-counter market
on the relevant date as reported by Pink Sheets, LLC or a
similar organization. If our common stock is not so quoted, the
closing sale price will be the average of the
mid-point of the last bid and ask prices for our common stock on
the relevant date from each of at least two independent
nationally recognized investment banking firms selected by us
for this purpose. If at least two independent quotes cannot be
obtained, the closing sale price will be determined
in good faith by our board of directors. The closing sale price
will be determined without reference to extended or after-hours
trading.
If at any time prior to May 15, 2021, the sale price
condition described herein is satisfied in respect of a calendar
quarter, we will publish a notice advising that the common stock
price condition has been satisfied in respect of such calendar
quarter in a press release through PR Newswire, Dow
Jones & Co., Inc., Business Wire, or Bloomberg Business
News Company, or, if any such organization is not in existence
at the time of issuance of such press release, such other news
or press organization as is reasonably calculated to disseminate
broadly the relevant information to the public, and will make
this information available on our website or through another
public medium as we may use at that time.
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Conversion Upon Satisfaction of Trading Price
Condition |
A holder may surrender the notes for conversion into cash and,
if applicable, shares of our common stock or, at the option of
the Company, cash prior to the stated maturity of the notes
during the five consecutive business-day period immediately
following any five consecutive trading-day period in which the
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trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes (as
determined following a request by a holder of the notes in
accordance with the procedures described below) for each trading
day of such measurement period was less than 98% of the
conversion value on such trading day.
The conversion value of the notes on any date
of determination means the product of the closing sale price per
share of our common stock on such day and the applicable
conversion rate in effect on such day.
For this purpose, the trading price of the
notes on any date of determination means the average of the
secondary market bid quotations per $1,000 principal amount of
notes obtained by the trustee for $5.0 million principal
amount of the notes at approximately 3:30 p.m., New York
City time, on such determination date from two independent
nationally recognized securities dealers we select, but if only
one such bid can reasonably be obtained by the trustee, this one
bid shall be used. If the trustee cannot reasonably obtain at
least one bid for $5.0 million principal amount of the
notes from a nationally recognized securities dealer, then, for
purposes of the trading price condition only, the trading price
per $1,000 principal amount of the notes will be deemed to be
less than 98% of the conversion value of the notes on such
determination date, as applicable.
The trustee shall have no obligation to determine the trading
price of the notes unless we have requested such determination,
and we shall have no obligation to make such request unless a
holder provides us with reasonable evidence that the trading
price per $1,000 principal amount of the notes would be less
than 98% of the conversion value on such determination date.
Upon receipt of such reasonable evidence, we shall instruct the
trustee to determine the trading price of the notes beginning on
the next trading day and on each successive trading day until
the trading price is greater than or equal to 98% of the
conversion value, as applicable. If, however, within five
business days after providing us such reasonable evidence, we
fail to instruct the trustee to determine the trading price of
the notes, the trading price on each day after such
fifth business day will be deemed to be less than 98% of the
conversion value, as applicable, until we so instruct the
trustee to determine the trading price.
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Conversion Upon Notice of Redemption |
If we call any or all of the notes for redemption, a holder may
convert any of its notes at any time prior to the close of
business on the second trading day immediately prior to the
redemption date. Upon surrender by a holder of its notes for
conversion, we will deliver cash and shares of common stock, if
any, as described below under Payment Upon
Conversion.
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Conversion Upon Specified Corporate Transactions |
If we elect to:
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distribute to all or substantially all holders of our common
stock certain rights or warrants entitling them to purchase, for
a period expiring within 60 days after the record date of
the distribution, shares of our common stock at a price less
than the closing sale price of a share of our common stock on
the trading day immediately preceding the announcement date of
the distribution; or |
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distribute to all or substantially all holders of our common
stock assets (including cash), debt securities or rights or
warrants to purchase our securities, which distribution has a
per share value as determined by our board of directors
exceeding 10% of the closing sale price of our common stock on
the trading day immediately preceding the announcement date for
such distribution, |
we must notify holders of the notes at least 35 trading days
prior to the ex-dividend date for such distribution. Once we
have given such notice, holders may surrender their notes for
conversion at any time until the earlier of the close of
business on the trading day immediately prior to the ex-dividend
date or any announcement that such distribution will not take
place. No holder may exercise this right to convert if the
holder otherwise could participate in the distribution without
conversion. The ex-dividend date is the first
date upon which a sale of the common stock does not
automatically transfer the right to receive the relevant
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distribution from the seller of the common stock to its buyer.
Upon surrender by a holder of its notes for conversion, we will
deliver cash and shares of common stock, if any, as described
below under Payment Upon Conversion.
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Certain Corporate Transactions |
If:
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a transaction described in clause (1) of the definition of
fundamental change as set forth under
Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option
Upon a Fundamental Change below (regardless of whether
such transaction constitutes a fundamental change) occurs; |
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a transaction or series of transactions described in
clause (3) of the definition of fundamental
change as set forth under Purchase of
Notes at a Holders Option Upon a Fundamental Change
below (regardless of whether such transaction constitutes a
fundamental change) occurs where our common stock would be
converted into cash, securities and/or other property; or |
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a fundamental change occurs pursuant to
clause (5) of the definition thereof, |
then in each case a holder may surrender notes for conversion at
any time from and after the effective date of such transaction
until and including the date which is 25 trading days after the
effective date of such transaction (or, if such transaction also
results in holders having a right to require us to purchase
their notes, until the fundamental change purchase date). At the
effective date of any such transaction, if applicable, a
holders right to convert its notes into cash and shares of
our common stock, if any, will be changed into a right to
convert the notes into the kind and amount of reference property
as described in Change in the Conversion Right
Upon Certain Reclassifications, Business Combinations and Asset
Sales, except to the extent provided otherwise as
described in Adjustment to Conversion Rate
Upon Certain Corporate Transactions Conversion After
a Public Acquirer Change of Control. We will notify
holders and the trustee at the same time we publicly announce
any transaction described in the second and third bullet points
above (but in no event less than 10 days prior to the
effective date of such transaction). We will notify holders and
the trustee of any transaction described in the first bullet
point above within three business days of the date of the filing
announcing the consummation of such transaction.
If a holder elects to convert its notes in connection with a
transaction set forth above and such transaction is a make-whole
transaction (as defined herein) we will increase the conversion
rate by additional shares of our common stock as described in
Adjustments to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions General or, in lieu
thereof, we may in certain circumstances elect to adjust the
conversion rate and related conversion obligation so that the
notes are convertible into shares of common stock of the
acquiring or surviving entity as described in
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions Conversion After a Public
Acquirer Change of Control.
Conversion Procedures
To convert a certificated note, a holder must do each of the
following:
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complete and manually sign the conversion notice on the back of
the note, or a facsimile of the conversion notice, and deliver
this irrevocable notice to the conversion agent; |
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surrender the note to the conversion agent; |
|
|
|
if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer
documents; |
|
|
|
if required, pay all transfer or similar taxes; and |
|
|
|
if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the next
interest payment date. |
If a holders interest is a beneficial interest in a global
note, to convert a holder must comply with the last three
requirements listed above and comply with the depositarys
procedures for converting a beneficial interest in a global
note. The date a holder complies with the applicable
requirements is referred to as the
47
conversion date. The notes will be deemed to
have been converted immediately prior to the close of business
on the conversion date.
The conversion agent will initially be the trustee. The
conversion agent will, on a holders behalf, convert the
notes into cash and shares of common stock, if any. A holder may
obtain copies of the required form of the conversion notice from
the conversion agent. Payments of cash and, if shares of common
stock are to be delivered, a stock certificate or certificates
will be delivered to the holder, or a book-entry transfer
through DTC will be made, by the conversion agent for the number
of shares of common stock as set forth below under
Payment Upon Conversion.
Payment Upon Conversion
Each $1,000 principal amount of notes will be converted into
cash and shares of our common stock, if any, as described below.
In connection with any conversion, we will satisfy our
obligation to convert the notes (the conversion
obligation) by delivering to holders, on the third
business day following the last day of the related cash
settlement averaging period, in respect of each $1,000 aggregate
principal amount of notes being converted, a settlement
amount equal to the sum of the daily
settlement amount for each of the 30 trading days
during the cash settlement averaging period.
The daily settlement amount, for each of the
30 trading days during the cash settlement averaging period,
shall consist of:
|
|
|
|
|
cash equal to the lesser of $33.3333 and the daily conversion
value; and |
|
|
|
to the extent the daily conversion value exceeds $33.3333, a
number of shares (the daily share amount)
equal to (A) the difference between the daily conversion
value and $33.3333, divided by (B) the volume weighted
average price of our common stock (or the consideration into
which our common stock has been converted in connection with
certain corporate transactions) for such day. The sum of the
daily share amounts for each of the 30 trading days during the
cash settlement averaging period will equal the
residual value shares. |
We may elect to pay cash to holders of notes surrendered for
conversion in lieu of all or a portion of the residual value
shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of such notes.
If we do so elect to pay cash, we will notify you through the
trustee of the dollar amount to be satisfied in cash (expressed
as a percentage of the residual value shares that will be paid
in cash in lieu of our common stock) at any time on or before
the date that is three business days following receipt of your
notice of conversion (cash settlement notice
period). If we timely elect to pay cash for any
portion of the residual value shares otherwise issuable to you,
you may retract the conversion notice at any time during the two
business-day period immediately following the cash settlement
notice period (the conversion retraction
period). If we do not make such an election, no
retraction can be made (and a conversion notice shall be
irrevocable).
The amount of cash payable in such event in respect of each
residual value share otherwise issuable upon conversion shall
equal the sum of the residual cash value for such share
calculated for each day of the conversion reference period. The
residual cash value for each date shall be
the product of (1) the percentage of each residual value
share otherwise issuable upon conversion which we elect to pay
in cash and (2) the cash value of the daily share amount
for such date. The cash value of the daily share amount shall be
determined by multiplying the daily share amount for such date
by the volume weighted average price of our common stock for
such date.
Daily conversion value means, for each of the
30 consecutive trading days during the cash settlement averaging
period, one-thirtieth
(1/30
) of the product of (1) the applicable conversion
rate and (2) the volume weighted average price of our
common stock (or the consideration into which our common stock
has been converted in connection with certain corporate
transactions) on such day.
We will not issue fractional shares of common stock upon
conversion of the notes. Instead, we will pay the cash value of
such fractional shares based upon the volume weighted average
price of our common stock
48
(or the consideration into which our common stock has been
converted in connection with certain corporate transactions) on
the last day of the cash settlement averaging period. Upon
conversion of a note, a holder will not receive any separate
cash payment of interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) unless such conversion occurs
between a record date and the interest payment date to which
that record date relates.
For purposes of this section Payment Upon
Conversion, volume weighted average
price per share of our common stock on any trading day
means the volume weighted average price on the principal
exchange or
over-the-counter market
on which our common stock (or other security) is then listed or
traded, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (New York City
time) on that trading day as displayed under the heading
Bloomberg VWAP on Bloomberg Page GBX N Equity AQR
(or the Bloomberg Page for any security into which our common
stock has been converted in connection with a fundamental
change), or if such volume weighted average price is not
available, our board of directors reasonable, good faith
estimate of the volume weighted average price of the shares of
our common stock, or other security, on such trading day.
The cash settlement averaging period with
respect to any note means (a) if the relevant conversion
date occurs prior to the earlier of (i) the date on which
we issue notice of redemption or (ii) the
36th
trading day prior to the maturity date, the 30 consecutive
trading days beginning on the third trading day after the
related conversion date, (b) if the relevant conversion
date occurs after we issue a notice of redemption, the cash
settlement averaging period means the 30 consecutive trading
days beginning on and including the
30th
trading day immediately preceding the applicable redemption date
and (c) for any notice of conversion given after the
36th
trading day prior to the maturity date, the 30 consecutive
trading days commencing on the trading day immediately following
the maturity date.
If a holder tenders notes for conversion and the conversion
value is being determined at a time when the notes are
convertible into other property in addition to or in lieu of our
common stock, the conversion value of each note will be
determined based on the kind and amount of shares of stock,
securities or other property or assets (including cash or any
combination thereof) that a holder of a number of shares of our
common stock equal to the conversion rate would have owned or
been entitled to receive in the transaction, the result of which
is that the notes are convertible into such other property, and
the value thereof during the cash settlement averaging period.
Conversion Rate Adjustments
The conversion rate will be adjusted as described below, except
that we will not make any adjustments to the conversion rate if
holders of the notes participate, as a result of holding notes,
in any of the transactions described below without having to
convert their notes.
(1) If we issue shares of our common stock as a dividend or
distribution on shares of our common stock, or if we effect a
share split or share combination, the conversion rate will be
adjusted based on the following formula:
|
|
|
|
|
CR
0 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to such event |
|
CR1 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately after such event |
|
OS
0 |
|
= |
|
the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately
prior to such event |
|
OS1 |
|
= |
|
the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately
after such event. |
(2) If we issue to all or substantially all holders of our
common stock, other than affiliates, any rights, warrants or
other convertible securities entitling them for a period of not
more than 60 days to subscribe for or purchase shares of
our common stock, or securities convertible into shares of our
common stock at a price per share or a conversion price per
share less than the closing sale price of shares of our common
stock on
49
the trading day immediately preceding the date of announcement
of such issuance, the conversion rate will be adjusted based on
the following formula (provided that the conversion rate will be
readjusted to the extent that such rights, warrants or other
convertible securities are not exercised prior to their
expiration):
|
|
|
|
|
CR1
= CR
0 |
|
× |
|
OS 0
+ X
OS 0
+ Y |
|
|
|
|
|
CR
0 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to such event |
|
CR1 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately after such event |
|
OS
0 |
|
= |
|
the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately
prior to such event |
|
X |
|
= |
|
the total number of shares of our common stock issuable pursuant
to such rights, warrants or other convertible securities |
|
Y |
|
= |
|
the number of shares of our common stock equal to the aggregate
price payable to exercise such rights, warrants or other
convertible securities divided by the average of the closing
sale prices of our common stock for the 10 consecutive
trading-day period ending on the trading day immediately
preceding the announcement date of such issuance. |
(3) If we distribute shares of our capital stock, evidences
of our indebtedness or other assets or property of ours to all
or substantially all holders of our common stock, excluding:
|
|
|
|
|
dividends, distributions and rights or warrants referred to in
clause (1) or clause (2) above; and |
|
|
|
dividends or distributions paid exclusively in cash, |
then the conversion rate will be adjusted based on the following
formula:
|
|
|
|
|
CR1 = CR
0 |
|
× |
|
SP
0
SP
0
- FMV |
|
|
|
|
|
CR
0 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to such
distribution |
|
CR1 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately after such distribution |
|
SP
0 |
|
= |
|
the average of the closing sale prices of our common stock over
the 10 consecutive trading-day period ending on the trading day
immediately preceding the ex-dividend date for such distribution |
|
FMV |
|
= |
|
the fair market value (as determined by our board of directors)
of the shares of capital stock, evidences of indebtedness,
assets or property distributed with respect to each outstanding
share of our common stock on the record date for such
distribution. |
|
|
|
With respect to an adjustment pursuant to this clause (3)
where there has been a payment of a dividend or other
distribution on our common stock or shares of capital stock of
any class or series, or similar |
50
|
|
|
equity interest, of or relating to a Subsidiary or other
business unit, which we refer to as a spin-off, the
conversion rate will be increased based on the following formula: |
|
|
|
|
|
CR1
= CR
0 |
|
× |
|
FMV
0
+ MP
0
MP
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
CR
0 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to such
distribution |
|
CR1 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately after such distribution |
|
FMV
0 |
|
= |
|
the average of the closing sale prices of the capital stock or
similar equity interest distributed to holders of our common
stock applicable to one share of our common stock over the first
10 consecutive trading-day period after the effective date of
the spin-off |
|
MP
0 |
|
= |
|
the average of the closing sale prices of our common stock over
the first 10 consecutive trading-day period after the effective
date of the spin-off. |
|
|
|
The adjustment to the conversion rate under the preceding
paragraph will occur on the tenth trading day after the
effective date of the spin-off. |
(4) If any cash dividend or distribution made to all or
substantially all holders of our common stock during any
quarterly fiscal period is in an aggregate amount that, together
with other cash dividends or distributions made during such
quarterly fiscal period (the current dividend
rate), exceeds $0.08 per share (appropriately
adjusted from time to time for an share dividends on, or
subdivisions of, our common stock) (the initial
dividend rate), the conversion rate will be adjusted
based on the following formula:
|
|
|
|
|
CR1
= CR
0 |
|
× |
|
SP
0
SP
0
- C |
|
|
|
|
|
CR
0 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to the
ex-dividend date for such distribution |
|
CR1 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect immediately after the ex-dividend
date for such distribution |
|
SP
0 |
|
= |
|
the closing sale prices of our common stock on the trading day
immediately preceding the ex-dividend date for such distribution; |
|
C |
|
= |
|
the amount in cash per share we distribute to holders of our
common stock in excess of the initial dividend rate. |
(5) If we make or if our Subsidiaries make a payment in
respect of a tender offer or exchange offer for our common
stock, to the extent that the per share consideration paid in
such offer exceeds the average of the closing sale price of our
common stock over the 10 consecutive trading-day period after
the expiration of such tender or exchange offer, the conversion
rate will be increased based on the following formula:
|
|
|
|
|
CR1 = CR
0 |
|
× |
|
AC + (SP1 × OS1
)
OS 0
× SP1 |
51
|
|
|
|
|
CR
0 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect on the date such tender or
exchange offer expires |
|
CR1 |
|
= |
|
the conversion rate in effect on the day next succeeding the
date such tender or exchange offer expires |
|
AC |
|
= |
|
the aggregate value of all cash and any other consideration (as
determined by our board of directors) paid or payable for shares
purchased in such tender or exchange offer |
|
OS
0 |
|
= |
|
the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately
prior to the date such tender or exchange offer expires |
|
OS1 |
|
= |
|
the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately
after the date such tender or exchange offer expires |
|
SP1 |
|
= |
|
the average of the closing sale prices of our common stock over
the 10 consecutive trading-day period commencing on the trading
day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer
expires. |
|
|
|
If, however, the application of the foregoing formula would
result in a decrease in the conversion rate, no adjustment to
the conversion rate will be made. |
To the extent we have a rights plan in effect upon conversion of
the notes into common stock, the holder will receive (except to
the extent we settle our conversion obligations in cash), in
addition to shares of common stock, if any, the rights under the
rights plan with respect to such shares unless the rights have
separated from our common stock prior to the time of conversion,
in which case the conversion rate will be adjusted at the time
of separation as if we made a distribution referred to in
clause (3) above, subject to readjustment in the event of
the expiration, termination or redemption of such rights.
To the extent permitted by law, we may, from time to time,
increase the conversion rate for a period of at least 20
business days if our board of directors determines that such an
increase would be in our best interests. Any such determination
by our board of directors will be conclusive. We will give
holders at least 15 business days notice of any increase in the
conversion rate. In addition, we may increase the conversion
rate if our board of directors deems it advisable to avoid or
diminish any income tax to holders of common stock resulting
from any distribution of common stock or similar event.
We will not be required to make an adjustment in the conversion
rate unless the adjustment would require a change of at least
one percent in the conversion rate. However, any adjustments
that are not required to be made because they would have
required an increase or decrease of less than one percent will
be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment of the conversion rate or in connection with any
conversion of the notes following a call for redemption,
occurrence of a fundamental change or at maturity, as
applicable. Except as described above in this section, we will
not adjust the conversion rate for any issuance of our common
stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for our common stock or rights to purchase our
common stock or such convertible, exchangeable or exercisable
securities.
A holder may, in some circumstances, including the distribution
of cash dividends to stockholders, be deemed to have received a
distribution or dividend subject to U.S. federal income tax
as a result of an adjustment or the nonoccurrence of an
adjustment to the conversion rate. See United States
Federal Income Tax Considerations
U.S. Holders Constructive Distributions
and Consequences to
Non-U.S. Holders
Dividends and Constructive Dividends.
Change in the Conversion Right Upon Certain
Reclassifications, Business Combinations and Asset Sales
If we reclassify or change our common stock (other than a change
only in par value or a change as a result of a subdivision or
combination of our common stock) or we are a party to a
consolidation, merger or binding share exchange, or if we sell,
transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or
substantially all of our property or assets, in each case, in a
transaction in which holders of our common stock receive stock,
other securities, other property, assets or cash for their
common stock (reference property), then, as
of the
52
effective time of such transaction, and unless we have elected
to follow the provisions described under
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions Conversion After a Public
Acquirer Change of Control, the right to convert notes
into cash and shares of our common stock, if any, will be
changed into a right to convert notes into cash and reference
property based on the 30 trading-day daily settlement amounts of
the reference property and the applicable conversion rate, as
described under Payment Upon Conversion.
In such a case, any increase in the applicable conversion rate
by additional shares as described in
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions General will not be
payable in shares of our common stock, but will represent a
right to receive additional reference property. However, if such
a transaction also constitutes a public acquirer change of
control, then we may in certain circumstances elect to
change the conversion rate in the manner described under
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions Public Acquiror Change of
Control in lieu of changing the conversion rate in the
manner described in this section. The conversion value and the
amounts received in settlement of our conversion obligation will
be computed as set forth under Payment Upon
Conversion.
In the event holders of our common stock have the opportunity to
elect the form of consideration to be received in such
transaction, we will make adequate provision whereby the holders
of the notes shall have a reasonable opportunity to determine
the form of consideration into which the notes shall be
convertible from and after the effective date of such
transaction, in each case, for purposes of all outstanding
notes, treated as a single class. The determination
(i) will be made by holders representing a plurality of
notes participating in such determination, (ii) will be
subject to any limitations to which all of the holders of our
common stock are subject, including, but not limited to, pro
rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration
payable in such transaction and (iii) will be conducted in
such a manner as to be completed by the date which is the
earlier of (a) the deadline for elections to be made by
holders of our common stock, and (b) two trading days prior
to the anticipated effective date of such transaction.
A change in the conversion right described in this section could
substantially lessen or eliminate the value of the conversion
right of the notes. For example, if a third party acquires us in
a cash merger, any amount previously payable upon conversion of
the notes in shares of our common stock would thereafter be
payable in cash and would no longer be payable in securities
whose value could increase depending on our future financial
performance, prospects and other factors.
There is no precise, established definition of the phrase
substantially all of our properties and assets under
the laws of the State of New York, which governs the indenture
and the notes, or under the laws of the State of Oregon, our
state of incorporation. Accordingly, the effectiveness of the
above provisions in the event of a conveyance, transfer, sale,
lease or other disposition of less than all of our properties
and assets may be uncertain.
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain Corporate
Transactions
If the effective date or anticipated effective date of a
make-whole transaction occurs on or prior to May 15, 2013
and a holder elects to convert its notes during the time periods
specified under Conversion Rights
Conversion Upon Specified Corporate Transactions
Certain Corporate Transactions (regardless of whether the
notes are otherwise convertible during such time), we will
increase the conversion rate for the notes surrendered for
conversion by a number of additional shares (the
additional shares) as described below.
A make-whole transaction is any transaction
or event described under Conversion
Rights Conversion Upon Specified Corporate
Transactions Certain Corporate Transactions
pursuant to which 10% or more of the consideration for our
common stock (other than cash payments for fractional shares and
cash payments made in respect of dissenters appraisal
rights) in such transaction or event consists of cash,
securities or other property that are not traded or scheduled to
be traded immediately following such transaction on a
U.S. national securities exchange.
53
The number of additional shares will be determined by reference
to the table below, based on the date on which such make-whole
transaction becomes effective (the effective
date) and the price (the stock
price) paid per share for our common stock in such
make-whole transaction. If holders of our common stock receive
only cash in such make-whole transaction, the stock price shall
be the cash amount paid per share. Otherwise, the stock price
shall be the average of the closing sale prices of our common
stock on the five trading days prior to but not including the
effective date of such make-whole transaction.
The stock prices set forth in the first row of the table below
(i.e., the column headers) will be adjusted as of any
date on which the conversion rate of the notes is adjusted, as
described above under Conversion Rate
Adjustments. The adjusted stock prices will equal the
product of the stock prices applicable immediately prior to such
adjustment multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the conversion rate immediately prior to the adjustment giving
rise to the stock price adjustment and the denominator of which
is the conversion rate as so adjusted. The number of additional
shares will be adjusted in the same manner as the conversion
rate as set forth under Conversion Rate
Adjustments.
The following table sets forth the stock price and number of
additional shares to be added to the conversion rate per $1,000
principal amount of notes:
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock Price | |
|
|
| |
Effective Date |
|
$36.96 | |
|
$40.00 | |
|
$42.50 | |
|
$45.00 | |
|
$50.00 | |
|
$55.00 | |
|
$60.00 | |
|
$65.00 | |
|
$70.00 | |
|
$75.00 | |
|
$100.00 | |
|
$125.00 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
May 22, 2006
|
|
|
6.2438 |
|
|
|
5.3616 |
|
|
|
4.7613 |
|
|
|
4.2506 |
|
|
|
3.4355 |
|
|
|
2.8220 |
|
|
|
2.3500 |
|
|
|
1.9801 |
|
|
|
1.6853 |
|
|
|
1.4472 |
|
|
|
0.7448 |
|
|
|
0.4248 |
|
May 15, 2007
|
|
|
6.2438 |
|
|
|
5.3514 |
|
|
|
4.7234 |
|
|
|
4.1913 |
|
|
|
3.3480 |
|
|
|
2.7193 |
|
|
|
2.2405 |
|
|
|
1.8690 |
|
|
|
1.5759 |
|
|
|
1.3414 |
|
|
|
0.6662 |
|
|
|
0.3702 |
|
May 15, 2008
|
|
|
6.2438 |
|
|
|
5.3193 |
|
|
|
4.6588 |
|
|
|
4.1023 |
|
|
|
3.2275 |
|
|
|
2.5833 |
|
|
|
2.0988 |
|
|
|
1.7279 |
|
|
|
1.4391 |
|
|
|
1.2110 |
|
|
|
0.5747 |
|
|
|
0.3096 |
|
May 15, 2009
|
|
|
6.2438 |
|
|
|
5.2525 |
|
|
|
4.5533 |
|
|
|
3.9681 |
|
|
|
3.0580 |
|
|
|
2.3986 |
|
|
|
1.9113 |
|
|
|
1.5448 |
|
|
|
1.2646 |
|
|
|
1.0473 |
|
|
|
0.4675 |
|
|
|
0.2424 |
|
May 15, 2010
|
|
|
6.2438 |
|
|
|
5.1401 |
|
|
|
4.3915 |
|
|
|
3.7705 |
|
|
|
2.8190 |
|
|
|
2.1454 |
|
|
|
1.6602 |
|
|
|
1.3051 |
|
|
|
1.0410 |
|
|
|
0.8420 |
|
|
|
0.3454 |
|
|
|
0.1718 |
|
May 15, 2011
|
|
|
6.1930 |
|
|
|
4.9469 |
|
|
|
4.1297 |
|
|
|
3.4606 |
|
|
|
2.4592 |
|
|
|
1.7768 |
|
|
|
1.3064 |
|
|
|
0.9782 |
|
|
|
0.7463 |
|
|
|
0.5801 |
|
|
|
0.2118 |
|
|
|
0.1028 |
|
May 15, 2012
|
|
|
6.0342 |
|
|
|
4.5847 |
|
|
|
3.6505 |
|
|
|
2.9037 |
|
|
|
1.8382 |
|
|
|
1.1726 |
|
|
|
0.7606 |
|
|
|
0.5064 |
|
|
|
0.3490 |
|
|
|
0.2505 |
|
|
|
0.0841 |
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0.0442 |
|
May 15, 2013
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|
0.0000 |
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0.0000 |
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|
0.0000 |
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|
0.0000 |
|
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|
0.0000 |
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|
0.0000 |
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|
0.0000 |
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|
0.0000 |
|
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|
0.0000 |
|
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|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
The exact stock prices and effective dates may not be set forth
in the table above, in which case:
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If the stock price is between two stock price amounts in the
table or the effective date is between two effective dates in
the table, the number of additional shares will be determined by
a straight-line interpolation between the number of additional
shares set forth for the higher and lower stock price amounts
and the two dates, as applicable, based on a
365-day year. |
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If the stock price is in excess of $125.00 per share
(subject to adjustment), no additional shares will be added to
the conversion rate upon conversion. |
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If the stock price is less than $36.96 per share (subject
to adjustment), no additional shares will be added to the
conversion rate upon conversion. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion rate shall not
exceed 27.0563 per $1,000 principal amount of notes on
account of adjustments described in this section, subject to the
adjustments set forth in clauses (1) through (5) of
Conversion Rate Adjustments. Further,
notwithstanding anything in Conversion Rate
Adjustments to the contrary, the conversion rate shall not
exceed 200.000 per $1,000 principal amount of notes,
equivalent to a conversion price of $5.00 per share of
common stock, other than as a result of proportional adjustments
to the conversion rate in the manner set forth in
clauses (1) through (3) of such section.
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Conversion After a Public Acquirer Change of
Control |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a public acquirer
change of control, we may, in lieu of issuing additional shares
as described above, in our sole discretion, elect to adjust the
conversion rate and the related conversion obligation such that
from and after the effective time of such public acquirer change
of control, holders of notes will be entitled to convert their
notes (subject to satisfaction of the conditions to conversion
described under Conversion Rights
General above) into a number of shares of public
54
acquirer common stock (as defined below) by multiplying the
applicable conversion rate in effect immediately before the
effective time of the public acquirer change of control by a
fraction:
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the numerator of which will be (i) in the case of a share
exchange, consolidation, merger or binding share exchange,
pursuant to which our common stock is converted into cash,
securities or other property, the value of all cash, securities
and other property (as determined by our board of directors)
paid or payable per share of common stock or (ii) in the
case of any other public acquirer change of control, the average
of the closing sale price of our common stock for the five
consecutive trading days prior to but excluding the effective
date of such public acquirer change of control; and |
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the denominator of which will be the average of the closing sale
prices of the public acquirer common stock for the five
consecutive trading days commencing on the trading day next
succeeding the effective date of such public acquirer change of
control. |
A public acquirer change of control means any
make-whole transaction that would otherwise obligate us to
increase the conversion rate as described above under
Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions General where the
acquirer (or any entity that directly or indirectly owns a
majority of the voting stock of the acquirer and fully and
unconditionally guarantees the notes) has a class of common
stock traded on a national securities exchange or which will be
so traded or quoted when issued or exchanged in connection with
such fundamental change (the public acquirer common
stock).
Upon a public acquirer change of control, if we so elect,
holders may convert their notes (subject to satisfaction of the
conditions to conversion described under
Conversion Rights General
above) at the adjusted conversion rate described in the second
preceding paragraph but will not be entitled to the increased
conversion rate described under Adjustment to
Conversion Rate Upon Certain Corporate Transactions
General. We are required to notify the trustee and holders
of such election in the notice to holders of such transaction.
As described under Conversion Upon Specified
Corporate Transactions, holders may convert their notes
upon a public acquirer change of control during the period
specified therein. In addition, a holder can also, subject to
certain conditions, require us to purchase all or a portion of
its notes as described under Purchase of Notes
at a Holders Option Upon a Fundamental Change.
Optional Redemption by Greenbrier
We may not redeem any of the notes prior to May 15, 2013.
We may redeem for cash all or a portion of the notes at any time
on or after May 15, 2013 at a redemption price equal to
100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus
accrued and unpaid interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) to, but not including, the
redemption date. However, if the redemption date occurs after a
regular record date for the payment of interest and on or prior
to the corresponding interest payment date, we will pay interest
to holders of record on the regular record date and the
redemption price will be 100% of the principal amount of the
notes to be redeemed.
We will provide not less than 30 nor more than 60 calendar days
notice mailed to each holder of the notes to be redeemed. When
the redemption notice is given and funds deposited as required,
interest will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date
on the notes or portions of such notes called for redemption. If
we decide to redeem fewer than all of the outstanding notes, the
trustee will select the notes to be redeemed by lot, or on a pro
rata basis or by another method the trustee considers fair and
appropriate. If the trustee selects a portion of a holders
notes for partial redemption and such holder converts a portion
of its notes, the converted portion will be deemed to be from
the portion selected for redemption.
Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option
Holders have the right to require us to purchase all or a
portion of their notes on May 15, 2013, May 15, 2016
and May 15, 2021 (each, a purchase
date). Any note purchased by us on a purchase date
will be paid for in cash. We will be required to purchase any
outstanding notes for which a holder delivers a written purchase
notice to the paying agent. This notice must be delivered during
the period beginning at any time from the opening of business on
the date that is 22 business days prior to the relevant purchase
date
55
until the close of business on the date that is two business
days prior to the purchase date. If the purchase notice is given
and properly withdrawn prior to the relevant purchase date, we
will not be obligated to purchase the related notes. Also, as
described in Risk Factors We may not be able
to purchase the notes at the option of the holder or upon a
fundamental change as required by the indenture governing the
notes, we may not have funds sufficient to purchase notes
when we are required to do so or we may be prohibited from doing
so by our agreements governing our outstanding indebtedness,
including the Credit Agreement.
The purchase price payable will be equal to 100% of the
principal amount of the notes to be purchased, plus accrued and
unpaid interest (including contingent interest and additional
interest, if any) to, but not including, the purchase date;
provided however, we will pay interest to the holder of record
on the regular record date.
On or before the 22nd business day prior to each purchase
date, we will provide to the trustee, the paying agent and to
all holders of the notes at their addresses shown in the
register of the registrar, and to beneficial owners as required
by applicable law, a notice stating, among other things:
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the purchase price; |
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the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion
agent; and |
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the procedures that holders must follow to require us to
purchase their notes. |
Simultaneously with providing such notice, we will issue a press
release through PR Newswire, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.,
Business Wire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if such
organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of
such press release, such other news or press organization as is
reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant
information to the public) containing the relevant information
and will publish such information on our corporate web site or
through another public medium as we may use at that time.
A notice electing to require us to purchase a holders
notes must state:
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the relevant purchase date; |
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if certificated notes have been issued, the certificate numbers
of the notes; |
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the portion of the principal amount at issuance of notes to be
purchased, in integral multiples of $1,000; and |
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that the notes are to be purchased by us pursuant to the
applicable provisions of the notes and the indenture. |
If the notes are not in certificated form, a holders
notice must comply with applicable DTC procedures.
No notes may be purchased at the option of holders if there has
occurred and is continuing an event of default other than an
event of default that is cured by the payment of the purchase
price of the notes.
A holder may withdraw any purchase notice in whole or in part by
a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the paying agent
prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the
purchase date. The notice of withdrawal must state:
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the principal amount of the withdrawn notes; |
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if certificated notes have been issued, the certificate numbers
of the withdrawn notes; and |
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the principal amount at issuance, if any, which remains subject
to the purchase notice. |
If the notes are not in certificated form, a holders
notice must comply with applicable DTC procedures.
A holder must either deliver or effect book-entry transfer of
the notes, together with necessary endorsements, to the office
of the paying agent after delivery of the notice to receive
payment of the purchase price. A holder will receive payment
promptly following the later of the purchase date or the time of
book-
56
entry transfer or the delivery of the notes. If the paying agent
holds money sufficient to pay the purchase price of the notes on
the business day following the purchase date, then:
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the notes will cease to be outstanding and interest (including
contingent interest and additional interest, if any) will cease
to accrue (whether or not book-entry transfer of the notes is
made or whether or not the notes are delivered to the paying
agent); and |
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all other rights of the holder will terminate (other than the
right to receive the purchase price upon delivery or transfer of
the notes). |
Purchase of Notes at a Holders Option Upon a
Fundamental Change
In the event of a fundamental change, a holder will have the
right to require us to purchase for cash all or any part of such
holders notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of the
principal amount of the notes to be purchased, plus accrued and
unpaid interest (including contingent interest and additional
interest, if any) to, but not including, the
fundamental change purchase date, which will
be a date selected by us no later than the 20th business
day following our notice of a fundamental change as described
below. Notes submitted for purchase must be principal amounts of
$1,000 or integral multiples thereof.
On or before the 30th day after the occurrence of a
fundamental change, we will provide to all holders of notes and
the trustee and paying agent a notice of the occurrence of the
fundamental change and of the resulting purchase right. Such
notice shall state (among other things):
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the events constituting the fundamental change; |
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the date of the fundamental change; |
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the last date on which a holder may exercise the purchase right; |
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the fundamental change purchase price; |
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the fundamental change purchase date; |
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the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion
agent; |
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the conversion rate and any adjustment to the conversion rate
that will result from the fundamental change; |
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that notes with respect to which a purchase notice is given by
the holder may be converted, if otherwise convertible, only if
the purchase notice has been withdrawn in accordance with the
provisions of the indenture; and |
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the procedures that a holder must follow to exercise the
purchase rights. |
Simultaneously with providing such notice, we will issue a press
release through PR Newswire, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.,
Business Wire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if such
organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of
such press release, such other news or press organization as is
reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant
information to the public) containing the relevant information
and will publish such information on our corporate web site or
through another public medium as we may use at that time.
To exercise the purchase right, a holder must deliver, on or
before the fundamental change purchase date (subject to
extension to comply with applicable law), a written fundamental
change purchase notice and the
57
form entitled Form of Fundamental Change Purchase
Notice on the reverse side of the notes, duly completed,
to the paying agent. The fundamental change purchase notice must
state:
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if certificated notes have been issued, the certificate numbers
of the notes; |
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the portion of the principal amount at issuance of notes to be
purchased, in integral multiples of $1,000; and |
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that the notes are to be purchased by us pursuant to the
applicable provisions of the notes and the indenture. |
If the notes are not in certificated form, a holders
fundamental change purchase notice must comply with applicable
DTC procedures.
A holder may withdraw any purchase notice (in whole or in part)
by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the paying agent
prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the
fundamental change purchase date. The notice of withdrawal shall
state:
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the principal amount of the withdrawn notes; |
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if certificated notes have been issued, the certificate numbers
of the withdrawn notes; and |
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the principal amount, if any, which remains subject to the
purchase notice. |
If the notes are not in certificated form, a holders
notice of withdrawal must comply with applicable DTC procedures.
A holder must either deliver or effect book-entry transfer of
the notes, together with necessary endorsements, to the office
of the paying agent on or within a period to be specified after
the fundamental change purchase date to receive payment of the
purchase price. We will be required to purchase the notes on the
fundamental change purchase date, subject to extension to comply
with applicable law. A holder will receive payment of the
fundamental change purchase price promptly following the later
of the fundamental change purchase date or the time of
book-entry transfer or delivery of the notes. If the paying
agent holds cash sufficient to pay the fundamental change
purchase price of the notes on the fundamental change purchase
date, then:
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the notes will cease to be outstanding and interest (including
contingent interest and additional interest, if any) will cease
to accrue (whether or not such notes are delivered to the paying
agent or whether or not the note is delivered to the paying
agent); and |
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all other rights of the holder will terminate (other than the
right to receive the fundamental change purchase price upon
delivery or transfer of the notes). |
A fundamental change will be deemed to have occurred if any of
the following occurs:
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(1) the consummation of a transaction pursuant to which a
person or group within the meaning of
Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the Exchange Act), other than us,
our Subsidiaries or our or their employee benefit plans, has
become the ultimate beneficial owner, as defined in
Rules 13d-3 and
13d-5 under the
Exchange Act of our capital stock representing more than 50% of
our total outstanding voting stock that is entitled to vote in
the election of our board of directors, as reflected in
Schedule TO or any schedule or report filed under the
Exchange Act disclosing the consummation of such transaction; |
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(2) the first day on which a majority of the members of our
board of directors are not continuing directors; |
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(3) we consolidate with or merge with or into any person or
convey, transfer, sell or otherwise dispose of or lease all or
substantially all of our assets to any person, or any
corporation consolidates with or merges into or with us, in any
such event pursuant to a transaction in which our outstanding
voting stock is changed into or exchanged for cash, securities
or other property, other than (i) any such transaction
where our outstanding voting stock is not changed or exchanged
at all (except to the extent |
58
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necessary to reflect a change in Greenbriers jurisdiction
of incorporation), (ii) where (A) our outstanding
voting stock is changed into or exchanged for cash, securities
and other property (other than equity interests of the surviving
corporation) and (B) our shareholders immediately before
such transaction own, directly or indirectly, immediately
following such transaction, more than 50% of the total
outstanding voting stock of the surviving corporation in the
same proportion amongst themselves as such ownership immediately
prior to such transaction or (iii) lease transactions by a
Leasing Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business; |
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(4) we are liquidated or dissolved or adopt a plan of
liquidation or dissolution other than in a transaction which
complies with the provisions described under
Consolidation, Merger and Sales of
Assets; or |
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(5) our common stock, or any other common stock into which
the notes become convertible pursuant to the terms of the
indenture, ceases to be traded on a U.S. national
securities exchange or traded on an established automated
over-the-counter
trading market in the United States. |
However, notwithstanding the foregoing, a fundamental change
will not be deemed to have occurred if, in the case of
clauses (1) or (3) above, at least 90% of the
consideration, excluding cash payments for fractional shares and
cash payments pursuant to dissenters appraisal rights, in
the merger or consolidation constituting the fundamental change
consists of capital stock traded on a U.S. national
securities exchange (or which will be so traded when issued or
exchanged in connection with such fundamental change) and as a
result of such transaction or transactions the notes become
convertible into such capital stock, excluding cash payments for
fractional shares.
Leasing Assets means, with respect to any
person, such persons interests (1) in railcars,
marine barges, surface transportation equipment and any
accessions or other tangible assets related to the foregoing
that are owned or leased by such person in the ordinary course
of business of such person and (2) in the lease agreements
entered into by such person, as lessor, in the ordinary course
of business.
Leasing Subsidiary means Greenbrier Leasing
Company LLC or any of its Subsidiaries in each case so long as
the business of such person is limited to management, marketing,
remarketing, leasing and/or selling railcars, marine barges,
surface transportation equipment and any accessions or other
tangible assets related to the foregoing and/or Leasing Assets
owned by such person or any other person, and such person does
not own any manufacturing assets or conduct a manufacturing
business (provided that neither Greenbrier Leasing Company LLC
nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to own manufacturing
assets or to be conducting a manufacturing business solely as a
result of its ownership of capital stock and all warrants,
options or other rights to acquire capital stock (but excluding
any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for,
capital stock) of Gunderson LLC, an Oregon limited liability
company, owned on the date that notes first are issued under the
indenture).
Voting stock means stock of the class or
classes pursuant to which the holders thereof have the general
voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a
majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of an
entity (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any
other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by
reason of the happening of any contingency).
Continuing directors means, as of any date of
determination, any member of our board of directors:
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who was a member of our board of directors on the issue date of
the notes; or |
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who was nominated for election or elected to our board of
directors with the approval of a majority of the continuing
directors who were members of our board at the time of new
directors nomination or election; or |
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whose election was ratified, or who is nominated for
re-election, by a majority of the continuing directors who were
members of our board at the time of the new directors
initial election to our board of directors. |
59
The definition of fundamental change includes a phrase relating
to the conveyance, transfer, sale, lease or other disposition of
all or substantially all of our assets. There is no
precise, established definition of the phrase
substantially all under the laws of the State of New
York, which governs the indenture and the notes, or under the
laws of the State of Oregon, our state of incorporation.
Accordingly, a holders ability to require us to purchase
its notes as a result of a conveyance, transfer, sale, lease or
other disposition of less than all of our assets may be
uncertain.
Pursuant to the indenture, in connection with a fundamental
change purchase, we will comply with all U.S. federal and
state securities laws in connection with any offer by us to
purchase the notes upon a fundamental change.
This fundamental change purchase feature may make more difficult
or discourage a takeover of Greenbrier and the removal of
incumbent management. However, we are not aware of any specific
effort to accumulate shares of our capital stock with the intent
to obtain control of Greenbrier by means of a merger, tender
offer, solicitation or otherwise. In addition, the fundamental
change purchase feature is not part of a plan by management to
adopt a series of anti-takeover provisions. Instead, the
fundamental change purchase feature is a result of negotiations
between Greenbrier and the initial purchasers.
We could, in the future, enter into certain transactions,
including recapitalizations, that would not constitute a
fundamental change but would increase the amount of debt
outstanding or otherwise adversely affect a holder of notes.
Neither we nor our Subsidiaries are prohibited under the
indenture from incurring additional debt, including secured
debt. The incurrence of significant amounts of additional debt
could adversely affect our ability to service our debt,
including the notes, and to satisfy our obligation to purchase
the notes upon a fundamental change. See Risk
Factors Despite our increased leverage, we will
be able to incur more debt, which may intensify the risks
associated with our increased leverage.
Our ability to purchase notes upon the occurrence of a
fundamental change is subject to important limitations. If a
fundamental change were to occur, we may not have sufficient
funds, or be able to arrange financing, to pay the fundamental
change purchase price for the notes tendered by holders. In
addition, we may in the future incur debt that has similar
fundamental change provisions that permit holders of such debt
to accelerate or require us to purchase such debt upon the
occurrence of events similar to a fundamental change. Any
failure by us to purchase the notes when required following a
fundamental change would result in an event of default under the
indenture. Any such event of default may, in turn, cause a
default under our other indebtedness.
We will not be required to make an offer to purchase the notes
upon a fundamental change if a third party (1) makes an
offer to purchase the notes in the manner, at the times and
otherwise in compliance with the requirements applicable to an
offer made by us to purchase notes upon a fundamental change and
(2) purchases all of the notes validly delivered and not
withdrawn under such offer to purchase notes.
Additional Guarantees
If we or any Guarantor acquires or creates another Domestic
Subsidiary after the date of the indenture, then that newly
acquired or created Domestic Subsidiary will become a Guarantor
and execute a supplemental indenture and deliver an opinion of
counsel satisfactory to the trustee within ten business days of
the date on which it was acquired or created; provided that any
Domestic Subsidiary that constitutes an Immaterial Subsidiary
need not become a Guarantor until such time as it ceases to be
an Immaterial Subsidiary.
In addition to the Guarantors named in the indenture, the
indenture provides that any of our existing or future
Subsidiaries shall become a Guarantor if and for so long as such
Subsidiary provides a guarantee or otherwise becomes an obligor
in respect of our indebtedness.
60
Consolidation, Merger and Sales of Assets
The indenture provides that we may not consolidate with or merge
into any other person or convey, transfer, sell, lease or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our properties
and assets to another person unless, among other things:
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the resulting, surviving or transferee person is a person
organized and validly existing under the laws of the United
States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
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such person assumes all of our obligations under the notes, the
indenture and the registration rights agreement in each case in
a form reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; |
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immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no event of
default under the indenture (an event of
default) shall have occurred and be continuing; |
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we have delivered to the trustee an officers certificate
and an opinion of counsel with respect thereto as provided for
in the indenture; and |
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each Guarantor shall have by amendment to its Subsidiary
Guarantee confirmed in writing that its Subsidiary Guarantee
shall continue to apply to the obligations of Greenbrier or the
surviving person in accordance with the notes and the indenture. |
The indenture also provides that no Guarantor may sell or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to,
or consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such
Guarantor is the surviving person), another person, other than
Greenbrier or another Guarantor unless:
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immediately after giving effect to that transaction, no default
or event of default shall have occurred and be continuing; and |
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either |
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the person acquiring the property in any such sale or
disposition or the person formed by or surviving any such
consolidation or merger is a person organized or existing under
the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District
of Columbia and assumes all the obligations of that Guarantor
under the indenture, its Subsidiary Guarantee and the
registration rights agreement pursuant to a supplemental
indenture satisfactory to the trustee; or |
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(1) prior to the satisfaction and discharge of the 8.375%
Note Indenture, such sale or other disposition complies with the
Asset Sale provisions of the
8.375% Note Indenture, including the application of
the net proceeds therefrom in accordance with the terms thereof,
or (2) after the satisfaction and discharge of the 8.375%
Note Indenture, such sale or other disposition complies with the
terms of any other indebtedness of Greenbrier guaranteed by that
Guarantor. |
Upon any such consolidation, merger or disposition in accordance
with the foregoing, the successor corporation formed by such
consolidation or into which we or a Guarantor are merged or the
successor person to which such conveyance, sale, lease, transfer
or other disposition is made will succeed to, and be substituted
for, and may exercise our right and power, under the indenture
with the same effect as if such successor had been originally
named therein, and thereafter (except in the case of a lease)
the predecessor corporation will be relieved of all further
obligations and covenants under the indenture, the notes and the
registration rights agreement, as applicable.
This covenant includes a phrase relating to the conveyance,
transfer, sale, lease or other disposition of all or
substantially all of our properties and assets. There is
no precise, established definition of the phrase
substantially all under the laws of the State of New
York, which governs the indenture and the notes, or under the
laws of the State of Oregon, our state of incorporation.
Accordingly, the effectiveness of this covenant in the event of
a conveyance, transfer, sale, lease or other disposition of less
than all of our properties and assets may be uncertain.
An assumption by any person of our obligations under the notes
and the indenture might be deemed for U.S. federal income
tax purposes to be an exchange of the notes for new notes by the
holders thereof,
61
resulting in recognition of gain or loss for such purposes and
possibly other adverse tax consequences to the holders. Holders
should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax
consequences of such an assumption.
Events of Default
Each of the following constitutes an event of default under the
indenture:
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(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of
interest (including contingent interest and additional interest,
if any) on the notes; |
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(2) default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon
redemption or acceleration or otherwise) of the principal of the
notes; |
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(3) our failure to convert notes into cash or a combination
of cash and common stock upon exercise of a holders
conversion right in accordance with the provisions of the
indenture; |
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(4) our failure to redeem notes after we have exercised our
redemption option; |
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(5) our failure to provide notice in the event of a
fundamental change or with respect to a fundamental change
purchase right within 5 days of the date required by the
indenture; |
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(6) other than as set forth in clause (5) above, our
failure or a Guarantors failure to comply with the
provisions described under the captions
Purchase of Notes at a Holders
Option, Purchase of Notes at a
Holders Option Upon a Fundamental Change or
Consolidation, Merger and Sales of
Assets; |
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(7) our failure for 30 days after notice to comply
with any of the other agreements in the indenture; |
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(8) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument
under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured
or evidenced any of our or our Guarantors indebtedness (or
the payment of which is guaranteed by us or any Guarantor)
whether such indebtedness or guarantee now exists, or is created
after the date on which notes are first issued under the
indenture, if that default: |
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(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest
or premium, if any on, such indebtedness prior to the expiration
of the grace period provided in such indebtedness on the date of
such default (a Payment Default); or |
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(b) results in the acceleration of such indebtedness prior
to its stated maturity, and, in each case, the principal amount
of any such indebtedness, together with the principal amount of
any other such indebtedness under which there has been a Payment
Default or the stated maturity of which has been so accelerated,
aggregates $10.0 million or more; |
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(9) failure by us or any Guarantor to pay final judgments
entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction,
aggregating in excess of $10.0 million, which judgments are
not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days
after such judgments have become final and non-appealable; |
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(10) except as permitted by the indenture, any Subsidiary
Guarantee shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be
unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in
full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any person acting on
behalf of any Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations
under its Subsidiary Guarantee; or |
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(11) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency described
in the indenture with respect to Greenbrier or any Guarantor
that is a Significant Subsidiary or a group of Guarantors that,
taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial
statements for Greenbrier and its Subsidiaries) would constitute
a Significant Subsidiary. |
In the case of an event of default arising from certain events
of bankruptcy or insolvency, with respect to Greenbrier, any
Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of
Guarantors that, taken together,
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would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding notes
will become due and payable immediately without further action
or notice. If any other event of default occurs and is
continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in
aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes may
declare all the notes to be due and payable immediately by
notice in writing to Greenbrier (and to the trustee if given by
holders).
Subject to certain limitations, holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes may
direct the trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The
trustee may withhold from holders of the notes notice of any
continuing default or event of default if it determines that
withholding notice is in their interest, except a default or
event of default relating to the payment of principal or
interest (including contingent interest and additional interest,
if any). Subject to the provisions of the indenture relating to
the duties of the trustee, in case an event of default occurs
and is continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers under the indenture at the
request or direction of any holders of notes unless such holders
have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity or security
against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the
right to receive payment of principal or interest (including
contingent interest and additional interest, if any) when due,
no holder of a note may pursue any remedy with respect to the
indenture or the notes unless,
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(1) such holder has previously given the trustee notice
that an event of default is continuing; |
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(2) holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount
of the then outstanding notes have requested the trustee to
pursue the remedy; |
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(3) such holders have offered the trustee reasonable
security or indemnity against any loss, liability or expense; |
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(4) the trustee has not complied with such request within
60 days after the receipt thereof and the offer of security
or indemnity; and |
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(5) the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the then outstanding notes have not given the trustee a
direction inconsistent with such request within such 60 day
period. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
notes then outstanding by notice to the trustee may, on behalf
of the holders of all of the notes, waive any existing default
or event of default and its consequences under the indenture
except a continuing default or event of default in the payment
of interest (including contingent interest and additional
interest, if any) on, or the principal of, the notes.
Greenbrier is required to deliver to the trustee annually a
statement regarding compliance with the indenture. Upon becoming
aware of any default or event of default, Greenbrier is required
to deliver to the trustee a statement specifying such default or
event of default.
Default means, in respect of the notes, any
event which is, or with the passage of time or the giving of
notice or both would be, an event of default.
Significant Subsidiary means, with respect to
any person, any subsidiary of such person that satisfies the
criteria of a significant subsidiary set forth in
Rule 1-02(w) of
Regulation S-X.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of
Greenbrier or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability
for any obligation of Greenbrier or the Guarantors under the
notes, the indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantees or for any claim
based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or
their creation. Each holder of notes by accepting a note waives
and releases all such liability. The waiver may not be effective
to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
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Modification and Waiver
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Changes Requiring Approval of Each Affected Holder |
The indenture (including the terms and conditions of the notes)
cannot be modified or amended without the written consent or the
affirmative vote of the holder of each note affected by such
change (in addition to the written consent or the affirmative
vote of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the notes at the time outstanding) to:
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reduce the principal amount of notes the holders of which must
consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; |
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reduce the principal, redemption price, purchase price,
fundamental change purchase price or change the fixed maturity
of any note or alter the provisions, or waive any payment, with
respect to the redemption of the notes; |
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reduce the rate, of or change the time for payment of interest
(including rate of contingent interest or additional interest,
if any) on, any note; |
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waive a default or event of default in the payment of principal
of, or interest (including contingent interest or additional
interest, if any) or premium, if any, on the notes (except a
rescission of acceleration of the notes by the holders of at
least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the notes and
a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such
acceleration); |
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make any payment in respect of any note, including principal,
redemption price, purchase price, fundamental change purchase
price or interest (including contingent interest and additional
interest, if any) payable in money other than U.S. dollars; |
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make any change in the provisions of the indenture relating to
waivers of past defaults; |
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make any change in the rights of holders of notes to receive
payments of principal of, or interest (including contingent
interest or additional interest, if any) or premium, if any, on,
the notes; |
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release any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its
Subsidiary Guarantee or the indenture, except in accordance with
the terms of the indenture; |
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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any
payment on or with respect to the notes or the Subsidiary
Guarantees; |
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amend, change or modify the obligation of Greenbrier to make and
consummate a purchase of notes in the event of a fundamental
change in accordance with the provisions set forth under
Purchase of Notes at the Holders Option Upon a
Fundamental Change, including, in each case, amending,
changing or modifying any definition relating thereto; |
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except as otherwise permitted under the caption
Consolidation, Merger and Sales of
Assets, consent to the assignment or transfer by
Greenbrier or any Guarantor of any of their rights or
obligations under the indenture; |
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amend or modify any of the provisions of the indenture or the
related definitions affecting the subordination or ranking of
the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee in any manner adverse to
the holders of the notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee; |
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make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions; |
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impair or adversely affect the conversion rights or purchase
rights of any holders of notes; or |
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impair or adversely affect the manner of calculation or rate of
accrual of interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) on any note. |
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Changes Requiring Majority Approval |
The indenture (including the terms and conditions of the notes)
may be modified or amended, subject to the provisions described
above, with the written consent of the holders of at least a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the notes at the time
outstanding; provided that certain modifications or amendments
to the indenture (including the terms and conditions of the
notes) may be made by us and the trustee without the consent of
any holder as described below.
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Changes Requiring No Approval |
The indenture (including the terms and conditions of the notes)
may be modified or amended by us, the Guarantors and the
trustee, without the consent of the holder of any note, to:
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cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; |
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provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of
certificated notes; |
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provide for the assumption of Greenbriers or a
Guarantors obligations to holders of notes and Subsidiary
Guarantees in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of
all or substantially all of Greenbriers or such
Guarantors assets, as applicable; |
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make any change that would provide any additional rights or
benefits to the holders of notes or that does not adversely
affect the legal rights under the indenture of any such holder; |
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comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or
maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; |
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conform the text of the indenture or the notes to any provision
of this description of notes to the extent that such provision
in this description of notes was intended to be a verbatim
recitation of a provision of the indenture or the notes; |
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provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with
the limitations set forth in the indenture as of the date of the
indenture; |
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allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a
Subsidiary Guarantee with respect to the notes or to reflect the
release of a Guarantor in accordance with the provisions of the
indenture; |
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surrender any right or power conferred upon us; |
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provide for conversion rights of holders of notes if any
reclassification or change of our common stock or any
consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, sale, lease or
disposition of all or substantially all of our assets occurs, or
in connection with any public acquirer change of control, in
each case in compliance with the provisions of the indenture; |
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increase the conversion rate, provided that the increase will
not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
notes; or |
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evidence and provide the acceptance of the appointment of a
successor trustee under the indenture. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of notes
outstanding may waive compliance with certain provisions of the
indenture relating to the notes, unless (1) we fail to pay
principal of or interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) on any note when due, (2) we
fail to convert any note into cash or, at our election, a
combination of cash and common stock as required by the
indenture or (3) we fail to comply with any of the
provisions of the indenture that would require the consent of
the holder of each outstanding note to modify or amend.
Any notes held by us or by any person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with us shall be disregarded (from both the numerator
and denominator) for
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purposes of determining whether the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes have
consented to a modification, amendment or waiver of the terms of
the indenture.
Form, Denomination and Registration
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Denomination and Registration |
The notes are issued in fully registered form, without coupons,
in denominations of $1,000 principal amount at issuance and
integral multiples thereof.
Notes are evidenced by one or more global notes deposited with
the trustee as custodian for DTC, and registered in the name of
Cede & Co. as DTCs nominee.
Record ownership of the global notes may be transferred, in
whole or in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a
successor of DTC or its nominee, except as set forth below. A
holder may hold its interests in the global notes directly
through DTC if such holder is a participant in DTC, or
indirectly through organizations which are direct DTC
participants if such holder is not a participant in DTC.
Transfers between direct DTC participants will be effected in
the ordinary way in accordance with DTCs rules and will be
settled in same-day funds. Holders may also beneficially own
interests in the global notes held by DTC through certain banks,
brokers, dealers, trust companies and other parties that clear
through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct DTC
participant, either directly or indirectly.
So long as Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC, is the
registered owner of the global notes, Cede & Co. for
all purposes will be considered the sole holder of the global
notes. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests
in the global notes:
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will not be entitled to have certificates registered in their
names; |
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will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of
certificates in definitive form; and |
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will not be considered holders of the global notes. |
The laws of some states require that certain persons take
physical delivery of securities in definitive form.
Consequently, the ability of an owner of a beneficial interest
in a global security to transfer the beneficial interest in the
global security to such persons may be limited.
Certificates for the notes will be issued in exchange for
interests in global notes only if:
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DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as
depositary for the global notes and we fail to appoint a
successor depositary within 90 calendar days; |
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DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under
the Exchange Act and we fail to appoint a successor depositary
within 90 calendar days; |
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we, at our option, notify the trustee in writing that we elect
to cause the issuance of certificates for the notes; or |
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an event of default has occurred and is continuing and the
registrar has received a request from DTC that the notes be
reissued as certificated notes. |
Certificated notes delivered in exchange for any global note or
beneficial interests in a global note will be registered in the
names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or
on behalf of the depositary (in accordance with its customary
procedures) and will bear the applicable restrictive legend
referred to in Transfer Restrictions, unless that
legend is not required by applicable law.
We will wire, through the facilities of the trustee, payments of
principal, accrued interest (including contingent interest and
additional interest, if any) on the global notes to
Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC, as the registered owner
of the global notes. None of Greenbrier, the trustee or any
paying agent will have any
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responsibility or be liable for paying amounts due on the global
notes to owners of beneficial interests in the global notes.
It is DTCs current practice, upon receipt of any payment
of principal or accrued interest (including contingent interest
and additional interest, if any) on the global notes, to credit
participants accounts on the payment date in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the
notes represented by the global notes, as shown on the records
of DTC, unless DTC believes that it will not receive payment on
the payment date. Payments by DTC participants to owners of
beneficial interests in notes represented by the global notes
held through DTC participants will be the responsibility of DTC
participants, as is now the case with securities held for the
accounts of customers registered in street
name.
If a holder would like to convert its notes pursuant to the
terms of the notes, the holder should contact its broker or
other direct or indirect DTC participant to obtain information
on procedures, including proper forms and cut-off times, for
submitting those requests.
Because DTC can only act on behalf of DTC participants, who in
turn act on behalf of indirect DTC participants and other banks,
a holders ability to pledge its interest in the notes
represented by global notes to persons or entities that do not
participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in
respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a
physical certificate.
DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be
taken by a holder of notes, including, without limitation, the
presentation of notes for conversion as described below, only at
the direction of one or more direct DTC participants to whose
account with DTC interests in the global notes are credited and
only for the principal amount of the notes for which directions
have been given.
DTC has advised that DTC is:
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a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the
State of New York; |
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a member of the Federal Reserve System; |
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a clearing corporation within the meaning of the
Uniform Commercial Code; and |
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a clearing agency registered pursuant to the
provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. |
DTC was created to hold securities for DTC participants and to
facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities
transactions between DTC participants through electronic
book-entry changes to the accounts of its participants, thereby
eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. DTC
participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks,
trust companies and clearing corporations and may include
certain other organizations, such as the initial purchasers of
the notes. Certain DTC participants or their representatives,
together with other entities, own DTC. Indirect access to the
DTC system is available to others such as banks, brokers,
dealers and trust companies that clear through, or maintain a
custodial relationship with, a participant, either directly or
indirectly.
Although DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to
facilitate transfers of interests in the global notes among DTC
participants, it is under no obligation to perform or continue
to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be
discontinued at any time. None of Greenbrier, the trustee or any
of their respective agents will have any responsibility for the
performance by DTC or direct or indirect DTC participants of
their obligations under the rules and procedures governing their
operations, including maintaining, supervising or reviewing the
records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial
ownership interests in global notes.
According to DTC, the foregoing information with respect to DTC
has been provided to its participants and other members of the
financial community for information purposes only and is not
intended to serve as a representation, warranty or contract
modification of any kind.
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A holder may transfer or exchange the notes only in accordance
with the indenture. No service charge will be made for any
registration of transfer or exchange of notes, but we may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment
or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith. We
are not required to transfer or exchange any note
(1) selected for redemption, (2) in respect of which a
purchase notice or fundamental change purchase notice has been
given and not withdrawn by the holder thereof or (3) any
note surrendered for conversion.
Rule 144A Information
At any time prior to the expiration of the Rule 144(k)
holding period applicable to the notes and the shares of common
stock issued upon conversion thereof, if we are not subject to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, upon the request
of a holder or any beneficial owner of notes or holder or
beneficial owner of common stock issued upon conversion thereof,
we will promptly furnish or cause to be furnished the
information required pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the
Securities Act to such holder or any beneficial owner of notes
or holder or beneficial owner of our common stock issued upon
conversion thereof, or to a prospective purchaser of any such
security designated by any such holder, as the case may be, to
the extent required to permit compliance by such holder with
Rule 144A under the Securities Act in connection with the
resale of any such security.
Satisfaction and Discharge
We may satisfy and discharge our obligations under the indenture
by delivering to the trustee for cancellation all outstanding
notes or by depositing with the paying agent or the conversion
agent, as the case may be, after the notes have become due and
payable, whether at maturity, any redemption date, any purchase
date, or upon conversion or otherwise, cash and, as applicable,
common stock or other property (as applicable under the terms of
the indenture) sufficient to pay all of the outstanding notes
and paying all other sums payable under the indenture. Such
discharge is subject to terms contained in the indenture.
Governing Law
The indenture and the notes are governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Trustee, Transfer Agent and Registrar
U.S. Bank National Association
(U.S. Bank), as trustee, has been
appointed by us as paying agent, conversion agent, registrar and
custodian with regard to the notes. U.S. Bank or its
affiliates, may from time to time in the future provide banking
and other services to us and our Subsidiaries in exchange for a
fee. U.S. Bank serves as the clearing agent for a
significant number of our securities transactions. We pay
U.S. Bank customary fees for these services.
Computershare Limited (formerly known as Equiserve) is the
transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.
Calculations in Respect of Notes
Except as otherwise provided herein, we or our agents will be
responsible for making all calculations called for in connection
with the conversion of the notes. These calculations include,
but are not limited to, determination of the market price of the
common stock. We or our agents will make all these calculations
in good faith and, absent manifest error, these calculations
will be final and binding on holders of notes. We or our agents
will provide a schedule of these calculations to the trustee,
and the trustee is entitled to conclusively rely upon the
accuracy of these calculations without independent verification.
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Repurchase and Cancellation of Notes
We and our Subsidiaries may, to the extent permitted by law,
repurchase notes in the open market or by tender offer at any
price or by private agreement. Any notes repurchased by us or
our Subsidiaries may not be reissued or resold and must be
surrendered to the trustee for cancellation.
All notes surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of
transfer or exchange or conversion shall, if surrendered to any
person other than the trustee, be delivered to the trustee. All
notes delivered to the trustee shall be cancelled promptly by
the trustee. No notes shall be authenticated in exchange for any
notes cancelled except as provided in the indenture.
Replacement of Notes
We will replace mutilated, destroyed, stolen or lost notes at
the expense of the holder upon delivery to the trustee of the
mutilated notes, or evidence of the loss, theft or destruction
of the notes satisfactory to us and the trustee. In the case of
a lost, stolen or destroyed note, indemnity satisfactory to us
and the trustee may be required at the expense of the holder of
such note before a replacement note will be issued.
Registration Rights
On May 22, 2006, Greenbrier and the Guarantors entered into
a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers for
the benefit of the holders of notes. Pursuant to the
registration rights agreement, Greenbrier and the Guarantors
agreed, at their expense, to:
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use their reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC not later
than the date 90 calendar days after the first date of original
issuance of the notes a shelf registration statement, of which
this prospectus is a part, covering resales by the holders of
all notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of all
notes that timely complete and deliver a selling securityholder
notice and questionnaire distributed by Greenbrier prior to
filing the registration statement; |
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use their reasonable best efforts to cause such shelf
registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC as
promptly as is practicable, but in no event later than 180
calendar days after the first date of original issuance of the
notes, in the case of the initial shelf registration statement,
or within 45 days of the filing date, in the case of any
other shelf registration statement; and |
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use their reasonable best efforts to keep each such shelf
registration statement effective until the earliest of: |
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two years after the last date of original issuance of any of the
notes; |
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the date on which the holders of the notes and common stock
issuable upon conversion of the notes that are not affiliates of
ours are able to sell all such securities immediately without
restriction in accordance with the provisions of
Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act; |
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the date on which all of the notes and common stock issuable
upon conversion of the notes have been registered under the
shelf registration statement and disposed of in accordance with
such shelf registration statement; and |
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the date on which all of the notes and common stock issuable
upon conversion of the notes have ceased to be outstanding
(whether as a result of repurchase and cancellation, conversion
or otherwise) or been disposed of in accordance with the shelf
registration statement. |
After effectiveness of the initial shelf registration statement,
upon our receipt of a completed and signed notice and
questionnaire from a holder, we will prepare and file (a) a
prospectus supplement as soon as practicable and, in any event,
within ten business days, or (b) if required, a
post-effective amendment to the shelf registration statement or
an additional shelf registration statement as soon as
practicable and, in any event, within 30 calendar days, provided
that we will not be required to file more than once per month, a
post-effective amendment or prospectus supplement pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act for such purpose.
Accordingly, each holder that submits a completed and signed
notice and questionnaire after
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the initial deadline for inclusion in the initial registration
statement may experience delay in being named as a selling
securityholder in the registration statement and being able to
deliver a prospectus in connection with the resale of such
holders notes or common stock issued upon conversion of
the notes.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain an
effective and current registration statement as required. The
absence of such a registration statement may limit a
holders ability to sell notes and/or the common stock
issuable upon conversion of such notes or adversely affect the
price at which such securities can be sold.
We will:
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provide to each holder for whom a shelf registration statement
was filed, upon request and without charge, copies of the
prospectus that is a part of such shelf registration statement; |
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notify each such holder when a shelf registration statement has
become effective; |
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notify each such holder of the commencement of any suspension
period; and |
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take certain other actions as are required to permit
unrestricted resales of the notes and the common stock issuable
upon conversion of the notes. |
Each holder who sells securities pursuant to the shelf
registration statement generally will be:
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required to be named as a selling securityholder in the related
prospectus; |
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required to deliver a prospectus to its purchaser; |
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subject to certain of the civil liability provisions under the
Securities Act in connection with such holders
sales; and |
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bound by the provisions of the registration rights agreement
that are applicable to such holder (including certain
indemnification rights and obligations). |
We may suspend the holders use of the prospectus for a
period not to exceed 45 calendar days in any 90 calendar-day
period, and not to exceed an aggregate of 120 calendar days in
any 12-month period, if
our board of directors shall have determined in good faith that
because of valid business reasons, including the acquisition or
divestiture of assets, pending corporate developments and
similar events or because of filings with the SEC, it is in our
best interests to suspend such use, and prior to suspending such
use we provide the holders with written notice of such
suspension, which notice need not specify the nature of the
event giving rise to such suspension. If the disclosure relates
to a previously undisclosed proposed or pending material
business transaction, the disclosure of which would impede our
ability to consummate such transaction, we may extend the 45
calendar day suspension period to 60 calendar days.
The registration rights agreement provides that if:
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the shelf registration statement had not been filed with the SEC
on or prior to 90 calendar days after the first date of original
issuance of the notes; |
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the shelf registration statement had not been declared effective
by the SEC on or prior to 180 calendar days after the first date
of original issuance of the notes; |
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an effective shelf registration statement ceases to be effective
or usable in connection with resales of notes and the common
stock issuable upon conversion of the notes (other than due to a
suspension period or without a replacement shelf registration
statement being effective) and we do not cause the shelf
registration statement to become effective or usable within five
business days by filing a post-effective amendment, prospectus
supplement or report pursuant to the Exchange Act; |
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any suspension period, if applicable, exceeds 45 days (or
60, if applicable), whether or not consecutive, in any 90-day
period, or 120 days, whether or not consecutive, in any
12-month period, during
the period in which we are obligated to maintain an effective
shelf registration statement; or |
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subsequent to the effectiveness of the initial registration
statement, we shall fail to comply with our obligation to name
in the prospectus, as a selling securityholder, a holder of
notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes
that has returned a completed and signed notice and
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each such event referred to in the bullet points above being
referred to as a registration default, then
additional interest will accrue on the notes from and including
the calendar day following the registration default to but
excluding the earlier of (1) the calendar day on which all
registration defaults have been cured and (2) the date that
the shelf registration statement is no longer required to be
kept effective. Additional interest will be paid in cash
semi-annually in arrears, with the first semi-annual payment due
on the first interest payment date following the date on which
such additional interest begins to accrue, and will accrue on
the notes at a rate per year equal to 0.25% for the first
90-day calendar period.
The amount of additional interest will increase by an additional
per annum rate of 0.25% with respect to each subsequent
90-day period until all
registration defaults have been cured, up to a maximum amount of
additional interest for all registration defaults of
1.00% per annum on the principal amount of notes.
Additional interest, if any, shall be payable only to holders
who have duly returned a completed and signed notice and
questionnaire and, in respect of a registration default
described in the final bullet point above, additional interest,
if any, shall be payable only to the holders to whom such
registration default relates. We will have no other liability
for monetary damages with respect to any of our registration
obligations.
We will not pay any additional interest on any note after it has
been converted into cash and, if applicable, shares of our
common stock.
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following description is a general summary of the terms of
our common stock and preferred stock. The description below does
not include all of the terms of the common stock and preferred
stock and should be read together with our Articles of
Incorporation, Bylaws and the rights agreement governing our
stockholder rights plan, copies of which have been filed with
the SEC.
General
Under our Articles of Incorporation, we are authorized to issue
75,000,000 shares, of which 50,000,000 shall be shares of
common stock, without par value, and 25,000,000 shall be shares
of preferred stock, without par value. As of June 30, 2006,
15,953,535 shares of common stock were issued and
outstanding. In addition, as of June 30, 2006,
69,396 shares of common stock were issuable under
outstanding stock options granted under our stock option plans.
We have not issued any shares of our preferred stock. However,
in connection with the stockholders rights plan described below,
the board of directors has designated 200,000 shares of
preferred stock as Series A participating preferred stock.
Common Stock
Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on
all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. There are no
cumulative voting rights. Holders of common stock have no
preemptive or conversion rights and are entitled to receive
ratable dividends when and if declared by the board of directors
out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends,
subject to any preferential rights of any then-outstanding
preferred stock. There are no redemption or sinking fund
provisions applicable to common stock. Subject to the rights of
holders of any preferred stock, holders of common stock are
entitled to share ratably in our assets legally available for
distribution to stockholders in the event of our liquidation,
dissolution or winding up after payment of or adequate provision
for all our known debts and liabilities.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol GBX.
Preferred Stock
The board of directors may, without further action by the
shareholders, subject to the New York Stock Exchange rules,
issue preferred stock in one or more series and fix the rights
and preferences of the preferred stock, including voting rights,
dividend rates, conversion rights, terms of redemption
(including sinking fund provisions) and liquidation preferences.
The issuance of preferred stock by action of the board of
directors could adversely affect the voting power, dividend
rights and other rights of holders of common stock. Issuance of
a series of preferred stock also could, depending upon the terms
of series, impede the completion of a merger, tender offer or
other takeover attempt.
In connection with the stockholders rights plan described below,
the board has designated 200,000 shares of preferred stock
as Series A participating preferred stock, without par
value. None of these shares of preferred stock have been issued
or are outstanding. The number of shares of Series A
participating preferred stock may be increased or decreased by
the board without shareholder approval provided that the number
of shares of Series A participating preferred stock is at
least equal to the number of shares outstanding plus the number
of shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options
or warrants or upon conversion of outstanding securities.
When the Series A participating preferred stock is issued,
each holder of one one-hundredth of a share of Series A
participating preferred stock will be entitled to one vote on
all matters to be voted upon by the shareholders. Except as
otherwise provided, holders of Series A participating
preferred stock and common stock will vote together as a single
class. The Series A participating preferred stock will rank
junior to all other series of our preferred stock as to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets on
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, but senior to our common
stock. Shares of Series A participating preferred stock
will not be redeemable.
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Antitakeover Provisions
Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, as currently in
effect, contain provisions that may have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control of our ownership or
management. They provide for:
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A classified board of directors, with each class containing as
nearly as possible one-third of the total number of members of
the board of directors and the members of each class serving for
staggered three-year terms; |
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A vote of at least 55% of our voting securities to amend some
provisions of the Articles of Incorporation; |
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No less than 120 days advance notice with respect to
nominations of directors or other matters to be voted on by
shareholders other than by or at the direction of the board of
directors; |
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Removal of directors only with cause; |
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the calling of special meetings of shareholders only by the
president, a majority of the board of directors or the holders
of not less than 25% of all votes entitled to be cast on the
matters to be considered at such meeting; and |
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The designation of the terms of preferred stock issuable
pursuant to a stockholder rights plan, as described below. |
Antitakeover Effects of Provisions of Oregon Law
Oregon Takeover Statute; Hostile Takeovers. The Oregon
Control Share Act (OCSA) regulates the process by
which a person may acquire control of certain Oregon-based
corporations without the consent and cooperation of the board of
directors. The OCSA provisions restrict a shareholders
ability to vote shares of stock acquired in certain transactions
not approved by the board that cause the acquiring person to
gain control of a voting position exceeding one-fifth,
one-third, or one-half of the votes entitled to be cast in an
election of directors. Shares acquired in a control share
acquisition have no voting rights except as authorized by a vote
of the shareholders. A corporation may opt out of the OCSA by
provision in the corporations articles of incorporation or
bylaws. We have not opted out of the coverage of the OCSA.
Interested Shareholder Transactions. Except under certain
circumstances, the Oregon Business Corporation Act (the
OBCA) prohibits a business combination
between a corporation and an interested shareholder
within three years of the shareholder becoming an
interested shareholder. Generally, an
interested shareholder is a person or group that
directly or indirectly owns, controls, or has the right to
acquire or control, the voting or disposition of 15% or more of
the outstanding voting stock or is an affiliate or associate of
the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of such voting
stock at any time within the previous three years. A
business combination is defined broadly to include,
among others, (i) mergers and sales or other dispositions
of 10% or more of the assets of a corporation with or to an
interested shareholder, (ii) certain transactions resulting
in the issuance or transfer to the interested shareholder of any
stock of the corporation or its subsidiaries, (iii) certain
transactions which would result in increasing the proportionate
share of the stock of a corporation or its subsidiaries owned by
the interested shareholder, and (iv) receipt by the
interested shareholder of the benefit (except proportionately as
a shareholder) of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or
other financial benefits.
A business combination between a corporation and an interested
shareholder is prohibited for three years following the date
that the shareholder became an interested
shareholder unless (i) prior to the date the person
became an interested shareholder, the board of directors
approved either the business combination or the transaction
which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder,
(ii) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in
the person becoming an interested shareholder, that person owns
at least 85% of the corporations voting stock outstanding
at the time the transaction is commenced (excluding shares owned
by persons who are both directors and officers and shares owned
by employee stock plans in which participants do not have the
right to determine confidentially whether shares will be
tendered in a tender or
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exchange offer), or (iii) the business combination is
approved by the board of directors and authorized by the
affirmative vote (at an annual or special meeting and not by
written consent) of at least
662/3
% of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the
interested shareholder.
These restrictions placed on interested shareholders by the OBCA
do not apply under certain circumstances, including, but not
limited to, the following: (i) if the corporations
original articles of incorporation contain a provision expressly
electing not to be governed by the applicable section of the
OBCA; or (ii) if the corporation, by action of its
shareholders, adopts an amendment to its bylaws or articles of
incorporation expressly electing not to be governed by the
applicable section of the OBCA, provided that such an amendment
is approved by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority
of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. Such an amendment,
however, generally will not be effective until 12 months
after its adoption and will not apply to any business
combination with a person who became an interested shareholder
at or prior to such adoption. We have not elected to be outside
the coverage of the applicable sections of the OBCA.
Board Of Directors Criteria For Evaluating Business
Combinations. Under the OBCA, members of the board of
directors of a corporation are authorized to consider certain
factors in determining the best interests of the corporation
when evaluating any (i) offer of another party to make a
tender or exchange offer, (ii) merger or consolidation
proposal, or (iii) offer of another party to purchase or
otherwise acquire all or substantially all of the assets of the
corporation. These factors include the social, legal and
economic effects on employees, customers and suppliers of the
corporation and on the communities and geographical areas in
which the corporation and its subsidiaries operate, the economy
and the state of the nation, the long-term and short-term
interests of the corporation and its shareholders, including the
possibility that these interests may be best served by the
continued independence of the corporation, and other relevant
factors.
Stockholder Rights Plan
On July 13, 2004, our board of directors adopted a
stockholder rights plan pursuant to which each stockholder of
record as of July 26, 2004 received a dividend distribution
of one preferred stock purchase right per share of common stock.
The terms of the stock purchase rights are set forth in a rights
agreement, as amended on November 9, 2004 and
February 5, 2005, between us and a rights agent designated
for this purpose. Each right initially entitles the registered
holder to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A
participating preferred stock, without par value, at a price of
$100 per right, subject to adjustment. The rights are not
presently exercisable. Until they become exercisable, the rights
will automatically trade with the underlying common stock and no
separate preferred stock purchase rights certificates will be
distributed at this time. The rights can be exercised on a
cashless basis at the discretion of the board of directors. The
rights will expire at the earlier of July 26, 2014 or the
redemption or exchange of the rights. The board may amend or
terminate the rights plan at any time or redeem the rights for
$0.01 per right at anytime until ten days after a person or
group meets a triggering threshold as described below.
The rights become exercisable ten days following the date a
person or group first acquires 12% or more of our common stock
or ten business days following the commencement of a tender
offer, the consummation of which would result in a person or
group beneficially owning 12% or more of our outstanding common
stock.
If the rights become exercisable as described in the preceding
paragraph, each holder of rights will be entitled to exercise
such rights in order to receive that number of shares of our
common stock equal to twice the exercise price of the rights. In
addition, in the event of a business combination or certain sale
transactions, the rights permit their holders to receive, upon
the exercise at the then-current exercisable price, that number
of shares of the acquirers or surviving corporations
common stock having a market value of two times the exercise
rice of the right. At any time after a person or group acquires
12% or more of our common stock and before the person or group
acquires 50% or more of our common stock, we may exchange all of
the then-outstanding rights for common stock at an exchange
ration of one share of common stock per rights, subject to
readjustment. In each case, the rights associated with the
shares of our common stock owned by the triggering person or
group are not exercisable.
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Number of Directors; Filling Vacancies
Our Bylaws, as currently in effect, provide that the number of
directors shall be eight. The shareholders and the board of
directors have the authority to adopt, repeal or amend the
bylaws. The affirmative vote of a majority of the total number
of votes of the then-outstanding shares of our capital stock
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting
together as a single class, may remove any director only with
cause. Unless previously filled by the holders of at least a
majority of the shares of capital stock entitled to vote for the
election of directors, vacancies and newly created directorships
resulting from any increase in the authorized number of
directors may be filled by a majority vote of the directors then
in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining
director.
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UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
Introduction
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income
tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of
notes and the ownership of shares of common stock into which the
notes may be converted, as of the date hereof. This summary does
not deal with persons subject to special treatment under the
U.S. federal income tax laws, including dealers in
securities or currencies, financial institutions, regulated
investment companies, real estate investment trusts, tax exempt
organizations, insurance companies, persons holding the notes as
part of a hedging, integrated, conversion or constructive sale
transaction or a straddle, traders in securities that have
elected the
mark-to-market method
of accounting for their securities, persons liable for
alternative minimum tax, persons who are investors in a
pass-through entity, or U.S. persons whose functional
currency is not the U.S. dollar.
This summary is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), and
regulations, rulings and judicial decisions as of the date
hereof. Those authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively,
so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences
different from those summarized below. This summary does not
represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income
tax consequences to a holder in light of such holders
particular circumstances. We cannot assure you that a change in
law will not alter significantly the tax considerations that we
describe in this summary.
As used herein, the term U.S. Holder means a
beneficial owner of notes or shares of common stock that is for
U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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a citizen or resident of the U.S. (including certain former
citizens and former long-term residents); |
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a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for
U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in
or under the laws of the U.S. or any political subdivision
of the U.S.; |
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an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal
income taxation regardless of its source; or |
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a trust if it (i) is subject to the primary supervision of
a court within the U.S. and one or more U.S. persons have
the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust
or (ii) has a valid election in effect under applicable
U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a
U.S. person. |
A Non-U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of
notes or shares of common stock that is not a U.S. Holder
or partnership. Non-U.S. Holders are subject to special
U.S. federal income tax considerations, some of which are
discussed below. Special rules may apply to certain
Non-U.S. Holders
such as controlled foreign corporations,
passive foreign investment companies, corporations
that accumulate earnings to avoid federal income tax or, in
certain circumstances, United States expatriates. Such
Non-U.S. Holders
should consult their own tax advisors to determine the
U.S. federal, state, local and other tax consequences that
may be relevant to them.
If a partnership holds our notes or shares of common stock, the
tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status
of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If a
holder is a partner of a partnership holding our notes or shares
of common stock, such holder should consult his, her or its tax
advisors.
This discussion is for general information purposes only and
does not constitute legal advice. Persons considering the
purchase of notes should consult their own tax advisors
concerning the particular U.S. federal Income tax
consequences to such persons of the ownership of the notes, as
well as the federal estate, gift, or excise tax rules or
consequences arising under the laws of any other taxing
jurisdiction.
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Classification of the Notes
Pursuant to the terms of the indenture, we and each holder of
the notes agreed, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to
treat the notes as indebtedness that is subject to the
regulations governing contingent payment debt instruments and
the remainder of this discussion assumes that the notes will be
so treated.
No authority directly addresses the treatment of all aspects of
the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued Revenue
Ruling 2002-31 and Notice 2002-36, in which the IRS addressed
the U.S. federal income tax classification and treatment of
a debt instrument similar, although not identical, to the notes,
and the IRS concluded that the debt instrument addressed in that
published guidance was subject to the contingent payment debt
instrument regulations. In addition, the IRS clarified various
aspects of the applicability of certain other provisions of the
Code to the debt instrument addressed in that published
guidance. The applicability of Revenue Ruling 2002-31 and Notice
2002-36 to any particular debt instrument, however, such as the
notes, is uncertain. In addition, no rulings are expected to be
sought from the IRS with respect to any of the U.S. federal
income tax consequences discussed below, and no assurance can be
given that the IRS will not take contrary positions. As a
result, no assurance can be given that the IRS will agree with
the tax characterizations and the tax consequences described
below. A different treatment of the notes for U.S. federal
income tax purposes could significantly alter the amount,
timing, character, and treatment of income, gain or loss
recognized in respect of the notes from that which is described
below and could require a U.S. Holder to accrue interest
income at rate different from the comparable yield
rate described below.
Consequences to U.S. Holders
Interest Income on the Notes. Under the rules governing
contingent payment debt obligations, you generally will be
required to accrue interest income on the notes, in the amounts
described below, regardless of whether you use the cash or
accrual method of tax accounting. Accordingly, you generally
will be required to include interest in taxable income in each
year in excess of the payments actually received on the notes in
that year.
Under the rules governing contingent payment debt obligations,
you must accrue an amount of ordinary interest income for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, for each accrual period
prior to and including the maturity date of a note that equals:
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the product of (i) the adjusted issue price of the note as
of the beginning of the accrual period; and (ii) the
comparable yield to maturity (as defined below) of the note,
adjusted for the length of the accrual period; |
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divided by the number of days in the accrual period; and |
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multiplied by the number of days during the accrual period that
you held the note. |
The issue price of a note is the first price at which a
substantial amount of the notes were sold to investors,
excluding bond houses, brokers or similar persons or
organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement
agents or wholesalers. The adjusted issue price of a note is
generally equal to its issue price increased by any interest
income previously accrued, determined without regard to any
adjustments to interest accruals described below and decreased
by the projected amounts of any payments (in accordance with the
projected payment schedule described below) previously made with
respect to the note.
The term comparable yield means the annual yield
that an issuer of a contingent payment debt obligation would
pay, as of the initial issue date, on a fixed rate,
non-convertible debt security with no contingent payments, but
with terms and conditions otherwise comparable to those of the
instrument. We have determined that the comparable yield for the
notes is 7.75%, compounded semi-annually.
We are required to provide you, solely for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, a schedule of the projected amounts of
payments on the notes. This schedule must produce the comparable
yield. The projected payment schedule includes estimates for
payments of contingent interest and an estimate for a payment at
maturity taking into account the conversion feature. The
comparable yield and projected payment schedule are
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available from us by telephoning Investor Relations at
(503) 684-7000 or submitting a written request to The
Greenbrier Companies, Inc., One Centerpointe Drive,
Suite 200, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, Attention: Investor
Relations.
You have agreed to (and, for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, must) use the comparable yield and projected payment
schedule in determining your interest accruals, and the
adjustments thereto described below, in respect of the notes.
Although under U.S. federal income tax law you would
generally be permitted to determine your own comparable yield or
projected payment schedule if you were to timely disclose and
justify the use of those other estimates to the IRS and
establish that our comparable yield or schedule of projected
payments is unreasonable, you have agreed in the indenture to be
bound by our projected payment schedule and our determination of
the rate at which interest will be deemed to accrue for
U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The comparable yield and projected payment schedule are not
determined for any purpose other than for the determination of
your interest accruals and adjustments thereof in respect of the
notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not
constitute a projection or representation regarding the actual
amounts payable to the notes.
Adjustments to Interest Accruals on the Notes. If you
were to receive actual payments with respect to a note in a
taxable year that in the aggregate exceed the total amount of
projected payments for that taxable year, you would incur a
net positive adjustment equal to the amount of such
excess. You would treat the net positive adjustment
as additional interest income for the taxable year. For this
purpose, the payments in a taxable year include the fair market
value of property received in that year.
If you were to receive actual payments with respect to a note in
a taxable year that in the aggregate were less than the amount
of the projected payments for that taxable year, you would incur
a net negative adjustment equal to the amount of
such deficit. This adjustment will (1) reduce your interest
income on the notes for that taxable year, and (2) to the
extent of any excess after the application of (1), give rise to
an ordinary loss to the extent of your interest income on the
note during prior taxable years, reduced to the extent such
interest was offset by prior net negative adjustments.
Any negative adjustment in excess of the amounts described in
(1) and (2) will be carried forward to offset future
interest income in respect of the note or to reduce the amount
realized upon a sale, exchange, conversion, repurchase or
redemption of the note.
Special rules will apply if the amount of a contingent payment
on a debenture becomes fixed more than six months prior to the
due date of the payment. Generally, in this case you would be
required to make adjustments to account for the difference
between the present value of the amount so treated as fixed and
the present value of the projected payment. Your tax basis in
the debenture would also be affected. You are urged to consult
your tax advisor concerning the application of these special
rules.
Sale, Exchange, Conversion, Repurchase or Redemption.
Generally, the sale, exchange, conversion, repurchase or
redemption of a note will result in taxable gain or loss to you.
As described above, our calculations of the comparable yield and
the projected payment schedule for the notes include the receipt
of stock upon conversion as a contingent payment with respect to
the notes. Accordingly, we intend to treat the receipt of cash
and our common stock by you upon a conversion of a note as a
contingent payment. As described above, you will agree in the
indenture to be bound by our determination of the comparable
yield and projected payment schedule. Under this treatment,
conversion of a note will also result in taxable gain or loss to
you. The amount of gain or loss on a taxable sale, exchange,
conversion, repurchase or redemption will be equal to the
difference between (1) the amount of cash plus the fair
market value of any other property received by you, including
the fair market value of any common stock received upon a
conversion, reduced by any negative adjustment carryforward as
described above, and (2) your adjusted tax basis in the
note. Your adjusted tax basis in a note will generally be equal
to your original purchase price for the note, increased by any
interest income previously accrued by you (determined without
regard to any adjustments to interest accruals described above)
and decreased by the amount of any projected payments that
previously have been scheduled to be made on the note without
regard to the actual amount paid. Gain recognized
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upon a sale, exchange, conversion, repurchase or redemption of a
note will generally be treated as ordinary interest income; any
loss will be ordinary loss to the extent of the excess of
previous interest inclusions over the total negative adjustment
previously taken into account as ordinary loss, and thereafter,
as capital loss (which will be long-term if the note is held for
more than one year). The deductibility of net capital losses by
individuals and corporations is subject to limitations. A U.S.
Holder who sells a debenture at a loss, or who converts a
debenture into our common stock at a loss, that meets certain
thresholds may be required to report the sale to the Internal
Revenue Service as a reportable transaction.
Your tax basis in our common stock received upon a conversion of
a note will equal the then current fair market value of such
common stock. Your holding period for the common stock received
will commence on the day immediately following the date of
conversion.
Constructive Distributions. The conversion rate of the
notes will be adjusted in certain circumstances. See
Description of Notes Conversion Rate
Adjustments; Adjustment to Conversion Rate Upon Certain
Corporate Transactions. Under Section 305(c) of the
Code, adjustments (or failures to make adjustments) that have
the effect of increasing a U.S. Holders proportionate
interest in our assets or earnings may in some circumstances
result in a deemed distribution to such holder. Adjustments to
the conversion rate made pursuant to a bona fide reasonable
adjustment formula that has the effect of preventing the
dilution of the interest of the holders of the notes, however,
will generally not be considered to result in a deemed
distribution to a U.S. Holder. Certain of the possible
conversion rate adjustments provided in the notes (including,
without limitation, adjustments in respect of taxable dividends
to holders of our common stock) may not qualify as being
pursuant to a bona fide reasonable adjustment formula. If such
adjustments are made, the U.S. Holder of notes will be
deemed to have received a distribution even though they have not
received any cash or property as a result of such adjustments.
Any deemed distributions will be taxable as a dividend, return
of capital, or capital gain in accordance with the earnings and
profits rules under the Code. It is not clear whether a
constructive dividend deemed paid to a non-corporate
U.S. Holder would be eligible for the preferential rates of
U.S. federal income tax applicable in respect of certain
dividends received. It is also unclear whether corporate
U.S. Holders would be entitled to claim the dividends
received deduction with respect to any such constructive
dividends.
Distributions on Shares of our Common Stock.
Distributions paid on our common stock, other than certain pro
rata distributions of shares of our common stock, will be
treated as dividends to the extent paid out of current or
accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under
U.S. federal income tax principles) and will be includible
in income by a U.S. Holder and taxable as ordinary income
when received. Dividends paid to a U.S. Holder that is a
corporation may qualify for the dividends received deduction.
Dividends received in years beginning prior to 2011 by a
non-corporate U.S. Holder may be subject to
U.S. federal income tax at a reduced maximum rate of 15% if
such U.S. Holder held the shares for at least 61 days
during the 121-day
period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the
shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and
certain other conditions are met. U.S. Holders should
consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of
these rules to their particular circumstances. If a distribution
exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the
excess will be treated as a tax-free return of a
U.S. Holders investment, up to and in reduction of
the U.S. Holders tax basis in shares of our common
stock issued upon conversion of the notes. Any remaining excess
will be treated as capital gain.
Sale or Other Disposition of Shares of our Common Stock.
A U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss
on the sale or other taxable disposition of shares of common
stock, if any, received upon conversion of the notes for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, which will be long-term
capital gain or loss if such holder held shares of our common
stock for more than one year. The amount of gain or loss will be
equal to the difference between (i) a
U.S. Holders tax basis in the shares of common stock
disposed of and (ii) the amount such holder realizes on the
disposition. A U.S. Holders basis and holding period
in common stock received upon conversion of a note are
determined as discussed above. Long-term capital gains
recognized by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders, including
individuals, are generally subject to a maximum regular
U.S. federal income tax rate of 15%. The deductibility of
capital losses is subject to limitations.
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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Information
reporting requirements generally will apply to payments of
interest on the notes and dividends on shares of common stock
and to the proceeds of a sale of a note or share of common stock
paid to a U.S. Holder unless such holder is an exempt
recipient such as a corporation. Backup withholding tax
(currently at a rate of 28%) will apply to those payments if a
U.S. Holder fails to furnish his, her or its taxpayer
identification number (TIN), or furnishes an
incorrect TIN, or is notified by the IRS that such
U.S. Holder has failed to report in full interest and
dividend income.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be
allowed as a refund or a credit against a
U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability
provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
Consequences to
Non-U.S. Holders
Payments with Respect to the Notes. All payments on the
notes made to you, including a payment in our common stock
pursuant to a conversion, and any gain realized on a sale or
exchange of the notes, will be exempt from United States income
and withholding tax, provided that: (i) you do not own,
actually or constructively, 10% or more of the total combined
voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote,
(ii) you are not a controlled foreign corporation related,
directly or indirectly, to us through stock ownership,
(iii) you certify, under penalties of perjury, to us or our
paying agent on IRS Form W-8BEN that you are not a
U.S. person and certain other requirements are satisfied,
(iv) such payments and gain are not effectively connected
with the conduct by you of a trade or business in the United
States or, if a treaty applies (and the holder complies with the
applicable certification and other requirements to claim treaty
benefits) is attributable to a permanent establishment
maintained by the
Non-U.S. Holder
within the United States, and (v) with respect only to gain
realized on a sale, exchange or conversion of the notes, our
common stock continues to be actively traded within the meaning
of section 871(h)(4)(C)(v)(I) of the Code and we have not
been a U.S. real property holding corporation, as defined
in the Code, at any time within the five-year period preceding
the disposition or your holding period, whichever is shorter. We
believe that we have not been during the past five years, are
not, and do not anticipate becoming, a U.S. real property
holding corporation; however no assurance can be given in this
regard.
If all of these conditions are not met, a 30% U.S. withholding
tax will apply to interest income on the notes, which will be
withheld from scheduled interest payments, contingent interest
payments or principal payments on the notes, to the extent
thereof, unless either (i) an applicable income tax treaty
reduces or eliminates such tax or (ii) the interest is
effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business and, in each
case, the Non-U.S. Holder complies with applicable certification
requirements. If clause (ii) applies, a Non-U.S. Holder
will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the net
gain derived from the sale in the same manner described under
Income Effectively Connected with a United States Trade or
Business. We urge Non-U.S. Holders to consult their tax
advisors for information on the impact of these withholding
regulations.
Constructive Dividends on the Notes. If you were deemed
to have received a constructive dividend (see
U.S. Holders Constructive
Distributions above), however, you would generally be
subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate on the amount
of such dividend, thereby potentially reducing the amount of
interest payable to you, subject to reduction (i) by an
applicable treaty if you provide an IRS Form W-8BEN
certifying that you are entitled to such treaty benefits or
(ii) upon the receipt of an IRS Form W-8ECI from you
claiming that the constructive dividend on the notes is
effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade
or business.
Payments on Common Stock. Dividends paid to a
Non-U.S. Holder of
common stock will generally be subject to withholding tax at a
30% rate subject to reduction (a) by an applicable treaty
if you provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying that you are
entitled to such treaty benefits or (b) upon the receipt of
an IRS Form W-8ECI from you claiming that the payments are
effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade
or business.
You will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income
tax on gain realized on the sale or exchange of the common stock
received upon a conversion of notes unless (a) the gain is
effectively connected with the conduct by you of a United States
trade or business (or, if a treaty applies, is attributable to a
permanent
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establishment maintained by you in the United States) or
(b) in the case that you are a nonresident alien
individual, you have been present in the United States for 183
or more days in the taxable year of the disposition and certain
other conditions are met, or (c) we will have been a
U.S. real property holding corporation at any time within
the shorter of the five-year period preceding such sale or
exchange and your holding period in the common stock. We believe
that we have not been during the past five years, are not and do
not anticipate becoming, a U.S. real property holding
corporation; however, no assurance can be given in this regard.
If clause (a) applies, a Non-U.S. Holder will generally be
subject to U.S. federal income tax on the net gain derived from
the sale in the same manner described under Income
Effectively Connected with a United States Trade or
Business. An individual Non-U.S. Holder described in
clause (b) will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a
30% rate, or at a lower rate specified in an applicable income
tax treaty, on the gain derived from the sale or exchange, which
gain may be offset by U.S. source capital losses, even though
the holder is not considered a resident of the United States.
Income Effectively Connected with a United States Trade or
Business. If you are engaged in a trade or business in the
United States, and if interest on the notes, dividends on our
common stock, or gain realized on the sale, exchange, conversion
or other disposition of the notes and gain realized on the sale
or exchange of our common stock is effectively connected with
the conduct of such trade or business or, if a treaty applies,
is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you
within the United States, then you, although exempt from the
withholding tax discussed in the preceding paragraphs, will
generally be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax on
such interest, dividends or gain in the same manner as if you
were a U.S. Holder. In addition, if you are a foreign
corporation, you may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to
30% (or such lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) of
your effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable
year, subject to certain adjustments.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Generally,
we must report to the IRS and to a
Non-U.S. Holder
the amount of interest and dividends paid to such holder and the
amount of tax, if any, withheld with respect to those payments.
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 a
Non-U.S. Holder
resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.
In general, a
Non-U.S. Holder
will not be subject to backup withholding with respect to
payments of interest or dividends that we make to such holder
provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know
that such holder is a U.S. person, as defined under the
Code, and we have received from a
Non-U.S. Holder
the appropriate certifications that it is not a U.S. person.
In addition, no information reporting or backup withholding will
be required regarding the proceeds of the sale of notes and
common stock made within the U.S. or conducted through
certain U.S.-related
financial intermediaries, if the payor receives the statement
described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to
know that a
Non-U.S. Holder is
a U.S. person, as defined under the Code, or a
Non-U.S. Holder
otherwise establishes an exemption.
Payments of the proceeds from a disposition by a
Non-U.S. Holder of
a note or common stock made to or through a foreign office of a
broker will not be subject to information reporting or backup
withholding, except that information reporting (but generally
not backup withholding) may apply to those payments if the
broker is:
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a U.S. person; |
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a controlled foreign corporation for U.S. federal income
tax purposes; |
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a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income is
effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business for a
specified three-year period; or a foreign partnership, if at any
time during its tax year, one or more of its partners are
U.S. persons, as defined in Treasury regulations, who in
the aggregate hold more than 50% of the income or capital
interest in the partnership or if, at any time during its tax
year, the foreign partnership is engaged in a U.S. trade or
business. |
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be
allowed as a refund or a credit against a
Non-U.S. Holders
U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required
information is furnished to the IRS.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The notes and the common stock into which the notes are
convertible are being registered to permit public secondary
trading of these securities from time to time after the date of
this prospectus. We will not receive any of the proceeds of the
sale by the selling securityholders of the notes or the common
stock issuable upon conversion of the notes. The aggregate
proceeds to the selling securityholders from the sale of the
notes or common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes will
be the purchase price of such securities less any discounts and
commissions. A selling securityholder reserves the right to
accept and, together with its agents, to reject, any proposed
purchase of notes or common stock to be made directly or through
agents.
The notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes may be sold from time to time to purchasers:
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directly by the selling securityholders and their successors; or |
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through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents who may receive
compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or
commissions from the selling securityholders or the purchasers
of the notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of
the notes. These discounts, concessions or commissions may be in
excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved. |
The selling securityholders and any underwriters, broker-dealers
or agents who participate in the distribution of the notes and
the common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes may be
deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of
Section 2(11) the Securities Act. As a result, any profits
on the sale of such securities by selling securityholders and
any discounts, commission or concessions received by any such
broker-dealer or agents may be deemed to be underwriting
discounts and commissions within the meaning of the Securities
Act. Selling securityholders who are deemed to be underwriters
may be subject to certain statutory liabilities, including, but
not limited to, those under Sections 11, 12 and 17 of the
Securities Act and
Rule 10b-5 under
the Exchange Act. Selling securityholders who are deemed to be
underwriters will also be subject to the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act.
If the notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of
the notes are sold through underwriters, broker-dealers or
agents, the selling securityholders will be responsible for
underwriting discounts or commissions or agents
commissions.
The notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes may be sold in one or more transactions at:
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fixed prices; |
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prevailing market prices at the time of sale; |
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varying prices determined at the time of sale; or |
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negotiated prices. |
These sales may be effected in transactions:
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on any national securities exchange or quotation service on
which the notes and common stock issuable upon conversion of the
notes may be listed or quoted at the time of the sale; |
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in the over-the-counter market; |
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in transactions otherwise than on such exchanges or services or
in the over-the-counter market; |
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through the writing and exercise of options, whether such
options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; or |
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any other transactions permitted under applicable law. |
These transactions may include block transactions or crosses.
Crosses are transactions in which the same broker acts as an
agent on both sides of the trade.
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In connection with the sale of notes and the common stock
issuable upon conversion of the notes, the selling
securityholders may enter into hedging transactions with
broker-dealers or other financial institutions. These
broker-dealers or other financial institutions may in turn
engage in short sales of notes or the common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes in the course of hedging their
positions. The selling securityholders may also sell the notes
and common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes short and
deliver such notes and common stock to close out short
positions, or loan or pledge such securities to broker-dealers
that in turn may sell such securities.
To our knowledge, there are currently no plans, arrangements or
understandings between any selling securityholders and any
underwriter, broker-dealer or agent regarding the sale of the
notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol GBX. We do not intend to apply for
listing of the notes on any securities exchange or for inclusion
of the notes in any automated quotation system. Accordingly, we
can offer no assurance as to the development of liquidity or any
trading market for the notes.
There can be no assurance that any selling securityholder will
sell any or all of the notes or the common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes pursuant to this prospectus. Further, we
cannot assure you that any such selling securityholder will not
transfer, devise or gift such securities by other means not
described in this prospectus. In addition, any notes or shares
of common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes covered by
this prospectus that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144
or Rule 144A of the Securities Act may be sold under
Rule 144 or Rule 144A rather than under this
prospectus. The notes and the common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes may be sold in some states only through
registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some
states the notes and common stock issuable upon conversion of
the notes may not be sold unless they have been registered or
qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or
qualification is available and complied with.
The selling securityholders and any other person participating
in the sale of notes or the common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes will be subject to the Exchange Act. The
Exchange Act rules include (and any successor rules or
regulations may include), without limitation, Regulation M,
which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the
notes and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes
by the selling securityholders and any other such person. In
addition, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any
person engaged in the distribution of such securities and the
ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making
activities with respect to such securities.
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EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and managements
report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the
Companys Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the
year ended August 31, 2005 have been audited by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public
accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are
incorporated herein by reference, and have been so incorporated
in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with the notes and the
common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes have been
passed upon for us by Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.
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