forms3.htm
Registration No.
333-
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
INTEGRYS
ENERGY GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
|
Wisconsin
(State or
other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
|
39-1775292
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
130
East Randolph Drive
Chicago,
Illinois 60601
(312)
228-5400
(Address,
including zip code, and
telephone
number, including area code, of
registrant’s
principal executive
offices)
Barth
J. Wolf
Vice
President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Integrys
Energy Group, Inc.
700
North Adams Street
P.O.
Box 19001
Green
Bay, Wisconsin 54307-9001
(920)
433-1727
(Name,
address, including zip code,
and telephone
number, including area code,
of
agent for
service)
|
with a copy
to:
Russell
E. Ryba
Foley
& Lardner LLP
777
East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202
(414)
297-5668
APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF
PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: FROM TIME TO TIME AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.
___________________________________________________________
If the only
securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend
or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: o
If any of the
securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or
continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other
than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box: x
If this Form is
filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b)
under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities
Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration
statement for the same offering: o
If this Form is a
post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act,
check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering:
o
If this Form is a
registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective
amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following
box: x
If this Form is a
post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General
Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes
of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the
following box: o
Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,
a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the
definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller
reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated
filer x Accelerated
filer o
Non-accelerated
filer o (Do not check if a
smaller reporting
company) Smaller
reporting company o
_______________________________
CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title
of each class of
securities
to be registered
|
Amount
to be registered/
Proposed
maximum offering price per unit/
Proposed
maximum aggregate offering price/
Amount
of registration fee
|
Debt
Securities
|
|
Common Stock,
$1.00 par value per share
|
|
Stock
Purchase Contracts
|
|
Stock
Purchase Units (2)
|
(1)
|
Warrants to
Purchase Common Stock
|
|
Warrants to
Purchase Debt Securities
|
|
Trust
Preferred Securities (3)
|
|
Guarantees
(4)
|
|
|
(1)
|
An
indeterminate aggregate initial offering price or number of the securities
of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be
offered at indeterminate prices. Separate consideration may or
may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise,
conversion or exchange of other securities or that are issued in
units. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the
registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration
fee. Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6), this registration statement
replaces Registration Statement No.
333-133194.
|
|
(2)
|
Each stock
purchase unit consists of (a) a stock purchase contract under which
the holder, upon settlement, will purchase or sell an indeterminate number
of shares of common stock and (b) common stock, debt securities other
stock purchase contracts or debt obligations of third parties securing the
holder’s obligation to purchase or sell the securities subject to the
stock purchase contract. No separate consideration will be
received for the stock purchase contract or the related pledged
securities.
|
|
(3)
|
Trust
preferred securities will be issued by trusts which may be formed in the
future.
|
|
(4)
|
No separate
consideration will be received for the
guarantees.
|
PROSPECTUS
[Integrys Energy Group, Inc. logo]
INTEGRYS ENERGY
GROUP, INC.
DEBT
SECURITIES
COMMON
STOCK
STOCK PURCHASE
CONTRACTS
STOCK PURCHASE
UNITS
WARRANTS TO
PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
WARRANTS TO
PURCHASE DEBT SECURITIES
TRUST PREFERRED
SECURITIES OF CERTAIN TRUSTS
GUARANTEES
____________________
We may offer these
securities, and the trusts, which we may form in the future, may offer trust
preferred securities, in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time
of offering. Each time securities are sold using this prospectus, we
will provide a supplement to this prospectus and possibly other offering
material containing specific information about the offering and the terms of the
securities being sold. The supplement or other offering material may
add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Our
common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
“TEG”.
We may offer and
sell these securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly
to investors, on a continued or a delayed basis. The supplements to
this prospectus will provide the specific terms of the plan of
distribution.
You should read
this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.
See
“Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus supplement or in such other
document we refer you to in the accompanying prospectus supplement for a
discussion of certain risks that prospective investors should consider before
investing in our securities.
____________________
Neither the
Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has
approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or
accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a
criminal offense.
____________________
The date of this
prospectus is March 26, 2009.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
Summary |
1
|
The
Company |
6
|
The
Trusts |
6
|
Use of
Proceeds |
7
|
Description of Debt
Securities |
7
|
Description of Common
Stock |
17
|
Description of Stock Purchase
Contracts and Stock Purchase Units |
21
|
Description of Warrants to
Purchase Common Stock |
22
|
Description of
Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities
|
24
|
Description of Trust
Securities |
25
|
Description of
Guarantees |
27
|
Legal
Matters |
30
|
Experts |
30
|
This prospectus is a part of the
registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. You should read this prospectus together with the more
detailed information regarding our company, our securities and our financial
statements and notes to those statements that appear elsewhere in this
prospectus or that we incorporate in this prospectus by
reference.
You should rely on the information
contained in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus and in any
accompanying prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. We
have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that
contained in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus, any prospectus
supplement or any other offering material. You should not assume that
the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any other
offering material is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of
the prospectus, prospectus supplement or other offering material, as
applicable.
SUMMARY
This
summary highlights selected information from this prospectus and may not contain
all of the information that is important to you. You should carefully
read this prospectus together with any accompanying prospectus supplement and/or
other offering material to understand the terms of our securities or the trusts’
securities. Together these documents will give the specific terms of
the securities we or the trusts are offering. You should also read
the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any
accompanying prospectus supplement and/or other offering material for
information on us and our financial statements.
Securities
to be Offered
This prospectus is
part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf
registration process, we and the trusts may offer and sell from time to time
securities in one or more offerings. We may offer and sell the
following securities: debt securities, common stock, stock purchase contracts,
stock purchase units, warrants to purchase common stock or debt securities and
guarantees. This prospectus provides you with a general description
of these securities.
The trusts may
offer their preferred securities, which we will refer to in this prospectus as
“trust securities.” We will guarantee the trusts’ obligations under
the trust securities, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement
and/or other offering material.
Each time we or the
trusts offer securities, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement and
possibly other offering material that will describe the specific amounts, prices
and terms of the securities being offered. The prospectus supplement
or other offering material may also add, update or change information contained
in this prospectus.
Debt
Securities
We may offer
unsecured general obligations of our company, which may be senior or
subordinated. We will refer to the senior debt securities and the
subordinated debt securities together in this prospectus as the “debt
securities.” The senior debt securities will have the same rank as
all of our other unsecured, unsubordinated debt. The subordinated
debt securities will have the same rank as all of our other unsecured,
subordinated debt, and will be entitled to payment only after payment on our
senior indebtedness. Senior indebtedness includes all indebtedness
for money borrowed by us, except for the outstanding $300,000,000 principal
amount 6.11% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2066 and any indebtedness issued in
the future that is stated to be not superior to, or to have the same rank as,
the subordinated debt securities.
Claims of creditors
and any preferred shareholders of each of our subsidiaries will have priority
with respect to the assets and earnings of such subsidiaries over the claims of
our creditors. All of the debt securities therefore will be
effectively subordinated to creditors, including holders of secured
indebtedness, and preferred shareholders of our subsidiaries.
The senior debt
securities will be issued under an indenture between us and U.S. Bank National
Association, formerly known as Firstar Bank, National
Association. The subordinated debt securities will be issued under an
indenture between us and U.S. Bank National Association. We may amend
or supplement the indentures from time to time. We encourage you to
read the indentures, which are exhibits to this registration statement (as
incorporated by reference), and our recent periodic and current reports that we
file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Summary
of Material Indenture Provisions that Apply to Senior and Subordinated Debt
Securities
Neither indenture
limits the amount of debt that we may incur. In addition, neither
indenture provides holders with any protection should there be a
recapitalization or restructuring involving our company.
The indentures
allow us to merge or consolidate with another company, or to sell all or most of
our assets to another company. If these events occur, the other
company will be required to assume our responsibilities relating to the debt
securities, and we will be released from all liabilities and obligations
relating to the debt securities.
The indentures
provide that holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of any
series of debt securities generally may vote to change our obligations or your
rights concerning that series. However, to change the amount or
timing of payments of principal or interest or other payments for a series of
debt securities, every holder in the series must consent.
We may discharge
our obligations under either indenture by depositing with the trustee sufficient
funds or government obligations to pay the senior or subordinated debt
securities, as applicable, when due.
EVENTS OF
DEFAULT. Each indenture provides that the following are events of
default:
·
|
If we do not
pay interest for 30 days after its due
date.
|
·
|
If we do not
pay principal or premium when due.
|
·
|
If we
continue to breach a covenant in the debt securities of the series or in
the applicable indenture respecting that series for 60 days after
notice.
|
·
|
If we enter
bankruptcy or become insolvent.
|
If an event of
default occurs with respect to any series of debt securities, the trustee or
holders of 25% of the outstanding principal amount of that series may declare
the principal amount of the series immediately payable. However,
holders of a majority of the principal amount may rescind this
action. If the event of default is due to our bankruptcy or
insolvency, the outstanding principal amount of all the debt securities will
become immediately payable, without any action on the part of the trustees or
the holders of the debt securities.
Summary
of Material Indenture Provisions that Apply Only to Senior Debt
Securities
Under the senior
indenture, our failure to pay when due, subject to any applicable grace period,
any principal of, or interest on, any indebtedness for borrowed money incurred
or guaranteed by us in the aggregate principal amount of at least $50,000,000
constitutes an event of default.
The senior
indenture requires us, so long as any senior debt securities are
outstanding:
·
|
to own all of
the outstanding shares of voting common stock of Wisconsin Public Service
Corporation unless we transfer the shares pursuant to our merger or
consolidation or sale of substantially all of our
properties.
|
·
|
not to pledge
or grant a security interest or permit any pledge, security interest or
other lien upon any common stock of any of our subsidiaries owned directly
or indirectly by us to secure indebtedness for money borrowed without
securing the senior debt securities equally and ratably with the other
secured indebtedness except for:
|
·
|
pledges,
security interests or encumbrances created to secure the purchase price of
the common stock of our
subsidiaries,
|
·
|
liens and
security interests existing at the time of our acquisition of the shares
or
|
·
|
any extension
or renewal of any permitted pledge, security interest or
encumbrance.
|
Summary
of Material Indenture Provisions that Apply Only to Subordinated Debt
Securities
The subordinated
debt securities will be subordinated to all senior indebtedness.
Common
Stock
We may offer shares
of our common stock, par value $1.00 per share. Holders of our common
stock are entitled to receive dividends when and if declared by our Board of
Directors. Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote
per share. The holders of our common stock have no preemptive rights
or cumulative voting rights. Our restated articles of incorporation
do not presently authorize our company to issue preferred stock or other stock
having rights prior to those of the holders of our common stock.
Stock
Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units
We may issue stock
purchase contracts that obligate you to purchase from us, and obligate us to
sell to you, a specified or varying number of shares of common stock at a future
date or dates. Alternatively, the stock purchase contracts may
obligate us to purchase from you, and obligate you to sell to us, a specified or
varying number of shares of common stock at a future date or
dates. The price per share of common stock may be fixed at the time
the stock purchase contracts are entered into or may be determined by reference
to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. Any
stock purchase contract may include anti-dilution provisions to adjust the
number of shares to be delivered pursuant to the stock purchase contract upon
the occurrence of specified events.
The stock purchase
contracts may be entered into separately or as a part of stock purchase units
consisting of a stock purchase contract and, as security for your obligations to
purchase or sell the shares of common stock under the stock purchase contracts,
either:
●
|
debt
obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury
securities.
|
The applicable
prospectus supplement and/or other offering material will describe the specific
terms of any stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units and, if
applicable, prepaid stock purchase contracts.
Warrants
to Purchase Common Stock and Debt Securities
We may issue
warrants to purchase common stock or debt securities. We may issue
any of these warrants independently or together with other securities offered by
this prospectus and attached to or separate from the other
securities. If we issue warrants, we will issue them under warrant
agreements between us and a bank or trust company, as agent, all of which will
be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering
material relating to the warrants.
Each warrant will
entitle the holder to purchase for cash the principal amount of shares of common
stock or debt securities at the applicable exercise price set forth in, or
determined as described in, the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other
offering material. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the
close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement and/or other offering material. After the close of
business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become
void.
Warrants may be
exercised by delivering to the warrant agent (a) the warrant certificate
properly completed and duly executed and (b) payment of the amount due upon
exercise. As soon as practicable following exercise, the shares of
common stock or debt securities purchasable upon exercise will be forwarded to
you. If less than all of the warrants represented by a warrant
certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the
remaining warrants.
The exercise price
payable and the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise
of each stock warrant, and the number of stock warrants outstanding, will be
subject to adjustment if specified events occur, including the issuance of a
stock dividend to holders of common stock or the subdivision or reclassification
of common stock. Holders of stock warrants, by virtue of being such
holders, will not be entitled to vote, consent, receive dividends, receive
notice as shareholders with respect to any meeting of shareholders for the
election of directors of Integrys Energy Group or any other matter, or to
exercise any rights whatsoever as shareholders of Integrys Energy
Group.
Trust
Securities and Guarantees
We may form
Delaware statutory trusts, each pursuant to a declaration of trust or similar
instrument to be executed by us as sponsor for each trust and their respective
trustees. The trusts will issue and sell their preferred
securities.
Unless an
applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material provides otherwise,
each trust will exist solely to:
●
|
issue and
sell preferred securities, which we refer to as trust
securities. The proceeds from the sale of the trust securities
will be invested in a specified series of our debt
securities;
|
●
|
issue and
sell common securities to us in exchange for cash. The proceeds
from the sale of the common securities will be invested in additional
series of our debt securities; and
|
●
|
engage in
other activities only as are necessary, convenient or incidental to the
above two purposes.
|
We will irrevocably
and unconditionally agree, to the extent described in the trust guarantees, to
pay in full, to the trust securities holders of each trust, the trust guarantee
payments, except to the extent paid by the trust, as and when due, regardless of
any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim which the
trust may have or
assert. Our obligation to make a trust guarantee payment may be
satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by us to the trust
securities holders or by causing the applicable trust to pay the required
amounts to the holders.
Where
You Can Find More Information
We file annual,
quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. We also filed a Registration
Statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act of 1933 with
respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus
is a part of that registration statement, but does not contain all of the
information included in the registration statement or the exhibits to the
registration statement. You may read and copy the registration
statement and any other document we file at the Commission’s public reference
room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20549. Please call the
Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference
room. Our Securities and Exchange Commission filings are also
available to the public at the Commission’s web site at http://www.sec.gov or on
our website located at http://www.integrysgroup.com.
The Securities and
Exchange Commission allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus
the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important
information to you by referring you to those documents. The
information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this
prospectus, and later information that we file with the Commission will
automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate
by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 until our offering is
completed:
i.
|
Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, which was filed on
February 26, 2009, as amended by a 10-K/A filed on March 2,
2009;
|
ii.
|
Current
Report on Form 8-K dated February 12, 2009, which was filed on February
19, 2009; and
|
iii.
|
Description
of Common Stock contained in Registration Statement on Form 8-B filed on
June 1, 1994.
|
You may request a
copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at our
principal executive offices:
Integrys Energy
Group, Inc.
Attn: Secretary
130 East Randolph
Drive
Chicago, Illinois
60601
(312)
240-3864
You should rely
only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus
or any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. We have
not authorized anyone else to provide you with different
information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any
state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that
the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or other
offering material is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of
the prospectus, the prospectus supplement or other offering
material.
THE
COMPANY
We are a
diversified energy holding company with regulated electric and natural gas
utility operations (serving approximately 2.2 million customers in Illinois,
Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin), nonregulated energy operations, and an
equity ownership interest in American Transmission Company LLC (a federally
regulated electric transmission company operating in Wisconsin, Michigan,
Minnesota and Illinois) of approximately 34% at December 31,
2008. Our wholly owned utility subsidiaries include Wisconsin Public
Service Corporation, The Peoples Gas and Light Coke Company, Michigan Gas
Utilities Corporation, Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation, North Shore Gas
Company and Upper Peninsula Power Company, and our nonregulated energy supply
and services company is Integrys Energy Services, Inc. See our 2008
Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such may be updated in our subsequently filed
periodic and/or current reports, for a discussion of the revised strategy for
Integrys Energy Services going forward.
THE
TRUSTS
We may form
Delaware statutory trusts, each pursuant to a declaration of trust or similar
instrument to be executed by us as sponsor for each trust and their respective
trustees. We refer to the trusts, whether one or more, collectively,
as the trusts. The declaration of trust for each of the trusts,
substantially in the form incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, sets forth the terms
and conditions under which the trusts will issue and sell their preferred
securities.
Unless an
applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, each trust exists solely
to:
●
|
issue and
sell preferred securities, which we refer to as “trust
securities.” The proceeds from the sale of the trust securities
will be invested in a specified series of our debt
securities;
|
●
|
issue and
sell common securities to us in exchange for cash. The proceeds
from the sale of the common securities will be invested in additional
series of our debt securities; and
|
●
|
engage in
other activities only as are necessary, convenient or incidental to the
above two purposes.
|
None of the trusts
will borrow money, issue debt, reinvest proceeds derived from investments,
pledge any of its assets, nor otherwise undertake or permit to be undertaken any
activity that would cause it to not be classified as a grantor trust for United
States federal income tax purposes.
We will own all of
the common securities of the trusts. As the holder of the common
securities of the trusts, we will receive payments that will be made on a
ratable basis with the trust securities. However, our right to
payment in respect of distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption or
otherwise will be subordinated to the right of the trust securities holders if
there is a continuing event of default under the declaration of
trust. We will acquire common securities of the trusts having an
aggregate liquidation amount equal to the percentage set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement of the total capital of each trust.
Each trust will
have a set term, but may end earlier if its declaration of trust so
provides. We will pay all fees and expenses related to each trust and
the offering of the trust securities by each trust. The principal
place of business of each trust is c/o Integrys Energy Group, Inc., 700 North
Adams Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54307-9001. The
telephone number is (920) 433-1727.
The trustees of
each trust will conduct the business and affairs of their respective
trusts. The trustees’ duties and obligations will be governed by the
declaration of trust of their respective trust. As the holder of
common securities of the trusts, we will be entitled to appoint, remove,
replace, or change the number of trustees for each trust.
Each trust will
include the following trustees:
●
|
at least one
regular trustee, which is a person who is an employee or officer of or who
is affiliated with us;
|
●
|
at least one
property trustee, which is a financial institution that is not affiliated
with us and which will act as property trustee and indenture trustee for
the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, pursuant to
the terms described in an applicable prospectus supplement;
and
|
●
|
at least one
Delaware trustee, which is an individual resident of, or a legal entity
with a principal place of business in, the State of Delaware, unless the
trust’s property trustee maintains a principal place of business in the
State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable
law.
|
The trustees of
each trust are collectively referred to as the trustees.
USE
OF PROCEEDS
We intend to use
the net proceeds from the sales of the securities as set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. The trusts will
use all proceeds from the sale of trust securities to purchase our debt
securities, unless otherwise indicated in an applicable prospectus supplement
and/or other offering material.
DESCRIPTION
OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following
description of the material terms of the debt securities sets forth general
terms that may apply to the debt securities. The particular terms of
any series of debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus
supplement and/or other offering material relating to those debt
securities.
The debt securities
will be either our senior debt securities or our subordinated debt
securities. The senior debt securities will be issued under an
indenture dated as of October 1, 1999 between us and U.S. Bank National
Association (f/k/a Firstar Bank, National Association), as
trustee. This indenture is referred to as the “senior
indenture.” The subordinated debt securities will be issued under an
indenture dated as of November 13, 2006 between us and U.S. Bank National
Association, as trustee. This indenture is referred to as the
“subordinated indenture.” This prospectus refers to the senior
indenture and the subordinated indenture together as the
“indentures.”
The following is a
summary of all of the material terms of the indentures. Copies of the
entire indentures are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is a part. Section references below are to the
section in the applicable indenture. The referenced sections of the
indentures are incorporated by reference.
General
Neither indenture
limits the amount of debt securities that we may issue. Each
indenture provides that debt securities may be issued up to the principal amount
authorized by us from time to time. The senior debt securities will
be unsecured and will have the same rank as all of our other unsecured and
unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be
unsecured, will be subordinated and junior to all senior indebtedness and will
have the same rank as all of our other unsecured and subordinated
debt.
The debt securities
may be issued in one or more separate series of senior debt securities or
subordinated debt securities. The prospectus supplement and/or other
offering material relating to the particular series of debt securities being
offered will specify the particular amounts, prices and terms of those debt
securities. These terms may include:
·
|
the title of
the debt securities;
|
·
|
any limit on
the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the
series;
|
·
|
the date on
which the debt securities will
mature;
|
·
|
the interest
rate or rates, or the method of determining those
rates;
|
·
|
the date from
which interest will accrue or the method for determining such
date;
|
·
|
the interest
payment dates and the regular record
dates;
|
·
|
the places
where payments may be made;
|
·
|
any mandatory
or optional redemption provisions;
|
·
|
any sinking
fund or analogous provisions;
|
·
|
the portion
of principal amount of the debt security payable upon acceleration of
maturity if other than the full principal
amount;
|
·
|
any additions
to the events of default or covenants included in the indenture under
which the debt securities are issued, as described in this
prospectus;
|
·
|
if other than
U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies, or units based on or related to
currencies, in which payments on the debt securities will be
payable;
|
·
|
whether the
debt securities will be issued in the form of a global security;
and
|
·
|
any other
specific terms of the debt
securities.
|
The debt securities
will be registered debt securities and, unless otherwise specified in the
prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, will be issued and payable
in U.S. dollars in denominations of $1,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000. (Section 3.02)
Some of the debt
securities may be issued as original issue discount debt
securities. Original issue discount securities bear no interest or
bear interest at below-market rates and will be sold at a
discount below
their stated principal amount. The accompanying prospectus supplement
and/or other offering material will also contain any special tax, accounting or
other information relating to original issue discount securities or to other
kinds of debt securities that may be offered, including debt securities linked
to an index or payable in currencies other than U.S. dollars.
Exchange,
Registration and Transfer
Debt securities may
be transferred or exchanged at the corporate trust office of the security
registrar or at any other office or agency maintained by us for those
purposes. Except as otherwise described in a prospectus supplement
and/or other offering material, no service charge will be payable upon the
transfer or exchange of debt securities, except for any applicable tax or
governmental charge. (Section 3.05) The designated
security registrar for the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt
securities is U.S. Bank National Association, Corporate Trust Services, 60
Livingston Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55107.
In the event of any
redemption of any series of debt securities, we will not be required
to:
1.
|
issue,
register the transfer of, or exchange debt securities of any series
between the opening of business 15 business days before the date of the
mailing of the notice of redemption of the debt securities of that series
to be redeemed and the close of business on the date of mailing of the
relevant notice of redemption; or
|
2.
|
register the
transfer of, or exchange, any debt security selected for redemption, in
whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being
redeemed in part. (Section
3.05)
|
Payment
And Paying Agent
We will pay
principal, interest and any premium on debt securities which are not global
securities at the office of the paying agent. We will make payment of
interest on the debt securities which are not global securities by check mailed
to the persons in whose names the debt securities are registered on days
specified in the indentures or the accompanying prospectus supplement and/or
other offering material. We will also make payments on debt
securities that are not global securities by wire transfer to a U.S. bank
designated by a holder of debt securities in an aggregate principal amount of at
least $10,000,000, all of which have the same interest payment dates, upon
receipt of a written request from the holder, on or before the record date for
the payment, designating the account to which the payment is to be
made. (Section 2.05)
If any amount
payable on any debt security remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the
amount became due and payable, the paying agent will release any unclaimed
amounts to us, and the holder of the debt security will look only to us for
payment. (Section 10.07)
The paying agent
for the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities is U.S. Bank
National Association, Corporate Trust Services, 60 Livingston Avenue, Saint
Paul, MN 55107.
Book-Entry
Securities
We may initially
issue the debt securities of any series in the form of one or more global
securities under a book-entry only system operated by a securities
depositary. Unless otherwise specified in the accompanying prospectus
supplement and/or other offering material, The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”),
New York, New York, will act as securities depositary for each series of
debt
securities that are
issued as fully-registered securities. The indenture trustee will
register in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC’s partnership nominee) (or such
other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) those
securities for which DTC is acting as depositary. Individual
purchases of book-entry interests in any of the debt securities will be made in
book-entry form. So long as Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC, or another
nominee of DTC is the securityholder, references in this prospectus to holders
of the debt securities or registered owners will mean Cede & Co. or another
nominee of DTC, rather than the owners of beneficial ownership interests in the
debt securities.
DTC is a
limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a
“banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member
of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of
the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant
to the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among direct
participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities,
through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between direct
participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical
movement of securities certificates. Direct participants include both
U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies,
clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
(“DTCC”). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities
Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are
registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its
regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to
others such as U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust
companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial
relationship with a direct participant, either directly or
indirectly. The DTC rules applicable to its participants are on file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. More information about
DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com and
www.dtc.org.
Purchases of debt
securities under the DTC system must be made by or through direct participants,
which will receive a credit for the debt securities on DTC’s
records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each debt
security, the beneficial owner, is in turn to be recorded on the records of
direct and indirect participants. Beneficial owners will not receive
written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial owners
should, however, receive written confirmations providing details of the
transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct
or indirect participant through which they entered into the
transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the debt securities
are accomplished by entries made on the books of direct and indirect
participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners
will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in debt
securities, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the debt
securities is discontinued.
To facilitate
subsequent transfers, all debt securities deposited by direct participants with
DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or
such other name as an authorized representative of DTC may
request. The deposit of debt securities with DTC and their
registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not
effect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of
the actual beneficial owners of the debt securities; DTC’s records reflect only
the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts such debt securities
are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The
direct and indirect participants will remain responsible for keeping account of
their holdings on behalf of their customers.
Conveyance of
notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct
participants to indirect participants, and by direct participants and indirect
participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them,
subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from
time to time.
Redemption notices
shall be sent to DTC. If less than all of the debt securities within
an issue are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of
the interest of each direct participant in such issue to be
redeemed.
Neither DTC nor
Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to
debt securities unless authorized by the direct participants. Under
its usual procedures, DTC mails an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after
the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s
consenting or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts debt
securities are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to
the omnibus proxy).
Redemption
proceeds, principal payments and interest, premium, if any, or other payments on
the debt securities will be made to Cede & Co., as DTC’s nominee, or to such
other nominee as an authorized representative of DTC may
request. DTC’s practice is to credit direct participants’ accounts
upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or our
paying agent, if any, on the payable date in accordance with their respective
holdings shown on DTC’s records. Payments by participants to
beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary
practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in
bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of
such participant and not of DTC, the indenture trustees, or us, subject to any
statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to
time. Payment of redemption proceeds, principal payments and
interest, premium, if any, or other payments to Cede & Co. (or such other
nominee as an authorized representative of DTC may request) is the
responsibility of us or our paying agent, if any, disbursement of such payments
to direct participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of
such payments to the beneficial owners will be the responsibility of direct and
indirect participants.
A beneficial owner
shall give notice to elect to have its debt securities purchased or tendered,
through its participant, to the tender agent and shall effect delivery of such
debt securities by causing the direct participant to transfer the participant’s
interest in the debt securities, on DTC’s records, to the tender
agent. The requirement for physical delivery of debt securities in
connection with an optional tender or a mandatory purchase will be deemed
satisfied when the ownership rights in the debt securities are transferred by
direct participants on DTC’s records and followed by a book-entry credit of the
tendered debt securities to the tender agent’s DTC account.
DTC may discontinue
providing its services as debt securities depositary with respect to the debt
securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us or the indenture
trustees. Under these circumstances, in the event that a successor
securities depositary is not obtained, debt security certificates are required
to be printed and delivered.
We may decide to
discontinue use of the system of book-entry transfers through DTC (or a
successor securities depositary). In that event, we will cause debt
security certificates to be printed and delivered.
The information in
this section concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from
sources that we believe to be reliable, but neither we, the indenture trustees
nor any underwriter takes any responsibility for the accuracy of the
information.
Neither
we nor the indenture trustees will have any responsibility or obligation to any
DTC direct or indirect participant or any beneficial owner of a book-entry
interest or any other person not shown on the registration books of the trustees
as being a holder of the debt securities with respect to: (1) any debt
securities; (2) the accuracy of any records maintained by DTC or any DTC direct
or indirect participant; (3) the payment by DTC or any DTC direct or indirect
participant of
any
amount due to any beneficial owner of a book-entry interest in respect of the
principal or redemption price of or interest on the debt securities; (4) the
delivery by DTC or any DTC direct or indirect participant of any notice to any
beneficial owner of a book-entry interest which is required or permitted under
the terms of the indentures to be given to holders of the debt securities; (5)
the selection of the owners of a book-entry interest to receive payment in the
event of any partial redemption of any debt securities; or (6) any consent given
or other action taken by DTC or its nominee as holder of the debt
securities.
Limitation
On Merger, Consolidation And Certain Sales Of Assets
We may, without the
consent of the holders of the debt securities, merge into or consolidate with
any other corporation, or convey or transfer all or substantially all of our
properties and assets to another person provided that:
1.
|
the successor
is a corporation;
|
2.
|
the successor
expressly assumes, in a form satisfactory to the trustee, all our
obligations under the debt securities and the
indentures;
|
3.
|
immediately
before and after giving effect to the transaction, there is no default
under the applicable indenture; and
|
4.
|
we deliver to
the trustees a certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that the
transaction complies with the indentures. (Sections 8.01 and
8.02)
|
The surviving or
acquiring corporation will take over all of our rights and obligations under the
indentures. (Section 8.03)
There is inherent
uncertainty in the phrase “all or substantially all.” This
uncertainty may make it difficult for holders of the debt securities to (1)
determine whether our covenant relating to consolidation, merger and sale of our
properties and assets to another person has been breached, (2) declare an event
of default as a result of an alleged breach of that covenant in connection with
a sale of our properties and assets and (3) exercise their related acceleration
rights. Further, interpretation of this phrase as it relates to any
transfer of our properties and assets will be governed by applicable law and
will be dependent upon the particular facts and circumstances. In the
event the holders of the debt securities attempt to exercise their rights under
the indenture following the occurrence of a particular transfer or series of
transfers that they believe constitutes a transfer of “all or substantially all”
of our properties and assets and we contest such exercise, we cannot provide any
assurance as to how a court would interpret the phrase “all or substantially
all.”
Satisfaction
And Discharge; Defeasance
We may be
discharged from our obligations on the debt securities of any series that have
matured or will mature or be redeemed within one year if we deposit with the
trustee enough cash to pay all the principal, interest and any premium due to
the stated maturity date or redemption date of the debt
securities. (Section 4.01)
Each indenture
contains a provision that permits, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions
specified in the indenture, either (1) our discharge from all of our obligations
with respect to any series of debt securities then outstanding other than our
obligations relating to temporary securities issued for the debt securities
(Section 3.04), registration of transfer and exchange of the debt securities
(Section 3.05),
replacement of
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities (Section 3.06), maintenance
of paying agencies (Section 10.02) and holding money for payment in trust
(Section 10.07); or (2) our release from our obligations under covenants
respecting any series of debt securities and from the consequences of an event
of default resulting from the breach of those covenants other than our
obligations relating to temporary securities issued for the debt securities
(Section 3.04), registration of transfer and exchange of the debt securities
(Section 3.05), replacement of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt
securities (Section 3.06), the order in which money collected is applied
(Section 5.06), the restoration of rights and remedies (Section 5.09), the
resignation and removal of the trustee and the appointment of a successor
(Section 6.10), the payment of principal and interest (Section 10.01),
maintenance of paying agencies (Section 10.02) and holding money for payment in
trust (Section 10.07). (Sections 13.02 and 13.03)
To exercise either
of these two options, we must deposit in trust with the trustee enough money to
pay in full the principal, interest and premium, if any, on the series of debt
securities. This amount must be deposited in cash and/or U.S.
government obligations. (Section 13.04) As a condition to exercising
either of the above options, we must deliver to the trustee a ruling directed to
the trustee from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel based on
an Internal Revenue Service Ruling or a change in applicable federal income tax
law since the date of the indenture, in each case to the effect that the holders
of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal
income tax purposes as a result of the action and will be subject to Federal
income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would
have been the case if the action had not taken place. (Section
13.04)
If we exercise
either of these options, the holders of the debt securities of the series
affected will be entitled to receive, solely from the trust fund, payments of
principal, interest and premium on the debt securities and will not be entitled
to any of the other benefits of the indenture, except for limited provisions
including our obligations respecting registration of transfer and exchange of
debt securities, replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated debt securities,
maintenance of paying agencies and holding moneys for payment in
trust. (Sections 13.02 and 13.03)
Events
Of Default, Notice And Waiver
Each indenture
defines an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities as one
or more of the following events:
·
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our failure
to pay interest on any debt security for 30 days after it is
due;
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·
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our failure
to pay the principal or any premium on any debt securities when
due;
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·
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our failure
to perform any other covenant in the debt securities of the series or in
the applicable indenture with respect to debt securities of that series
for 60 days after being given written notice of the failure;
and
|
·
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our entering
into bankruptcy or becoming
insolvent.
|
In addition, under
the senior indenture our failure to pay when due, subject to any applicable
grace period, any principal of, or interest on, any indebtedness for borrowed
money incurred or guaranteed by us in the aggregate principal amount of at least
$50,000,000 constitutes an event of default under the senior
indenture. Under each indenture, failure to observe or perform an
obligation like replacing mutilated, lost or stolen debt securities of a
particular series is an event of default for that series only and not for any
other series of debt securities. This is in contrast to defaulting on
the payment of interest or
principal on a particular series of debt securities, which is an event of
default for all other series of debt securities. (Section
5.01)
Each indenture
requires the trustee to give the holders of a series of debt securities notice
of a default with respect to that series within 30 days unless the default is
cured or waived. However, the trustee may withhold this notice if it
determines in good faith that it is in the interest of those
holders. The trustee may not, however, withhold this notice in the
case of a payment default. (Section 6.02)
Other than the duty
to act with the required standard of care during an event of default, a trustee
is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture
at the request or direction of any of the holders of debt securities, unless the
holders have offered to the trustee security or indemnity to its reasonable
satisfaction against the potential costs, expenses and liabilities of
complying with such request or direction. (Section
6.03) Generally, the holders of a majority in principal amount of
outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place
of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or
exercising any trust or other power conferred on the
trustee. (Section 5.12)
Under each
indenture, if an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities
(other than due to events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) occurs,
the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice in writing to us and to
the trustee, may declare the unpaid principal of and accrued interest on all the
debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately and, upon any
such declaration, the debt securities of that series will become immediately due
and payable.
Under each
indenture, if an event of default occurs due to bankruptcy, insolvency or
reorganization, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the outstanding
debt securities of any series will become immediately due and payable without
any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of any
debt security of that series. (Section 5.02)
Under each
indenture, the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of
the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind a declaration of
acceleration and its consequences with respect to the debt securities of a
series if:
·
|
all existing
events of default, other than the nonpayment of principal of and interest
on the debt securities of that series that have become due solely as a
result of such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or
waived;
|
·
|
to the extent
lawful, interest on overdue interest and on overdue principal that has
become due otherwise than by reason of such acceleration has been
paid;
|
·
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the
rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of
competent jurisdiction; and
|
·
|
all amounts
due to the trustee under the indenture have been
paid.
|
(Section
5.02)
Each indenture
requires us to file annually with the trustee a certificate of our principal
executive, financial or accounting officer as to the knowledge of the officer of
our compliance with all conditions and covenants under the
indenture. (Section 7.04)
Modification
of the Indentures
Together with the
trustee, we may modify each indenture without the consent of the holders for
limited purposes, including adding covenants or events of default, establishing
forms or terms of debt
securities, curing
ambiguities and making certain other changes which do not adversely affect the
holders in any material respect. (Section 9.01)
Together with the
trustee, we may make modifications and amendments to each indenture with the
consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt
securities of all affected series. However, without the consent of
each affected holder, no modification may:
·
|
change the
stated maturity or interest payment date of any debt
security;
|
·
|
reduce the
principal, premium (if any) or rate of interest on any debt
security;
|
·
|
change any
place of payment or the currency in which any debt security is
payable;
|
·
|
impair the
right to enforce any payment after the stated maturity, payment, or
redemption date;
|
·
|
reduce the
percentage of holders of outstanding debt securities of any series
required to consent to any modification, amendment or waiver under the
indenture;
|
·
|
change the
redemption provisions of the indenture in a manner adverse to a holder;
or
|
·
|
change the
provisions of the indenture which relate to its modification or
amendment. (Section
9.02)
|
Governing
Law
The indentures and
the debt securities will be governed by, and construed under, the laws of the
State of Wisconsin. (Section 1.12)
Concerning
The Trustees
We may from time to
time enter into arms length transactions and maintain customary banking
relationships with the trustee under the senior indenture and the subordinated
indenture, including but not limited to, maintaining lines of credit, borrowing
money, maintaining checking account services and other treasury, depository and
cash management services.
Senior
Debt Securities
The senior debt
securities will be unsecured and will rank equally with the $150,000,000
principal amount 7.00% Senior Notes due November 1, 2009, and $100,000,000
principal amount of 5.375% Senior Notes Due December 1, 2012, presently
outstanding under the senior indenture and with all of our other unsecured and
non-subordinated debt. In the event we are unable or unwilling to
satisfy our obligations under the senior indenture (due to insolvency or
otherwise) and our debt holders attempt to obtain satisfaction from our
subsidiaries, claims of our subsidiaries’ creditors and preferred shareholders
will have priority with respect to the assets and earnings of the subsidiaries
over the claims of our senior debt holders.
Our failure to pay
when due, subject to any applicable grace period, any principal of, or interest
on, any indebtedness for borrowed money incurred or guaranteed by us in the
aggregate principal amount of at least $50,000,000 constitutes an event of
default under the senior indenture. (Section 5.01 of the Senior
Indenture)
We agree in the
senior indenture that so long as any senior debt securities are outstanding, we
will own, directly or indirectly, all of the shares of voting common stock of
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation now or hereafter issued and outstanding,
unless we transfer or sell these shares in a transaction which complies with the
provisions of the senior indenture relating to our merger, consolidation or sale
of substantially all of our properties. (Section 10.08 of the Senior
Indenture) See “Limitation on Merger, Consolidation and Certain Sales
of Assets” in this prospectus.
We agree in the
senior indenture that so long as any senior debt securities are outstanding, we
will not pledge or grant a security interest in, or permit any pledge, security
interest or other lien upon, any common stock of any of our subsidiaries owned
directly or indirectly by us to secure any indebtedness for money borrowed,
without making effective provision to secure the senior debt securities equally
and ratably with the other indebtedness and any other indebtedness similarly
entitled to be equally and ratably secured. This restriction will not
apply, however, to (l) the creation or existence of any pledge, security
interest, or encumbrance upon any of the common stock of our subsidiaries (A)
created at the time of our acquisition of the common stock or within one year
after our acquisition of the common stock to secure all or a portion of the
purchase price for the common stock or (B) existing on the common stock at the
time of our acquisition of it, or (2) any extension, renewal or refunding of any
pledge, security interest, or encumbrance described in clause
(1). (Section 10.09 of the Senior Indenture)
Subordinated
Debt Securities
The subordinated
debt securities will be unsecured and will rank equally with the $300,000,000
principal amount 6.11% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2066 presently outstanding
under the subordinated indenture and with all of our other unsecured and
subordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be
subordinate in right of payment to all senior indebtedness. (Section
14.01 of Subordinated Indenture)
The subordinated
indenture defines “senior indebtedness” to mean the principal of, premium, if
any, and interest on:
·
|
all of our
indebtedness for money borrowed;
|
·
|
indebtedness
evidenced by securities, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments
issued by us;
|
·
|
all of our
capital lease obligations;
|
·
|
all of our
obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property,
all of our conditional sale obligations and all of our obligations under
any title retention agreements (but excluding trade accounts payable
arising in the ordinary course of
business);
|
·
|
all of our
obligations for reimbursement on any letter of credit, banker’s
acceptance, security purchase facility or similar credit
transaction;
|
·
|
all
obligations of the types previously described of other persons for the
payment of which we are responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or
otherwise; and
|
·
|
all
obligations of the types previously described of other persons secured by
any lien on any of our property, whether or not such obligation is assumed
by us.
|
·
|
However, the
term “senior indebtedness” will not
include:
|
·
|
any
indebtedness which is by its terms subordinated to, or pari passu with,
the subordinated debt securities;
or
|
·
|
any of our
obligations to any of our
affiliates.
|
There is no
limitation under either indenture on our ability to issue additional senior
indebtedness. The senior debt securities constitute senior
indebtedness under the subordinated indenture. The subordinated debt
securities will rank equally with our other subordinated
indebtedness.
Under the
subordinated indenture, no payment may be made on the subordinated debt
securities, including any redemption or sinking fund payment if:
·
|
any of our
senior indebtedness has not been paid when due and any applicable grace
period has ended and the default has not been cured or waived or ceased to
exist, or
|
·
|
the maturity
of any senior indebtedness has been and remains accelerated as a result of
a default.
|
In the event that
we pay or distribute our assets to creditors upon any dissolution, winding-up,
liquidation or reorganization of us, whether voluntary or involuntary, the
holders of senior indebtedness will be entitled to receive payment in full of
the senior indebtedness before the holders of subordinated debt securities are
entitled to receive or retain any payment. Until the senior
indebtedness is paid in full, any payment or distribution to which holders of
subordinated debt securities would be entitled but for the subordination
provisions of the subordinated indenture will be made to holders of the senior
indebtedness. (Section 14.03 of Subordinated Indenture) If a
distribution is made to holders of subordinated debt securities that, due to the
subordination provisions, should not have been made to them, those holders of
subordinated debt securities are required to pay it over to the holders of the
senior indebtedness or their representatives or trustees, as their interests may
appear. (Section 14.03 of Subordinated Indenture)
As a result of the
subordination provisions contained in the subordinated indenture, in the event
of our insolvency, our creditors who are holders of senior indebtedness may
recover more, ratably, than the holders of subordinated debt
securities.
Subordination
of the Debt Securities to the Claims of the Creditors and Preferred Shareholders
of our Subsidiaries
Claims of our
subsidiaries’ creditors and preferred shareholders will have priority with
respect to the assets and earnings of the subsidiaries over the claims of our
creditors, including holders of both the senior debt securities and the
subordinated debt securities, even though those obligations may not constitute
senior indebtedness of our subsidiaries. All of the debt securities,
therefore, will be effectively subordinated to creditors, including trade
creditors, and preferred shareholders of our subsidiaries.
DESCRIPTION
OF COMMON STOCK
The following
description of our common stock summarizes all of the material terms and
provisions of our common stock. Our restated articles of
incorporation is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part and is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus.
General
We are authorized
to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of capital stock consisting of one class only,
designated as “common stock” with a par value of $1.00 per share. As
of March 19, 2009, 76,425,737 shares of our common stock were issued and
outstanding.
The outstanding
shares of our common stock are, and any additional shares which we may offer
will be, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
“TEG.”
Dividend
And Liquidation Rights
All shares of our
common stock will participate equally with respect to dividends and rank equally
upon liquidation, subject to the rights of holders of any prior ranking stock
which our shareholders may authorize in the future. In the event of
our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the owners of our common stock are
entitled to receive pro rata the assets and funds remaining after satisfaction
of all of our creditors and payment of all amounts to which owners of prior
ranking stock, if any, then outstanding may be entitled.
Voting
Rights
Except as otherwise
described in the paragraphs below, every holder of our common stock has one vote
for each share.
Our shareholders do
not have cumulative voting rights. As a result, the holders of shares
entitled to exercise more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled to
vote, represented at a meeting at which a majority of the shares entitled to
vote is represented, are entitled to elect all of the directors to be elected at
the meeting. Under our restated articles of incorporation and
by-laws, our board of directors is currently divided into three classes, with
one class elected each year for a three-year term. Starting with the
2009 annual meeting of shareholders, our directors who are standing for election
will be elected to annual terms, so that at and following the 2011 annual
meeting of shareholders all directors will be elected to, and will serve,
one-year terms.
Provisions
of Our Restated Articles of Incorporation with Possible Anti-takeover
Effects
In addition to the
provisions of our restated articles of incorporation and by-laws that have the
effect of dividing our board of directors into three classes until the 2011
annual meeting of shareholders, certain other provisions of our restated
articles of incorporation may have the effect of delaying, deferring or
preventing a change in control of our company.
Article 5 of our
restated articles of incorporation provides that, subject to the exception
discussed below, a director may be removed only for cause by the affirmative
vote of shareholders possessing a majority of the voting power of the then
outstanding shares of voting stock. As defined in article 5, “cause”
exists only if the director whose removal is proposed has been convicted of a
felony by a court of competent jurisdiction and such conviction is no longer
subject to direct appeal or such director has been adjudged to be
liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to us in a
matter which has a materially adverse effect on our business, and such
adjudication is no longer subject to direct appeal. Article 5 also
provides for the removal of a director by the shareholders without cause when
such removal is recommended by the “requisite vote” of the directors and
approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders possessing a majority of the
voting power of the then outstanding shares of voting stock. Our
restated articles of incorporation define the term “requisite vote” as the
affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then in office plus one
director. Unless “cause” is established or removal is
recommended by the
requisite vote of the directors, a director may not be removed from office even
if shareholders possessing a majority of the voting power favor such
action. Additionally, pursuant to article 5, vacancies on our board
of directors, including those resulting from the removal of a director, may be
filled for the unexpired portion of the director’s term by the majority vote of
the remaining members of the board.
Article 5 of our
restated articles of incorporation provides that those sections of Article III
of our by-laws which set forth the general powers, number, qualifications and
classification of directors may be amended or repealed only by the affirmative
vote of shareholders possessing at least 75% of the voting power of
the then outstanding shares of our common stock generally possessing voting
rights in the election of directors, or by the requisite vote of the
directors. Article 5 of our articles provides that article 5 may
itself be amended or repealed only by the affirmative vote of shareholders
possessing at least 75% of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of
our common stock generally possessing voting rights in the election of
directors.
Statutory
Provisions with Possible Anti-takeover Effects
Section 180.1150 of
the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law provides that the voting power of shares
of a “resident domestic corporation,” which includes our company, which are held
by any person holding in excess of 20% of the voting power in the election of
directors of the issuing public corporation’s shares shall be limited to 10% of
the full voting power of such excess shares. This statutory voting
restriction will not apply to shares acquired directly from us, to shares
acquired in a transaction incident to which our shareholders vote to restore the
full voting power of such shares, either before or after the acquisition of the
shares, and under certain other circumstances.
Except as may
otherwise be provided by law, the required affirmative vote of shareholders of a
Wisconsin corporation for certain significant corporate actions, including a
merger or share exchange with another corporation, sale of all or substantially
all of the corporate property and assets, or voluntary liquidation, is a
majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the transaction by each voting
group of outstanding shares entitled to vote on the
transaction. Sections 180.1130 through 180.1134 of the Wisconsin
Business Corporation Law provide generally that, in addition to the vote
otherwise required by law or the restated articles of incorporation of a
“resident domestic corporation,” business combinations must be approved by (a)
the holders of at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast and (b) two-thirds
of the votes entitled to be cast by the corporation’s outstanding voting shares
owned by persons other than a “significant shareholder” who is a party to the
transaction or an affiliate or associate of such significant shareholder unless
the business combination satisfies certain adequacy-of-price standards intended
to provide a fair price for shares held by disinterested
shareholders. In general, these adequacy-of-price standards provide
that the above-referenced vote does not apply if (1) the aggregate amount of the
cash and the market value as of the valuation date of consideration other than
cash to be received per share by shareholders of the resident domestic
corporation in the business combination is at least equal to the highest of (a)
the highest per share price received by any person selling common shares of the
same class or series from the significant shareholder whether in the transaction
in which the person became a significant shareholder or within the two years
before the date of the business combination, (b) the market value per share of
the same class or series on the date of the commencement of a tender offer
initiated by the significant
shareholder, on the date on which the person became a significant shareholder or
on the date of the first public announcement of the proposed business
combination, whichever is higher, or (c) the highest preferential amount per
share to which the holder of shares of the class or series of shares is entitled
in a voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of the resident
domestic corporation and (2) the consideration to be received by holders of a
class or series of outstanding shares is to be in cash or in the same form as
the significant shareholder has previously paid for shares of the same class or
series. Section 180.1130 defines “business combination” to include,
subject to certain exceptions, a merger or
share exchange of
the resident domestic corporation or any of its subsidiaries with, or the sale
or other disposition of substantially all assets of the resident domestic
corporation to, any significant shareholder or affiliate thereof. The
statute defines “significant shareholder” generally to mean a person that is the
beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting
shares of the resident domestic corporation.
Sections 180.1140
through 180.1145 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law provides that a
“resident domestic corporation,” which includes our company, may not engage in a
“business combination” with an “interested stockholder” within three years after
the date on which the interested stockholder acquired his or her 10% or greater
interest, unless the corporation’s board of directors approved the business
combination, or the acquisition of the 10% or greater interest, before the stock
acquisition date. The statute defines “interested stockholder” as a
person beneficially owning 10% or more of the aggregate voting power of the
stock of such corporation. If the interested stockholder fails to
obtain such approval by the board of directors, then even after the three-year
period, the interested stockholder may complete a business combination with the
corporation only with the approval of the holders of a majority of the voting
stock not beneficially owned by the interested stockholder, unless the
combination satisfies certain adequacy-of-price standards intended to provide a
fair price for shares held by non-interested shareholders.
Section 196.795 of
the Wisconsin statutes applies to holding companies of Wisconsin public
utilities, i.e., companies owning beneficially 5% or more of the voting
securities of entities owning, operating, managing or controlling a plant or
equipment in the state of Wisconsin for the production, transmission, delivery
or furnishing of heat, light, water or power directly or indirectly to or for
the public. The statute states that no person may hold or acquire
directly or indirectly more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a
public utility holding company with the unconditional power to vote such
securities unless the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin determines, after
investigation and an opportunity for hearing, that such holding or acquisition
is in the best interests of utility customers, investors and the
public. Section 196.795 of the Wisconsin statutes applies to our
company.
The sections of the
Wisconsin law described in the preceding paragraphs and certain provisions of
our articles and by-laws, could have the effect, among others, of discouraging
takeover proposals for our company or impeding a business combination between us
and one of our major shareholders.
Preemptive
Rights
No holder of our
common stock has any preemptive or subscription rights to acquire shares of our
common stock.
Conversion
Rights, Redemption Provisions and Sinking Fund Provisions
Our common stock is
not convertible, is not redeemable and has no sinking fund.
Restrictions
on Dividends Payable by our Subsidiaries
We are a holding
company and our ability to pay dividends is largely dependent upon the ability
of our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us. In the 2009 rate order,
the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has restricted our subsidiary,
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, to paying normal dividends on its common
stock of no more than 103% of the previous year's common stock
dividend. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin also requires
Wisconsin Public Service to maintain a financial capital structure (i.e., the
percentages by which each of common stock equity, preferred stock equity and
debt constitute the total capital invested in a utility), which has a common
equity range of 49%
to
54%. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has also established
a targeted financial common equity ratio at 51% that results in a regulatory
common equity ratio of 53.41%. The primary difference between the
financial and the regulatory common equity ratio relates to certain off-balance
sheet obligations, primarily purchased power obligations, considered by the
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in establishing the financial common
equity target. Each of these limitations may be modified by a future
order of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Our right to
receive dividends on the common stock of Wisconsin Public Service is also
subject to the prior rights of that corporation’s preferred shareholders and to
provisions in that corporation’s restated articles of
incorporation. The provisions in the restated articles of Wisconsin
Public Service provide (1) that if Wisconsin Public Service’s “capitalization
ratio” (namely, the ratio of the capital represented by Wisconsin Public
Service’s common stock, including premiums on such common stock, plus the
surplus accounts of Wisconsin Public Service to the total capital and surplus
accounts of Wisconsin Public Service) is 25% or greater, then it may not make
any dividend payments that would reduce the capitalization ratio below 25%
unless there is no breach of (2) or (3) below; (2) that if the capitalization
ratio is 20% or more, but less than 25%, then Wisconsin Public Service may make
dividend payments that do not exceed 75% of its prior twelve month net income;
or (3) that if the capitalization ratio is less than 20%, then Wisconsin Public
Service may make dividend payments that do not exceed 50% of its prior twelve
month net income. At December 31, 2008, the above limitations
amounted to $1.2 million out of Wisconsin Public Service's total retained
earnings of $372.0 million. Consequently, at December 31, 2008,
Wisconsin Public Service had $370.8 million of retained earnings available
for the payment of dividends.
Upper Peninsula
Power Company's indentures relating to its first mortgage bonds contain certain
limitations on the payment of cash dividends on its common stock, which is held
solely by us. At December 31, 2008, these restrictions amounted to
$30.5 million out of Upper Peninsula Power 's total retained earnings of $49.1
million. Consequently, at December 31, 2008, Upper Peninsula Power
had $18.6 million of retained earnings available for the payment of common
stock cash dividends.
North Shore Gas
Company's long-term debt obligations contain provisions and covenants
restricting the payment of cash dividends and the purchase or redemption of
capital stock. At December 31, 2008, these restrictions amounted
to $6.9 million out of North Shore Gas' total retained earnings of
$77.4 million. Consequently, at December 31, 2008, North Shore
Gas had $70.5 million of retained earnings available for the payment of
dividends.
For the year ended December 31,
2008, Peoples Energy Corporation, The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company,
Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation, Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation and
Integrys Energy Services, Inc. did not make any dividend payments to us.
At
December 31, 2008, we had $585.8 million of retained earnings available for
the payment of dividends. Except for the subsidiary restrictions
described above, we do not have any dividend restrictions.
DESCRIPTION
OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS
We may issue stock
purchase contracts that obligate you to purchase from us, and obligate us to
sell to you, a specified or varying number of shares of common stock at a future
date or dates. Alternatively, the stock purchase contracts may
obligate us to purchase from you, and obligate you to sell to us, a specified or
varying number of shares of common stock at a future date or
dates. The price per share of common stock may be fixed at the time
the stock purchase contracts are entered into or may be determined by reference
to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. Any
stock purchase contract may include anti-dilution provisions to adjust the
number of shares to be delivered pursuant to the stock purchase contract upon
the occurrence of specified events.
The stock purchase
contracts may be entered into separately or as a part of stock purchase units
consisting of a stock purchase contract and, as security for your obligations to
purchase or sell the shares of common stock under the stock purchase contracts,
either:
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debt
obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury
securities.
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If we issue stock
purchase units where debt obligations of third parties are used as security for
your obligations to purchase or sell shares of common stock, we will include in
the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material information about the
issuer of the debt securities. Specifically, if the issuer has a
class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is
either eligible to register its securities on Form S-3 under the Securities Act
of 1933 or meets the listing criteria to be listed on a national securities
exchange, we will include a brief description of the business of the issuer, the
market price of its securities and how you can obtain more information about the
issuer. If the issuer does not meet the criteria described in the
previous sentence, we will include substantially all of the information that
would be required if the issuer were making a public offering of the debt
securities.
The stock purchase
contracts may require us to make periodic payments to you or vice versa, and
these payments may be unsecured or prefunded and may be paid on a current or
deferred basis. The stock purchase contracts may require you to
secure your obligations in a specified manner and, in some circumstances, we may
deliver newly issued prepaid stock purchase contracts upon release to you of any
collateral securing your obligations under the original stock purchase
contract.
The applicable
prospectus supplement and/or other offering material will describe the specific
terms of any stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units and, if
applicable, prepaid stock purchase contracts. Material United States
federal income tax considerations applicable to the stock purchase contracts or
stock purchase units will also be discussed in the applicable prospectus
supplement and/or other offering material.
DESCRIPTION
OF WARRANTS TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
We may issue, alone
or together with common stock, warrants for the purchase of common
stock. The stock warrants will be issued under a stock warrant
agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent to be selected at
the time of the issue. The stock warrant agreement may include or
incorporate by reference standard warrant provisions substantially in the form
of the standard stock warrant provisions incorporated by reference as an exhibit
to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a
part.
General
If stock warrants
are offered, the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material
will describe the designation and terms of the stock warrants, including, among
other things, the following:
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the offering
price, if any;
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the
designation and terms of the common stock purchasable upon exercise of the
stock warrants;
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if
applicable, the date on and after which the stock warrants and the related
offered securities will be separately
transferable;
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the number of
shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of one stock warrant and
the initial price at which the shares may be purchased upon
exercise;
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the date on
which the right to exercise the stock warrants will commence and the date
on which that right will expire;
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a discussion
of material federal income tax
considerations;
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the call
provisions, if any;
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the currency,
currencies or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and
exercise price are payable;
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the
anti-dilution provisions of the stock warrants;
and
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any other
terms of the stock warrants.
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Exercise
of Stock Warrants
Stock warrants may
be exercised by surrendering to the stock warrant agent the stock warrant
certificate with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side of the
certificate duly completed and signed by the warrant holder, or its duly
authorized agent, with such signature to be guaranteed by a bank or trust
company, by a broker or dealer which is a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. or by a member of a national securities
exchange. The form of election should indicate the warrant holders
election to exercise all or a portion of the stock warrants evidenced by the
certificate. Surrendered stock warrant certificates must be
accompanied by payment of the aggregate exercise price of the stock warrants to
be exercised, as set forth in the related prospectus supplement and/or other
offering material. The payment must be made in U.S. dollars, unless
otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering
material. Upon the stock warrant agent’s receipt of the surrendered
stock warrant certificates and payment of the aggregate exercise price of the
stock warrants, the stock warrant agent will request that the transfer agent
issue and deliver to or upon the written order of the exercising warrant holder,
a certificate representing the number of shares of common stock
purchased. If less than all of the stock warrants evidenced by any
stock warrant certificate are exercised, the stock warrant agent will deliver to
the exercising warrant holder a new stock warrant certificate representing the
unexercised stock warrants.
Anti-dilution
and Other Provisions
The exercise price
payable and the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise
of each stock warrant, and the number of stock warrants outstanding, will be
subject to adjustment if specified events occur, including the issuance of a
stock dividend to holders of common stock or the subdivision or reclassification
of common stock. In lieu of adjusting the number of shares of common
stock purchasable upon exercise of each stock warrant, we may elect to adjust
the number of stock warrants. No adjustment in the number of shares
purchasable upon exercise of the stock warrants will be required until
cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% of the number of
shares purchasable. We may, at our option, reduce the exercise price
at any time. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of
stock warrants, but we will pay the cash value of any fractional shares
otherwise issuable. In the case of any consolidation, merger, or sale
or conveyance of our property as an entirety or
substantially as an
entirety, the holder of each outstanding stock warrant will have the right to
the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property
(including cash) receivable by a holder of the number of shares of common stock
into which the stock warrants were exercisable immediately prior to the
consolidation, merger, or sale or conveyance, subject to payment of the
aggregate exercise price of the stock warrants.
No
Rights as Shareholders
Holders of stock
warrants, by virtue of being such holders, will not be entitled to vote,
consent, receive dividends, receive notice as shareholders with respect to any
meeting of shareholders for the election of directors of Integrys Energy Group
or any other matter, or to exercise any rights whatsoever as shareholders of
Integrys Energy Group.
DESCRIPTION
OF WARRANTS TO PURCHASE DEBT SECURITIES
We may issue, alone
or together with debt securities, debt warrants for the purchase of debt
securities. The debt warrants will be issued under debt warrant
agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent to be selected at
the time of the issue. The debt warrant agreement may include or
incorporate by reference standard warrant provisions substantially in the form
of the standard debt warrant provisions incorporated by reference as an exhibit
to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
General
If debt warrants
are offered, the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material
will describe the designation and terms of the debt warrants, including, among
other things, the following:
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the offering
price, if any;
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the
designation, aggregate principal amount and terms of the debt securities
purchasable upon exercise of the debt
warrants;
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if
applicable, the date on and after which the debt warrants and the related
offered securities will be separately
transferable;
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the principal
amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one debt warrant
and the price at which that principal amount of debt securities may be
purchased upon exercise;
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the date on
which the right to exercise the debt warrants will commence and the date
on which that right will expire;
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a discussion
of material federal income tax
considerations;
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whether the
warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates will be issued in
registered or bearer form;
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the
currency, currencies or currency units in which the offering price, if
any, and exercise price are
payable;
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the
anti-dilution provisions of the debt warrants;
and
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any other
terms of the debt warrants.
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Holders of debt
warrants do not have any of the rights of holders of debt securities, including
the right to receive the payment of principal of, or interest on, the debt
securities or to enforce any of the covenants of the debt securities or the
related indenture except as otherwise provided in the related
indenture.
Exercise
of Debt Warrants
Debt warrants may
be exercised by surrendering the debt warrant certificate at the warrant agent
office of the debt warrant agent, with the form of election to purchase on the
reverse side of the debt warrant certificate completed and signed by the warrant
holder, or its duly authorized agent, with such signature to be guaranteed by a
bank or trust company, by a broker or dealer which is a member of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or by a member of a national securities
exchange. The form of election should indicate the warrant holder’s
election to exercise all or a portion of the debt warrants evidenced by the
certificate. Surrendered debt warrant certificates must be
accompanied by payment of the aggregate exercise price of the debt warrants to
be exercised, as set forth in the related prospectus supplement and/or other
offering material.
Upon the exercise
of debt warrants, we will issue the debt securities in authorized denominations
in accordance with the instructions of the exercising warrant
holder. If less than all of the debt warrants evidenced by the debt
warrant certificate are exercised, a new debt warrant certificate will be issued
representing the unexercised debt warrants.
DESCRIPTION
OF TRUST SECURITIES
The trusts may from
time to time offer under this prospectus trust preferred securities, which we
refer to as “trust securities.” When the trusts offer to sell a
particular series of trust securities, we will describe the material terms of
that series in a prospectus supplement and/or other offering
material. Each trust’s declaration of trust will be qualified as an
indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. Unless
otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, the
trust securities will be issued pursuant to one or more trust agreements, which
we will describe in a prospectus supplement and/or other offering
material. Each trust’s form of trust agreement will be filed as an
exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You
should read the form of trust agreement for provisions that may be important to
you.
Each declaration of
trust will authorize the trustees of each trust to issue on behalf of the trust
one series of trust securities and one series of common
securities. The trust securities will be issued to the public pursuant to
the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the common
securities of the trusts will be issued directly or indirectly to
us.
The trust
securities will have the terms, including interest, dividends, redemption,
voting, conversion, liquidation rights and other preferred, deferred or other
special rights or restrictions as are described in the applicable declaration of
trust or made part of the declaration of trust by the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended.
Refer to the
applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the
trust securities of each trust for specific terms, including:
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the
distinctive designation of trust
securities;
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the number of
trust securities issued by the
trust;
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the annual
distribution rate, or method of determining the rate, for trust securities
issued by the trust and the date or dates upon which the distributions
will be payable and any right to defer payment
thereof;
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whether
distributions on trust securities issued by the trust will be cumulative,
and, in the case of trust securities having cumulative distribution
rights, the date or dates or method of determining the date or dates from
which distributions on trust securities issued by the trust will be
cumulative;
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the amount or
amounts which will be paid out of the assets of the trust to the trust
securities holders upon voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up
or termination of the trust;
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the terms and
conditions, if any, under which trust securities may be converted into
shares of our capital stock, including the conversion price per share and
the circumstances, if any, under which the conversion right will
expire;
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the terms and
conditions, if any, upon which the related series of our debt securities
may be distributed to trust securities
holders;
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the
obligation, if any, of the trust to purchase or redeem trust securities
issued by the trust and the price or prices at which, the period or
periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which trust
securities issued by the trust will be purchased or redeemed, in whole or
in part, pursuant to the
obligation;
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the voting
rights, if any, of trust securities issued by the trust in addition to
those required by law, including the number of votes per trust security
and any requirement for the approval by the trust securities holders, as a
condition to specified action or amendments to the applicable declaration
of trust; and
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any other
relevant rights, preferences, privileges, limitations or restrictions of
trust securities issued by the trust that are consistent with the
applicable declaration of trust or applicable
law.
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Pursuant to the
applicable declaration of trust, the property trustee will own our debt
securities purchased by the applicable trust for the benefit of us and the trust
securities holders. The payment of dividends out of
money held by the applicable trust, and payments upon redemption of trust
securities or liquidation of any trust, will be guaranteed by us to the extent
described below under “Description of Guarantees.”
Specific United
States federal income tax considerations applicable to an investment in trust
securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or
other offering material.
In connection with
the issuance of trust securities, each trust will also issue one series of
common securities to us. Each declaration of trust will authorize the
regular trustees of a trust to issue on behalf of the trust one series of common
securities having the terms, including dividends, conversion, redemption,
voting, liquidation rights or the restrictions described in the applicable
declaration of trust. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable
prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, the terms of the common
securities of the trusts will be substantially identical to the terms of the
trust securities issued
by the trust, and
the common securities of the trusts will rank on equal terms with, and payments
will be made on a ratable basis with, the trust securities. However,
upon an event of default under the applicable declaration of trust, the rights
of the holders of the common securities of the trusts to payment in respect of
dividends and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise will be
subordinated to the rights of the trust securities holders. Except in
limited circumstances, the common securities of the trusts will also carry the
right to vote and appoint, remove or replace any of the trustees of the related
trust. All of the common securities of the trusts will be directly or
indirectly owned by us.
The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe whether we and/or certain of our
subsidiaries maintain deposit accounts and conduct other banking transactions,
including borrowings in the ordinary course of business, with the property
trustee.
DESCRIPTION
OF GUARANTEES
Below is a summary
of information concerning the trust guarantees which will be executed and
delivered by us, at various times, for the benefit of the trust securities
holders. The applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering
material will describe any significant differences between the actual terms of
the trust guarantees and the summary below. This summary does not
describe all exceptions and qualifications contained in the indenture or all of
the terms of the trust guarantees. You should read the trust
guarantees for provisions that may be important to you. Copies of the
trust guarantees will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and
are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of
which this prospectus is a part.
General
We will irrevocably
and unconditionally agree, to the extent described in the trust guarantees, to
pay in full, to the trust securities holders of each trust, the trust guarantee
payments (as defined below), except to the extent paid by the trust, as and when
due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim which the trust
may have or assert. Our obligation to make a trust guarantee payment
may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by us to the trust
securities holders or by causing the applicable trust to pay the required
amounts to the holders.
The following
payments regarding the trust securities, which we refer to as the “trust
guarantee payments,” to the extent not paid by the applicable trust, will be
subject to the trust guarantees, without duplication:
●
|
any accrued
and unpaid distributions which are required to be paid on the trust
securities, to the extent the trust has funds legally available
therefor;
|
●
|
the
redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid distributions, payable
out of legally available funds, regarding any trust securities called for
redemption by the trust, to the extent the trust has funds legally
available therefor; and
|
●
|
upon a
voluntary or involuntary dissolution or winding-up of the trust (other
than in connection with the distribution of debt securities to the holders
of the trust securities or a redemption of all the trust securities), the
lesser of:
|
●
|
the aggregate
of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid distributions on the
trust securities to the date of the payment to the extent the trust has
funds available therefor; or
|
●
|
the amount of
assets of the trust remaining available for distribution to holders of the
trust securities in liquidation of the
trust.
|
Covenants
of Integrys Energy Group
Unless an
applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material provides otherwise,
in each trust guarantee, we will covenant that, so long as any trust securities
issued by the applicable trust remain outstanding, and if there will have
occurred any event that would constitute an event of default under the trust
guarantee or the declaration, we will not do any of the following:
●
|
declare or
pay any dividend on, make any distributions regarding, or redeem, purchase
or acquire or make a liquidation payment regarding, any of our capital
stock;
|
●
|
make any
payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on or repay,
repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by us which rank junior to
or pari passu with the debt securities owned by the trust;
and
|
●
|
make any
guarantee payments regarding the trust securities, other than pursuant to
the trust guarantees.
|
However, even
during such circumstances, we may:
●
|
repurchase or
acquire our common shares as contemplated by any employment arrangement,
benefit plan or other similar contract with or for the benefit of
employees, officers or directors entered into in the ordinary course of
business;
|
●
|
repurchase
our common shares as contemplated by our stock investment plan or any
deferred compensation plan, as in effect immediately prior to the
occurrence of the event of default under the guarantee or the
declaration;
|
●
|
exchange or
convert any class or series of our capital stock for our common shares,
provided that such class or series of capital stock was outstanding prior
to the occurrence of the event of default under the guarantee or the
declaration;
|
●
|
purchase
fractional interests in shares of our capital stock pursuant to conversion
or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being
converted or exchanged, provided that such capital stock or security was
outstanding prior to the occurrence of the event of default under the
guarantee or the declaration;
and
|
●
|
pay any stock
dividend where the dividend is paid in the form of the same stock as that
on which the dividend is being
paid.
|
Amendment
and Assignment
Except with respect
to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of holders of trust
securities in any material respect (in which case no consent of such holders
will be required), each trust guarantee may be amended only with the prior
approval of the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation amount of the
outstanding trust securities. The manner of obtaining any such
approval of holders of the trust securities will be as described in the
applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. All
guarantees and agreements contained in each guarantee shall bind our successors,
assigns, receivers,
trustees and representatives and shall inure to the benefit of the holders of
the trust securities then outstanding.
Termination
of the Trust Guarantees
Each trust
guarantee will end as to the trust securities issued by the applicable trust
upon any of the following:
●
|
full payment
of the redemption price of all trust
securities;
|
●
|
distribution
of our debt securities held by the trust to the trust securities holders;
or
|
●
|
full payment
of the amounts payable in accordance with the declaration upon liquidation
of the trust.
|
Each trust
guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may
be, if at any time any holder of trust securities issued by the applicable trust
must restore payment of any sums paid under the trust securities or the trust
guarantee.
Status
of the Trust Guarantees
Our obligations
under each trust guarantee to make the trust guarantee payments will constitute
unsecured obligations of Integrys Energy Group and will rank (a) subordinate and
junior in right of payment to all of our other liabilities, including the debt
securities, except those of our liabilities made pari passu or subordinate by
their terms, (b) pari passu with the most senior preferred or preference stock,
if any, hereafter issued by us and with any guarantee now or hereafter entered
into by us in respect of any preferred or preference securities of any of our
affiliates, and (c) senior to our common shares. The terms of the
trust securities will provide that each holder of trust securities by acceptance
thereof agrees to the subordination provisions and other terms of the applicable
guarantee.
Each trust
guarantee will constitute a guarantee of payment and not of collection (that is,
the guaranteed party may institute a legal proceeding directly against us to
enforce its rights under the guarantee without instituting a legal proceeding
against any other person or entity). No trust guarantee will be
discharged except by payment of the trust guarantee payments in full to the
extent not paid by the applicable trust, and by complete performance of all
obligations under the trust guarantee.
LEGAL
MATTERS
Foley & Lardner
LLP, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, our counsel, will
pass upon the validity of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and
the prospectus supplements and/or other offering material. The
opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP may be conditioned upon and may be subject to
assumptions regarding future action required to be taken by us and any
underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the issuance and sale of any
securities. The opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP may be subject to
other conditions and assumptions, as indicated in the prospectus supplements
and/or other offering materials. The validity of the trust securities
will be passed upon by special Delaware counsel to the trusts when
formed.
EXPERTS
The consolidated
financial statements and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated
in this prospectus by reference from Integrys Energy Group’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K, and the effectiveness of Integrys Energy Group’s internal control
over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports which
are incorporated herein by reference (which reports (1) express an unqualified
opinion on those consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedules and include an explanatory paragraph regarding the adoption of a new
accounting standard and (2) express an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness
of internal control over financial reporting). Such consolidated
financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated
in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts
in accounting and auditing.
The financial
statements of American Transmission Company LLC incorporated in this prospectus
by reference from Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A to Integrys Energy Group’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which
is incorporated herein by reference and has been so incorporated in reliance
upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting
and auditing.
PART
II
INFORMATION
NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item
14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
Not applicable
since the amount of securities and number of offerings are indeterminable and,
therefore, the expenses cannot be estimated at this time.
Item
15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Integrys
Energy Group
Pursuant to the
Wisconsin Business Corporation Law and Article VI of the by-laws of Integrys
Energy Group, directors and officers of Integrys Energy Group are entitled to
mandatory indemnification from us against certain liabilities and expenses to
the extent such officers or directors are successful on the merits or otherwise
in connection with a proceeding, unless it is determined that the director or
officer breached or failed to perform his or her duties to Integrys Energy Group
and such breach or failure constituted: (a) a willful failure to deal fairly
with Integrys Energy Group or its shareholders in connection with a matter in
which the director or officer had a material conflict of interest; (b) a
violation of the criminal law unless the director or officer had reasonable
cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or had no reasonable cause to
believe his or her conduct was unlawful; (c) a transaction from which the
director or officer derived an improper personal profit (unless such profit is
immaterial under the circumstances); or (d) willful misconduct. It
should also be noted that the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law specifically
states that it is the policy of Wisconsin to require or permit indemnification
in connection with a proceeding involving securities regulation to the extent
required or permitted as described above. Additionally, under the
Wisconsin Business Corporation Law, directors of Integrys Energy Group are not
subject to personal liability to Integrys Energy Group, its shareholders or any
person asserting rights on behalf of Integrys Energy Group or its shareholders
for certain breaches or failures to perform any duty resulting solely from their
status as directors or officers except in circumstances paralleling those in
subparagraphs (a) through (d) outlined above.
The indemnification
provided by the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law and our by-laws is not
exclusive of any other rights to which a director or officer may be
entitled. The general effect of the foregoing provisions may be to
reduce the circumstances under which an officer or director may be required to
bear the economic burden of the foregoing liabilities and expenses.
The indemnification
described above may be broad enough to cover liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933. Officers and directors of Integrys Energy Group would
also be indemnified by the underwriters or agents for certain claims under the
Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to the terms of the proposed form of
underwriting agreement and agency agreement filed herewith. Integrys
Energy Group has purchased insurance permitted by the Wisconsin Business
Corporation Law on behalf of its officers and directors which may cover
liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.
Trusts
Each declaration of
trust will provide that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
Integrys Energy Group shall indemnify and hold harmless each of the
administrative trustees of the trust, any affiliate of any such administrative
trustee, any officer, director, shareholder, member, partner, employee,
representative or agent of any such administrative trustee, or any employee or
agent of the trust or its affiliates (each an “Integrys Energy Group Indemnified
Person”), from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax, penalty, and
expense incurred by such Integrys Energy Group Indemnified Person by reason of
any act or omission performed or omitted by such Integrys Energy Group
Indemnified Person in good faith on behalf of the Trust and in a manner such
Integrys Energy Group Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the
scope of authority conferred on such Integrys Energy Group Indemnified Person by
the declaration of trust, except that no Integrys Energy Group Indemnified
Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage,
liability, tax, penalty or expense incurred by such Integrys Energy Group
indemnified person by reason of gross negligence or willful misconduct with
respect to such acts or omissions.
Each declaration of
trust will also provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
expenses (including legal fees) incurred by an Integrys Energy Group Indemnified
Person in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from
time to time, be advanced by Integrys Energy Group prior to the final
disposition of such claim, demand, action suit or proceeding upon receipt by
Integrys Energy Group of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Integrys Energy
Group Indemnified Person to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the
Integrys Energy Group Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as
authorized in the declaration of trust. Each declaration of trust
will further provide that Integrys Energy Group shall indemnify the (a) property
trustee of the trust, (b) the Delaware trustee of the trust, (c) any affiliate
of the property trustee or the Delaware trustee, and (d) any officers,
directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives,
custodians, nominees or agents of the property trustee or the Delaware trustee
(each of the persons in (a) through (b) being referred to as a “Fiduciary
Indemnified Person”) for, and to hold each Fiduciary Indemnified Person harmless
against, any loss, liability, taxes or expense incurred without negligence or
bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration or the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and
expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of defending itself
against or investigating any action, suit, claim or liability in connection with
the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder.
Item
16. EXHIBITS
The exhibits listed
in the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed or incorporated by reference as part
of this registration statement.
Item
17. UNDERTAKINGS
a. The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) to file, during any
period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to
this registration statement:
(i) to include any
prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;
(ii) to reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective
registration statement.
(iii) to include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.
provided, however, that
paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if
the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is
contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of
the registration statement.
(2) that, for the
purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(3) to remove from
registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being
registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) that, for the
purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any
purchaser:
(i) Each prospectus
filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of
the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part
of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii) Each prospectus
required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a
registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made
pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the
information required by
Section 10(a) of
the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the
registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is
first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of
securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided
in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at
that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date
of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration
statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration
statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a
document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration
statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a
purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date,
supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or
prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such
document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5) That, for the
purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of
1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the
undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of
the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless
of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the
securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the
following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the
purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such
purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary
prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering
required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing
prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned
registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any
other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material
information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on
behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other
communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned
registrant to the purchaser.
b. The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes, that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in this registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
c. The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application
for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under
subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the
rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
d. Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may
be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has
reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Green Bay,
State of Wisconsin, on March 26, 2009.
INTEGRYS
ENERGY GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Charles A. Schrock
Charles A.
Schrock
President
and
Chief
Executive Officer
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been
signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.
Name
|
Capacity
|
|
|
/s/ Charles A. Schrock
Charles A.
Schrock
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director (principal executive
officer)*
|
|
|
/s/ Joseph P. O'Leary
Joseph P.
O’Leary
|
Senior Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial
officer)*
|
|
|
/s/ Diane L. Ford
Diane L.
Ford
|
Vice
President and Corporate Controller (principal accounting
officer)*
|
|
|
Keith E.
Bailey +
|
Director
|
Richard A.
Bemis +
|
Director
|
William J.
Brodsky +
|
Director
|
Albert J.
Budney, Jr. +
|
Director
|
Pastora San
Juan Cafferty +
|
Director
|
Ellen
Carnahan +
|
Director
|
Robert C.
Gallagher +
|
Director
|
Kathryn M.
Hasselblad-Pascale +
|
Director
|
John W.
Higgins +
|
Director
|
James L.
Kemerling +
|
Director
|
Michael E.
Lavin +
|
Director
|
William F.
Protz, Jr. +
|
Director
|
Larry L.
Weyers +
|
Executive
Chairman of the Board
|
+By:
/s/ Charles A.
Schrock
Charles A.
Schrock
Attorney-in-Fact*
|
|
* Each of the above
signatures is affixed as of March 26, 2009.
EXHIBIT
INDEX
|
Exhibit
Number
|
Document
Description
|
|
|
1.1
|
Proposed Form
of Underwriting Agreement (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a
Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
1.2
|
Proposed Form
of Distribution Agreement (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a
Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
3
|
By-laws
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K
filed February 19, 2009 [File No. 1-11337]).
|
4.1
|
Restated
Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to
Current Report on Form 8-K filed February 27, 2007 [File
No. 1-11337]).
|
4.2
|
Senior
Indenture, dated as of October 1, 1999, between us and U.S. Bank National
Association (f/k/a Firstar Bank, National Association), as Trustee
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(b) to Amendment No. 1 to
Registration Statement No. 333-88525 filed on October 21,
1999); First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1,
1999 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4A to Current Report on Form
8-K filed November 12, 1999 [File No. 1-11337]); and Second
Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2002 (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4A to Current Report on Form 8-K filed
November 25, 2002 [File No. 1-11337]).
|
4.3
|
Subordinated
Indenture, dated as of November 13, 2006, between us and U.S. Bank
National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
4(c) to Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-133194 filed on
December 4, 2006); and First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December
1, 2006 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to Current Report on Form
8-K filed December 1, 2006 [File No. 1-11337]).
|
4.4
|
Replacement
Capital Covenant, dated December 1, 2006 (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 99 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed December 1, 2006 [File No.
1-11337]).
|
4.5
|
Forms of
Supplemental Indentures to Senior Indenture (to be filed by amendment or
as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
4.6
|
Forms of
Supplemental Indentures to Subordinated Indenture (to be filed by
amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.7
|
Forms of Debt
Securities (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report
on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.8
|
Form of
Warrant (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on
Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.9
|
Form of
Warrant Agreement (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current
Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
4.10
|
Form of Stock
Purchase Contract (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current
Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
4.11
|
Certificates
of Trust (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on
Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.12
|
Declarations
of Trust (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on
Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
|
4.13
|
Form of Trust
Preferred Security (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current
Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
4.14
|
Form of
Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement (to be filed by amendment or as
an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
5.1
|
Opinion of
Foley & Lardner LLP.
|
5.2
|
Opinion of
Special Counsel Relating to Trust Preferred Securities (to be filed by
amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and
incorporated herein by reference).
|
12
|
Computation
of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 12 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2008, filed February 26, 2009 [File No. 1-11337]).
|
23.1
|
Consent of
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for us.
|
23.2
|
Consent of
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for American Transmission
Company LLC.
|
23.3
|
Consent of
Foley & Lardner LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
|
23.4
|
Consent of
Special Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.2).
|
24
|
Powers of
Attorney.
|
25.1
|
Statement of
Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1 of U.S. Bank National
Association to act as Trustee under the Senior Indenture, dated October 1,
1999.
|
25.2
|
Statement of
Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1 of U.S. Bank National
Association to act as Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture, dated
November 13, 2006.
|
25.3
|
Statements of
Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1 of the Trustee(s) to act as
Trustee under the Declarations of Trust (to be filed by amendment or as an
exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|
25.4
|
Statements of
Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1 of the Trustee(s) to act as
Trustee under our Guarantees for the Benefit of the Holders of Trust
Preferred Securities (to be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a
Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by
reference).
|