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| WSII > SEC Filings for WSII > Form 8-K on 16-Nov-2009 | All Recent SEC Filings |
16-Nov-2009
Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
Agreement and Plan of Merger
On November 11, 2009, Waste Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("WSI"),
entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with
IESI-BFC Ltd., a corporation amalgamated under the laws of the Province of
Ontario ("IESI-BFC"), and IESI-BFC Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and
a wholly-owned subsidiary of IESI-BFC ("Merger Sub"). The Merger Agreement
provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the
Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will be merged with and into WSI (the "Merger").
Following the Merger, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub will cease
and WSI will continue as the surviving corporation. The Merger has been approved
by the board of directors of both WSI and IESI-BFC.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, each share of common stock of
WSI ("WSI Common Stock") that is outstanding immediately prior to the date and
time the Merger becomes effective (the "Effective Time") shall be canceled and
extinguished and automatically converted into the right to receive 0.5833 shares
of IESI-BFC common stock (the "Conversion Number"). WSI warrants and stock
options will generally convert upon consummation of the Merger and without any
action on the part of the holder into warrants and stock options with respect to
the IESI-BFC common stock, after giving effect to the Conversion Number. Cash
will be paid to WSI stockholders in lieu of fractional shares of IESI-BFC common
stock.
The Merger Agreement also provides that upon consummation of the Merger,
IESI-BFC will appoint two individuals, nominated by WSI and determined to be
legally qualified and otherwise suitable by the board of directors of IESI-BFC,
acting reasonably, to serve in such capacity, to the board of directors of
IESI-BFC.
The Merger is intended to qualify as a reorganization for U.S. federal income
tax purposes.
WSI and IESI-BFC have made customary agreements in the Merger Agreement,
including agreements (i) with respect to the conduct of WSI and IESI-BFC during
the interim period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and
consummation of the Merger; (ii) not to engage in certain kinds of transactions
during such period; (iii) that WSI will convene and hold a meeting of its
stockholders to consider and vote upon the approval and adoption of the Merger
Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby; (iv) with respect to
obtaining required consents and approvals; (v) to deliver to the other party,
within seven business days from the date of the Merger Agreement, a letter
providing disclosure schedules in connection with the Merger Agreement; and
(vi) to permit the other party to conduct a due diligence review for a period of
30 days from the date of the Merger Agreement. Pursuant to the agreements
described in subsections (v) and (vi) of this paragraph, either IESI-BFC or WSI
may terminate the Merger Agreement in connection with its due diligence review
or its review of the other party's
disclosure schedules based on specified standards. In addition, WSI and IESI-BFC
have made certain additional customary agreements, including, among others, (i)
for WSI not to solicit or knowingly facilitate inquiries or proposals relating
to alternative business combination transactions; (ii) subject to certain
exceptions, WSI is not to engage in discussions or negotiations regarding, or
provide any information relating to WSI in connection with, alternative business
combination transactions and (iii) WSI is to provide IESI-BFC a certain
response period to propose to amend the terms of the Merger Agreement in the
event WSI receives a superior acquisition proposal.
Each party's obligation to consummate the Merger is subject to customary
conditions, including, among others, (i) approval or expiration of any waiting
period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and the
Competition Act (Canada); (ii) absence of laws or orders of governmental
authorities or litigation prohibiting or seeking to prohibit the closing;
(iii) the declaration by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") that
the Form F-4 Registration Statement registering shares of IESI-BFC common stock
to be issued in connection with the Merger has become effective;
(iv) conditional approval of the IESI-BFC common stock to be issued in the
Merger for listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock
Exchange; (v) approval of the Merger Agreement by WSI stockholders; and
(vi) receipt by WSI and IESI-BFC from their respective counsel of customary
opinions that the Merger will qualify as a reorganization for US federal income
tax purposes.
IESI-BFC's obligation to consummate the Merger is also subject to certain
other conditions, including, among others, (i) subject to certain exceptions and
qualifications, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of WSI,
(ii) performance in all material respects of WSI of its obligations,
(iii) absence of a material adverse effect with respect to WSI; (iv) receipt of
regulatory approvals on specified terms and required consents; (v) receipt of a
fairness opinion; and (vi) that WSI meet certain thresholds with respect to its
net indebtedness and working capital.
WSI's obligation to consummate the Merger is subject to certain other
conditions, including, among others, (i) subject to certain exceptions and
qualifications, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of IESI-BFC,
(ii) performance in all material respects of IESI-BFC of its obligations,
(iii) absence of a material adverse effect with respect to IESI-BFC; (iv)
receipt of a fairness opinion; and (v) that IESI-BFC increase the consideration
to be provided to the WSI stockholders in the event of a specified decline in
the value of IESI-BFC common stock under specified circumstances.
Either IESI-BFC or WSI may terminate the Merger Agreement: (i) if a condition
becomes incapable of being satisfied, not as a result of a breach of the Merger
Agreement by the party seeking to terminate the Merger Agreement; (ii) if the
closing does not occur on or before June 30, 2010, provided that a breach of the
Agreement by the party seeking to terminate the Merger Agreement has not caused
the failure to consummate the Merger on or before such date; (iii) if WSI
stockholders fail to approve the Merger Agreement or the Merger; (iv) within
30 days of the date of the Merger Agreement in connection with a due diligence
review; (v) by mutual written agreement; or (vi) if either party fails to obtain
a fairness opinion within 30 days from the date of the Merger Agreement.
IESI-BFC may terminate the Merger Agreement under certain circumstances,
including if: (i) the board of directors of WSI (1) withdraws or modifies in a
manner adverse to IESI-BFC its approval or recommendation of the Merger
Agreement, (2) approves, recommends or enters into an alternative business
combination transaction or (3) fails to publicly reaffirm its recommendation of
the Merger Agreement following receipt of an alternative acquisition proposal,
or (ii) a meeting of the WSI stockholders is not held on or before June 15, 2010
(the termination of the Merger Agreement as described in subsection (i) this
paragraph, the "IESI-BFC Termination").
WSI may terminate the Merger Agreement under certain circumstances, including
if prior to receiving the approval of the WSI stockholders of the Merger
Agreement, the board of directors of WSI approves a superior acquisition
proposal and, promptly following such termination, enters into a definitive
agreement in connection with such superior proposal, provided that WSI shall
have complied with certain of its obligations under the Merger Agreement (the
termination of the Merger Agreement as described in this paragraph, the
"Superior Proposal Termination").
The Merger Agreement provides that, upon termination of the Merger Agreement
resulting from (i) the IESI-BFC Termination, (ii) the Superior Proposal
Termination; (iii) termination of the Merger Agreement by IESI-BFC because the
Merger Agreement did not receive the requisite approval at the meeting of WSI
stockholders if, prior to such meeting, an alternative acquisition proposal had
been made to WSI, and an alternative acquisition of WSI is completed or WSI
enters into an alternative acquisition transaction within 12 months of
termination of the Merger Agreement; or (iv) termination of the Merger Agreement
by IESI-BFC because failure of a condition resulting from WSI's intentional
breach of the Merger Agreement, WSI will be required to pay to IESI-BFC the
amount of $11,000,000 plus an amount equal to all out-of-pocket costs up to
$3,500,000 for professional and advisory services and other expenses reasonably
incurred by IESI-BFC in connection with the Merger. Upon termination of the
Merger Agreement by WSI because failure of a condition resulting from IESI-BFC's
intentional breach of the Merger Agreement, IESI-BFC will be required to pay to
WSI the amount of $11,000,000 plus an amount equal to all out-of-pocket costs up
to $3,500,000 for professional and advisory services and other expenses
reasonably incurred by WSI in connection with the Merger.
The Merger Agreement further provides that, upon termination of the Merger
Agreement (i) by IESI-BFC or WSI for WSI's failure to receive its fairness
opinion within 30 days from the date of the Merger Agreement; (ii) by IESI-BFC
or WSI for failure of the WSI stockholders to approve the Merger Agreement or
(iii) by IESI-BFC on the basis of a breach by WSI of the Merger Agreement (other
than an intentional breach thereof), WSI will be required to pay to IESI-BFC an
amount equal to all out-of-pocket costs up to $3,500,000 for professional and
advisory services and other expenses reasonably incurred by IESI-BFC in
connection with the Merger. Upon termination of the Merger Agreement (i) by WSI
or IESI-BFC for IESI-BFC'S failure to receive its fairness opinion within
30 days from the date of the Merger Agreement; or (ii) by WSI on the basis of a
breach by IESI-BFC of the Merger Agreement (other than an intentional breach
thereof), IESI-BFC will be required to pay to WSI an amount equal to all
out-of-pocket costs up to $3,500,000 for professional and advisory services and
other expenses reasonably incurred by WSI in connection with the Merger.
The foregoing description of the Merger and the Merger Agreement does not
purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Merger Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 hereto and is incorporated
herein by reference.
The Merger Agreement has been included to provide investors and security
holders with information regarding its terms. It is not intended to provide any
other financial information about WSI, IESI-BFC or their respective subsidiaries
and affiliates. The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the
Merger Agreement were made only for purposes of that agreement and as of
specific dates; were solely for the benefit of the parties to the Merger
Agreement; may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the parties, including
being qualified by confidential disclosures made for the purposes of allocating
contractual risk between the parties to the Merger Agreement instead of
establishing these matters as facts; and may be subject to standards of
materiality applicable to the contracting parties that differ from those
applicable to investors. Investors should not rely on the representations,
warranties and covenants or any description thereof as characterizations of the
actual state of facts or condition of WSI, IESI-BFC or any of their respective
subsidiaries or affiliates. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter
of the representations, warranties and covenants may change after the date of
the Merger Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully
reflected in public disclosures by WSI and IESI-BFC.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Words such as
"expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend,"
"plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential,"
"continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include,
without limitation, Waste Services, Inc.'s and IESI-BFC Ltd.'s expectations with
respect to the synergies, efficiencies, overhead savings, costs and charges and
capitalization, anticipated financial impacts of the transaction; approval of
the transaction by stockholders; the satisfaction of the closing conditions to
the transaction; and the timing of the completion of the transaction.
These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties
that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected
results. Most of these factors are outside our control and difficult to predict.
The following factors, among others, could cause or contribute to such material
differences: the ability to obtain the approval of the transaction by Waste
Services, Inc. stockholders; the ability to realize the expected synergies
resulting from the transaction in the amounts or in the timeframe anticipated;
the ability to integrate Waste Services, Inc.'s businesses into those of
IESI-BFC Ltd. in a timely and cost-efficient manner; and the ability to obtain
governmental approvals of the transaction or to satisfy other conditions to the
transaction on the proposed terms and timeframe. Additional factors that could
cause IESI-BFC Ltd.'s and Waste Services, Inc.'s results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the 2008
Annual Report on Form 10-K for Waste Services, Inc. and the Registration
Statement on Form F-10, as amended, of IESI-BFC Ltd. filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's Internet web site
(www.sec.gov). Waste Services, Inc. cautions that the foregoing list of factors
is not exclusive. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
concerning Waste Services, Inc., IESI-BFC Ltd., the transaction or other matters
and attributable to Waste Services, Inc. or IESI-BFC Ltd. or any person acting
on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements above. Waste Services, Inc. and IESI-BFC Ltd. do not undertake any
obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral,
relating to the matters discussed in this communication, except as required by
law.
Additional Information About the Transaction and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction, IESI-BFC Ltd. will file with the
SEC a Registration Statement on Form F-4 that will include a proxy statement of
Waste Services, Inc. and that also constitutes a prospectus of IESI-BFC Ltd.
Waste Services, Inc. will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its
stockholders. Waste Services, Inc. and IESI-BFC Ltd. urge investors and security
holders to read the proxy statement/prospectus, including any amendments thereto
and any other information filed with the SEC, regarding the proposed transaction
when such filings become available because they will contain important
information. You may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC regarding
this transaction, free of charge, at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). Copies of
the proxy statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be
incorporated by reference in the proxy statement/prospectus can also be
obtained, when available, without charge, from IESI-BFC Ltd.'s website
(www.iesi-bfc.com) or from Waste Services, Inc.'s website
(www.wasteservicesinc.com) or by directing a request to IESI-BFC Ltd., 135
Queens Plate Drive, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9W 6V1, Attention:
Investor Relations, (416) 401-7729, or to Waste Services, Inc., Shareholder
Relations, 1122 International Blvd., Suite 601, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7L
6Z8, (905) 319-1237.
Proxy Solicitation
IESI-BFC, Ltd., Waste Services, Inc., their respective directors and
executive officers and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information
regarding IESI-BFC Ltd.'s directors and executive officers is available in its
Registration Statement on Form F-10, which was filed with the SEC on May 14,
2009. Information regarding Waste Services, Inc.'s directors and executive
officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2008, which was filed with the SEC on February 26, 2009, and its
2009 definitive proxy statement for its most recent annual meeting, which was
filed on the SEC's internet website (www.sec.gov) on April 29, 2009. Other
information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a
description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or
otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other
relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. You may
obtain free copies of these documents from Waste Services, Inc. and IESI-BFC
Ltd. using the contact information above.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
Exhibits
Exhibit No. Description
2.1 Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 11, 2009, by and
among IESI-BFC Ltd., IESI-BFC Merger Sub, Inc. and Waste Services,
Inc.
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