e424b3
Filed
Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-134329
Prospectus
$150,000,000
Solectron Global Finance
LTD
Solectron Corporation
Offer to Exchange
8.00% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2016 of Solectron Global Finance LTD,
guaranteed by Solectron
Corporation, which have been Registered
Under the Securities
Act
For
Any and All Outstanding
8.00% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2016 of
Solectron Global Finance LTD,
guaranteed by Solectron
Corporation
We are offering to exchange up to $150,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of our senior subordinated notes guaranteed by
Solectron Corporation for exchange notes guaranteed by Solectron
Corporation which have been registered under the Securities Act
of 1933. We will not receive any proceeds from the exchange
offer.
The terms of the exchange notes will be substantially similar to
the original notes except that the exchange notes will not be
subject to transfer restrictions and registration rights
relating to the original notes.
The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York City
time, on August 29, 2006, unless we decide to extend the
expiration date. Completion of the exchange offer is subject to
customary conditions which we may waive.
The exchange of original notes for exchange notes will not be a
taxable event for United States Federal income tax proposes.
There is no existing market for the exchange notes to be issued,
and we do not intend to apply for their listing on any
securities exchange or arrange for them to be quoted on any
quotation system.
Each broker-dealer who receives exchange notes for its own
account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such
exchange notes. The letter of transmittal states that by so
acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer
will not be deemed to admit that it is an
underwriter within the meaning of the Securities
Act. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from
time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with
resales of exchange notes received in exchange for original
notes where such original notes were acquired by such
broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities. We have agreed that, starting on the
expiration date and ending on the close of business 90 days
after the expiration date, we will make this prospectus
available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any
such resale. For a discussion of the prospectus delivery
requirements by a broker-dealer, see the section in this
prospectus titled Plan of Distribution.
See the section entitled Description of the Exchange
Notes that begins on page 33 for more information
about the original notes and the exchange notes to be issued in
this exchange offer.
This investment involves risks. See Risk Factors
beginning on page 11.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
This prospectus is dated July 28, 2006.
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not
authorized any person to provide you with any information or
represent anything about us or this offering that is not
contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If
given or made, any such other information or representation
should not be relied upon as having been properly authorized. We
are not making an offer to exchange these notes in any
jurisdiction where an exchange is not permitted. We do not claim
the accuracy of the information in this prospectus as of any
date other than stated on the cover.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page
|
|
|
|
|
ii
|
|
|
|
|
ii
|
|
|
|
|
iii
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
|
76
|
|
|
|
|
76
|
|
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
|
|
77
|
|
The prospectus incorporates important business and financial
information about the company that is not included in or
delivered with the prospectus. This information is available
without charge to security holders upon request to
Solectrons Investor Relations department by calling
(408) 956-6542,
by writing to Investor Relations, Solectron Corporation, 847
Gibraltar Drive, Bldg. 5, Milpitas, CA 95035 or by sending an
email to InvestorRelations@solectron.com. To obtain timely
delivery, security holders must request the information no later
than August 22, 2006, which is five business days before
the expiration date of the Exchange Offer.
This prospectus summarizes documents and other information in a
manner we believe to be accurate, but we refer you to the actual
documents for a more complete understanding of the information
we discuss in this prospectus. In making an investment decision,
you must rely on your own examination of such documents, our
business and the terms of the exchange offer and the notes,
including the merits and risks involved.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, nor
any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of
these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
MARKET
DATA
Market data contained in or incorporated by reference into this
prospectus is based on independent industry sources (including
International Data Corporation), other publicly available
information and the good faith estimates of our management.
Although we are aware of no reason that would lead us to believe
that such sources are not reliable, the accuracy and
completeness of such information has not been independently
verified by us and cannot be guaranteed.
DISCLOSURE
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
In addition to the other information contained or incorporated
by reference in this prospectus, investors should carefully
consider the risk factors disclosed in this prospectus in
evaluating an investment in the notes. The information contained
in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus includes
forward-looking statements relating to matters including, but
not limited to:
|
|
|
|
|
future sales and operating results, including future earnings,
growth, rates and trends;
|
|
|
|
our anticipation of the timing and amounts of our future
obligations and commitments and our ability to meet those
commitments;
|
|
|
|
|
|
our expectations regarding valuation allowances on future tax
benefits in various countries;
|
|
|
|
|
|
the adequacy of our reserves for potential tax liabilities for
open periods;
|
|
|
|
|
|
the amount of available future cash and our belief that our cash
and cash equivalents, short-term investments, lines of credit
and cash from continuing operations will be sufficient for us to
meet our obligations for the next twelve months;
|
|
|
|
|
|
the success, capabilities and capacities of our business
operations;
|
|
|
|
the adequacy of our restructuring provisions and timing of our
restructuring actions and their impact on our business or
results of operations;
|
|
|
|
the anticipated financial impact of recent and future
acquisitions and divestitures and the adequacy of our provisions
for indemnification obligations pursuant to such transactions;
|
|
|
|
|
|
our ability to continue to comply with the requirements of
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;
|
|
|
|
|
|
our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations;
|
|
|
|
our belief that our current or future environmental liability
exposure related to our facilities will not be material to our
business, financial condition or results of operations; and
|
|
|
|
various other forward-looking statements based on the
expectations of our management as of the date of this prospectus.
|
The forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by
words such as intend, anticipate,
believe, estimate, expect
and other similar words and statements and variations or
negatives of these words. Our forward-looking statements are
based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions and are
subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in condition,
significance, value and effect, including those discussed under
the heading Risk Factors in this prospectus, the
documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and in
our reports filed with the SEC on
Forms 10-K,
10-Q and
8-K. Such
risks, uncertainties and changes in condition, significance,
ii
value and effect could cause our actual results to differ
materially from our anticipated outcomes. Although we believe
that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements
are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate.
Therefore, we can give no assurance that the results implied by
these forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion
of forward-looking information should not be regarded as our
representation that the future events, plans or expectations
contemplated by us will be achieved. Furthermore, past
performance in operations and share price is not necessarily
indicative of future performance. We disclaim any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements
contained in this prospectus or contained in the documents
incorporated by reference into this prospectus, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
You should carefully review the risk factors included in other
reports or documents filed by us from time to time with the SEC,
particularly our Annual Report on
Form 10-K,
our Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
and our Current Reports on
Form 8-K.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on
Form S-4
that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder. The registration statement covers the exchange notes
being offered and Solectron Corporations guarantee of the
exchange notes and encompasses all amendments, exhibits,
annexes, and schedules to the registration statement. This
prospectus does not contain all the information in the exchange
offer registration statement. For further information about us
and the exchange offer, reference should be made to the
registration statement. Statements made in this prospectus as to
the contents of any contract, agreement, or other document
referred to are not necessarily complete. For a more complete
understanding and description of each contract, agreement, or
other document filed as an exhibit to the registration
statement, you should read the documents filed as exhibits to
the registration statement.
Unlike Solectron Corporation, Solectron Global Finance LTD is
not subject to the informational reporting requirement of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by virtue of
Rule 12h-5
thereunder. Solectron Corporation files annual, quarterly and
current reports, proxy statements and other information with the
SEC. You may read and copy any document Solectron Corporation
files at the SECs Public Reference Room at 100 F Street,
N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330
for information on the operation of the public reference room.
Reports, proxy and information statements, and other information
filed electronically with the SEC are available to the public at
the SECs website at www.sec.gov. However, information on
the SECs website does not constitute a part of this
prospectus.
In this document, we incorporate by reference the
information we file with the SEC (other than any portions of
such documents that are not deemed filed under the
Exchange Act in accordance with the Exchange Act and applicable
SEC rules), which means that we can disclose important
information to you by referring to that information. The
information incorporated by reference is considered to be part
of this prospectus, and certain later information that we file
with the SEC prior to the termination of the exchange offer will
update and supersede this information. We incorporate by
reference the documents listed below and any future filings made
with the SEC (other than any portions of such documents that are
not deemed filed under the Exchange Act in
accordance with the Exchange Act and applicable SEC rules) under
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of this prospectus and until
this exchange offer is completed:
|
|
|
|
|
Our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended August 26, 2005, filed with the
SEC on November 9, 2005;
|
|
|
|
Our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended November 25, 2005, filed with the SEC
on January 4, 2006;
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended February 24, 2006, filed with the SEC
on April 5, 2006;
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended May 26, 2006, filed with the SEC on
June 30, 2006; and
|
iii
|
|
|
|
|
Our Current Reports on
Form 8-K,
filed on September 7, 2005, October 5, 2005,
November 2, 2005, December 22, 2005, February 1,
2006, February 21, 2006, March 22, 2006,
March 23, 2006, April 11, 2006, June 2, 2006 and
June 13, 2006.
|
You may obtain a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing
or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number:
Solectron Corporation
847 Gibraltar Drive
Milpitas, California 95035
Telephone:
(408) 957-8500
Attn: Investor Relations
You should rely only on the information provided or incorporated
by reference in this document. We have not authorized anyone to
provide you with different information. You should not assume
that the information in this document is accurate as of any date
other than the date of this prospectus.
iv
SUMMARY
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the
more detailed information, including our consolidated financial
statements and the schedules and related notes and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and the Results of Operations, contained in, or incorporated
into, this prospectus. You should carefully consider the
information set forth under Risk Factors. Unless the
context otherwise requires, the terms Solectron,
we, us, and our refer to
Solectron Corporation, a Delaware corporation, together with its
subsidiaries. Additionally, the terms parent or
guarantor refer only to Solectron Corporation and
not to any of its subsidiaries and the terms
Financeco or issuer refer only to
Solectron Global Finance LTD.
Solectron
Global Finance LTD
Solectron Global Finance LTD, which we refer to in this
prospectus as Financeco, is the issuer of the notes. Financeco
is an indirect, 100%-owned finance subsidiary of Solectron
Corporation, formed solely for the purpose of issuing debt
securities. Financeco has no assets, operations, revenues, or
cash flows other than those related to its debt securities. The
notes are, and the exchange notes will be fully and
unconditionally guaranteed on a senior subordinated basis, as
described in more detail elsewhere in this prospectus, by
Solectron Corporation.
Solectron
Corporation
We provide electronics manufacturing and supply chain services
to original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, around the world.
As a value-added contract manufacturing partner to industry
leading OEMs, our customers contract with us to build their
products or to obtain services related to product design,
manufacturing and post-manufacturing requirements. We design,
build and service products that carry the brand names of our
customers.
We serve several electronics products and technology markets.
Our end markets, and their contribution to net sales as of the
twelve months ended August 31, 2005, are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Computing and storage equipment, including servers, storage
systems, workstations, notebooks, and peripherals (30.6%);
|
|
|
|
Networking equipment such as routers and switches that move
traffic across the Internet (25.0%);
|
|
|
|
Communications equipment, including wireless and wireline
infrastructure products (19.8%);
|
|
|
|
Consumer products such as cellular telephones, set-top boxes and
personal/handheld communications devices (13.7%);
|
|
|
|
Industrial products, including semiconductor manufacturing and
test equipment, wafer fabrication equipment controls, process
automation equipment and home appliance electronics controls
(5.9%);
|
|
|
|
Automotive electronics systems, including audio and navigation
systems, system control modules, and body electronics
(3.2%); and
|
|
|
|
Other electronics equipment and products, including medical
products such as X-ray equipment, ultrasound fetal monitors,
magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scanners, blood analyzers,
insulin delivery devices, electrocardiogram, or ECG, patient
monitors, surgical robotic systems, high performance liquid
chromatographers, or HPLCs, spectrometers and laser surgery
equipment (1.8%).
|
Our customer base consists of many of the worlds leading
technology companies, such as Cisco Systems, Ericsson,
Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, NEC, Nortel
Networks, Sun Microsystems and Thomson.
Our comprehensive range of services are designed to meet
customer supply chain needs throughout the product life cycle.
Our services include:
|
|
|
|
|
Product
stewardship: end-to-end
product sponsorship from product launch/New Product
Introduction, or NPI, to maturity and next generation development
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
Product design
|
|
|
|
Collaborative design
|
|
|
|
Product launch/NPI
|
|
|
|
Design for manufacturability, or DFX, services
|
|
|
|
Printed Circuit Board Assembly, or PCBA, and subsystem
manufacturing
|
|
|
|
Systems integration and test
|
|
|
|
Parts management: managing a clearinghouse of components
necessary for customer repair and warranty needs
|
|
|
|
Inventory management
|
|
|
|
Forward/Reverse logistics: fulfillment of product delivery to
end customers and handling of product returns
|
|
|
|
Repair
|
|
|
|
Recovery/Remarketing: encompassing receipt of returned products,
refurbishment and resale
|
|
|
|
Warranty support
|
|
|
|
Feedback to design and manufacturing for quality/serviceability
|
Industry
Overview
The electronics manufacturing services, or EMS, industry is
comprised of companies that provide a broad range of
manufacturing services to OEMs. According to International Data
Corporation, the global EMS market was estimated to be
$105.5 billion of revenue in 2004 and is expected to grow
to $178.0 billion of revenue by 2009, representing a
compound annual growth rate of 11%.
Electronics OEMs and those that design products with a
significant percentage of electronic components are experiencing
continuous pressure to be more competitive. As OEMs focus on
their core competencies of product development, sales and
marketing and consulting services, managing a supply chain is
often challenging. OEMs have increasingly turned to EMS
companies for supply chain management solutions and, in
response, EMS companies have expanded their capabilities from
manufacturing components or partial assemblies to providing more
complex manufacturing and supply chain services. By outsourcing
their supply chain, OEMs are able to focus on their core
competencies, while leveraging the supply chain expertise of EMS
providers.
Today, leading EMS companies have global footprints and offer
comprehensive product lifecycle services including: front-end
design and new product introduction, engineering and volume
manufacturing, final system assembly and test, direct order
fulfillment, after-market product services and support, and
global supply chain management. Overall EMS market growth is
expected to be driven by continued outsourcing in traditional
EMS end markets such as computing and storage, networking and
communications as well as increased levels of adoption of
outsourced manufacturing strategies from OEMs in non-traditional
end markets such as automotive, medical, military/aerospace and
industrial.
We provide the following benefits to OEMs to support the trend
of increased outsourcing:
|
|
|
|
|
Manufacturing and service technologies
|
|
|
|
Faster
time-to-market
|
|
|
|
Lower costs
|
|
|
|
Flexibility and responsiveness
|
|
|
|
Consistent quality
|
|
|
|
Better asset utilization
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
Focused resource allocation
|
|
|
|
Cost-effective global capabilities
|
|
|
|
Environmental compliance
|
Summary
Issuer Structure
Financeco is an indirect, 100%-owned finance subsidiary of
Solectron Corporation, formed solely for the purpose of issuing
debt securities. Financeco currently has no assets, operations,
revenues, or cash flows other than those related to the issuance
and administration of the notes. The original notes are, and the
exchange notes will be, fully and unconditionally guaranteed on
a senior subordinated basis, as described in more detail
elsewhere in this prospectus, by Solectron Corporation. The
following diagram provides a summary illustration of the
structure of the notes and the exchange notes:
The proceeds of the notes were upstreamed to Solectron
Corporation to repay at maturity its outstanding
7.375% Senior Notes due 2006. Neither Financeco nor
Solectron will receive any proceeds from the issuance of the
exchange notes.
We were originally incorporated in the State of California in
August 1977. In February 1997, we were reincorporated in
Delaware. Our principal executive offices are located at 847
Gibraltar Drive, Milpitas, California 95035. Our telephone
number is
(408) 957-8500
and our internet address is www.solectron.com. The information
contained or incorporated in our website is not a part of this
prospectus and you should not rely on any of that information in
deciding whether or not to exchange your original notes for
exchange notes.
Financeco was incorporated in the Cayman Islands in March 2005
as an exempted company with limited liability under the laws of
the Cayman Islands. The principal executive office for Financeco
is located at 847 Gibraltar Drive, Milpitas, California
95035. Financecos registered office in the Cayman Islands
is CARD Corporate Services, P.O. Box 709GT, 122 Mary
Street, Zephyr House, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
Financecos telephone number in California is
(408) 957-8500
and the telephone number for its registered office in the Cayman
Islands is (345)
949-4544.
Financeco does not have an internet address.
3
Summary
of the Exchange Offer
|
|
|
The Initial Offering of Original Notes |
|
On February 21, 2006, we issued, in a private placement,
$150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.00% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2016 guaranteed by Solectron Corporation,
which we refer to as the original notes. |
|
Registration Rights Agreement |
|
Pursuant to the registration rights agreement between us,
Financeco and the initial purchasers entered into in connection
with the initial private placement, we have agreed to offer to
exchange the original notes for up to $150,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of registered 8.00% Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2016 guaranteed by Solectron Corporation, which we
refer to as the exchange notes. We have filed a registration
statement of which this prospectus is a part to meet our
obligation under the registration rights agreement. If we fail
to perform our obligations under the registration rights
agreement, holders of the original notes will be entitled to
certain payments as liquidated damages. |
|
The Exchange Offer |
|
We are offering to exchange the exchange notes, which have been
registered under the Securities Act, for the same aggregate
principal amount of the original notes. |
|
|
|
The original notes may be tendered only in $1,000 increments. We
will exchange the applicable exchange notes for all original
notes that are validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the
expiration of the exchange offer. We will cause the exchange to
be effected promptly after the expiration date of the exchange
offer. |
|
|
|
The exchange notes will evidence the same debt as the original
notes and will be issued under and entitled to the benefits of
the same indenture that governs the original notes. Holders of
the original notes do not have any appraisal or dissenter rights
in connection with the exchange offer. Upon exchange, the
exchange notes will not be subject to transfer restrictions, and
holders of original notes that have tendered and had their
original notes accepted in the exchange offer will have no
further registration rights. |
|
If You Fail to Exchange Your Original Notes |
|
If you do not exchange your original notes for exchange notes in
the exchange offer, you will continue to be subject to the
restrictions on transfer provided in the original notes and
indenture governing those notes. In general, you may not offer
or sell your original notes unless they are registered under the
federal securities laws or are sold in a transaction exempt from
or not subject to the registration requirements of the federal
securities laws and applicable state securities laws. |
|
Procedures for Tendering Notes |
|
If you wish to tender your original notes for exchange notes and
you hold your original notes in book-entry form, you must
request your participant of the Depositary Trust Company, or
DTC, to, on your behalf, instead of physically completing and
signing the letter of transmittal and delivering the letter and
your original notes to the exchange agent, electronically
transmit an acceptance through DTCs Automated Tender Offer
Program or ATOP. If your original notes are held in book-entry
form and are registered in the name of a broker, dealer,
commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, we urge |
4
|
|
|
|
|
you to contact that person promptly if you wish to tender your
original notes pursuant to this exchange offer. |
|
|
|
If you wish to tender your original notes for exchange notes and
you hold your original notes in certificated form, you must: |
|
|
|
complete and sign the enclosed letter of transmittal
by following the related instructions, and
|
|
|
|
send the letter of transmittal, as directed in the
instructions, together with any other required documents, to the
exchange agent either (1) with the original notes to
be tendered, or (2) in compliance with the specified
procedures for guaranteed delivery of the original notes.
|
|
|
|
Please do not send your letter of transmittal or certificates
representing your original notes to us. Those documents should
be sent only to the exchange agent. Questions regarding how to
tender and requests for information should be directed to the
exchange agent. For a discussion of the procedure for tendering
your original notes, see the subsection entitled The
Exchange Offer Exchange Agent below. |
|
Resale of the Exchange Notes |
|
Except as provided below, we believe that the exchange notes may
be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you
without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery
provisions of the Securities Act so long as: |
|
|
|
the exchange notes are being acquired by you in the
ordinary course of your business,
|
|
|
|
you are not participating, do not intend to
participate, and have no arrangement or understanding with any
person to participate in the distribution of the exchange notes
issued to you in the exchange offer,
|
|
|
|
you are not an affiliate of the issuer or the
guarantor,
|
|
|
|
you are not a broker-dealer tendering original notes
acquired directly from us or our affiliates for your account,
and
|
|
|
|
you are not prohibited by law or any policy of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from participating in
the exchange offer.
|
|
|
|
Our belief is based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC,
as set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties that
are not related to us. The SEC has not considered this exchange
offer in the context of a no-action letter. We cannot assure you
that the SEC would make similar determinations with respect to
this exchange offer. If any of these conditions are not
satisfied, or if our belief is not accurate, and you transfer
any exchange notes issued to you in the exchange offer without
delivering a resale prospectus meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act or without an exemption from registration of your
exchange notes from those requirements, you may incur liability
under the Securities Act. We will not assume, nor will we
indemnify you against, any such liability. |
|
|
|
Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own
account in exchange for original notes, where such original
notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, must
acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with
any resale of such exchange notes. See Plan of
Distribution. |
5
|
|
|
Record Date |
|
We mailed this prospectus and the related offer documents to the
registered holders of the original notes on August 1, 2006. |
|
|
|
Interest on the Exchange Notes and the Original Notes |
|
The exchange notes will bear interest from the most recent
interest payment date to which interest has been paid on the
original notes or, if not yet paid, from February 21, 2006.
Interest on the original notes accepted for exchange will cease
to accrue upon the issuance of the exchange notes. |
|
|
|
Expiration Date |
|
The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on August 29, 2006, unless we decide to extend the
expiration date. |
|
|
|
Conditions to the Exchange Offer |
|
The exchange offer is subject to customary conditions. This
exchange offer is not conditioned upon any minimum principal
amount of the original notes being tendered. |
|
Withdrawal Rights |
|
You may withdraw the tender of your original notes at any time
before the expiration date of the exchange offer. You must
follow the withdrawal procedures as described under the heading
The Exchange Offer Withdrawal of Tenders. |
|
Federal Income Tax Considerations |
|
The exchange of original notes for the exchange notes in the
exchange offer will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal
income tax purposes. For a discussion of federal income tax
considerations in connection with the exchange offer, see the
section titled Certain Federal Income Tax
Considerations below. |
|
Use of Proceeds |
|
Neither we nor Financeco will receive any proceeds from the
issuance of the exchange notes for the original notes in the
exchange offer. We will pay all of our expenses incident to the
exchange offer. |
|
Exchange Agent |
|
U.S. Bank National Association, the trustee under the
indenture governing the notes, is serving as exchange agent for
the exchange offer. |
The
Exchange Notes
The form and terms of the exchange notes are the same as the
form and terms of the original notes, except that the exchange
notes will be registered under the Securities Act. As a result,
the exchange notes will not bear legends restricting their
transfer and will not have the benefit of the registration
rights and liquidated damage provisions in favor of holders of
the original notes. The exchange notes represent the same debt
as the original notes for which they are being exchanged. Both
the original notes and the exchange notes, collectively referred
to as the notes, are governed by the same indenture.
|
|
|
The Issuer |
|
Solectron Global Finance LTD (Financeco or issuer). Financeco is
an indirect 100%-owned finance subsidiary of Solectron
Corporation that has no independent assets, operations, revenues
or cash flows and was formed for the sole purpose of issuing
debt securities. |
|
Securities Offered |
|
$150.0 million in aggregate principal amount of senior
subordinated notes due 2016. |
|
Maturity Date |
|
March 15, 2016. |
|
Interest |
|
8.00% |
|
Interest Payment Dates |
|
Financeco will pay interest semi-annually in cash in arrears on
March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning
September 15, 2006. |
6
|
|
|
Ranking |
|
The exchange notes are Financecos general, unsecured
obligations. The exchange notes: |
|
|
|
are subordinated in right of payment to all existing
and future general unsubordinated obligations of Financeco;
|
|
|
|
are effectively subordinated to all of
Financecos existing and future secured debt to the extent
of the assets, if any, securing such debt; and
|
|
|
|
rank equally in right of payment with all existing
and future senior, subordinated indebtedness of Financeco.
|
|
Parent Guarantee |
|
The exchange notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed
by Solectron, Financecos indirect parent company. The
parent guarantee: |
|
|
|
will be subordinated in right of payment to all
existing and future general unsubordinated obligations of
Solectron;
|
|
|
|
will be effectively subordinated to all of
Solectrons existing and future secured debt to the extent
of the assets securing such debt, including all borrowings, if
any, under Solectrons senior, secured credit facility;
|
|
|
|
will be structurally subordinated to all existing
and future liabilities, including trade payables, of
Solectrons subsidiaries; and
|
|
|
|
ranks equally in right of payment with all existing
and future senior, subordinated indebtedness of Solectron.
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of May 31, 2006, after giving effect to this offering
and the use of proceeds therefrom, Solectron would have had
outstanding an aggregate of approximately $492 million of
Senior Debt (as defined elsewhere in this prospectus). As of
May 31, 2006, the aggregate amount of liabilities of
Solectrons subsidiaries, including trade payables but
excluding intercompany liabilities, was approximately
$2.5 billion. |
|
|
|
Optional Redemption |
|
Financeco and Solectron will each have the option to redeem the
exchange notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after
March 15, 2011, in each case at the redemption prices
described in this prospectus under the heading Description
of the Exchange Notes Optional Redemption,
plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the date of the
redemption. Prior to March 15, 2011, Financeco and
Solectron will each have the option to redeem the notes, in
whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the greater of
100% of principal amount or the make-whole redemption price
described in this prospectus, in each case, plus any accrued and
unpaid interest to the redemption date. |
|
|
|
In addition, prior to March 15, 2009, Financeco or
Solectron may, at any time or from time to time, redeem up to
35% of the aggregate principal amount of the exchange notes with
the net proceeds of a public common stock offering by Solectron
at a redemption price of 108% of the principal amount of
exchange notes, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the
redemption date, if at least 65% of the aggregate principal
amount of the exchange notes issued under the indenture remains
outstanding after such redemption and the redemption occurs
within 90 days of the closing of such equity offering. |
|
Change of Control |
|
If a change of control event occurs, each holder of exchange
notes may require Financeco to repurchase all or a portion of
its notes at a price |
7
|
|
|
|
|
equal to 101% of the principal amount of the exchange notes,
plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase. |
|
Certain Covenants |
|
The indenture governing the exchange notes contains certain
covenants which, among other things, restrict Financecos
ability and the ability of Solectron and Solectrons
restricted subsidiaries to: |
|
|
|
incur additional indebtedness;
|
|
|
|
pay dividends; |
|
|
|
make distributions in respect of Financecos,
Solectrons or Solectrons restricted
subsidiaries capital stock; |
|
|
|
make other restricted payments;
|
|
|
|
give subsidiary guarantees of our other debt; |
|
|
|
enter into transactions with affiliates or related
persons; |
|
|
|
sell assets; |
|
|
|
enter into sale and leaseback transactions; |
|
|
|
create liens; and |
|
|
|
consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all
of Financecos, Solectrons or Solectrons
subsidiaries. |
|
|
|
All of Solectrons subsidiaries are currently restricted
subsidiaries, as defined in the indenture. All of these
covenants are subject to important exceptions and
qualifications. See Risk Factors Risks
Relating to the Exchange Notes and Description of
the Exchange Notes in this prospectus. |
|
Covenant Suspension |
|
If on any date following the date of the indenture the exchange
notes are rated Baa3 or above by Moodys Investor Services
and BBB− or above by Standard & Poors and,
subject to certain exceptions, no default or event of default
has occurred and is continuing, many of the foregoing covenants
would be suspended during the time the exchange notes are rated
at those levels. See Description of the Exchange
Notes Covenant Suspension in this prospectus. |
|
Use of Proceeds |
|
We used the net proceeds from the offering of the original
notes, together with cash on hand of approximately
$4.0 million, to repay at maturity Solectrons
outstanding 7.375% Senior Notes due March 1, 2006.
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will receive any proceeds from
the exchange offer. |
|
No listing of the Exchange Notes |
|
We do not intend to list the original notes or the exchange
notes on any securities exchange or the Nasdaq National Market. |
Risk
Factors
You should read the Risk Factors section, beginning
on page 11 of this prospectus, as well as other cautionary
statements throughout the entire prospectus and the documents
incorporated by reference herein, so that you understand the
risks associated with an investment in the original notes and
the exchange notes.
8
Summary
Consolidated Financial Data
The summary consolidated financial data presented below under
the captions Consolidated Statement of Operations
Data and Consolidated Balance Sheet Data for,
and as of the end of, each of the years in the five-year period
ended August 31, 2005, are derived from our consolidated
financial statements. The consolidated financial statements as
of August 31, 2005 and 2004, and for each of the years in
the three-year period ended August 31, 2005, are included
in our
Form 10-K
for the period ended August 26, 2005 and incorporated by
reference in this prospectus. The summary consolidated financial
data presented below for the nine-month periods ended
May 31, 2006 and 2005, and as of May 31, 2006 and
2005, are derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements included in our
Form 10-Q
for the period ended May 26, 2006 incorporated by reference
in this prospectus. This historical information is not
necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the
future.
Consolidated
Statement of Operations Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Twelve Months Ended August 31
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended May 31
|
|
|
|
2001
|
|
|
2002
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In millions, except per share data)
|
|
|
Net sales
|
|
$
|
17,436.9
|
|
|
$
|
10,738.7
|
|
|
$
|
9,828.3
|
|
|
$
|
11,638.3
|
|
|
$
|
10,441.1
|
|
|
$
|
8,042.6
|
|
|
$
|
7,658.6
|
|
Cost of sales
|
|
|
16,187.7
|
|
|
|
10,234.8
|
|
|
|
9,388.4
|
|
|
|
11,068.6
|
|
|
|
9,868.8
|
|
|
|
7,594.6
|
|
|
|
7,261.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit
|
|
|
1,249.2
|
|
|
|
503.9
|
|
|
|
439.9
|
|
|
|
569.7
|
|
|
|
572.3
|
|
|
|
448.0
|
|
|
|
396.8
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
703.2
|
|
|
|
661.4
|
|
|
|
566.9
|
|
|
|
446.7
|
|
|
|
412.8
|
|
|
|
310.0
|
|
|
|
323.9
|
|
Restructuring and impairment cost(1)
|
|
|
510.9
|
|
|
|
787.7
|
|
|
|
604.8
|
|
|
|
177.9
|
|
|
|
91.1
|
|
|
|
84.4
|
|
|
|
9.1
|
|
Goodwill amortization expense(2)
|
|
|
138.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition costs(3)
|
|
|
23.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill impairment costs(4)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,500.0
|
|
|
|
1,620.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
(127.2
|
)
|
|
|
(3,445.2
|
)
|
|
|
(2,351.9
|
)
|
|
|
(54.9
|
)
|
|
|
68.4
|
|
|
|
53.6
|
|
|
|
63.8
|
|
Interest and other income (expense)
|
|
|
0.8
|
|
|
|
(74.1
|
)
|
|
|
(131.5
|
)
|
|
|
(210.8
|
)
|
|
|
(63.2
|
)
|
|
|
(64.8
|
)
|
|
|
15.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from continuing
operations before income taxes
|
|
$
|
(126.4
|
)
|
|
$
|
(3,519.3
|
)
|
|
$
|
(2,483.4
|
)
|
|
$
|
(265.7
|
)
|
|
$
|
5.2
|
|
|
$
|
(11.2
|
)
|
|
$
|
78.9
|
|
Income tax expense (benefit)
|
|
|
(35.9
|
)
|
|
|
(450.0
|
)
|
|
|
525.5
|
|
|
|
(3.3
|
)
|
|
|
15.7
|
|
|
|
11.1
|
|
|
|
(0.8
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from continuing
operations
|
|
|
(90.5
|
)
|
|
|
(3,069.3
|
)
|
|
|
(3,008.9
|
)
|
|
|
(262.4
|
)
|
|
|
(10.5
|
)
|
|
|
(22.3
|
)
|
|
|
79.7
|
|
Discontinued operations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from discontinued
operations
|
|
$
|
(31.7
|
)
|
|
$
|
(59.1
|
)
|
|
$
|
(331.7
|
)
|
|
$
|
93.7
|
|
|
$
|
16.8
|
|
|
|
15.9
|
|
|
|
16.7
|
|
Income tax expense (benefit)
|
|
|
1.7
|
|
|
|
(18.7
|
)
|
|
|
112.0
|
|
|
|
8.7
|
|
|
|
2.9
|
|
|
|
1.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Loss) income on discontinued
operations
|
|
|
(33.4
|
)
|
|
|
(40.4
|
)
|
|
|
(443.7
|
)
|
|
|
85.0
|
|
|
|
13.9
|
|
|
|
14.2
|
|
|
|
16.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
|
(123.9
|
)
|
|
|
(3,109.7
|
)
|
|
|
(3,452.6
|
)
|
|
|
(177.4
|
)
|
|
|
3.4
|
|
|
|
(8.1
|
)
|
|
|
96.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net income (loss)
per share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Continuing operations
|
|
$
|
(0.14
|
)
|
|
$
|
(3.93
|
)
|
|
$
|
(3.63
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.30
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.01
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.02
|
)
|
|
$
|
0.09
|
|
Discontinued operations
|
|
|
(0.05
|
)
|
|
|
(0.05
|
)
|
|
|
(0.54
|
)
|
|
|
0.10
|
|
|
|
0.01
|
|
|
|
0.01
|
|
|
|
0.02
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net income (loss)
per share
|
|
$
|
(0.19
|
)
|
|
$
|
(3.98
|
)
|
|
$
|
(4.17
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.20
|
)
|
|
$
|
0.00
|
|
|
$
|
(0.01
|
)
|
|
$
|
0.11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended
|
|
|
Twelve Months Ended August 31
|
|
May 31
|
|
|
2001
|
|
2002
|
|
2003
|
|
2004
|
|
2005
|
|
2005
|
|
2006
|
|
Other
Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed
Charges(5)
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
1.1x
|
|
|
|
0.8x
|
|
|
|
3.3x
|
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheet Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 31
|
|
|
May 31
|
|
|
|
2001
|
|
|
2002
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
(In millions)
|
|
|
Working capital
|
|
$
|
6,013.0
|
|
|
$
|
3,652.8
|
|
|
$
|
1,696.6
|
|
|
$
|
2,476.8
|
|
|
$
|
2,009.4
|
|
|
$
|
2,050.5
|
|
|
$
|
2,044.6
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
13,078.4
|
|
|
|
10,990.0
|
|
|
|
6,570.3
|
|
|
|
5,864.0
|
|
|
|
5,257.8
|
|
|
|
5,302.9
|
|
|
|
5,434.0
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
5,027.5
|
|
|
|
3,180.2
|
|
|
|
1,816.9
|
|
|
|
1,221.4
|
|
|
|
540.9
|
|
|
|
540.9
|
|
|
|
627.5
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
5,148.9
|
|
|
|
4,771.4
|
|
|
|
1,471.7
|
|
|
|
2,418.9
|
|
|
|
2,444.2
|
|
|
|
2,508.8
|
|
|
|
2,399.1
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Restructuring and impairment costs consist of the following: |
|
|
|
|
|
2005 (a) $55.2 million of
restructuring charges, principally arising from a new plan to
consolidate facilities, reduce the workforce in Europe and North
America, and impair certain long-lived assets, and (b) a
$35.9 million impairment of intangible assets in connection
with the sale of a facility in Japan.
|
|
|
|
2004 (a) $130.4 million of
restructuring charges and (b) a $47.5 million
impairment of an intangible asset arising from our disengagement
from certain product lines.
|
|
|
|
2003 (a) $433.1 million of
restructuring charges and (b) $171.7 million of
impairment charges as the result of reduced expectations of
sales to be realized under certain supply agreements.
|
|
|
|
2002 (a) $596.5 million of
restructuring charges and (b) $191.2 million of
impairment charges as the result of reduced expectations of
sales to be realized under certain supply agreements.
|
|
|
|
2001 $510.9 million of
restructuring charges.
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Goodwill amortization expense Effective with its
adoption of SFAS 142 at the beginning of fiscal year 2002,
Solectron ceased amortizing goodwill. |
|
(3) |
|
Acquisition costs During 2001, Solectron incurred
various one-time charges in connection with its acquisition of
Nat Steel. |
|
(4) |
|
Goodwill impairments of approximately $1.6 billion and
$2.5 billion, respectively, were recorded in FY 2003 and FY
2002, respectively, as a result of significant negative industry
and economic trends impacting Solectrons operations and
stock price. |
|
|
|
(5) |
|
Earnings consist of income from continuing
operations before income taxes plus fixed charges and
fixed charges consist of (i) interest on all
indebtedness and amortization of debt discount and expense,
(ii) capitalized interest and (iii) an interest factor
attributable to rentals. Earnings, as defined, were not
sufficient to cover fixed charges by $126.4 million,
$3,519.3 million $2,483.4 million and
$265.7 million for fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004,
respectively. |
10
RISK
FACTORS
Risks
Related to Our Business
This offering involves a high degree of risk. In addition to
the other information contained in or incorporated by reference
into this prospectus, you should carefully consider the
following risk factors, before deciding whether to exchange
original notes for exchange notes. If any of the events or
circumstances described below actually occur, our business,
financial condition or results of operations could suffer, and
the trading price of the securities offered by this prospectus
could decline or become more volatile and you could lose part or
all of your investment. The risks outlined below are not the
only risks and uncertainties we face.
Most
of our sales come from a small number of customers; if we lose
any of these customers, our net sales could decline
significantly.
Most of our annual net sales come from a small number of our
customers. Our ten largest customers accounted for approximately
61.6%, 59.8%, 60.6%, 61.4% and 62.2% of net sales from
continuing operations in fiscal years 2005, 2004, 2003, and the
third quarter of fiscal years 2006 and 2005, respectively.
During the first and second quarter of fiscal 2006, two of these
customers each individually accounted for more than ten percent
of our net sales and during the third quarter of
fiscal 2006, one of these customers accounted for more than
ten percent of our net sales. Any material delay, cancellation
or reduction of orders from these or other major customers could
cause our net sales to decline significantly, and we may not be
able to reduce the accompanying expenses at the same time. We
cannot guarantee that we will be able to retain any of our
largest customers or any other accounts, or that we will be able
to realize the expected revenues under existing or anticipated
supply agreements with these customers. Our business, market
share, consolidated financial condition and results of
operations will continue to depend significantly on our ability
to obtain orders from new customers, retain existing customers,
realize expected revenues under existing and anticipated supply
agreements, as well as on the consolidated financial condition
and success of our customers and their customers.
Sales may not improve, and could decline, in future periods if
there is continued or resumed weakness in customer demand,
particularly in the communications, computing and consumer
sectors, resulting from domestic or worldwide economic
conditions.
Our
customers may cancel their orders, change production quantities
or locations, or delay production.
To remain competitive, EMS companies must provide their
customers increasingly rapid product turnaround, at increasingly
competitive prices. We generally do not have long-term
contractual commitments from our top customers. As a result, we
cannot guarantee that we will continue to receive any orders or
revenues from our customers. Customers may cancel orders at
their sole discretion, change production quantities or delay
production for a number of reasons outside of our control. Many
of our customers have experienced from time to time significant
decreases in demand for their products and services, as well as
continual material price competition and sales price erosion.
This volatility has resulted, and will continue to result, in
our customers delaying purchases on the products we manufacture
for them, and placing purchase orders for lower volumes of
products than previously anticipated. Cancellations, reductions
or delays by a significant customer or by a group of customers
would seriously harm our results of operations by lowering,
eliminating or deferring revenue without substantial offsetting
reductions in our costs thereby reducing our profitability. In
addition, customers may require that manufacturing of their
products be transitioned from one of our facilities to another
of our facilities to achieve cost reductions and other
objectives. Such transfers, if unanticipated or not properly
executed, could result in various inefficiencies and increased
costs, including excess capacity and overhead at one facility
and capacity constraints and related strains on our resources at
the other, disruption and delays in product deliveries and
sales, deterioration in product quality and customer
satisfaction, and increased manufacturing and scrap costs all of
which would have the effect of reducing our profits.
11
We may
not be able to sell excess or obsolete inventory to customers or
third parties, which could have a material adverse impact on our
consolidated financial condition.
The majority of our inventory purchases and commitments are
based upon demand forecasts that our customers provide to us.
The customers forecasts, and any changes to the forecasts,
including cancellations, may lead to on-hand inventory
quantities and on-order purchase commitments that are in excess
of the customers revised needs, or on-hand inventory that
becomes obsolete. We generally enter into agreements with our
significant customers. Under these agreements, the extent of our
customers responsibility for excess or obsolete inventory
related to raw materials that were previously purchased or
ordered to meet that customers demand forecast is defined.
If our customers do not comply with their contractual
obligations to purchase excess or obsolete inventory back from
us and we are unable to use or sell such inventory, or if we are
unsuccessful in obtaining our customers agreement to
purchase such inventory contractually, our consolidated
financial condition could be materially harmed. Some of our
customers are in the communications industry, an industry that
in recent years has experienced declining revenue, large losses,
negative cash flows, and several bankruptcies or defaults on
borrowing arrangements. There is a risk that, in the future,
these or other customers may not purchase inventory back from us
despite contractual obligations, which could harm our
consolidated financial condition if we are unable to sell the
inventory at carrying value. In addition, enforcement of these
supply agreements may result in material expenses, delays in
payment for inventory
and/or
disruptions in our customer relationships.
In addition, we are responsible for excess and obsolete
inventory resulting from inventory purchases in excess of
inventory needed to meet customer demand forecasts at the time
the purchase commitments were made, as well as any inventory
purchases outside that provided for in our agreements. For
inventory which is not the customers responsibility,
provisions are made when required to reduce any such excess or
obsolete inventory to its estimated net realizable value based
on the quantity of such inventory on hand, our customers
latest forecasts of production requirements, our assessment of
available disposition alternatives such as use of components on
other programs, the ability and cost to return components to the
vendor and our estimates of resale values and opportunities.
These assessments are based upon various assumptions and market
conditions which are subject to rapid change, or which may
ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Any material changes in our
assumptions or market conditions could have a significant effect
on our estimates of net realizable value, could necessitate
material changes in our provisions for excess and obsolete
inventory, and could have a material adverse impact on our
consolidated financial condition. In addition, in the normal
course of business, bona fide disagreements may arise over the
amount or timing of such claims, and in order to avoid
litigation expenses, collection risks, or disruption of customer
relationships, we may elect to settle such disputes for lesser
amounts than we believe we should be entitled to recover. In
these instances, we must bear the economic loss of any such
excess or obsolete inventory, which could have a material
adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition.
Our
non-U.S. locations
represent a significant portion of our sales; we are exposed to
risks associated with operating internationally.
Approximately 70.1%, 72.3%, 67.3%, 70.9% and 72.5% of our of our
net sales from continuing operations are the result of services
and products manufactured in countries outside the United States
during fiscal years 2005, 2004, 2003 and during the third
quarter of fiscal years 2006 and 2005, respectively. As a result
of our foreign sales and facilities, our operations are subject
to a variety of risks and costs that are unique to international
operations, including the following:
|
|
|
|
|
adverse movement of foreign currencies against the
U.S. dollar in which our results are reported;
|
|
|
|
import and export duties, and value added taxes;
|
|
|
|
import and export regulation changes that could erode our profit
margins or restrict exports
and/or
imports;
|
|
|
|
potential restrictions on the transfer of funds;
|
|
|
|
government and license requirements governing the transfer of
technology and products abroad;
|
|
|
|
disruption of local labor supply
and/or
transportation services;
|
|
|
|
inflexible employee contracts in the event of business downturns;
|
12
|
|
|
|
|
the burden and cost of compliance with import and export
regulations and foreign laws;
|
|
|
|
economic and political risks in emerging or developing
economies; and
|
|
|
|
risks of conflict and terrorism that could disrupt our or our
customers and suppliers businesses.
|
We have been granted tax holidays, subject to some conditions,
for our Malaysian site, effective through January 2012, and our
Singapore sites, effective through March 2011. These tax
holidays are effective for various terms and are subject to some
conditions. It is possible that the current tax holidays will be
terminated or modified or that future tax holidays that we may
seek will not be granted. If the current tax holidays are
terminated or modified, or if additional tax holidays are not
granted in the future or when our current tax holidays expire,
our future effective income tax rate could increase.
We are
exposed to general economic conditions, which could have a
material adverse impact on our business, operating results and
consolidated financial condition.
As a result of the recent economic conditions in the United
States and internationally, and reduced capital spending as well
as uncertain end-market demand, our sales have been difficult to
forecast with accuracy. Though we have seen some recovery in the
markets that we serve, if there were to be continued weakness,
or any further deterioration in the markets in which we operate
or the business or financial condition of our customers, it
would have a material adverse impact on our business, operating
results and consolidated financial condition. In addition, if
the economic conditions in the United States and the other
markets we serve worsen, we may experience a material adverse
impact on our business, operating results and consolidated
financial condition.
Possible
fluctuation of operating results from quarter to quarter and
factors out of our control could affect the market price of our
securities.
Our quarterly earnings or stock price may fluctuate in the
future due to a number of factors including the following:
|
|
|
|
|
differences in the profitability of the types of manufacturing
services we provide. For example, high velocity and low
complexity printed circuit boards and systems assembly services
have lower gross profit than low volume/complex printed circuit
boards and systems assembly services;
|
|
|
|
our ability to maximize the hours of use of our equipment and
facilities is dependent on the duration of the production run
time for each job and customer;
|
|
|
|
the amount of automation that we can use in the manufacturing
process for cost reduction varies, depending upon the complexity
of the product being made;
|
|
|
|
our customers demand for our products and their ability to
take delivery of our products and make timely payments for
delivered products;
|
|
|
|
our ability to optimize the ordering of inventory as to timing
and amount to avoid holding inventory in excess of immediate
production needs;
|
|
|
|
our ability to offer technologically advanced, cost-effective,
quick response manufacturing services;
|
|
|
|
our ability to drive down manufacturing costs in accordance with
customer and market requirements is dependent upon our ability
to apply Lean Six Sigma operating principles;
|
|
|
|
fluctuations in the availability and pricing of components;
|
|
|
|
timing of expenditures in anticipation of increased sales;
|
|
|
|
cyclicality in our target markets;
|
|
|
|
fluctuations in our market share;
|
|
|
|
fluctuations in currency exchange rates;
|
|
|
|
expenses and disruptions associated with acquisitions and
divestitures;
|
13
|
|
|
|
|
announcements of operating results and business conditions by
our customers;
|
|
|
|
announcements by our competitors relating to new customers or
technological innovation or new services;
|
|
|
|
economic developments in the electronics industry as a whole;
|
|
|
|
credit rating and stock analyst downgrades;
|
|
|
|
our ability to successfully integrate changes to our enterprise
resource planning, or ERP, system;
|
|
|
|
political and economic developments in countries in which we
have operations; and
|
|
|
|
general market conditions.
|
If our operating results in the future are below the
expectations of securities analysts and investors, the market
price of our outstanding securities could be harmed.
If we
incur more restructuring-related charges than currently
anticipated, our consolidated financial condition and results of
operations may suffer.
We continually evaluate our business and strategic footprint and
our cost structure relative to our projected financial results
and customer demand. As a result of our evaluations, we have
taken restructuring activities in the past for which we incurred
restructuring and impairment costs relating to continuing
operations of approximately $604.8 million,
$177.9 million, $91.1 million, $2.6 million and
$40.5 million during fiscal years 2003, 2004, 2005 and the
third quarter of fiscal years 2006 and 2005, respectively, and
we may decide to take restructuring activities in the future
which could consist of cash and non-cash charges. These charges
have been substantial in the past and may be substantial in the
future. If our estimates about previous restructuring charges
prove to be inadequate or we decide to undertake additional
restructuring activities, our consolidated financial condition,
profitability and results of operations may suffer.
Failure
to attract and retain key personnel and skilled associates could
hurt our operations.
Our continued success depends to a large extent upon the efforts
and abilities of key managerial and technical associates. Losing
the services of key personnel could harm us. Our business also
depends upon our ability to continue to attract and retain key
executives, senior managers and skilled associates. Failure to
do so could harm our business.
We
depend on limited or sole source suppliers for critical
components. The inability to obtain sufficient components as
required, and under favorable purchase terms, would cause harm
to our business.
We are dependent on certain suppliers, including limited and
sole source suppliers, to provide key components used in our
products. We have experienced, and may in the future experience,
delays in component deliveries, which in turn could cause delays
in product shipments and require the redesign of certain
products. In addition, if we are unable to procure necessary
components under favorable purchase terms, including at
favorable prices and with the order lead-times needed for the
efficient and profitable operation of our factories, our results
of operations could suffer. The electronics industry has
experienced in the past, and may experience in the future,
shortages in semiconductor devices, including
application-specific integrated circuits, DRAM, SRAM, flash
memory, certain passive devices such as tantalum capacitors, and
other commodities that may be caused by such conditions as
overall market demand surges or supplier production capacity
constraints. The inability to continue to obtain sufficient
components as and when required, or to develop alternative
sources as and when required, could cause delays, disruptions or
reductions in product shipments or require product redesigns
which could damage relationships with current or prospective
customers, and increase inventory levels and costs, thereby
causing harm to our business.
We
potentially bear the risk of price increases associated with
shortages in electronics components.
At various times, there have been shortages of components in the
electronics industry leading to increased component prices. One
of the services that we perform for many customers is purchasing
electronics components
14
used in the manufacturing of the customers products. As a
result of this service, we potentially bear the risk of price
increases for these components if we are unable to purchase
components at the pricing level anticipated to support the
margins assumed in our agreements with our customers.
Our
net sales could decline if our competitors provide comparable
manufacturing services and improved products at a lower
cost.
We compete with a number of different contract manufacturers,
depending on the type of service we provide or the geographic
locale of our operations. This industry is intensely competitive
and some of our competitors may have greater manufacturing,
financial, R&D
and/or
marketing resources than we have. In addition, we may not be
able to offer prices as low as some of our competitors because
those competitors may have lower cost structures as a result of
their geographic location or the services they provide, or
because such competitors are willing to accept business at lower
margins in order to utilize more of their excess capacity. In
that event, our net sales would decline. We also expect our
competitors to continue to improve the performance of their
current products or services, to reduce their current products
or service sales prices and to introduce new products or
services that may offer greater value-added performance and
improved pricing. If we are unable to improve our capabilities
substantially, any of these could cause a decline in sales, loss
of market acceptance of our products or services and
corresponding loss of market share, or profit margin
compression. We have experienced instances in which customers
have transferred certain portions of their business to
competitors in response to more attractive pricing quotations
than we have been willing to offer, and there can be no
assurance that we will not lose business in the future in
response to such competitive pricing or other inducements which
may be offered by our competitors.
We
depend on the continuing trend of OEMs to
outsource.
A substantial factor in our past revenue growth was attributable
to the transfer of manufacturing and supply-based management
activities from our OEM customers. Future growth is partially
dependent on new outsourcing opportunities. To the extent that
these opportunities are not available, our future growth would
be unfavorably impacted.
Our
strategic relationships with major customers create
risks.
In the past several years, we completed several strategic
transactions with OEM customers. Under these arrangements, we
generally acquired inventory, equipment and other assets from
the OEM, and leased (or in some cases acquired) their
manufacturing facilities, while simultaneously entering into
multi-year supply agreements for the production of their
products. There has been strong competition among EMS companies
for these transactions, and this competition may continue to be
a factor in customers selection of their EMS providers.
These transactions contributed to a significant portion of our
past revenue growth, as well as to a significant portion of our
more recent restructuring charges and goodwill and intangible
asset impairments. While we do not anticipate our acquisitions
of OEM plants and equipment in the near future to return to the
levels at which they occurred in the recent past, there may be
occasions on which we determine it to be advantageous to
complete acquisitions in selected geographic or industry
markets. As part of such arrangements, we would typically enter
into supply agreements with the divesting OEMs, but such
agreements generally do not require any minimum volumes of
purchases by the OEM and the actual volume of purchases may be
less than anticipated. Arrangements which may be entered into
with divesting OEMs typically would involve many risks,
including the following:
|
|
|
|
|
we may pay a purchase price to the divesting OEMs that exceeds
the value we are ultimately able to realize from the future
business of the OEM;
|
|
|
|
the integration into our business of the acquired assets and
facilities may be time-consuming and costly;
|
|
|
|
we, rather than the divesting OEM, would bear the risk of excess
capacity;
|
|
|
|
we may not achieve anticipated cost reductions and efficiencies;
|
|
|
|
we may be unable to meet the expectations of the OEM as to
volume, product quality, timeliness and cost reductions; and
|
15
|
|
|
|
|
if demand for the OEMs products declines, the OEM may
reduce its volume of purchases, and we may not be able to
sufficiently reduce the expenses of operating the facility or
use the facility to provide services to other OEMs, and we might
find it appropriate to close, rather than continue to operate,
the facility, and any such actions would require us to incur
significant restructuring
and/or
impairment charges.
|
As a result of these and other risks, we may be unable to
achieve anticipated levels of profitability under such
arrangements and they may not result in material revenues or
contribute positively to our earnings.
If we
are unable to manage future acquisitions and cost-effectively
run our operations, our profitability could be adversely
affected.
Our ability to manage and integrate future acquisitions will
require successful integration of such acquisitions into our
manufacturing and logistics infrastructure, and may require
enhancements or upgrades of accounting and other internal
management systems and the implementation of a variety of
procedures and controls. We cannot guarantee that significant
problems in these areas will not occur. Any failure to enhance
or expand these systems and implement such procedures and
controls in an efficient manner and at a pace consistent with
our business activities could harm our consolidated financial
condition and results of operations. In addition, we may
experience inefficiencies from the management of geographically
dispersed facilities and incur substantial infrastructure and
working capital costs.
Business
disruptions could seriously harm our future revenue and
financial condition and increase our costs and
expenses.
Our worldwide operations could be subject to natural disasters
and other business disruptions, which could seriously harm our
revenue and financial condition and increase our costs and
expenses. We are predominantly self-insured for losses and
interruptions caused by earthquakes, power shortages,
communications failures, water shortages, tsunamis, floods,
typhoons, hurricanes, fires, extreme weather conditions and
other natural or manmade disasters.
Notwithstanding
our recent divestiture of certain businesses, we will remain
subject to certain indemnification obligations for a period of
time after completion of the divestitures.
The sale agreements for our divested businesses contain
indemnification provisions pursuant to which we may be required
to indemnify the buyer of the divested business for liabilities,
losses or expenses arising out of breaches of covenants and
certain breaches of representations and warranties relating to
the condition of the business prior to and at the time of sale.
While we believe, based upon the facts presently known to us,
that we have made adequate provision for any such potential
indemnification obligations, it is possible that other facts may
become known in the future which may subject us to claims for
additional liabilities or expenses beyond those presently
anticipated and provided for. Should any such unexpected
liabilities or expenses be of a material amount, our finances
could be adversely affected.
If we
have a material weakness in our internal controls over financial
reporting, investors could lose confidence in the reliability of
our financial statements, which could result in a decrease in
the value of our securities.
One or more material weaknesses in our internal controls over
financial reporting could occur or be identified in the future.
In addition, because of inherent limitations, our internal
controls over financial reporting may not prevent or detect
misstatements, and any projections of any evaluation of
effectiveness of internal controls to future periods are subject
to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions or that the degree of compliance with our
policies or procedures may deteriorate. If we fail to maintain
the adequacy of our internal controls, including any failure to
implement or difficulty in implementing required new or improved
controls, our business and results of operations could be
harmed, we could fail to be able to provide reasonable assurance
as to our financial results or meet our reporting obligations
and there could be a material adverse effect on the price of our
securities.
16
If our
products are subject to warranty or liability claims, our
business reputation may be damaged and we may incur significant
costs.
We may experience defects in our designs or deficiencies with
respect to our manufacturing services. In certain of our
manufacturing service contracts, we provide a warranty against
such defects or deficiencies. We may be exposed to warranty
and/or
manufacturers liability claims as a result of these
defects
and/or
deficiencies, and some claims may relate to customer product
recalls. A successful claim for damages arising as a result of
such defects or deficiencies for which we are not insured or
where the damages exceed our insurance coverage or any material
claim for which insurance coverage is denied or limited and for
which indemnification is not available could have a material
adverse effect on our business, results of operations and
financial condition. A successful claim for such damages, or a
product recall conducted by one of our customers, also could
have an adverse effect on our business reputation. A claim,
regardless of merit, might be time-consuming and expensive to
resolve.
Our
design and engineering services may result in additional
exposure to product liability, intellectual property
infringement and other claims.
We are offering more design services, primarily those relating
to products that we manufacture for our customers, and we offer
design services related to collaborative design manufacturing
and turnkey solutions. Providing such services can expose us to
different or greater potential liabilities than those we face
when providing our regular manufacturing services. With the
growth of our design services business, we have increased
exposure to potential product liability claims resulting from
injuries caused by defects in products we design, as well as
potential claims that products we design infringe third-party
intellectual property rights. Such claims could subject us to
significant liability for damages and, regardless of their
merits, could be time- consuming and expensive to resolve. We
also may have greater potential exposure from warranty claims,
and from product recalls due to problems caused by product
design. Costs associated with possible product liability claims,
intellectual property infringement claims and product recalls
could have a material adverse effect on our results of
operations.
We are
exposed to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and
interest rate fluctuations.
We have currency exposure arising from both sales and purchases
denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of
our sites. Fluctuations in the rate of exchange between the
currency of the exposure and the functional currency of our
sites could seriously harm our business, operating results and
consolidated financial condition.
As of May 31, 2006, we had outstanding foreign exchange
forward contracts with a total notional amount of approximately
$364.8 million. The change in value of the foreign exchange
forward contracts resulting from a hypothetical 10% change in
foreign exchange rates would be offset by the remeasurement of
the related balance sheet items, the result of which would not
be significant.
The primary objective of our investment activities is to
preserve principal, while at the same time maximize yields
without significantly increasing risk. To achieve this
objective, we maintain our portfolio of cash equivalents in a
variety of securities, including government and corporate
obligations, certificates of deposit and money market funds. As
of May 31, 2006, substantially our entire total portfolio
was scheduled to mature in less than three months. A
hypothetical 10% change in interest rates would not have a
material effect on the fair value of our investment portfolios.
Our long-term debt instruments are currently subject to fixed
interest rates and the amount of principal to be repaid at
maturity is also fixed. Therefore, although we are not currently
exposed to variable interest rates related to our long-term debt
instruments, we may become exposed if there were to be material
borrowings under our credit facility or we take actions such
that our other long-term debt instruments become exposed to
variable interest rates.
Failure
to comply with environmental and other regulations could harm
our business.
As a company in the electronics manufacturing services industry,
we are subject to a variety of environmental regulations,
including those relating to the use, storage, discharge and
disposal of hazardous chemicals used during our manufacturing
process as well as air quality and water quality regulations,
restrictions on water use, and storm
17
water regulations. We are also required to comply with laws and
regulations relating to occupational safety and health, product
disposal and product content and labeling. Although we have
never sustained any significant loss as a result of
non-compliance with such regulations, any failure by us to
comply with environmental laws and regulations could result in
liabilities or the suspension of production. In addition, these
laws and regulations could restrict our ability to expand our
facilities or require us to acquire costly equipment or incur
other significant costs to comply with regulations.
We own and lease some contaminated sites (for some of which we
have been indemnified by third parties for required
remediation), sites for which there is a risk of the presence of
contamination, and sites with some levels of contamination for
which we may be liable and which may or may not ultimately
require any remediation. In addition, we have been and are
potentially liable for contamination at sites where we have
disposed of hazardous materials. We have obtained environmental
insurance to reduce potential environmental liability exposures
posed by some of our operations and facilities. We believe,
based on our current knowledge, that the cost of any groundwater
or soil clean up that may be required at our facilities or at
any disposal sites would not materially harm our business,
consolidated financial condition and results of operations.
Nevertheless, the process of remediating contamination in soil
and groundwater at facilities is costly and cannot be estimated
with high levels of confidence, and there can be no assurance
that the costs of such activities would not harm our business,
consolidated financial condition and results of operations in
the future.
In general, we are not directly responsible for the compliance
of our manufactured products with laws like the Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive relating to the
collection and recycling of certain electronic products and the
Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive relating
to the hazardous materials content of certain electronic
products, both adopted by the European Union, as well as similar
laws being adopted in other countries (including the United
States). These laws generally apply to our OEM customers though
OEM customers may require us to certify that our products meet
the requirements of the laws. Solectron also may provide
compliance-related services with respect to WEEE, RoHS and
similar laws to our customers upon request. Failing to have the
capability of delivering the products which comply with these
present and future environmental laws and regulations could
restrict our ability to expand facilities, or could require us
to acquire costly equipment or to incur other significant
expenses to comply with environmental regulations, and could
impair our relations with our customers. Moreover, to the extent
we are found non-compliant with any environmental laws and
regulations applicable to our activities, we may incur
substantial fines and penalties.
We may
not be able adequately to protect or enforce our intellectual
property rights and could become involved in intellectual
property disputes.
In the past we have been and may from time to time continue to
be notified of claims that we may be infringing patents,
copyrights or other intellectual property rights owned by other
parties. In the event of an infringement claim, we may be
required to spend a significant amount of money to develop a
non-infringing alternative, to obtain licenses, or to defend
against the claim. We may not be successful in developing such
an alternative or obtaining a license on reasonable terms, if at
all. Any litigation, even where an infringement claim is without
merit, could result in substantial costs and diversion of
resources. Accordingly, the resolution or adjudication of
intellectual property disputes could have a material adverse
effect on our business, consolidated financial condition and
results of operations.
Our ability to effectively compete may be affected by our
ability to protect our proprietary information. We hold a number
of patents, patent applications, and various trade secrets and
license rights. These patents, trade secrets, and license rights
may not provide meaningful protection for our manufacturing
processes and equipment innovations, or we might find it
necessary to initiate litigation proceedings to protect our
intellectual property rights. Any such litigation could be
lengthy and costly and could harm our consolidated financial
condition.
Rating
downgrades may make it more expensive for us to borrow
money.
Our issuer credit rating is B+ with a positive
outlook by Standard & Poors and our long-term
corporate family rating is B1 with stable outlook by
Moodys. These credit ratings are subject to change at the
discretion of the rating agencies. If our credit ratings were
downgraded, it would increase our cost of capital should we
borrow
18
under our revolving lines of credit, and it may make it more
expensive for us to raise additional capital in the future. Such
capital raising may be on terms that may not be acceptable to us
or capital may not be available to us at all. Any future adverse
rating agency actions with respect to our ratings could have an
adverse effect on the market price of our securities, our
ability to compete for new business, our cost of capital, and
our ability to access capital markets.
Unanticipated
changes in our tax rates or in our exposure to additional income
tax liabilities could affect our operating results and financial
condition.
We are subject to income taxes both in the United States and
various foreign jurisdictions. Our effective tax rates could be
adversely affected by changes in tax laws and increases in the
percentages of our earnings from countries with higher tax
rates, as well as other factors. If any of these changes were to
occur, our income tax provision, operating results and financial
condition could be adversely affected.
Risks
Related to the Exchange Notes
If you
fail to follow the exchange offer procedures, your original
notes will not be accepted for exchange.
We may not accept your original notes for exchange if you do not
follow the exchange offer procedures. We will issue exchange
notes as part of this exchange offer only after timely receipt
of your original notes, a properly completed and duly executed
letter of transmittal and all other required documents or if you
comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures for tendering
your original notes. Therefore, if you want to tender your
original notes, please allow sufficient time to ensure timely
delivery. If we do not receive your original notes, letter of
transmittal, and all other required documents by the expiration
date of the exchange offer, or you do not otherwise comply with
the guaranteed delivery procedures for tendering your original
notes, we will not accept your original notes for exchange. We
are under no duty to give notification of defects or
irregularities with respect to the tenders of original notes for
exchange. If there are defects or irregularities with respect to
your tender of original notes, we will not accept your original
notes for exchange unless we decide in our sole discretion to
waive such defects or irregularities.
If you
fail to exchange your original notes for exchange notes, your
original notes will continue to be subject to the existing
transfer restrictions and you may not be able to sell
them.
We did not register the original notes, nor do we intend to do
so following the exchange offer. Original notes that are not
tendered will continue to be subject to the existing transfer
restrictions and may be transferred only in limited
circumstances under the securities laws. As a result, if you
hold original notes after the exchange offer, you may not be
able to sell them. To the extent any original notes are tendered
and accepted in the exchange offer, the trading market, if any,
for the original notes that remain outstanding after the
exchange offer may be adversely and materially affected due to a
reduction in market liquidity.
There
is no established trading market for the exchange notes, which
means there are uncertainties regarding the price and terms on
which a bidder could dispose of the exchange notes, if at
all.
There is no existing trading market for the exchange notes and
we do not expect to list them on any securities exchange or on
the Nasdaq National Market. Although the initial purchasers of
the original notes informed us that they intend to make a market
in each series of notes, they have no obligation to do so and
may cease their market-making at any time without notice. In
addition, market-making will be subject to the limits imposed by
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and may be limited
during this exchange offer and the pendency of any shelf
registration statement. The liquidity of the trading market in
the exchange notes, and the market price quoted for the exchange
notes, may be adversely affected by:
|
|
|
|
|
changes in the overall market for debt securities;
|
|
|
|
changes in our financial performance or prospects;
|
|
|
|
the prospects for companies in our industry generally;
|
|
|
|
the number of holders or amounts outstanding of the exchange
notes;
|
19
|
|
|
|
|
the interest of securities dealers in making a market for the
exchange notes; and
|
|
|
|
prevailing interest rates.
|
As a result, you cannot be sure that an active trading market
will develop for the exchange notes.
Our
substantial debt could adversely affect our cash flow and
prevent us from fulfilling our obligations.
We have, and will continue to have after the offering of the
exchange notes, significant amounts of outstanding indebtedness
and interest expense. Our level of indebtedness presents risks
to investors, including the possibility that we may be unable to
generate cash sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on
our indebtedness when due. As of May 31, 2006, we had
(1) consolidated total debt of approximately
$706.4 million, and (2) a ratio of total debt to
stockholders equity of approximately 0.3 to 1.
Our substantial debt could have important consequences, such as:
|
|
|
|
|
making it more difficult or impossible for us to make payments
on the notes or any other indebtedness or obligations;
|
|
|
|
requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow
from operations and other capital resources to debt service,
thereby reducing our ability to fund working capital, capital
expenditures and other cash requirements;
|
|
|
|
increasing our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry
conditions;
|
|
|
|
limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to,
changes and opportunities in, the electronics manufacturing
industry, which may place us at a competitive
disadvantage; and
|
|
|
|
limiting our ability to incur additional debt on acceptable
terms, if at all.
|
Subject to specified limitations in the indenture, we and our
subsidiaries will be able to incur substantial indebtedness in
the future, including our ability to borrow up to
$500 million under our secured credit facility and debt we
may incur to finance any future acquisitions. If new debt is
added to our and our subsidiaries current debt levels, the
related risks that we and they now face could intensify.
Our
ability to generate the cash needed to service our debt
obligations depends on a number of factors, many of which are
beyond our control.
Our ability to generate the cash needed to service our debt
obligations is dependent upon our future performance, which will
be subject to financial, business and other factors affecting
our operations, many of which are beyond our control. To the
extent that we are unable to meet our obligations under our
debt, we will be required to restructure or refinance them, seek
additional equity financing or sell assets. We may not be able
to restructure or refinance our debt, obtain additional
financing or sell assets on satisfactory terms or at all.
The
agreements covering our existing debt contain, and the indenture
for the notes will contain, various covenants that limit our
discretion in the operation of our business.
The agreements and instruments governing our existing debt, the
notes offered hereby and our secured credit facilities contain
and will contain various restrictive covenants that, among other
things, require us to comply with or maintain certain financial
tests and ratios and restrict our ability to:
|
|
|
|
|
incur debt;
|
|
|
|
incur or maintain liens;
|
|
|
|
redeem
and/or
prepay debt;
|
|
|
|
make acquisitions of businesses or entities;
|
|
|
|
make investments, including loans, guarantees and advances;
|
|
|
|
make capital expenditures;
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
engage in mergers, consolidations or certain sales of assets;
|
|
|
|
engage in transactions with affiliates;
|
|
|
|
pay dividends or engage in stock redemptions; and
|
|
|
|
enter into certain restrictive agreements.
|
Our ability to comply with covenants contained in our secured
credit facilities, the indenture governing the notes and other
indebtedness to which we are or may become a party may be
affected by events beyond our control, including prevailing
economic, financial and industry conditions. Our failure to
comply with our debt-related obligations could cause an event of
default which, if not cured or waived, could result in an
acceleration of our indebtedness and cross-defaults under our
other indebtedness. If all or any part of our debt were to be
accelerated, we may not have or be able to obtain sufficient
funds to repay it.
Even if we are able to comply with all applicable covenants, the
restrictions on our ability to operate our business in our sole
discretion could harm our business by, among other things,
limiting our ability to take advantage of financings, mergers,
acquisitions and other corporate opportunities.
Payment
of principal and interest on the exchange notes by Financeco
will be unsecured and subordinated to future senior
indebtedness. Further, the guarantee of the exchange notes is
unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to all of our
existing and future senior debt and effectively subordinated to
all existing and future liabilities of our
subsidiaries.
The exchange notes are subordinated to any future senior
indebtedness of Financeco. In addition, our guarantee is
unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to all of our
existing and future senior debt. As of May 31, 2006, we had
$492 million of Senior Debt, as defined elsewhere in this
prospectus.
In the event of (1) our liquidation or insolvency,
(2) a payment default on our senior debt, (3) a
covenant default on our designated senior debt, or
(4) acceleration of the guarantee due to an event default,
we will make payments on the guarantee only after our senior
debt has been paid in full because the guarantee is subordinated
to our senior debt. As a result, under certain circumstances we
may not have sufficient assets remaining to pay any or all
amounts due on the guarantee. In addition, all payments on the
exchange notes and guarantee will be blocked in the event of a
payment default on designated senior debt and may be blocked for
up to 179 consecutive days during any
365-day
period in the event of certain non-payment default on designated
senior debt.
In addition, our guarantee of Financecos obligations under
the exchange notes will be structurally subordinated to all
liabilities and commitments (including trade payables and lease
obligations) of our subsidiaries, whether or not secured. Our
right to receive assets of any of our subsidiaries upon the
subsidiarys liquidation or reorganization (and the
consequent right of the holders of the exchange notes to
participate in those assets) will be structurally subordinated
to the claims of that subsidiarys creditors. Consequently,
the exchange notes will be structurally subordinated to all
liabilities, including trade payables and lease obligations, of
any of our subsidiaries and any subsidiaries that we may in the
future acquire or establish. As of May 31, 2006, our
subsidiaries had approximately $2.5 billion of liabilities
(including trade payables but excluding inter-company
liabilities) outstanding.
The exchange notes would be effectively subordinated in right of
payment to claims of Financecos senior creditors, if any.
Currently, Financeco does not have any outstanding senior debt
or any assets unrelated to the issuance of the original notes
and exchange notes and is not a borrower under our credit
facility. The guaranties are also effectively subordinated to
all of our existing and future secured indebtedness to the
extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness.
Our
holding company structure makes us dependent on cash flow from
our subsidiaries to meet our obligations.
Most of our operations are conducted through, and most of our
assets are held by, our subsidiaries; therefore, we are
dependent on the cash flow of our subsidiaries to meet our debt
obligations, including our obligations under the exchange notes.
Our subsidiaries are separate legal entities that will have no
obligation to pay any amounts due
21
under the exchange notes or the guarantee or to make any funds
available for that purpose, whether by dividends, loans or other
payments. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or
otherwise transfer assets to us is subject to various
restrictions, including restrictions under applicable law.
Our subsidiaries will not guarantee the payment of the exchange
notes. Except to the extent we may ourselves be a creditor with
recognized claims against our subsidiaries, all claims of
creditors and holders of preferred stock, if any, of the
subsidiaries will have priority with respect to the assets of
such subsidiaries over the claims of our creditors, including
holders of the exchange notes and with respect to the guarantee.
We may
be unable to repay or repurchase the exchange
notes.
At maturity, the entire outstanding principal amount of the
exchange notes will become due and payable. In addition, if we
experience a change in control, as defined in Description
of the Exchange Notes Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Change of Control, you may require us
to repurchase all or a portion of your exchange notes at a price
equal to 101% of the principal amount of the exchange notes,
plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. At maturity or if a
change in control occurs, we may not have sufficient funds or
may be unable to arrange for additional financing to pay the
principal amount or repurchase price due. Any future borrowing
arrangements or agreements relating to debt to which we become a
party may contain restrictions on, or prohibitions against, our
repayments or repurchases of the exchange notes. If the maturity
date or change in control occurs at a time when our other
arrangements prohibit us from repaying or repurchasing the
exchange notes, we could try to obtain the consent of the
lenders under those arrangements, or we could attempt to
refinance the borrowings that contain the restrictions. If we do
not obtain the necessary consents or refinance these borrowings,
we will be unable to repay or repurchase the exchange notes. In
that case, our failure to repurchase any tendered exchange notes
or repay the exchange notes due upon maturity would constitute
an event of default under the indenture.
Provisions
of the exchange notes could discourage an acquisition of us by a
third party.
Certain provisions of the exchange notes could make it more
difficult or more expensive for a third party to acquire us.
Upon the occurrence of certain transactions constituting a
change in control, holders of the exchange notes will have the
right, at their option, to require us to repurchase all of their
exchange notes or any portion of the principal amount of such
exchange notes in integral multiples of $1,000 at a price equal
to 101% of the principal amount of the exchange notes, plus
accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In addition, pursuant to
the terms of the exchange notes, we may not enter into certain
mergers or acquisitions unless, among other things, the
surviving person or entity assumes the payment of the principal
of, and interest on the exchange notes.
Many
of the covenants contained in the indenture will not be
applicable during any period when the exchange notes are rated
investment grade by both Moodys and Standard &
Poors and no default or event of default has occurred and
is continuing.
Many of the covenants in the indenture governing the exchange
notes will not apply to us during any period when the exchange
notes are rated investment grade by both Moodys and
Standard & Poors and no default or event of
default has occurred and is continuing. These covenants
restrict, among other things, our ability to pay dividends,
incur debt and to enter into certain other transactions. There
can be no assurance that the exchange notes will ever be rated
investment grade, or that if they are rated investment grade,
that the exchange notes will maintain such ratings. However,
suspension of these covenants would allow us to engage in
certain actions that would not have been permitted while these
covenants were in force, and the effects of any such actions
that we take while these covenants are not in force will be
permitted to remain in place even if the exchange notes are
subsequently downgraded below investment grade and the covenants
are reinstated.
Issuance
of the exchange notes and the guarantees may be subject to
fraudulent conveyance laws.
Under federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state
fraudulent transfer laws, under certain circumstances a court
could avoid, or cancel, the exchange notes and any guarantee and
order the return of any payments made thereunder to the payor or
to a fund for the benefits of its other creditors.
22
A court might take these actions if it found that when the
exchange notes or the original notes were issued or the parent
guarantor entered into its guarantee (or, in some jurisdictions,
when payments became due on its guarantee), the issuer or the
parent guarantor (i) received less than reasonably
equivalent value or fair consideration in exchange for the
incurrence of the obligation, and (ii) any of the following
conditions was then satisfied:
|
|
|
|
|
it was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of incurring
its obligations under the exchange note or the original notes or
guarantee, respectively;
|
|
|
|
it was engaged in a business or transaction for which its
remaining assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or
|
|
|
|
it intended to incur, or believed (or reasonably should have
believed) that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay
as those debts matured.
|
Without regard to those factors, a court might also avoid the
exchange notes or the parent guarantors guarantee, if the
court concluded that such obligations were incurred with actual
intent to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors.
Financeco used a substantial portion of the proceeds of the
original notes to repay existing indebtedness of Solectron by
lending one of Solectrons 100% owned intermediate
subsidiaries all of the net proceeds of the sale of the original
notes. In applying the above factors, a court would likely find
that Financeco received less than fair consideration or
reasonably equivalent value to the extent that the original
notes proceeds were used to satisfy these existing
obligations. A court would also likely find that a guarantor did
not receive fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value
for its guarantee, except to the extent that it benefited
directly or indirectly from the original notes issuance.
If a court were to avoid any guarantee, we cannot assure you
that funds would be available to pay the exchange notes from any
other source.
The test for determining solvency for purposes of the foregoing
test would vary depending on the law of the jurisdiction being
applied. Generally, an entity would be considered insolvent if
the sum of its debts (including contingent or unliquidated
debts) is greater than all of its property at a fair valuation
or if the present fair salable value of its assets is less than
the amount that will be required to pay its probable liability
on its existing debts (including contingent or unliquidated
debts) as they become absolute and matured.
There
is uncertainty as to your ability to enforce certain foreign
civil liabilities in the Cayman Islands.
Financeco is incorporated as an exempted company with limited
liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands. A material
portion of our assts are located outside of the United States.
As a result, it may be difficult for persons receiving exchange
notes to enforce judgments against Financeco or judgments
obtained in U.S. courts predicated upon the civil liability
provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States
of any state of the United States.
Financeco has been advised by its Cayman Islands counsel,
Charles Adams Ritchie & Duckworth, that although there
is not statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments
obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands
will based on the principle that a judgment by a
competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an
obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been
given recognize and enforce a foreign judgment of a
court of competent jurisdiction if such judgment is final, for a
liquidated sum, not in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, is
not inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of
the same matters, and was not obtained in a manner, and is not
of a kind, the enforcement of which is contrary to the public
policy of the Cayman Islands. There is doubt, however, as to
whether the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands will
(i) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts
predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal
securities laws of the United States or any state of the United
States, or (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman
Islands, impose liabilities predicated upon the civil liability
provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States
or any state of the United States, on the grounds that such
provisions are penal in nature.
The Grand Court of the Cayman Islands may stay proceeding if
concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
23
USE OF
PROCEEDS
The exchange offer is intended to satisfy our obligations under
the registration rights agreement that we entered into in
connection with the private offering of the original notes. We
will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of the exchange
notes. The original notes that are surrendered in exchange for
the exchange notes will be retired and cancelled and cannot be
reissued. As a result, the issuance of the exchange notes will
not result in any increase or decrease in our indebtedness.
THE
EXCHANGE OFFER
Purpose
and Effect of the Exchange Offer
On February 21, 2006, we sold the original notes in a
private placement. The original notes were sold to the initial
purchasers who in turn resold the notes to a limited number of
Qualified Institutional Buyers, as defined under the
Securities Act, and to
non-U.S. persons
in transactions outside the United States in reliance on
Regulation S of the Securities Act. In connection with the
sale of the original notes, we and the initial purchasers
entered into a registration rights agreement. Under the
registration rights agreement, we have agreed to file a
registration statement regarding the exchange of the original
notes for the exchange notes which are registered under the
Securities Act. We have also agreed to use our reasonable
efforts to cause the registration statement to become effective
with the SEC and to conduct this exchange offer.
We are making the exchange offer to comply with our obligations
under the registration rights agreement. A copy of the
registration rights agreement has been filed as an exhibit to
our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on February 21, 2006.
In order to participate in the exchange offer, you must
represent to us, among other things, that:
|
|
|
|
|
you are acquiring the exchange notes in the exchange offer in
the ordinary course of your business;
|
|
|
|
you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, a
distribution of the exchange notes;
|
|
|
|
you do not have any arrangement or understanding with any person
to participate in the distribution of the exchange notes;
|
|
|
|
you are not a broker-dealer tendering original notes acquired
directly from us for your own account; and
|
|
|
|
you are not one of our affiliates, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
|
Resale of
the Exchange Notes
Based on a previous interpretation by the Staff of the SEC as
set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties,
including Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available
May 13, 1988) and Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated (available June 5, 1991), we believe that the
exchange notes issued in the exchange offer may be offered for
resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you without
compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery
provisions of the Securities Act, provided that the
representations set forth in Purpose and
Effect of the Exchange Offer apply to you.
If:
|
|
|
|
|
you are one of our affiliates, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act;
|
|
|
|
you are a broker-dealer who acquired original notes in the
initial private placement and not as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities; or
|
|
|
|
you acquire exchange notes in the exchange offer for the purpose
of distributing or participating in the distribution of the
exchange notes,
|
you cannot participate in the exchange offer or rely on the
position of the staff of the SEC contained in the no-action
letters mentioned above and must comply with the registration
and prospectus delivery requirements of the
24
Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction, unless
an exemption from registration is otherwise available.
Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own
account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such
exchange notes. The letter of transmittal states that by so
acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer
will not be deemed to admit that it is an
underwriter within the meaning of the Act. This
prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales
of exchange notes received in exchange for original notes where
such original notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities.
The company has agreed that, starting on the expiration date and
ending on the close of business 90 days after the
expiration date, it will make this prospectus available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. Any
holder that is a broker-dealer participating in the exchange
offer must notify the exchange agent at the telephone number set
forth in the enclosed letter of transmittal and must comply with
the procedures for broker-dealers participating in the exchange
offer. We have not entered into any arrangement or understanding
with any person to distribute the exchange notes to be received
in the exchange offer. The exchange offer is not being made to,
nor will we accept surrenders for exchange from, holders of
original notes in any jurisdiction in which the exchange offer
or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the
securities or blue sky laws of the particular jurisdiction.
Terms of
the Exchange Offer
This prospectus and the accompanying letter of transmittal
together constitute the exchange offer. Upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in
the letter of transmittal, we will accept original notes for
exchange which are properly tendered on or before the expiration
date and are not withdrawn as permitted below. The expiration
date for this exchange offer is 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on August 29, 2006, or such later date and time to
which we, in our sole discretion, extend the exchange offer,
subject to applicable law.
As of the date of this prospectus, $150.0 million in
aggregate principal amount of the original notes are
outstanding. This prospectus, together with the letter of
transmittal, is being sent to all registered holders of the
original notes on this date. There will be no fixed record date
for determining registered holders of the original notes
entitled to participate in the exchange offer. However, holders
of the original notes must cause their original notes to be
tendered by book-entry transfer or tender their certificates for
the original notes before the expiration date of the exchange
offer in order to participate in the exchange offer.
The form and terms of the exchange notes being issued in the
exchange offer are the same as the form and terms of the
original notes except that:
|
|
|
|
|
the exchange notes being issued in the exchange offer will have
been registered under the Securities Act;
|
|
|
|
the exchange notes being issued in the exchange offer will not
bear the restrictive legends restricting their transfer under
the Securities Act; and
|
|
|
|
the exchange notes being issued in the exchange offer will not
afford holders the registration rights and liquidated damages
provisions in favor of holders of the original notes.
|
The exchange notes will evidence the same debt as the original
notes and will be issued under the same indenture, so the
exchange notes and the original notes will be treated as a
single class of debt securities under the indenture. The
original notes and the exchange notes will, however, have
separate CUISP numbers.
Outstanding notes being tendered in the exchange offer must be
in integral multiples of $1,000. We will issue $1,000 principal
amount of exchange notes in exchange for each $1,000 principal
amount of outstanding notes surrendered pursuant to the exchange
offer.
The exchange offer is not conditioned upon any minimum aggregate
principal amount of the original notes being tendered for
exchange.
We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the
provisions of the registration rights agreement and applicable
federal securities laws. Original notes that are not tendered
for exchange under the exchange offer
25
will remain outstanding and will be entitled to the rights under
the related indenture. Any original notes not tendered for
exchange will not retain any rights under the registration
rights agreement and will remain subject to transfer
restrictions. See Consequences of Failure to
Exchange Outstanding Securities. You do not have any
approval or dissenters rights under the indenture in
connection with the exchange offer.
We will be deemed to have accepted validly tendered original
notes when, as and if we will have given oral or written notice
of our acceptance of the validly tendered original notes to the
exchange agent. The exchange agent will act as agent for the
tendering holders for the purposes of receiving the exchange
notes from us. If any tendered original notes are not accepted
for exchange because of an invalid tender or the occurrence of
other events set forth in this prospectus or otherwise,
certificates for any unaccepted original notes will be returned,
or, in the case of original notes tendered by book-entry
transfer, those unaccepted original notes will be credited to an
account maintained with The Depository Trust Company, without
expense to the tendering holder of those original notes as
promptly as practicable after the expiration date of the
exchange offer. See Procedures for
Tendering.
Those who tender original notes in the exchange offer will not
be required to pay brokerage commission or fees or, subject to
the instruction in the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes
with respect to the exchange under the exchange offer. We will
pay all charges and expenses, other than applicable taxes
described below, in connection with the exchange offer. See
Fees and Expenses.
Expiration
Date; Extensions, Amendments
The expiration date is 5:00 p.m., New York City time on
August 29, 2006, or such later date and time to which we,
in our sole discretion, extend the exchange offer, subject to
applicable law.
In case of an extension of the expiration date of the exchange
offer, we will issue a press release or other public
announcement no later than 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, on the
next business day after the previously scheduled expiration
date. Such notification may state that we are extending this
exchange offer for a specified period of time.
Conditions
to the Completion of the Exchange Offer
We may not accept original notes for exchange and may terminate
or not complete the exchange offer if:
|
|
|
|
|
any action, proceeding or litigation seeking to enjoin, make
illegal or delay completion of the exchange offer or otherwise
relating in any manner to the exchange offer is instituted or
threatened;
|
|
|
|
any order, stay, judgment or decree is issued by any court,
government, governmental authority or other regulatory or
administrative authority and is in effect, or any statute, rule,
regulation, governmental order or injunction shall have been
proposed, enacted, enforced or deemed applicable to the exchange
offer, any of which would or might restrain, prohibit or delay
completion of the exchange offer;
|
|
|
|
any of the following occurs and the adverse effect of such
occurrence shall, in our reasonable judgment, be continuing:
|
|
|
|
|
|
any general suspension of trading in, or limitation on prices
for, securities on any national securities exchange or in the
over-the-counter
market in the United States;
|
|
|
|
any extraordinary or material adverse change in U.S. financial
markets generally, including, without limitation, a decline of
at least 10% in either the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the
NASDAQ Index or the Standard & Poors 500 Index
from the date of commencement of the exchange offer;
|
|
|
|
a declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of
payments in respect of banks in the United States;
|
|
|
|
any limitation, whether or not mandatory, by any governmental
entity on, or any other event that would reasonably be expected
to materially adversely affect, the extension of credit by banks
or other lending institutions;
|
26
|
|
|
|
|
a commencement of a war or other national or international
calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States,
which would reasonably be expected to affect materially or
adversely, or to delay materially, the completion of the
exchange offer; or
|
|
|
|
if any of the situations described above existed at the time of
commencement of the exchange offer and that situation
deteriorates materially after commencement of the exchange offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
any tender or exchange offer, other than this exchange offer by
us, with respect to some or all of our outstanding common stock
or any merger, acquisition or other business combination
proposal involving us shall have been proposed, announced or
made by any person or entity;
|
|
|
|
any event or events occur that have resulted or may result, in
our reasonable judgment, in a material adverse change in our
business or financial condition; or
|
|
|
|
as the term group is used in Section 13(d)(3)
of the Exchange Act:
|
|
|
|
|
|
any person, entity or group acquires more than 5% of our
outstanding shares of common stock, other than a person, entity
or group which had publicly disclosed such ownership with the
SEC prior to the date of commencement of the exchange offer;
|
|
|
|
any such person, entity or group which had publicly disclosed
such ownership prior to such date shall acquire additional
common stock constituting more than 2% of our outstanding shares;
|
|
|
|
any new group shall have formed that beneficially owns more than
5% of our outstanding shares of common stock that in our
reasonable judgment in any such case, and regardless of the
circumstances, makes it inadvisable to proceed with the exchange
offer or with such acceptance for exchange of existing notes;
|
|
|
|
|
|
any stop order is threatened or in effect with respect to the
registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a
part or the qualification of the indenture under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939;
|
|
|
|
any governmental approval or approval by holders of the original
notes has not been obtained if we, in our reasonable judgment,
deem this approval necessary for the consummation of the
exchange offer; or
|
|
|
|
there occurs a change in the current interpretation by the Staff
of the SEC which currently permits the exchange notes to be
issued in the exchange offer to be offered for resale, resold
and otherwise transferred by the holders of the exchange notes,
other than broker-dealers and any holder which is an
affiliate of ours within the meaning of
Rule 405 under the Securities Act, without compliance with
the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the
Securities Act, provided that the exchange notes acquired in the
exchange offer are acquired in the ordinary course of that
holders business and that holder has no arrangement or
understanding with any person to participate in the distribution
of the exchange notes to be issued in the exchange offer.
|
If any of the above events occur, we may:
|
|
|
|
|
terminate the exchange offer and promptly return all tendered
original notes to tendering holders;
|
|
|
|
complete
and/or
extend the exchange offer and, subject to your withdrawal
rights, retain all tendered original notes until the extended
exchange offer expires;
|
|
|
|
amend the terms of the exchange offer; or
|
|
|
|
waive any unsatisfied condition (other than those dependent upon
receipt of necessary governmental approvals) and, subject to any
requirement to extend the period of time during which the
exchange offer is open, complete the exchange offer.
|
We may assert these conditions with respect to the exchange
offer regardless of the circumstances giving rise to them. All
conditions to the exchange offer, other than those dependent
upon receipt of necessary government approvals, must be
satisfied or waived by us before the expiration of the exchange
offer. We may waive any condition (other than those dependent
upon receipt of necessary governmental approvals) in whole or in
part at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer
in our discretion. Our failure to exercise our rights under any
of the
27
above circumstances does not represent a waiver of these rights.
Each right is an ongoing right that may be asserted at any time
prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. Any determination
by us concerning the conditions described above will be final
and binding upon all parties.
If a waiver constitutes a material change to the exchange offer,
we will promptly disclose the waiver by means of a prospectus
supplement that we will file with the SEC and, if required,
distribute to the registered holders of the original notes, and
we will extend the exchange offer for a period of five to ten
business days, as required by applicable law, depending upon the
significance of the waiver and the manner of disclosure to the
registered holders, if the exchange offer would otherwise expire
during the five to ten business day period.
Procedures
for Tendering
To effectively tender original notes by book-entry transfer to
the account maintained by the exchange agent at DTC, holders of
original notes must request a DTC participant to, on their
behalf, in lieu of physically completing and signing the letter
of transmittal and delivering it to the exchange agent,
electronically transmit their acceptance through DTCs
Automated Tender Offer Program, or ATOP. DTC will then edit and
verify the acceptance and send an agents message to the
exchange agent for its acceptance. An agents
message is a message transmitted by DTC to, and received
by, the exchange agent and forming a part of the book-entry
confirmation, as defined below, which states that DTC has
received an express acknowledgment from the DTC participant
tendering original notes on behalf of the holder of such
original notes that such DTC participant has received and agrees
to be bound by the terms and conditions of the exchange offer as
set forth in this prospectus and the related letter of
transmittal and that we may enforce such agreement against such
participant or timely confirmation of a book-entry transfer of
the original notes into the exchange agents account at DTC
(a book-entry confirmation) pursuant to the
book-entry transfer procedures described below, as well as an
agents message pursuant to DTCs ATOP system must be
delivered to the exchange agent on or prior to 5:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer.
To effectively tender any original notes held in physical form,
a holder of the original notes must complete, sign and date the
letter of transmittal, or a facsimile thereof, have the
signatures thereon guaranteed if required by the letter of
transmittal, and mail or otherwise deliver such letter of
transmittal or a facsimile thereof, together with the
certificates representing such original notes and any other
required documents, to the exchange agent prior to
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.
Holders of original notes whose certificates for original notes
are not lost but are not immediately available or who cannot
deliver their certificates and all other documents required by
the letter of transmittal to the exchange agent on or prior to
the expiration date, or who cannot complete the procedures for
book-entry transfer on or prior to the expiration date, may
tender their original notes according to the guaranteed delivery
procedures set forth in Guaranteed Delivery
Procedures below.
The method of delivery of the letter of transmittal, any
required signature guarantees, the original notes and all other
required documents, including delivery of original notes through
DTC, and transmission of an agents message through
DTCs ATOP system, is at the election and risk of the
tendering holders, and the delivery will be deemed made only
when actually received or confirmed by the exchange agent. If
original notes are sent by mail, it is suggested that the
mailing be registered mail, properly insured, with return
receipt requested, made sufficiently in advance of the
expiration date, as desired, to permit delivery to the exchange
agent prior to 5:00 p.m. on the expiration date. Holders
tendering original notes through DTCs ATOP system must
allow sufficient time for completion of the ATOP procedures
during the normal business hours of DTC on such respective date.
No original notes, agents messages, letters of transmittal
or other required documents should be sent to us. Delivery of
all original notes, agents messages, letters of
transmittal and other documents must be made to the exchange
agent. Holders may also request their respective brokers,
dealers, commercial banks, trust companies or nominees to effect
such tender for such holders.
The tender by a holder of original notes, including pursuant to
the delivery of an agents message through DTCs ATOP
system, will constitute an agreement between such holder and us
in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth herein and in the letter of transmittal.
28
Holders of original notes registered in the name of a broker,
dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who wish
to tender must contact such registered holder promptly and
instruct such registered holder how to act on such
non-registered holders behalf.
Signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal
must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national
securities exchange or of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., a commercial bank or trust company having an
office or correspondent in the United States or an
eligible guarantor institution within the meaning of
Rule 17Ad-15
under the Exchange Act (each an eligible
institution) unless the original notes tendered pursuant
to the letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal are
tendered:
|
|
|
|
|
by a registered holder of original notes who has not completed
the box entitled Special Issuance Instructions or
Special Delivery Instructions on the letter of
transmittal, or
|
|
|
|
for the account of an eligible institution.
|
If a letter of transmittal is signed by trustees, executors,
administrators, guardians,
attorneys-in-fact,
officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or
representative capacity, such person should so indicate when
signing, and, unless waived by us, evidence satisfactory to us
of their authority to so act must be submitted with such letter
of transmittal.
If the letter of transmittal is signed by a person other than
the registered holder, the original notes must be endorsed or
accompanied by a properly completed bond power, signed by the
registered holder as the registered holders name appears
on the original notes.
All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, time of
receipt and withdrawal of the tendered original notes will be
determined by us in our sole discretion, which determination
will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to
reject any and all original notes not validly tendered or any
original notes which, if accepted, would, in the opinion of our
counsel, be unlawful. We also reserve the absolute right to
waive any irregularities or conditions of tender as to
particular original notes. Our interpretation of the terms and
conditions of this exchange offer, including the instructions in
the letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all
parties. Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in
connection with tenders of original notes must be cured within
such time as we shall determine. Although we intend to notify
you of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of
original notes, none of us, the exchange agent, or any other
person shall be under any duty to give notification of defects
or irregularities with respect to tenders of original notes, nor
shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such
notification. Tenders of original notes will not be deemed to
have been made until such irregularities have been cured or
waived. Any original notes received by the exchange agent that
are not validly tendered and as to which the defects or
irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned
without cost to such holder by the exchange agent, unless
otherwise provided in the letter of transmittal, as soon as
practicable following the expiration date of the exchange offer.
Although we have no present plan to acquire any original notes
that are not tendered in the exchange offer or to file a
registration statement to permit resales of any original notes
that are not tendered in the exchange offer, we reserve the
right, in our sole discretion, to purchase or make offers for
any original notes after the expiration date of the exchange
offer, from time to time, through open market or privately
negotiated transactions, one or more additional exchange or
tender offers, or otherwise, as permitted by law, the indenture
and our other debt agreements. Following consummation of this
exchange offer, the terms of any such purchases or offers could
differ materially from the terms of this exchange offer.
By tendering, each holder will represent to us that, among other
things:
|
|
|
|
|
it is not an affiliate of ours;
|
|
|
|
the person acquiring the exchange notes in the exchange offer is
obtaining them in the ordinary course of its business, whether
or not such person is the holder, and
|
|
|
|
neither the holder nor such person is engaged in or intends to
engage in or has any arrangement or understanding with any
person to participate in the distribution of the exchange notes
issued in the exchange offer.
|
29
If any holder or any such other person is an
affiliate, as defined under Rule 405 of the
Securities Act, of us, or is engaged in or intends to engage in
or has an arrangement or understanding with any person to
participate in a distribution of exchange notes to be acquired
in the exchange offer, that holder or any such other person:
|
|
|
|
|
may not participate in the exchange offer;
|
|
|
|
may not rely on the applicable interpretations of the staff of
the SEC; and
|
|
|
|
must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale
transaction.
|
Each broker-dealer who acquired its original notes as a result
of market-making activities or other trading activities, and
thereafter receives exchange notes issued for its own account in
the exchange offer, must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes
issued in the exchange offer. The letter of transmittal states
that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an
underwriter within the meaning of the Securities
Act. See Plan of Distribution for a discussion of
the exchange and resale obligations of broker-dealers in
connection with the exchange offer.
Acceptance
of Original Notes for Exchange; Delivery of Exchange
Notes Issued in the Exchange Offer
Upon satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions to the
exchange offer, we will accept, promptly after the expiration
date, all original notes properly tendered and will issue
exchange notes registered under the Securities Act. For purposes
of the exchange offer, we will be deemed to have accepted
properly tendered original notes for exchange when, as and if we
have given oral or written notice to the exchange agent, with
written confirmation of any oral notice to be given promptly
thereafter. See Conditions to the Exchange
Offer for a discussion of the conditions that must be
satisfied before we accept any original notes for exchange.
For each original note accepted for exchange, the holder will
receive an exchange note registered under the Securities Act
having a principal amount equal to that of the surrendered
original note. As a result, registered holders of exchange notes
issued in the exchange offer on the relevant record date for the
first interest payment date following the completion of the
exchange offer will receive interest accruing from the most
recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest
has been paid on the original notes, from February 21,
2006. Original notes that we accept for exchange will cease to
accrue interest from and after the date of completion of the
exchange offer. Under the registration rights agreement, we may
be required to make additional payments in the form of
additional interest to the holders of the original notes under
circumstances relating to the timing of the exchange offer.
In all cases, we will issue exchange notes in the exchange offer
for original notes that are accepted for exchange only after the
exchange agent timely receives:
|
|
|
|
|
certificates for such original notes or a book-entry
confirmation of such original notes into the exchange
agents account at DTC or certificates for such original
notes;
|
|
|
|
an agents message or a properly completed and duly
executed letter of transmittal; and/or
|
|
|
|
any other required documents.
|
If for any reason set forth in the terms and conditions of the
exchange offer we do not accept any tendered original notes, or
if a holder submits original notes for a greater principal
amount than the holder desires to exchange or a holder withdraws
original notes, we will return such unaccepted, non-exchanged or
withdrawn original note without cost to the tendering holder. In
the case of original notes tendered by book-entry transfer into
the exchange agents account at DTC, such non-exchanged
original notes will be credited to an account maintained with
DTC. We will return the original notes or have them credited to
the DTC account as promptly as practicable after the expiration
or termination of the exchange offer.
Book-Entry
Transfer
The exchange agent will establish an account with respect to the
original notes at DTC for purposes of this exchange offer. Any
financial institution that is a participant in DTCs ATOP
systems may use DTCs ATOP
30
procedures to tender original notes. Such participant may make a
book-entry delivery of original notes by causing DTC to transfer
such original notes into the exchange agents account at
DTC in accordance with DTCs procedures for transfer.
However, although delivery of original notes may be effected
through a book-entry transfer at DTC, the letter of transmittal,
or facsimile thereof, with any required signature guarantees, or
an agents message pursuant to the ATOP procedures and any
other required documents must, in any case, be transmitted to
and received by the exchange agent at the address set forth in
this prospectus on or prior to the expiration date of the
exchange offer, or the guaranteed delivery procedures described
below must be complied with. Delivery of documents to DTC will
not constitute valid delivery to the exchange agent.
Guaranteed
Delivery Procedures
If your certificates for original notes are not lost but are not
immediately available or you cannot deliver your certificates
and any other required documents to the exchange agent on or
prior to the expiration date, or you cannot complete the
procedures for book-entry transfer on or prior to the expiration
date, you may nevertheless effect a tender of your original
notes if:
|
|
|
|
|
the tender is made through an eligible institution;
|
|
|
|
prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer, the exchange
agent receives by facsimile transmission, mail or hand delivery
from such eligible institution a validly completed and duly
executed notice of guaranteed delivery, substantially in the
form provided with this prospectus, or an agents message
with respect to guaranteed delivery which:
|
|
|
|
|
|
sets forth your name and address and the amount of your original
notes tendered;
|
|
|
|
states that the tender is being made thereby; and
|
|
|
|
guarantees that within three NYSE trading days after the date of
execution of the notice of guaranteed delivery, the certificates
for all physically tendered original notes, in proper form for
transfer, or a book-entry confirmation, as the case may be, and
any other documents required by the letter of transmittal will
be deposited by the eligible institution with the exchange
agent; and
|
|
|
|
|
|
the certificates for all physically tendered original notes, in
proper form for transfer, or a book-entry confirmation, as the
case may be, and all other documents required by the letter of
transmittal are received by the exchange agent within three NYSE
trading days after the date of execution of the notice of
guaranteed delivery.
|
Withdrawal
of Tenders
Tenders of original notes may be properly withdrawn at any time
prior 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date
of the exchange offer.
For a withdrawal of a tender to be effective, a written notice
of withdrawal delivered by hand, overnight by courier or by
mail, or a manually signed facsimile transmission, or a properly
transmitted Request Message through DTCs ATOP
system, must be received by the exchange agent prior to
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of
the exchange offer. Any such notice of withdrawal must:
|
|
|
|
|
specify the name of the person that tendered the original notes
to be properly withdrawn;
|
|
|
|
identify the original notes to be properly withdrawn, including
the principal amount of such original notes;
|
|
|
|
in the case of original notes tendered by book-entry transfer,
specify the number of the account at DTC from which the original
notes were tendered and specify the name and number of the
account at DTC to be credited with the properly withdrawn
original notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of such
facility;
|
|
|
|
contain a statement that such holder is withdrawing its election
to have such original notes exchanged for exchange notes;
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
other than a notice transmitted through DTCs ATOP system,
be signed by the holder in the same manner as the original
signature on the letter of transmittal by which such original
notes were tendered, including any required signature
guarantees, or be accompanied by documents of transfer to have
the trustee with respect to the original notes register the
transfer of such original notes in the name of the person
withdrawing the tender; and
|
|
|
|
specify the name in which such original notes are registered, if
different from the person who tendered such original notes.
|
All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility and time of
receipt of such notice will be determined by us, and our
determination shall be final and binding on all parties. Any
original notes so properly withdrawn will be deemed not to have
been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of this exchange
offer. No exchange notes will be issued with respect to any
withdrawn original notes unless the original notes so withdrawn
are later tendered in a valid fashion. Any original notes that
have been tendered for exchange but are not exchanged for any
reason will be returned to the tendering holder thereof without
cost to such holder, or, in the case of original notes tendered
by book-entry transfer into the exchange agents account at
DTC pursuant to the book-entry transfer procedures described
above, such original notes will be credited to an account
maintained with DTC for the original notes as soon as
practicable after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination
of the exchange offer. Properly withdrawn original notes may be
retendered by following the procedures described above at any
time on or prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer.
Exchange
Agent
U.S. Bank National Association has been appointed as
exchange agent for this exchange offer. Letters of transmittal,
agents message or request messages through DTCs ATOP
system, notices of guaranteed delivery and all correspondence in
connection with this exchange offer should be sent or delivered
by each holder of original notes or a beneficial owners
broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee
to the exchange agent at the following address: U.S. Bank
National Association, 633 West Fifth Street,
24th Floor, Los Angeles, California, 90071, Attention:
Specialized Finance Paula Oswald, telephone:
(213) 615-6043,
facsimile: (213) 615-6197.
We will pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for
its services and will reimburse it for its reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses in connection therewith. Delivery or facsimile to a
party other than the exchange agent will not constitute valid
delivery.
Fees and
Expenses
The expenses of soliciting tenders pursuant to this exchange
offer will be paid by us.
Except as described above, we will not make any payments to
brokers, dealers or other persons soliciting acceptances of this
exchange offer. We will, however, pay the reasonable and
customary fees and
out-of-pocket
expenses of the exchange agent, the trustee, and legal,
accounting, and related fees and expenses. We may also pay
brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries
their reasonable
out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in forwarding copies of this prospectus and
related documents to the beneficial owners of the original
notes, and in handling or forwarding tenders for exchange.
We will also pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the
exchange of original notes pursuant to this exchange offer. If,
however, original notes are to be issued for principal amounts
not tendered or accepted for exchange in the name of any person
other than the registered holder of the original notes tendered
or if tendered original notes are registered in the name of any
person other than the person signing the letter of transmittal,
or if a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the
exchange of original notes pursuant to this exchange offer, then
the amount of any such transfer taxes, whether imposed on the
registered holder or any other persons, will be payable by the
tendering holder. If satisfactory evidence of payment of such
taxes or exemption therefrom is not submitted with the consent
and letter of transmittal, the amount of such transfer taxes
will be billed directly to such tendering holder.
The estimated cash expenses to be incurred in connection with
the exchange offer are estimated in the aggregate to be
approximately $125,000. These expenses include registration
fees, fees and expenses of the exchange agent, accounting and
legal fees, and printing costs, among other expenses.
32
Consequences
of Failure to Exchange Outstanding Securities
Holders who desire to tender their original notes in exchange
for exchange notes registered under the Securities Act should
allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery. Neither the
exchange agent nor us is under any duty to give notification of
defects or irregularities with respect to the tenders of
original notes for exchange.
Original notes that are not tendered or are tendered but not
accepted will, following the completion of the exchange offer,
continue to be subject to the provisions in the indenture
regarding the transfer and exchange of the original notes and
the existing restrictions on transfer set forth in the legend on
the original notes set forth in the indenture for the notes.
Except in limited circumstances with respect to specific types
of holders of original notes, we will have no further obligation
to provide for the registration under the Securities Act of such
original notes. In general, original notes, unless registered
under the Securities Act, may not be offered or sold except
pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject
to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
We do not currently anticipate that we will take any action to
register the original notes under the Securities Act or under
any state securities laws other than pursuant to this
registration statement. Upon completion of the exchange offer,
holders of the original notes will not be entitled to any
further registration rights under the registration rights
agreement, except under limited circumstances.
Holders of the exchange notes issued in the exchange offer and
any original notes which remain outstanding after completion of
the exchange offer will vote together as a single class for
purposes of determining whether holders of the requisite
percentage of the class have taken certain actions or exercised
certain rights under the indenture.
DESCRIPTION
OF THE EXCHANGE NOTES
The exchange notes, together with the related guarantee by
Solectron Corporation, will be issued under an indenture by and
among Financeco, as issuer, Solectron Corporation, as guarantor,
and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. The terms
of the exchange notes and related guarantees include those
stated in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by
reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
The form and terms of the exchange notes are the same as the
form and terms of the original notes, except that the exchange
notes will be registered under the Securities Act. As a result,
the exchange notes will not bear legends restricting their
transfer and will not have the benefit of the registration
rights and liquidated damage provisions in favor of holders of
the original notes. The exchange notes represent the same debt
as the original notes for which they are being exchanged. Both
the original notes and the exchange notes, collectively referred
to as the notes, are governed by the same indenture.
You can find the definitions of certain terms used in this
description under the subheading Certain
Definitions. Other defined terms used in this description
but not defined below under Certain
Definitions have the meanings assigned to them in the
indenture. In this description, the terms we, us, our and
Financeco refer only to Solectron Global Finance LTD
and its successors in accordance with the terms of the indenture
and not to Solectron Corporation or any of its other
subsidiaries and the word Solectron refers only to
Solectron Corporation and any successor guarantor and not to any
of its subsidiaries.
The following description is a summary of material provisions of
the indenture and the exchange notes. It does not restate the
indenture in its entirety. We urge you to read the indenture
because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a
holder of the exchange notes. Copies of the indenture are
available as set forth below under Additional
Information.
The registered Holder of a note will be treated as the owner of
it for all purposes. Only registered Holders will have rights
under the indenture.
33
Brief
Description of the Exchange Notes
The
Exchange Notes
The exchange notes:
|
|
|
|
|
are general, unsecured obligations of Financeco;
|
|
|
|
are subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future
general unsubordinated obligations of Financeco;
|
|
|
|
are pari passu in right of payment with all existing and future
senior subordinated indebtedness of Financeco, including the
original notes; and
|
|
|
|
are senior in right of payment to any indebtedness of Financeco
that is subordinated to the rights of Holders of the exchange
notes.
|
Your rights under the exchange notes are also effectively
subordinated to all borrowings, if any, under the Credit
Agreements, which will be secured as described under Risk
Factors Risks Related to the Exchange
Notes Payment of principal and interest on the
exchange notes by Financeco will be unsecured and subordinated
to future senior indebtedness. Further, the guarantee of the
exchange notes is unsecured and subordinated in right of payment
to all of our existing and future senior debt and effectively
subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our
subsidiaries. See Subordination
below.
Financeco is an indirect, 100%-owned finance subsidiary of
Solectron Corporation that has no independent assets or
operations, revenue or cash flow and was formed for the sole
purpose of issuing debt securities. Financeco currently has no
outstanding indebtedness other than the original notes.
The
Guarantee
Solectron will fully, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee
the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and interest
on, the exchange notes and any of our other obligations under
the indenture with respect to the exchange notes when and as the
same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity or
otherwise. Solectrons guarantee is an unsecured senior
subordinated obligations of Solectron and will rank equally in
right of payment with all other senior subordinated obligations
of Solectron. The guarantee will be subordinated in right of
payment to other obligations of Solectron to the same extent and
in a similar manner as the exchange notes are subordinated to
the other obligations of Financeco. See
Subordination below. The guarantee
provides that in the event of a default in payment of principal
of, or interest on, the exchange notes, the holder of such
exchange notes may institute legal proceedings directly against
Solectron to enforce the guarantee without first proceeding
against us.
As of the expiration date of the exchange offer, all of
Solectrons Subsidiaries will be Restricted
Subsidiaries and will be subject to most of the
restrictions of the covenants in the indenture. However, under
the circumstances described below under the subheading
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Period Designation of
Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, Solectron will
be permitted to designate certain of its Subsidiaries as
Unrestricted Subsidiaries. Solectrons
Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to most of the
restrictive covenants in the indenture.
Subordination
The exchange notes and the guarantee will be our and
Solectrons general, unsecured, obligations, respectively,
contractually subordinated in right of payment to all of our
Senior Debt and the Senior Debt of Solectron, including, without
limitation, Solectrons obligations under its
0.50% convertible senior notes due 2034 and the Credit
Agreements, whether outstanding on the issuance date or
thereafter incurred. This effectively means that holders of
Senior Debt must be paid in full in cash before any amounts are
paid to the holders of the exchange notes in the event we become
bankrupt or are liquidated and that holders of Senior Debt can
block payments to the holder of the exchange notes in the event
of a default by us on such Senior Debt, all as more fully
described below.
As of May 31, 2006, Solectron had outstanding an aggregate
of approximately $492 million of Senior Debt; no
indebtedness, other than the original notes, that ranks equal in
right of payment with the notes; and approximately
34
$214 million of indebtedness subordinated in right of
payment to the exchange notes. As of May 31, 2006, the
aggregate amount of liabilities of Solectrons
subsidiaries, including trade payables but excluding
intercompany liabilities, was approximately $2.5 billion.
Solectrons cash flow and its ability to service its debt,
including its guarantee of the exchange notes, is dependent upon
the earnings of its subsidiaries. In addition, Solectron is
dependent on the distribution of earnings, loans or other
payments by its subsidiaries to it. Solectrons
subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities. Its
subsidiaries will not guarantee the exchange notes or have any
obligation to pay any amounts due on the exchange notes or the
guarantees or to provide Solectron with funds for its payment
obligations, whether by dividends, distribution, loans or other
payments. In addition, any payment of dividends, distributions,
loans or advances by its subsidiaries to Solectron could be
subject to statutory or contractual restrictions. Payments to
Solectron by its subsidiaries will also be contingent upon its
subsidiaries earnings and business considerations.
Solectrons right to receive any assets of any subsidiary
upon its liquidation or reorganization, and, therefore,
Solectrons rights, and the rights of Solectrons
creditors, including the rights of the Holders of the exchange
notes, to participate in those assets, will be structurally
subordinated to the claims of that subsidiarys creditors,
including trade creditors. In addition, even if Solectron were a
creditor of any of its subsidiaries, its right as a creditor
would be subordinate to any security interest in the assets of
its subsidiaries and any indebtedness of its subsidiaries senior
to that held by Solectron.
Neither we nor Solectron may make payment (by set-off or
otherwise) on account of any obligation in respect of the
exchange notes, including, without limitation, the principal of,
premium, if any, or interest (or Liquidated Damages) on the
exchange notes, or on account of the redemption provisions of
the exchange notes (including any repurchases of notes), for
cash or property (other than junior securities):
(1) upon the maturity of any Senior Debt in respect of
which Financeco or Solectron is an obligor or guarantor, whether
by lapse of time, acceleration (unless waived) or otherwise,
unless and until all principal of, premium, if any, and the
interest and other amounts on such Senior Debt are first paid in
full in cash and, in the case of Senior Debt under a Credit
Agreement, all letters of credit issued under a Credit Agreement
shall either have been terminated or cash collateralized in
accordance with the terms thereof, or
(2) in the event of default in the payment of any amount
owing in respect of Senior Debt, including, but not limited to,
any principal of, premium, if any, or interest or other amounts
on Senior Debt in respect of which Financeco or Solectron is an
obligor or guarantor, when such Senior Debt becomes due and
payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment
or by declaration or otherwise (a Senior Debt Payment
Default), unless and until such Senior Debt Payment
Default has been cured or waived or otherwise has ceased to
exist or such Senior Debt has been paid in full in cash.
Upon (1) the happening of an event of default other than a
Senior Debt Payment Default that permits the holders of Senior
Debt to declare such Senior Debt to be due and payable and
(2) written notice of such event of default delivered to us
and the trustee by the representative under a Credit Agreement
or the holders of an aggregate of at least $5 million
principal amount outstanding of any other Senior Debt or their
representative (a Payment Blockage Notice), then,
unless and until such event of default has been cured or waived
or otherwise has ceased to exist, no payment (by set-off or
otherwise) may be made by or on behalf of us or Solectron, in
each case, which is an obligor or guarantor under such Senior
Debt, on account of any obligation in respect of the exchange
notes, including, without limitation, the principal of, premium,
if any, or interest on the exchange notes, (including any
repurchases of any of the exchange notes), or on account of the
redemption provisions of the exchange notes, in any such case,
other than payments made with junior securities. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, unless the Senior Debt in respect of which such
event of default exists has been declared due and payable in its
entirety within 179 days after the Payment Blockage Notice
is delivered as set forth above (the Payment Blockage
Period) (and such declaration has not been rescinded or
waived), at the end of the Payment Blockage Period, we shall and
Solectron shall be required to pay all sums not previously paid
to the holders of the exchange notes during the Payment Blockage
Period due to the foregoing prohibitions and to resume all other
payments as and when due on the exchange notes and the
guarantees.
35
Any number of Payment Blockage Notices may be given;
provided, however, that:
(1) not more than one Payment Blockage Notice shall be
given within a period of any 360 consecutive days, and
(2) no non-Senior Debt Payment Default that existed upon
the date of such Payment Blockage Notice or the commencement of
such Payment Blockage Period shall be made the basis for the
commencement of any other Payment Blockage Period unless such
default shall have been cured or waived for a period of not less
than 90 days (for purposes of this provision, any
subsequent action, or any subsequent breach of any financial
covenant for a period commencing after the expiration of such
Payment Blockage Period that, in either case, would give rise to
a new event of default, even though it is an event that would
also have been a separate breach pursuant to any provision under
which a prior event of default previously existed, shall
constitute a new event of default for this purpose).
Upon any distribution of our or Solectrons assets upon any
dissolution, winding up, total or partial liquidation or
reorganization of us or Solectron, whether voluntary or
involuntary, in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or a
similar proceeding or upon assignment for the benefit of
creditors or any marshaling of assets or liabilities:
(1) the holders of all of our or Solectrons Senior
Debt, as applicable, will first be entitled to receive payment
in full in cash and all letters of credit issued under a Credit
Agreement will either have been terminated or cash
collateralized in accordance with the terms thereof before the
holders of the notes are entitled to receive any payment (other
than in the form of junior securities) on account of any
Obligation in respect of the exchange notes, including the
principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the exchange
notes; and
(2) any payment or distribution of our or Solectrons
assets of any kind or character from any source, whether in
cash, property or securities (other than junior securities) to
which the holders of the notes or the trustee on behalf of the
holders of the exchange notes would be entitled (by set-off or
otherwise), except for the subordination provisions contained in
the indenture, will be paid by the liquidating trustee or agent
or other Person making such a payment or distribution directly
to the holders of such Senior Debt or their representative to
the extent necessary to make payment in full in cash on all such
Senior Debt remaining unpaid, after giving effect to any
concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior
Debt.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or
distribution of our or Solectrons assets (other than
junior securities) shall be received by the trustee or the
holders of the exchange notes at a time when such payment or
distribution is prohibited by the foregoing provisions, such
payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit
of the holders of such Senior Debt, and shall be immediately
paid or delivered by the trustee or such Holders, as the case
may be, to the holders of such Senior Debt remaining unpaid or
to their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or
trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments
evidencing any of such Senior Debt may have been issued, ratably
according to the aggregate principal amounts remaining unpaid on
account of such Senior Debt held or represented by each, for
application to the payment of all such Senior Debt remaining
unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay all such Senior Debt in
full in cash after giving effect to any concurrent payment or
distribution to the holders of such Senior Debt.
The indenture provides that, the right of any holder to receive
payment of the principal of, premium and interest on the
exchange notes, on or after the respective due dates expressed
in the exchange notes or to bring suit for the enforcement of
any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be
impaired or affected without the consent of such holder. The
subordination provisions of the indenture and the exchange notes
do not prevent the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default
under the indenture.
As a result of these subordination provisions, in the event of
the liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency,
receivership or similar proceeding or an assignment for the
benefit of our creditors or a marshaling of our assets and
liabilities, holders of the exchange notes may receive ratably
less than other creditors.
We are obligated to pay reasonable compensation to the trustee
and to indemnify the trustee against certain losses, liabilities
or expenses incurred by the trustee in connection with its
duties relating to the exchange notes. The
36
trustees claims for these payments will generally by
senior to those of the holders of the exchange notes in respect
of all funds collected or held by the trustee.
Principal,
Maturity and Interest
Subject to compliance with the requirements of the terms of the
indenture, we may issue an unlimited principal amount of
additional notes from time to time after this offering. Any
offering of additional notes is subject to the covenant
described below under the caption Certain
Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant Suspension
Period Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock. The notes and any additional notes
subsequently issued under the indenture will be treated as a
single class for all purposes under the indenture, including,
without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers
to purchase. Any such additional notes would be
fungible under the original issue discount
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Solectron will issue any such notes only in denominations of
$1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. The notes will mature
on March 15, 2016.
Interest on the exchange notes will accrue at the rate of
8.00% per annum and will be payable semi-annually in
arrears on March 15th and September 15th,
commencing on September 15, 2006. We will make each
interest payment to the Holders of record on the immediately
preceding March 1st and September 1st.
Interest on the notes will accrue from the date of original
issuance of the original notes or, if interest has already been
paid, from the date it was most recently paid on the original
notes. Interest will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year
comprised of twelve
30-day
months.
Methods
of Receiving Payments on the Exchange Notes
If a Holder has given wire transfer instructions to us, we will
pay all principal, interest and premium, if any, on that
Holders notes in accordance with those instructions. All
other payments on notes will be made at the office or agency of
the paying agent and registrar within the City and State of New
York, unless we elect to make interest payments by check mailed
to the Holders at their address set forth in the register of
Holders.
Paying
Agent and Registrar for the Notes
The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar. We
may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to
the Holders of the notes, and we or Solectron or any of its
Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
Transfer
and Exchange
A Holder may exchange or transfer exchange notes in accordance
with the indenture. The registrar and the trustee may require a
Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements
and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of notes.
Holders will be required to pay all taxes due on transfer. We
are not required to transfer or exchange any note selected for
redemption. Also, we are not required to transfer or exchange
any note for a period of 15 days before a selection of
notes to be redeemed.
Payment
of Additional Amounts
All payments of, or in respect of, principal of and any premium
and interest on the notes or the guarantee shall be made free
and clear of, and without withholding or deduction for, or on
account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or
governmental charges of whatever nature imposed, withheld, or
assessed by or on behalf of any jurisdiction, other than the
United States, or any taxing authority thereof or therein (each
a Relevant Jurisdiction), unless such withholding or
deduction is required by law. In the event that any such
withholding or deduction is required, Financeco or Solectron, as
the case may be, shall pay such additional amounts of, or in
respect of, principal of and any premium and interest on the
notes or the guarantee (Additional Amounts) as will
result in the receipt by the holders of the amounts that would
have been received by them had no such withholding or
37
deduction been required, except that no Additional Amounts shall
be payable for or on account of any tax, duty, assessment, or
other governmental charge which would not have been imposed but
for the fact that such holder:
(a) had some connection with the Relevant Jurisdiction
other than the mere ownership of, receipt of payment under, or
enforcement of such note or guarantee; or
(b) presented such note or guarantee for payment more than
30 days after the date on which the payment in respect of
such note or guarantee became due and payable or provided for,
whichever is later;
Whenever there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the
principal of or any premium or interest on, or in respect of,
any note or guarantee, such mention shall be deemed to include
the payment of Additional Amounts to the extent that, in such
context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in
respect thereof pursuant to the indenture.
Optional
Redemption
At any time prior to March 15, 2009, we or Solectron may on
any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate
principal amount of notes issued under the indenture at a
redemption price of 108% of the principal amount, plus accrued
and unpaid interest, to, but not including, the redemption date,
with cash in an amount not in excess of the Net Cash Proceeds of
one or more Qualified Equity Offerings; provided that:
(1) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of notes
issued under the indenture remains outstanding immediately after
the occurrence of such redemption (excluding notes held by us or
Solectron and its Subsidiaries); and
(2) the redemption occurs within 90 days of the date
of the closing of such Qualified Equity Offering.
On or after March 15, 2011, we or Solectron may redeem all
or a part of the notes upon not less than 30 nor more than
60 days notice, at the redemption prices (expressed
as percentages of principal amount) set forth below, plus
accrued and unpaid interest on the notes redeemed, to, but not
including, the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during
the twelve-month period beginning on March 15th of the
years indicated below:
|
|
|
|
|
Year
|
|
Percentage
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
104.000
|
%
|
2012
|
|
|
102.667
|
%
|
2013
|
|
|
101.333
|
%
|
2014 and thereafter
|
|
|
100.000
|
%
|
In addition, at any time prior to March 15, 2011, we or
Solectron may, at our option, redeem the notes, in whole or in
part, from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than
60 days notice at a redemption price equal to the
greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the notes so
redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, and (ii) the
Make-Whole Premium, plus, to the extent not included in the
Make-Whole Premium, accrued and unpaid interest to, but not
including, the date of redemption.
Neither we nor Solectron are required to make mandatory
redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the notes.
Optional
Tax Redemption
The notes may be redeemed at the option of Financeco or
Solectron, in whole but not in part, upon not less than 30 nor
more than 60 days notice to the holders, at a
redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof,
plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date fixed for
redemption if, as a result of:
(a) any change in or amendment to the laws or treaties (or
any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of a Relevant
Jurisdiction affecting taxation; or
(b) any change in the existing official position regarding
the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or
rulings (including a holding, judgment, or order by a court of
competent jurisdiction),
38
which change, amendment, application or interpretation is
proposed or announced on or after the date of original issuance
of the notes, with respect to any payment due or to become due
under the notes or the indenture, Financeco or Solectron, as the
case may be, is or would be required on the next succeeding
interest payment date to pay Additional Amounts on the notes or
the guarantee and the payment of such Additional Amounts cannot
be avoided by the use of any reasonable measures available to
Financeco or Solectron, including making payments directly by
Solectron under the guarantee.
No such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than
90 days prior to the earliest date on which Financeco or
Solectron would be obligated to pay such Additional Amounts were
a payment in respect of the notes or guarantee then due. Prior
to the publication of any notice of redemption in accordance
with the foregoing, Financeco shall deliver to the trustee
(i) an opinion of tax counsel of recognized standing and
expertise in the tax law of the applicable Relevant
Jurisdiction, reasonably acceptable to the trustee, to the
effect that the circumstances referred to in the prior paragraph
exist and (ii) a certificate signed by two officers of
Financeco stating that the payment of Additional Amounts cannot
be avoided by the use of any reasonable measures available to
Financeco or Solectron, including making payments directly by
Solectron under the guarantee. The notice, once delivered by
Financeco to the trustee, will be irrevocable.
Repurchase
at the Option of Holders
Change
of Control
If a Change of Control occurs, each Holder of notes will have
the right to require Financeco to repurchase all or any part
(equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000) of that
Holders notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer on the
terms set forth in the indenture. In the Change of Control
Offer, we will offer a Change of Control Payment in cash equal
to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased,
plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes repurchased, to,
but not including, the date of purchase. Within twenty business
days following our becoming aware of a Change of Control, we
will mail a notice to each Holder describing the transaction or
transactions that constitute the Change of Control and offering
to repurchase notes on the Change of Control Payment Date
specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than
30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such
notice is mailed, pursuant to the procedures required by the
indenture and described in such notice. We will comply with the
requirements of
Rule 14e-1
under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and
regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations
are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as
a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the
provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with
the Change of Control provisions of the indenture, we will
comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and
will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the
Change of Control provisions of the indenture by virtue of such
conflict.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, we will, to the extent
lawful:
(1) accept for payment all notes or portions of notes
(equal to $1,000 principal amount or an integral multiple
thereof) properly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the
Change of Control Offer;
(2) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the
Change of Control Payment in respect of all such notes or
portions of notes properly tendered; and
(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee the
notes properly accepted together with an officers
certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of notes or
portions of notes being purchased by us.
The paying agent will promptly mail to each Holder of accepted
notes the Change of Control Payment for such notes, and the
trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be
transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new note equal in
principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the notes
surrendered, if any; provided that each note will be in a
principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000.
We will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control
Offer on, or as soon as practicable after, the Change of Control
Payment Date.
39
Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control,
the indenture does not contain provisions that permit the
Holders of the notes to require that we repurchase or redeem the
notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar
transaction.
We will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a
Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control
Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance
with the requirements set forth in the indenture applicable to a
Change of Control Offer made by us and purchases all notes
properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control
Offer.
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating
to the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the
properties or assets of Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body
of case law interpreting the phrase substantially
all, there is no precise established definition of the
phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a
Holder of notes to require us to repurchase its notes as a
result of a sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of
less than all of the assets of Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another person may be uncertain.
Asset
Sales
Solectron will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale, unless:
(1) Solectron (or a Restricted Subsidiary) receives
consideration from the Asset Sale, which, at the time of the
Asset Sale, is at least equal to the fair market value of the
assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed
of;
(2) if such Asset Sale, or any series of related Asset
Sales, is for assets with a fair market value in excess of
$50 million, the fair market value is determined by
Solectrons or Financecos Board of Directors and
evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors set forth in
an officers certificate delivered to the trustee; and
(3) at least 75% of the consideration received in the Asset
Sale by Solectron or such Restricted Subsidiary consists of
cash, Cash Equivalents or Replacement Assets. For purposes of
this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash:
(a) any liabilities (other than contingent liabilities and
liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the notes),
as shown on Solectrons most recent Consolidated balance
sheet, of Solectron or any Restricted Subsidiary that are
assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to an
agreement that expressly releases or indemnifies Solectron or
such Restricted Subsidiary from further liability;
(b) securities, assets or property that within 90 days
of such Asset Sale is converted, sold or exchanged by Solectron
or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash, Cash Equivalents or
Replacement Assets; provided that any such cash and Cash
Equivalents shall be treated as Net Cash Proceeds attributable
to the original Asset Sale for which such property was
received; and
(c) Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is no
longer a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Asset Sale,
if Solectron and all of its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately
are released from all Guaranties, if applicable, of payments or
other Obligations with respect to such Indebtedness and such
Indebtedness is no longer the liability of the Solectron or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
Within 360 days after the receipt of any Net Cash Proceeds
from an Asset Sale, Solectron or such Restricted Subsidiary may
apply those Net Cash Proceeds:
(1) to permanently repay Indebtedness and other Obligations
under the Credit Agreements, any Senior Debt of Solectron or any
Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron (other
than Financeco) or any Senior Debt of Financeco and if the
Indebtedness repaid is revolving credit Indebtedness, to
correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;
(2) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of
another Permitted Business; or
40
(3) to acquire other assets that are immediately used or
useful in a Permitted Business, to make capital expenditures or
to make Permitted Investments (other than pursuant to
clauses (1) or (2) thereof).
Pending the final application of any Net Cash Proceeds,
Solectron may temporarily reduce revolving credit borrowings or
otherwise invest the Net Cash Proceeds in any manner that is not
prohibited by the indenture.
Any Net Cash Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or
invested as provided in the second preceding paragraph will
constitute Excess Proceeds. When the aggregate
amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $25.0 million, we will
make an Asset Sale Offer to all holders of notes and, at our
option, to all holders of other Indebtedness that ranks pari
passu in right of payment with the notes or the related
guarantee containing provisions requiring Financeco, Solectron
or its Restricted Subsidiaries to offer to purchase or to redeem
such Indebtedness with the proceeds of sales of assets, to
purchase the maximum principal amount of notes and such other
pari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the
Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be
equal to 100% of principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid
interest to, but not including, the date of purchase, and will
be payable in cash. If any Excess Proceeds remain after
consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, Solectron, Financeco or
their Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, may use those
Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by the
indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of notes and other
pari passu Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale
Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the trustee will
select the notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness
to be purchased on a pro rata basis or such other basis
allowed by the indenture and such other Indebtedness. Upon
completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess
Proceeds will be reset at zero.
We will comply with the requirements of
Rule 14e-1
under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and
regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations
are applicable in connection with each repurchase of notes
pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the
provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with
the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture, we will comply with
the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be
deemed to have breached its obligations under the Asset Sale
provisions of the indenture by virtue of such conflict.
The agreements governing Solectrons other Indebtedness
contain limitations on Solectrons and Financecos
ability to engage in certain transactions, including events that
would constitute a Change of Control or an Asset Sale. In
addition, the exercise by the Holders of notes of their right to
require us to repurchase the notes upon a Change of Control or
an Asset Sale could cause a default under these other
agreements, even if the Change of Control or Asset Sale itself
does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchases on
Solectron. Finally, our ability to pay cash to the Holders of
notes upon a Change of Control may be limited by our or
Solectrons then-existing financial resources.
Selection
and Notice
If fewer than all of the notes are to be redeemed or repurchased
pursuant to the foregoing provisions at any time, the trustee
will select notes for redemption or repurchase as follows:
(1) if the notes are listed on any national securities
exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal
national securities exchange on which the notes are
listed; or
(2) if the notes are not listed on any national securities
exchange, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the
trustee deems fair and appropriate.
No notes of $1,000 principal amount or less can be redeemed or
repurchased pursuant to the foregoing provisions in part. Such
notices of redemption or repurchase will be mailed by first
class mail at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the
redemption date to each Holder of notes to be redeemed at its
registered address, except that such redemption or repurchase
notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a
redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a
defeasance of the notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the
indenture. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.
If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of
redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of
the principal amount of that note that is to be redeemed. A new
note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the
original note will be issued in the name of the Holder of notes
upon cancellation of the original note.
41
Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for
redemption. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to
accrue on notes or portions of them called for redemption.
Covenant
Suspension
If on any date following the date of the indenture:
(1) the notes are rated Baa3 or above by Moodys and
BBB or above by S&P (or, if either such entity ceases
to rate the notes for reasons outside of the control of
Financeco, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from
any other nationally recognized statistical rating
organization within the meaning of
Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F)
under the Exchange Act selected by Financeco as a replacement
agency) (an Investment Grade Rating); and
(2) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing (other than a Default or Event of Default which
would not be continuing if the Covenant Suspension Period were
in effect).
(the occurrence and continuation of the foregoing events being
collectively referred to as the Covenant Suspension
Period), then, upon the request of Financeco to the
Trustee, beginning on the day of such request and continuing
only so long as the factors set forth in (1) and
(2) above are satisfied, the covenants described under
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Period and the provisions of the
indenture described above under Repurchase at
the Option of Holders will no longer be applicable to the
notes. Accordingly, the following covenants (the Suspended
Covenants) will be suspended during a Covenant Suspension
Period: Change of Control,
Asset Sales,
Restricted Payments,
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock, Dividend and Other
Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries,
Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted
Subsidiaries, Transactions with
Affiliates and Limitations on Issuances
of Guarantees of Indebtedness.
If during any Covenant Suspension Period, either Moodys or
S&P withdraws its ratings or downgrades the ratings assigned
to the notes below the Investment Grade Ratings so that the
notes do not have an Investment Grade Rating from both
Moodys and S&P, or a Default (other than with respect
to the Suspended Covenants) occurs and is continuing, Solectron
and its Restricted Subsidiaries will thereafter again be subject
to the Suspended Covenants, subject to the terms, conditions and
obligations set forth in the Indenture (each such date of
reinstatement being the Reinstatement Date).
Compliance with the Suspended Covenants with respect to
Restricted Payments made after the Reinstatement Date will be
calculated in accordance with the terms of the covenant
described under Restricted Payments as
though such covenants had been in effect during the entire
period of time from which the notes are issued.
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, so long as the notes
are outstanding, including during a Covenant Suspension Period,
we, Solectron and its other Restricted Subsidiaries will be
subject to the following covenants:
Liens, Sale and
Leaseback Transactions (other than clauses (1) and
(3) thereof), Merger, Consolidation or
Sale of Assets (other than clause (4) thereof)
Enforcement of Support Agreement and
Payments for Consents. As a result,
during the Covenant Suspension Period, the notes will be
entitled to substantially less covenant protection for so long
as the factors set forth in (1) and (2) above are
satisfied.
Certain
Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant Suspension
Period
Set forth below are summaries of certain covenants contained in
the indenture that will apply to the notes only outside of a
Covenant Suspension Period.
Restricted
Payments
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly and without duplication:
(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment
or distribution on account of Solectrons or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries Equity Interests or to the direct
or indirect holders of Solectrons or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries Equity Interests in their capacity as such
(other than dividends or distributions payable
42
(a) in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of
Solectron or (b) to Solectron or a Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron);
(2) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for
value any Equity Interests of Solectron;
(3) make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase,
redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any
Indebtedness that is contractually subordinated in right of
payment to the notes or Solectrons guarantee of the notes,
except a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity
thereof; or
(4) make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and
other actions set forth in these clauses (1) through
(4) above being collectively referred to as
Restricted Payments),
unless, at the time of, and after giving effect to, such
Restricted Payment:
(1) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing or would occur as a consequence of such Restricted
Payment;
(2) Solectron would, at the time of such Restricted Payment
and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Restricted
Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable
four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00
of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant
described below under the caption Incurrence
of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock; and
(3) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate
amount of all other Restricted Payments made by Solectron and
its Restricted Subsidiaries after the date of the indenture,
taken as one accounting period, (excluding Restricted Payments
permitted by clauses (1), (2) and (3) of the
third paragraph of this covenant), is less than the sum, without
duplication, of:
(a) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of Solectron for the
period from the beginning of the first fiscal quarter commencing
after the date of the indenture to the end of Solectrons
most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial
statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment
(or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a
deficit, less 100% of such deficit), plus
(b) 100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds received by
Solectron (i) since the date of the indenture as a
contribution to its equity capital (other than from the sale or
issuance of Disqualified Stock), (ii) from the issue or
sale of Equity Interests of Solectron (other than Disqualified
Stock) since the date of the indenture, or (iii) from the
issue or sale prior to, on or since the date of the indenture of
debt securities (other than debt securities subordinated in
right of payment to the notes) that have been converted into or
exchanged for such Equity Interests (in the case of each of
(i) through (iii) above, other than Equity Interests
(or Disqualified Stock or debt securities) sold to a Subsidiary
of Solectron); provided that for purposes of (iii) above
Net Cash Proceeds shall include, with respect to debt securities
(other than debt securities subordinated in right of payment to
the notes) issued or sold prior to the date of the indenture
that have been converted into Equity Interests (excluding
Disqualified Stock) or exchanged for Equity Interests (excluding
Disqualified Stock) on or after the date of the indenture, the
principal amount, plus accrued but unpaid interest deemed
converted, or accreted value, as applicable, of such
Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness subordinated in right of
payment to the notes) that has been converted or exchanged,
plus
(c) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was
made after the date of the indenture is returned to Solectron or
a Restricted Subsidiary (the non-cash portion of which is to be
valued, for purposes of this covenant, only if it is an asset
the purchase of which would not have been a Restricted
Investment, in which case its value will be determined in good
faith by the Board of Directors of the receiving entity) or
otherwise liquidated or repaid, the lesser of (i) the
return of capital with respect to such Restricted Investment
(less the cost of disposition, if any), and (ii) the
aggregate amount of such Restricted Investment, plus
(d) to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of
Solectron is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after the
date of the indenture, the lesser of (i) the fair market
value of Solectrons Investment
43
in such Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation or
(ii) such fair market value as of the date on which such
Subsidiary was originally designated as an Unrestricted
Subsidiary plus the aggregate amount of any Restricted
Investments made following the date of such original designation
(measured as of the time each such Restricted Investment was
made), less
(e) to the extent that any Restricted Payment was made in
reliance on clause (9) below, the aggregate amount of such
Restricted Payments.
The preceding provisions will not prohibit the payment of any
dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration of
the dividend, if at the date of declaration the dividend payment
would have complied with the provisions of the indenture.
So long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would be
caused thereby, the preceding provisions will not prohibit:
(1) the redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or
other acquisition of any Indebtedness of Solectron or Financeco
which is subordinated in right of payment to the notes, the
guarantee of the notes by Solectron or its successors, or of any
Equity Interests of Solectron in exchange for or upon conversion
of, or out of the Net Cash Proceeds of the substantially
concurrent sale (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron) of, Equity Interests of Solectron (other than
Disqualified Stock); provided that the amount of any such
Net Cash Proceeds that are utilized for any such redemption,
repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition will be
excluded from the second clause (3) of the first paragraph
of this covenant;
(2) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase or other
acquisition of subordinated Indebtedness of Solectron or
Financeco in exchange for or with the net proceeds in cash equal
to that from a substantially concurrent incurrence of Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that the amount of any
such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such
redemption, repurchase, retirement, defeasance or other
acquisition will be excluded from the second clause (3) of
the first paragraph of this covenant;
(3) the payment of any dividend by a Restricted Subsidiary
of Solectron to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro
rata basis and on a non-pro rata basis with respect
to distributions to holders of GISs exchangeable stock by
virtue of a declaration of a dividend or distribution of
Solectron stock;
(4) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or
retirement for value of any Equity Interests of Solectron or any
Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron held by any officer,
director, consultant or employee of Solectron (or of any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries) pursuant to any management equity
subscription agreement, stock option agreement or similar
agreement; provided that the aggregate price paid for all
such repurchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests
may not exceed $10.0 million in any twelve-month period;
(5) loans to employees, officers and directors of Solectron
and its Restricted Subsidiaries not to exceed $10 million
in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;
(6) the repurchase of Equity Interests of Solectron that
may be deemed to occur upon the cash-less exercise thereof;
(7) the making of any payment on or with respect to, or
repurchase, redemption, defeasance or acquisition or retirement
for value, of any Indebtedness subordinated in right of payment
to the notes or the guarantee of the notes by Solectron or its
successors which is convertible or exchangeable into Equity
Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of Solectron in
connection with (i) an optional redemption of such
convertible subordinated Indebtedness pursuant to the terms
thereof; provided that, the current market price per
share of Solectrons common stock (calculated based upon
the average closing price as reported on the New York Stock
Exchange (or other national securities exchange on which such
common stock is listed) for the 30-trading day period
immediately preceding the date any notice of redemption is sent
or published) into which such Indebtedness is convertible or
exchangeable equals or exceeds 150% of the conversion or
exchange price in effect for such Indebtedness on the date of
such notice; and (ii) the payment by Solectron of cash in
lieu of any fractional shares deliverable upon conversion or
exchange of any Indebtedness in compliance with the terms of the
instruments governing such Indebtedness; provided that
any amounts paid pursuant to this
44
clause (7) will be deducted in determining the amount of
Restricted Payments permitted under the second clause (3)
in the first paragraph of this covenant;
(8) other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to
exceed $50.0 million;
(9) the making of any Restricted Payment so long as
Solectron would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and
after giving pro forma effect thereto, have a Consolidated Net
Leverage Ratio of not more than 1.5 to 1.0;
(10) in connection with an acquisition by Solectron or by
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, receive or accept the return
to Solectron or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Equity
Interests of Solectron or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
constituting a portion of the purchase price consideration in
settlement of indemnification claims; and
(11) engage in transactions relating to tax planning
strategies of Solectron and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
provided that all such transactions are between or among
Restricted Subsidiaries, Solectron and any trustee, transfer
agent or escrow agent relating to such tax planning strategies,
or any combination of the foregoing parties.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be
the fair market value on the date of the Restricted Payment of
the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued
by Solectron or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be,
pursuant to the Restricted Payment. The fair market value of any
assets or securities that are required to be valued by this
covenant will be determined by an officer of Solectron or us and
set forth in an officers certificate delivered to the
Trustee. If such fair market value exceeds $50 million,
such determination shall be based upon a resolution of the Board
of Directors of Solectron or us, as the case may be, which
resolution with respect thereto will also be delivered to the
trustee. Not later than the date of making any Restricted
Payment, we will deliver to the trustee such officers
certificate, which shall also state that such Restricted Payment
is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the
calculations required by this Restricted Payments
covenant were computed, together with a copy of any fairness
opinion or appraisal required by the indenture.
Incurrence
of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to create,
incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable,
contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively,
incur) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt),
and neither Financeco nor Solectron will issue any Disqualified
Stock and Solectron will not permit any of its other Restricted
Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock;
provided, however, that Financeco and Solectron may incur
Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified
Stock, and Solectrons other Restricted Subsidiaries may
incur Indebtedness or issue preferred stock, if the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio for Solectrons most recently ended four
full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are
available immediately preceding the date on which such
additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock
or preferred stock is issued would have been at least 2.0 to
1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma
application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional
Indebtedness had been incurred or the preferred stock or
Disqualified Stock had been issued, as the case may be, at the
beginning of such four-quarter period.
The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the
incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness
(collectively, Permitted Debt):
(1) the incurrence by Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Indebtedness and letters of credit under any
Credit Agreements (plus any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness
incurred to extend, retire, renew, defease, refinance, replace
or refund such Indebtedness) in an aggregate principal amount at
any one time outstanding under this clause (1) not to
exceed the greater of (a) $500.0 million; and
(b) the sum of (i) 85% of the value of
Solectrons and its Restricted Subsidiaries accounts
receivable (before giving effect to any related reserves) shown
on the Solectrons most recent Consolidated balance sheet
prepared in accordance with GAAP that are not more than
90 days past due, plus (ii) 60% of the
inventory shown on Solectrons most recent Consolidated
balance sheet in accordance with GAAP; in each case minus the
amount of any such Indebtedness (a) retired with the Net
Cash Proceeds from any Asset Sale applied to permanently reduce
the
45
outstanding amounts or the commitments with respect to such
Indebtedness as required pursuant to
Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Asset Sales or (b) assumed by a
transferee in an Asset Sale; provided that, solely for
purposes of calculating the amount of Indebtedness which may be
incurred pursuant to clause (1)(b), any Indebtedness
incurred pursuant to clause (12) of this paragraph
will be deemed to have been incurred under this
clause (1)(b);
(2) the incurrence by Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries of the Existing Indebtedness;
(3) the incurrence by Financeco of Indebtedness represented
by the notes and by Solectron of the guarantee, in each case to
be issued on the date of the indenture and the incurrence by
Financeco of Indebtedness represented by the exchange notes and
by Solectron of the related guarantee, in each case to be issued
upon consummation of the exchange offer made pursuant to the
related registration rights agreement;
(4) the incurrence by Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange
for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refund,
renew, refinance, defease or replace Indebtedness (other than
intercompany Indebtedness) that was permitted by the indenture
to be incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant or
clauses (2), (3) or clause (4) of this paragraph;
(5) the incurrence or issuance by Solectron or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness,
Disqualified Stock or preferred stock between or among Solectron
and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided,
however, that:
(a) if either Financeco or Solectron is the obligor on such
Indebtedness, such Indebtedness must be contractually
subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment of all
Obligations with respect to the notes and the guarantee,
respectively; and
(b) (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity
Interests or other transaction that results in any such
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock being held
by a Person other than Solectron or a Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such
Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock to a Person
that is not either Solectron or a Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an
incurrence of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred
stock by Solectron or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case
may be, that was not permitted by this clause (5);
(6) the incurrence by Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations that are incurred for the
purpose of fixing or hedging interest rate risk with respect to
any floating
and/or fixed
rate Indebtedness that is permitted by the terms of the
indenture to be outstanding or for the purpose of fixing or
hedging currency exchange risk or commodity price risk and not
with the purpose of speculation;
(7) the guarantee by Solectron of Indebtedness of Solectron
or a Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron or the guarantee (given
reasonably contemporaneously with the incurrence of Indebtedness
being guaranteed) by a Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron of
Indebtedness of any other Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron, in
each case that was permitted to be incurred by another provision
of this covenant and by the covenant
Limitations on Issuances of Guarantees of
Indebtedness;
(8) the accrual of interest, the accretion or amortization
of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any
Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the
same terms, the accumulation of dividends on Disqualified Stock
or preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent not
paid) and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock or
preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries in the form of
additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock or
preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries will not be deemed to
be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified
Stock for purposes of this covenant; provided, in each
such case, that the amount thereof is included in Fixed Charges
of Solectron as accrued;
(9) the incurrence by Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or
preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate
principal amount (or accreted value or liquidation preference,
as applicable) at any time outstanding incurred pursuant to this
clause (9), not to exceed $150.0 million;
46
(10) Indebtedness incurred solely in respect of bankers
acceptances, letters of credit and performance bonds (to the
extent that such incurrence does not result in the incurrence of
any obligation to repay any obligation relating to borrowed
money or other Indebtedness), all in the ordinary course of
business in amounts and for the purposes customary in
Solectrons industry;
(11) the incurrence of Indebtedness not to exceed
$200.0 million at any one time outstanding as a part of a
Cash Repatriation Transaction for tax planning or cash
repatriation purposes;
(12) the incurrence by Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease
Obligations, mortgage or equipment financings or other
Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, in each case, incurred for
the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price
or cost of engineering, installation, acquisition, lease,
construction or improvement of property, plant or equipment used
in the business of Solectron or such Restricted Subsidiary, in
an aggregate principal amount, liquidation amount, or accreted
value, as applicable, not to exceed 10% of Total Assets at any
time outstanding; provided that solely for purposes of
calculating the amount of Indebtedness which may be incurred
pursuant to this clause (12), any Indebtedness incurred
pursuant to clause (1)(b) of this paragraph will be deemed
to have been incurred under this clause (12);
(13) the incurrence by Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries of Acquired Debt (other than Acquired Debt Incurred
as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the
funds or credit support utilized to consummate, the transaction
or series of transactions pursuant to which such Restricted
Subsidiary became a Subsidiary of Solectron or its Restricted
Subsidiary or was otherwise acquired by Solectron or its
Restricted Subsidiary), provided, that such incurrence
does not result, on a pro forma basis for the transaction with
which the Acquired Debt is incurred, in Solectrons
Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio decreasing immediately
after such incurrence from Solectrons Consolidated Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio in effect immediately prior to such
incurrence; and
(14) the incurrence of Indebtedness to provide credit
support put in place in connection with the Receivables
Financing Program in an aggregate amount at any one time
outstanding not to exceed $250.0 million.
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will incur any Indebtedness
(including Permitted Debt) that is contractually subordinated in
right of payment to any other Indebtedness of Solectron or
Financeco unless such Indebtedness is also contractually
subordinated in right of payment to the notes and the guarantees
on substantially identical terms; provided, however, that
no Indebtedness of Solectron or Financeco will be deemed to be
contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other
Indebtedness of Solectron or Financeco solely by virtue of being
unsecured.
For purposes of determining compliance with this
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred
Stock covenant, in the event that an item of proposed
Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of a
Restricted Subsidiary, or portion thereof meets the criteria of
more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt described in
clauses (1) through (14) above, or is entitled to be
incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant,
Financeco and Solectron will be permitted to classify such item
of Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of a
Restricted Subsidiary, or portion thereof on the date of its
incurrence, or later reclassify all or a portion of such item of
Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock of a
Restricted Subsidiary, or portion thereof, in any manner that
complies with this covenant, except that Indebtedness under the
Credit Agreements (as described in clause (i) of the
definition thereof) outstanding on the date on which notes are
first issued and authenticated under the indenture will be
deemed to have been incurred on such date in reliance on the
exception provided by clause (1) of the definition of
Permitted Debt.
For purposes of determining any particular amount of
Indebtedness under this covenant, Guarantees, Liens or
obligations with respect to letters of credit supporting
Indebtedness otherwise included in the determination of such
particular amount shall not be included to the extent that
including such amount shall cause duplication.
For purposes of determining compliance with this covenant, the
U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness
denominated in any currency other than U.S. dollars shall
be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in
effect as of the date such Indebtedness is incurred, in the case
of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving
credit debt; provided that the amount of any Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness denominated in
47
the same currency as the Indebtedness being refinanced thereby,
shall be calculated based on the relevant exchange rate in
effect as of the date of the incurrence of the Indebtedness
being so refinanced.
Dividend
and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted
Subsidiaries
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or
indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any
consensual encumbrance or restriction (other than those incurred
during a Covenant Suspension Period) on the ability of any
Restricted Subsidiary to:
(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its
Capital Stock to Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, or with respect to any other interest or
participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any
indebtedness owed to Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries;
(2) make loans or advances to Solectron or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(3) transfer any of its properties or assets to Solectron
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
However, the preceding restrictions will not apply to
encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(1) any such encumbrance or restriction existing on the
date of the indenture or under any agreements and instruments
governing Existing Indebtedness, Existing Synthetic Lease
Financings, the Credit Agreements and other agreements as in
effect on the date of the indenture and any amendments,
modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements,
refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements,
provided that the amendments, modifications,
restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings,
replacement or refinancings and Credit Agreements are not
materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to
such dividend and other payment restrictions directly or
indirectly affecting payments from Restricted Subsidiaries to
Solectron or to other Restricted Subsidiaries of Solectron than
those contained in those agreements on the date of the indenture;
(2) the indenture and the notes and related guarantees;
(3) applicable law;
(4) any agreement or instrument of a Person acquired by
Solectron or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at
the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such
agreement or instrument was entered into in connection with or
in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or
restriction is not applicable to Solectron or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries or the properties or assets of Solectron
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, other than, in each case,
the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so
acquired, provided that, in the case of any agreement or
instrument with respect to Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was
permitted by the terms of the indenture to be incurred;
(5) customary non-assignment provisions in leases, licenses
and other agreements or instruments restricting assignment or
restricting transfers of non-cash assets entered into in the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices;
(6) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the
ordinary course of business and provisions contained in
operating leases that impose restrictions on the property
acquired or leased of the nature described in clause (3) of
the preceding paragraph;
(7) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of a
Restricted Subsidiary that contains any of the encumbrances or
restrictions described in the preceding paragraph as they relate
to that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other
disposition;
(8) any agreement or instrument governing Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness, provided that the restrictions
contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, than
those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness
being refinanced;
48
(9) Liens securing obligations otherwise permitted to be
incurred under the provisions of the covenant described below
under the caption Liens that limit the
right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such
Liens;
(10) provisions with respect to the disposition or
distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements,
partnership agreements, assets sale agreements, stock sale
agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the
ordinary course of business, in each case to the extent that the
counterparty to such agreement is not an Affiliate of Solectron;
(11) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth
imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the
ordinary course of business;
(12) restrictions contained in Qualified Foreign
Indebtedness;
(13) with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary, any agreement
or investment entered into after the date of the indenture if
(i) the encumbrance or restriction applies only if there is
a default, (ii) the encumbrance is not materially more
disadvantageous to holders of Notes than in comparable
financings (as determined by Solectron), and
(iii) Solectron determines that the encumbrance or
restriction will not materially affect the ability to pay
interest on the notes at their Stated Maturity or principal and
accrued and unpaid interest on the notes at their final Stated
Maturity;
(14) under any customary provisions under any agreements,
instruments or contracts relating to any Receivables
Program; and
(15) reasonable and customary borrowing base, net worth and
similar covenants set forth in agreements evidencing
Indebtedness otherwise permitted by the Indenture, provided
that such covenants do not explicitly limit Solectrons
or its Restricted Subsidiaries ability to make dividends
to or investments in Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, guarantee the obligations of Solectron or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries or loan money to Solectron or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries.
Designation
of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries
The Board of Directors of Solectron may designate any Restricted
Subsidiary other than Financeco to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary
if that designation would not cause a Default. If a Restricted
Subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the
aggregate fair market value (as determined by the Board of
Directors) of all outstanding Investments owned by Solectron and
its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary properly
designated (and any Investments made in such Unrestricted
Subsidiary after the date of designation) will be deemed to be
Investments made as of the time of the designation (or the date
of such Investment, as the case may be) and will reduce the
amount available for Restricted Payments under the first
paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption
Restricted Payments or Permitted
Investments, as determined by Solectron or Financeco. That
designation will only be permitted if the Investment would be
permitted at that time and if the Restricted Subsidiary
otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
The Board of Directors of Solectron may redesignate any
Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if the
redesignation would not cause a Default.
Transactions
with Affiliates
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any
payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any
of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or
assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction,
contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee
with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (each, an
Affiliate Transaction), unless:
(1) the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less
favorable to Solectron or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary
than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a
comparable transaction by Solectron or such Restricted
Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; and
(2) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of
related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration
in excess of $50 million, Financeco or Solectron delivers
to the trustee either a resolution of the Board of Directors of
Solectron set forth in an officers certificate certifying
that such
49
Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant and that such
Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the
disinterested members of the Board of Directors of Solectron or
such Restricted Subsidiary, or an opinion as to the fairness to
Solectron or such Restricted Subsidiary of such Affiliate
Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an
accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national
standing.
The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate
Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the
provisions of the prior paragraph:
(1) any employment agreement entered into by Solectron or
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of
business and consistent with the past practice of Solectron or
such Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) Affiliate Transactions between or among Solectron
and/or its
Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) Restricted Payments and Permitted Investments that are
permitted by the provisions of the indenture described above
under the caption Restricted Payments;
(4) the entering into, maintaining or performance of any
employment contract, employee loan, collective bargaining
agreement, benefit plan, program or arrangement, related trust
agreement or any other similar arrangement (in each case entered
into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice) for or with any employee, officer or director,
including vacation, health, insurance, deferred compensation,
retirement, savings or other similar plans;
(5) the payment of compensation, performance of
indemnification or contribution obligations, or an issuance,
grant or award of stock, options or other equity related
interests to employees, officers or directors in the ordinary
course of business;
(6) the payment of reasonable and customary fees and the
provision of indemnities to directors in connection with their
services; and
(7) if such transaction is with any Person solely in its
capacity as a holder of Indebtedness or Equity Interests of
Solectron or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, if such person
is treated no more favorably by the terms of such transaction
than any other holder of Indebtedness or Equity Interest of
Solectron; provided such Person owns less than 15% of
such Indebtedness or Equity Interests.
Limitations
on Issuances of Guarantees of Indebtedness
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or
indirectly, to Guarantee the payment of any other Indebtedness
of Solectron (other than Senior Debt) or of Financeco (other
than Senior Debt), unless Solectron or such Restricted
Subsidiary simultaneously executes and delivers a supplemental
indenture providing for the Guarantee of the payment of the
notes by such Restricted Subsidiary or Solectron, which
Guarantee will be senior to or pari passu with Solectron
or such Restricted Subsidiarys Guarantee of or pledge to
secure such other Indebtedness.
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, any such Guarantee of
the notes by a Restricted Subsidiary will provide by its terms
that it will be automatically and unconditionally released and
discharged:
(1) in connection with any sale or other disposition of all
of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or
consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after
giving effect to such transaction) a Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron, if the sale or other disposition complies with the
Asset Sale provisions of the indenture; or
(2) in connection with any sale of all or substantially all
of the Capital Stock of a Guarantor to a Person that is not
(either before or after giving effect to such transaction) a
Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron, if the sale complies with
the Asset Sale provisions of the indenture and such
Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary of Solectron;
provided, however, that any such release and discharge
shall occur only to the extent that all obligations of such
Guarantor under all of its guarantees of Solectrons or its
Restricted Subsidiaries Indebtedness shall also terminate
50
upon such release, sale or transfer and none of such
Guarantors Equity Interests are pledged for the benefit of
any holder of any such Indebtedness of Solectron or its
Restricted Subsidiaries.
See Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Asset Sales.
Certain
Covenants Before, During and After a Covenant Suspension
Period
Set forth below are summaries of certain covenants contained in
the indenture that will apply to the notes before, during and
after a Covenant Suspension Period.
Liens
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to, create,
incur, assume or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become
effective any Lien of any kind (other than Permitted Liens or
Liens securing our or Solectrons Senior Debt) securing
Indebtedness upon any of their property or assets, now owned or
hereafter acquired, unless:
(a) if such Lien secures Senior Subordinated Debt, the
notes and the Guarantee are secured by a Lien in the same
properties as those securing such Lien and on an equal and
ratable basis with such Senior Subordinated Debt; and
(b) if such Lien secures Subordinated Debt, such Lien shall
be of a lessor priority than a Lien securing the notes and the
Guarantees in the same properties as those securing such Lien.
Sale
and Leaseback Transactions
Neither Financeco nor Solectron will, Solectron and will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any
sale and leaseback transaction in excess of $50.0 million
in one or a series of related transactions; provided that
Solectron or any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into a sale and
leaseback transaction if:
(1) Financeco or Solectron or that Restricted Subsidiary,
as applicable, could have incurred Indebtedness in an amount
equal to the Attributable Debt relating to such sale and
leaseback transaction under the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test
in the first paragraph of the covenant described above under the
caption Incurrence of Indebtedness and
Issuance of Preferred Stock or under
clause (12) of the definition of Permitted Debt;
(2) with respect to any sale leaseback transaction in which
the assets subject to such sale leaseback have a fair market
value (as determined by Solectron in good faith) in excess of
$50 million, the gross cash proceeds of that sale and
leaseback transaction, when the terms of the lease are taken
into account, are at least equal to the fair market value, as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, of the
property that is the subject of that sale and leaseback
transaction; and
(3) the transfer of assets in that sale and leaseback
transaction is permitted by, and Solectron or Financeco or such
other Restricted Subsidiary applies the proceeds of such
transaction in compliance with, the covenant described above
under the caption Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Asset Sales.
Provided, that clauses (1) and (3) will have no
effect during a Covenant Suspension Period.
Merger,
Consolidation or Sale of Assets
Neither Financeco nor Solectron may: (1) consolidate or
merge with or into another Person (whether or not Financeco or
Solectron is the surviving corporation); or (2) sell,
assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or
substantially all of the properties and assets of Solectron and
its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole or of Financeco, in
one or more related transactions, including by way of a lease,
to another Person, unless:
(1) either: (a) Solectron or Financeco, as the case
may be, is the surviving corporation; or (b) the Person
formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if
other than Solectron or Financeco) or to which such sale,
assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been
made is a corporation organized or existing under the laws of
the United States, any state of the United States or the
District of Columbia;
51
(2) the Person formed by or surviving any such
consolidation or merger (if other than Solectron or Financeco)
or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer,
conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the
obligations of Solectron, as the case may be, under the notes or
the guarantees and the indenture;
(3) immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event
of Default exists; and
(4) Solectron or Financeco, as the case may be, or the
Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger
(if other than Solectron or Financeco, as the case may be), or
to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition has been made will, on the date of such transaction
after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing
transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the
applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least
$1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the
covenant described above under the caption
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock,
provided that clause (4) will have no effect during
a Covenant Suspension Period.
Upon any consolidation or merger or any sale, assignment,
transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or of Financeco, as the case may
be, in accordance with the foregoing, the Person formed by or
surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than
Solectron or Financeco), or to which such sale, assignment,
transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made shall
succeed to and be substituted for, and may exercise every right
and power of, Solectron or Financeco, as the case may be, under
the indenture with the same effect as if such successor
corporation had been named therein as Solectron or Financeco, as
the case may be, and Solectron or Financeco, as the case may be,
shall be released from the obligations under the notes and the
indenture, except with respect to any obligations that arise
from, or are related to, such transaction.
This Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
covenant will not apply to a merger, consolidation, sale,
assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of assets
between or among Solectron and any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries or Financeco and any other Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron, so long as such transaction is not for the purpose of
evading this provision
and/or is
not in connection with any other third-party transaction.
Financeco may not incur indebtedness unless (1) Solectron
is a co-obligor or guarantor of such Indebtedness or
(2) the net proceeds of such Indebtedness are loaned to
Solectron or a Restricted Subsidiary, used to acquire
outstanding debt securities issued by Solectron or a Restricted
Subsidiary, or used to repay Indebtedness of Solectron or a
Restricted Subsidiary as permitted under the covenant described
above under the caption Incurrence of
Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock. Financeco
may not engage in any business not related directly or
indirectly to obtaining money or arranging financing for
Solectron or its Restricted Subsidiaries.
Payments
for Consent
Neither Financeco, nor Solectron will, and Solectron will not
permit any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries to pay or cause
to be paid any consideration to or for the benefit of any Holder
of notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or
amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the indenture or
the notes, unless such consideration is offered to be paid or is
paid to all Holders of the notes who consent, waive or agree to
amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents
relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.
Enforcement
of Support Agreement
For so long as any note remains outstanding under the indenture,
Financeco, for the benefit of the trustee and holders, shall use
its best efforts to enforce its rights under the Support
Agreement between Financeco and Solectron. The Support Agreement
obligates Solectron to contribute such funds to Financeco as are
necessary for Financeco to make payments on the notes as they
come due.
52
Reports
Whether or not required by the Commission, so long as any notes
are outstanding, Solectron will furnish to the Holders of notes,
within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules
and regulations:
(1) all quarterly and annual financial information that
would be required to be contained in a filing with the
Commission on
Forms 10-Q
and 10-K if
Solectron were required to file such Forms, including a
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations and any financial
footnote disclosure with respect to Financeco which would have
been required by
Rule 3-10(b)
of
Regulation S-X,
and, with respect to the annual information only, a report on
the annual financial statements by Solectrons certified
independent accountants; and
(2) all current reports that would be required to be filed
with the Commission on
Form 8-K
if Solectron were required to file such reports.
In addition, whether or not required by the Commission,
Solectron will file a copy of all of the information and reports
referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above with the
Commission for public availability within 15 days of the
time periods specified in the Commissions rules and
regulations (unless the Commission will not accept such a
filing) and make such information available to securities
analysts and prospective investors upon request; provided that
any information filed with or furnished to the Commission shall
be deemed to have been provided to the Trustee, Holders,
security analysts and prospective investors for purposes hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Solectron may cure a breach of
this covenant by filing with the Commission or delivering to the
holders of notes, at any time prior to the acceleration of
notes, any such information it failed to file.
Events of
Default and Remedies
Each of the following is an Event of Default:
(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of
interest on the notes;
(2) our failure to pay all or any part of the principal of,
or premium, if any, on the notes when and as the same becomes
due and payable at maturity, redemption, by acceleration or
otherwise,
(3) failure by Financeco, Solectron or any of its other
Restricted Subsidiaries to comply with the covenants described
under the captions Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Change of Control,
Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Asset Sales, Certain
Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant
Suspension Restricted Payments,
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Incurrence of Indebtedness and
Issuance of Preferred Stock and Certain
Covenants Before, During and After a Covenant Suspension
Period Merger, Consolidation or Sale of
Assets; and such failure continues for 30 days after
notice is given as provided below;
(4) failure by Financeco, Solectron or any of its other
Restricted Subsidiaries to comply with any other covenant or
agreement in the notes or in the Indenture (other than a failure
that is the subject of the foregoing clause (1),
(2) or (3)), and such failure continues for 60 days
after notice is given as provided below;
(5) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument
under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured
or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by Financeco,
Solectron or any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries (or the
payment of which is guaranteed by Solectron, Financeco, or any
of its other Restricted Subsidiaries) whether such Indebtedness
or guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the
indenture, if that default:
(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of, or interest
or premium, if any, on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration
of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of
such default (a Payment Default); or
(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior
to its express maturity;
provided in each case, the principal amount of any such
Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other
such Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default
or the maturity of which
53
has been so accelerated, aggregates to $50.0 million or
more (or, during a Covenant Suspension Period, such amount
aggregates to $100.0 million or more);
(6) failure by Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries to pay final judgments aggregating in excess of
$50.0 million (or, during any Covenant Suspension Period,
judgments aggregating in excess of $100.0 million) other
than amounts which a third party insurer has acknowledged as its
exclusive liability, which judgments are not paid, discharged or
stayed for a period of 60 consecutive days; and
(7) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency described in
the indenture with respect to Financeco, Solectron or any of its
other Restricted Subsidiaries that would individually or
collectively constitute a Significant Subsidiary.
In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events
of bankruptcy or insolvency, with respect to Financeco,
Solectron, any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant
Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken
together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all
outstanding notes will become due and payable immediately
without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default
occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the Holders of at least
25% in principal amount of the then outstanding notes may
declare all the notes to be due and payable immediately.
Holders of the notes may not enforce the indenture or the notes
except as provided in the indenture. Subject to certain
limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
then outstanding notes may direct the trustee in its exercise of
any trust or power. The trustee may withhold from Holders of the
notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default if it
determines that withholding notice is in their interest, except
a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of
principal or interest.
The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
notes then outstanding by notice to the trustee may on behalf of
the Holders of all of the notes waive any existing Default or
Event of Default and its consequences under the indenture except
a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of
interest on, or the principal of, the notes.
In the case of any Event of Default occurring on or after
March 15, 2011 which is finally determined by a court of
competent jurisdiction in a judgment which is no longer subject
to appeal to have been by reason of any willful action or
inaction taken or not taken by or on behalf of Financeco or
Solectron with the intention of avoiding payment of the premium
that Financeco would have had to pay if Financeco or Solectron
then had elected to redeem the notes pursuant to the optional
redemption provisions of the indenture, an equivalent premium
will then be due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon
the acceleration of the notes. If an Event of Default occurs
prior to March 15, 2011, which is finally determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment which is no longer
subject to appeal to have been by reason of any willful action
(or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of Financeco
or Solectron with the intention of avoiding any prohibition on
redemption of the notes prior to March 15, 2011, then the
premium specified in the indenture will also become immediately
due and payable to the extent permitted by law upon the
acceleration of the notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions of this paragraph, upon the payment in full of the
principal amount plus accrued interest (other than the premium
referred to above) the indenture shall be of no further force
and effect except with respect to payment of the premium amount
if and when such court renders such a decision.
Financeco is required to deliver to the trustee annually a
statement regarding compliance with the indenture. Upon becoming
aware of any Default or Event of Default, Financeco is required
to deliver to the trustee a statement specifying such Default or
Event of Default.
No
Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and
Stockholders
No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of
Financeco or Solectron, as such, will have any liability for any
obligations of Financeco or Solectron under the notes, the
guarantee or the indenture or for any claim based on, in respect
of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each
Holder of notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such
liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration
for issuance of the notes.
54
Legal
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
Solectron or Financeco may, at its option and at any time, elect
to have all of its obligations discharged with respect to the
outstanding notes (Legal Defeasance), except for:
(1) the rights of Holders of outstanding notes to receive
payments in respect of the principal of, or interest or premium,
if any, on such notes when such payments are due from the trust
referred to below;
(2) Financecos obligations with respect to the notes
concerning issuing temporary notes, registration of notes,
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance
of an office or agency for payment and money for security
payments held in trust;
(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of
the trustee, and Financecos obligations in connection
therewith; and
(4) the Legal Defeasance provisions of the indenture.
In addition, Solectron or Financeco may, at its option and at
any time, elect to have the obligations of Financeco, Solectron
and Solectrons other Restricted Subsidiaries released with
respect to certain covenants that are described in the indenture
(Covenant Defeasance) and thereafter any omission to
comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or
Event of Default with respect to the notes. In the event
Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including
non-payment, bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation and
insolvency events) described under Events of
Default and Remedies will no longer constitute an Event of
Default with respect to the notes.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant
Defeasance:
(1) Financeco must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in
trust, for the benefit of the Holders of the notes, cash in
U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a
combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government
Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of
a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants,
to pay the principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on the
outstanding notes on the stated maturity or on the applicable
redemption date, as the case may be, and Financeco must specify
whether the notes are being defeased to maturity or to a
particular redemption date;
(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, Financeco has
delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel confirming that
(a) Financeco has received from, or there has been
published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or
(b) since the date of the indenture, there has been a
change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case
to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel
will confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding notes will not
recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes
as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to
federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and
at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal
Defeasance had not occurred;
(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, Financeco has
delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel confirming that
the Holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income,
gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such
Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on
the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as
would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not
occurred;
(4) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or
Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be
applied to such deposit) and no Event of Default relating to
bankruptcy or insolvency may occur at any time from the date of
such deposit to the 91st calendar day thereafter;
(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not
result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default
under any material agreement or instrument (other than as
permitted in clause (4) above) to which Financeco,
Solectron or any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries is a party
or by which Financeco, Solectron or any of its other Restricted
Subsidiaries is bound;
55
(6) Financeco or Solectron must deliver to the trustee an
officers certificate stating that the deposit was not made
by Financeco or Solectron with the intent of preferring the
Holders of notes over the other creditors of Financeco or
Solectron with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or
defrauding creditors of Solectron or others; and
(7) Financeco or Solectron must deliver to the trustee
(a) an officers certificate, stating that all
conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the
Covenant Defeasance have been complied with, and (b) an
opinion of counsel confirming the satisfaction of the conditions
precedent set forth in clauses (1) (with respect to the
validity, and perfection of the security interest), (2),
(3) and, to the knowledge of such counsel (5) above.
Amendment,
Supplement and Waiver
Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the
indenture or the notes may be amended or supplemented with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents
obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or
exchange offer for, notes), and any existing default or
compliance with any provision of the indenture or the notes may
be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the then outstanding notes (including,
without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a
purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes).
Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or
waiver may not (with respect to any notes held by a
non-consenting Holder):
(1) reduce the principal amount of notes whose Holders must
consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of
any note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption
of the notes (other than provisions relating to the covenants
described above under the caption Repurchase
at the Option of Holders);
(3) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of
interest on any note;
(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of
principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the notes
(except a rescission of acceleration of the notes by the Holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the notes and a
waiver of the payment default that resulted from such
acceleration);
(5) make any note payable in money other than that stated
in the notes;
(6) make any change in the provisions of the indenture
relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of
notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest or
premium, if any, on the notes;
(7) release Solectrons guarantee of the notes;
(8) waive a redemption payment with respect to any note
(other than a payment required by one of the covenants described
above under the caption Repurchase at the
Option of Holders); or
(9) make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver
provisions.
Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any Holder
of notes, Financeco, Solectron and the trustee may amend or
supplement the indenture or the notes:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(2) to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or
in place of certificated notes;
(3) to provide for the assumption of Solectrons or
Financecos obligations to Holders of notes and guarantees
in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or
substantially all of Solectrons assets;
(4) to make any change that would provide any additional
rights or benefits to the Holders of notes or that does not
adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any
such Holder;
56
(5) to comply with requirements of the Commission in order
to qualify or maintain the qualification of the indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act;
(6) adding guarantors to the notes or adding collateral
securing the notes pursuant to the terms of the
indenture; or
(7) make any change to the subordination provisions that
would limit or terminate benefits available to any holder of
Senior Debt; or
(8) to conform the text of the indenture or the notes to
any provision of this Description of Notes to the extent that
such provision in this Description of Notes is inconsistent with
the corresponding provision of the Indenture or the notes.
No amendment to the subordination provisions may be made
affecting the rights of any holder of Senior Debt without the
consent of such holder of Senior Debt.
Concerning
the Trustee
If the trustee becomes a creditor of Financeco or Solectron, the
indenture limits its right to obtain payment of claims in
certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in
respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee
will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if
it acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such
conflict within 90 days, apply to the Commission for
permission to continue or resign.
The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then
outstanding notes will have the right to direct the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy
available to the trustee, subject to certain exceptions. The
indenture provides that in case an Event of Default occurs and
is continuing, the trustee will be required, in the exercise of
its power, to use the degree of care of a prudent person in the
conduct of such persons own affairs. Subject to such
provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise
any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request
of any Holder of notes, unless such Holder has offered to the
trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any
loss, liability or expense.
Additional
Information
Anyone who receives this prospectus may obtain a copy of the
indenture without charge by writing to Solectron Corporation,
847 Gibraltar Drive, Milpitas, California 95035, Attention:
Chief Financial Officer.
Book-Entry
Procedures, Delivery, Form, Transfer and Exchange
Global
Notes
The exchange notes will be in the form of one or more registered
global notes without interest coupons. Upon issuance, the global
notes will be deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for The
Depository Trust Company (DTC), in New York, New
York, and registered in the name of DTC or its nominee for
credit to the accounts of DTCs Participants (as defined
below).
Transfer of beneficial interests in any global notes will be
subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC and its
Participants, which may change from time to time.
The Global Notes may be transferred, in whole and not in part,
only to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its
nominee in certain limited circumstances. Beneficial interests
in the Global Notes may not be exchanged for Certificated Notes
except in certain limited circumstances. See
Exchange of Interests in Global Notes for
Certificated Notes.
Initially, the Trustee will act as Paying Agent and Registrar.
Financeco may change the Paying Agent or Registrar without prior
notice to the Holders, and Financeco, Solectron or any of the
Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar. The notes may
be presented for registration of transfer and exchange at the
offices of the Registrar.
57
Certain
Book-Entry Procedures
The description of the operations and procedures of DTC
contained in this prospectus is provided solely as a matter of
convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within
their control and are subject to change by them from time to
time. Neither Financeco nor Solectron take responsibility for
these operations and procedures and urge you to contact DTC or
its Participants directly to discuss these matters.
DTC has advised Financeco and Solectron as follows: DTC is a
limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the
State of New York, 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
Exchange Act. DTC holds securities for its participating
organizations (collectively, the Direct
Participants) and facilitates the clearance and settlement
of transactions in those securities between Direct Participants
through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of Direct
Participants. The Direct Participants include securities brokers
and dealers (including the initial purchasers), banks, trust
companies, clearing corporations and certain other
organizations. Access to DTCs system is also available to
other Persons that clear through or maintain a direct or
indirect custodial relationship with a Direct Participant
(collectively, the Indirect Participants and,
together with the Direct Participants, the
Participants). Persons who are not Participants may
beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only
through the Participants.
DTC has advised Financeco and Solectron that, pursuant to
DTCs procedures, (i) upon deposit of the Global
Notes, DTC will credit the account of each Direct Participant
designated by the initial purchasers with the portion of the
principal amount at maturity of each global note that has been
allocated to such Direct Participant by the initial purchasers,
and (ii) DTC will maintain records of the ownership
interests of such Direct Participants in each global note and
the transfer of ownership interests by and between Direct
Participants. DTC will not maintain records of the ownership
interests of, or the transfer of ownership interests by and
between, Indirect Participants or other owners of beneficial
interests in the global notes. Direct Participants and Indirect
Participants must maintain their own records of the ownership
interests of, and the transfer of ownership interests by and
between, Indirect Participants and other owners of beneficial
interests in the global notes.
You may hold your interests in global notes directly through DTC
if you are a Direct Participant in DTC or indirectly through
organizations that are Direct Participants in DTC.
The laws of some states in the United States require that
certain persons take physical delivery in definitive,
certificated form of securities that they own. This may limit or
curtail your ability to transfer your beneficial interest in a
global note to such persons. Because DTC can act only on behalf
of Direct Participants, which in turn act on behalf of Indirect
Participants and others, your ability to pledge your beneficial
interest in a global note to Persons that are not Direct
Participants in DTC, or to otherwise take action in respect of
such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical
certificate evidencing such interest. For certain other
restrictions on the transferability of the notes, see
Exchange of Interests in Global Notes for
Certificated Notes.
As long as DTC, or its nominee, is the registered holder of a
Global Note, DTC or such nominee, as the case may be, will be
considered the sole owner and holder of the notes represented by
such Global Note for all purposes under the applicable Indenture
and the notes. Except in the limited circumstances described
under Exchange of Interests in Global Notes
for Certificated Notes, you will not be entitled to have
any portion of a global note registered in your name, will not
be entitled to receive physical delivery of notes in
certificated form and will not be considered the registered
owners or holder of a global note (or any note represented
thereby) under the applicable Indenture or the notes for any
purpose.
Under the terms of the applicable Indenture, Financeco,
Solectron and the Trustee will treat the persons in whose names
the notes are registered (including notes represented by global
notes) as the owners thereof for the purpose of receiving
payments and for any and all other purposes whatsoever. Payments
in respect of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest
(and Liquidated Damages, if any) on Global Notes registered in
the name of DTC or its nominee will be payable by the Trustee to
DTC or its nominee as the registered holder under the applicable
Indenture. Consequently, none of Financeco, Solectron, the
Trustee or any agent of Financeco, Solectron or the Trustee has
or will have any responsibility or liability for (i) any
aspect of DTCs records or any Participants records
relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in the global notes or for
58
maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of DTCs records
or any Participants records relating to the beneficial
ownership interests in any global note or (ii) any other
matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of
its Participants.
DTC has advised Financeco and Solectron that its current payment
practice (for payments of principal, premium, interest, and the
like) with respect to securities such as the notes is to credit
the accounts of the relevant Direct Participants with such
payment on the payment date in amounts proportionate to such
Direct Participants respective ownership interest in the
global notes as shown on DTCs records. Payments by Direct
Participants and Indirect Participants to the beneficial owners
of the notes will be governed by standing instructions and
customary practices between them and will not be the
responsibility of DTC, the Trustee, Financeco, or Solectron.
None of Financeco, Solectron or the Trustee will be liable for
any delay by DTC or its Direct Participants or Indirect
Participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the notes,
and Financeco, Solectron and the Trustee may conclusively rely
on and will be protected in relying on instructions from DTC or
its nominee as the registered owner of the notes for all
purposes.
Interests in the global notes will trade in DTCs Same-Day
Funds Settlement System and, therefore, transfers between Direct
Participants in DTC will be effected in accordance with
DTCs procedures, and will be settled in immediately
available funds. Transfers between Indirect Participants who
hold an interest through a Direct Participant will be effected
in accordance with the procedures of such Direct Participant.
DTC has advised Financeco and Solectron that it will take any
action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes (including the
presentation of notes for exchange as described above) only at
the direction of one or more Direct Participants to whose
account interests in the global notes are credited and only in
respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount at
maturity of the notes to which such Direct Participant or Direct
Participants has or have given direction. However, if there is
an Event of Default under the notes, DTC reserves the right to
exchange global notes (without the direction of one or more of
its Direct Participants) for legended notes in certificated
form, and to distribute such certificated forms of notes to its
Direct Participants. See Exchange of Interests
in Global Notes for Certificated Notes.
Although DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures to
facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among
Direct Participants, they are under no obligation to perform or
to continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may
be discontinued at any time. None of Financeco, Solectron, the
initial purchasers or the Trustee shall have any responsibility
for the performance by DTC or any of its Participants of their
respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing
any of their operations.
The information in this section concerning DTC and its
book-entry system has been obtained from sources that Financeco
and Solectron believe to be reliable, but Financeco and
Solectron take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.
Exchange
of Interests in global notes for Certificated
Notes
You may not exchange your beneficial interest in a Global Note
for a definitive note in registered, certificated form without
interest coupons (a Certificated Note) except as set
forth below.
An entire global note may be exchanged for Certificated Notes if:
|
|
|
|
|
DTC (a) notifies Financeco that it is unwilling or unable
to continue as depositary for the global notes, or (b) has
ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange
Act, and in either case Financeco fails to appoint a successor
depositary within 90 days of such notice;
|
|
|
|
Financeco, at Financecos option, notify the Trustee in
writing that Financeco is electing to issue Certificated
Notes; or
|
|
|
|
there shall have occurred and be continuing a Default or an
Event of Default with respect to the notes.
|
In any such case, Financeco will notify the Trustee in writing
that, upon surrender by the Participants of their interests in
such global note, Certificated Notes will be issued to each
person that such Participants and DTC identify as being a
beneficial owner of the related notes.
59
In addition, beneficial interests in global notes held by any
Participant may be exchanged for Certificated Notes upon request
by such Direct Participant (for itself or on behalf of an
Indirect Participant) to DTC or to the Trustee in accordance
with customary DTC procedures. Certificated Notes delivered in
exchange for any beneficial interest in any global note will be
registered in the names, and issued in any approved
denominations, requested by DTC on behalf of such Participants
(in accordance with DTCs customary procedures).
Any such exchange of beneficial interests in a global note for
Certificated Notes will be effected through the DWAC system and
an appropriate adjustment will be made to the records of the
registrar to reflect a decrease in the principal amount at
maturity of the global note.
None of Financeco, Solectron or the Trustee will be liable for
any delay by the holder of any global note or DTC in identifying
the beneficial owners of notes, and Financeco and the Trustee
may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on,
instructions from the holder of the global note or DTC for all
purposes.
Same
Day Settlement and Payment
The Indenture requires that payments in respect of the notes
represented by a global note (including principal, premium, if
any, and interest) be made by wire transfer of immediately
available same-day funds to the accounts specified by the
holders of interests in such global note. With respect to
Certificated Notes, Financeco and Solectron will make all
payments of principal, premium, if any, interest and Liquidated
Damages, if any, by wire transfer of immediately available
same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Holders thereof
or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each
such Holders registered address. Financeco and Solectron
expect that secondary trading in the Certificated Notes will
also be settled in immediately available funds.
Certain
Definitions
Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the indenture.
Reference is made to the indenture for a full disclosure of all
such terms, as well as any other capitalized terms used herein
for which no definition is provided.
Acquired Debt means, with respect to any
specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time
such other Person is merged with or into or became a Restricted
Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such
Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation
of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a
Restricted Subsidiary of, such specified Person; and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset
acquired by such specified Person, provided, that, in the
case of this clause (2) only, such Acquired Debt shall be
limited to the lesser of the fair market value of the asset
(determined by Solectron in good faith) subject to such Lien and
the total amount of such Indebtedness.
Affiliate of any specified Person means any
other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by
or under direct or indirect common control with such specified
Person. For purposes of this definition, control, as
used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly
or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of
the management or policies of such Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise;
provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the
Voting Stock of a Person will be deemed to be control. For
purposes of this definition, the terms controlling,
controlled by and under common control
with have correlative meanings.
Asset Sale means:
(1) the sale, conveyance or other disposition of any assets
or rights, other than in the ordinary course of business;
provided that the sale, conveyance or other disposition
of all or substantially all of the assets of Solectron and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or of Financeco will be governed
by the provisions of the indenture described above under the
caption Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Change of Control
and/or the
provisions described above under the caption
Certain Covenants Before, During and After a
Covenant Suspension Period Merger, Consolidation or
Sale of Assets and not by the provisions of the Asset Sale
covenant; and
60
(2) the issuance of Equity Interests by any of
Solectrons Restricted Subsidiaries or the sale of Equity
Interests in any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
Notwithstanding the preceding, none of the following items will
be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) any single transaction or series of related
transactions that involves assets having a fair market value of
less than $25 million;
(2) any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of
assets between or among Solectron and its Restricted
Subsidiaries,
(3) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Subsidiary to
Solectron or to another Subsidiary (other than an issuance of
Equity Interests from a Restricted Subsidiary to an Unrestricted
Subsidiary);
(4) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of
equipment, inventory, accounts receivable or other assets or
rights in the ordinary course of business;
(5) the sale, conveyance or other disposition of cash or
Cash Equivalents;
(6) a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment (other
than as set forth in clause (2) of the definition of
Permitted Investment) that is permitted by the covenant
described above under the caption Certain
Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant Suspension
Period Restricted Payments;
(7) the licensing by Solectron or any Restricted Subsidiary
of intellectual property or know-how on commercially reasonable
terms;
(8) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of
real property (together with any improvements, fixtures or
leasehold improvements relating thereto) (the Real
Property) in connection with the obligation of Solectron
or any Restricted Subsidiary to remarket or sell any Real
Property at the end of the lease term or otherwise in connection
with Synthetic Lease Obligations;
(9) the sale or disposal of damaged, worn out or other
obsolete personal property in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice so long as such property is no
longer necessary for the proper conduct of the business of
Solectron and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(10) Solectron and its Subsidiaries may surrender or waive
litigation rights or settle, release or surrender tort or other
litigation claims of any kind or grant Liens (and permit
foreclosure thereon) not otherwise prohibited by the
Liens covenant;
(11) the disposition of property at the end of or otherwise
in compliance with the terms of a Synthetic Lease Obligation
covering such property; and
(12) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of
Receivables Program Assets by Solectron or any Restricted
Subsidiary in connection with any Receivables Program.
Attributable Debt in respect of a sale and
leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the
present value of the obligation of the lessee for net rental
payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such
sale and leaseback transaction including any period for which
such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the
lessor, be extended. Such present value shall be calculated
using a discount rate equal to the rate of interest implicit in
such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP.
Beneficial Owner has the meaning assigned to
such term in
Rule 13d-3
and
Rule 13d-5
under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the
beneficial ownership of any particular person (as
that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act),
such person will be deemed to have beneficial
ownership of all securities that such person has the
right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities,
whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable
only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms
Beneficially Owns and Beneficially Owned
have a corresponding meaning.
Board of Directors means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors
of the corporation;
61
(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors
of the general partner of the partnership; and
(3) with respect to any other Person, the board or
committee of such Person serving a similar function.
Capital Lease Obligation means, at the time
any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in
respect of a capital lease that would at that time be required
to be capitalized on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.
Capital Stock means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any
and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other
equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability
company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or
limited); and
(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a
Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses
of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.
Cash Equivalents means:
(1) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or
insured by (i) the United States of America or any agency
or instrumentally thereof, or (ii) any member of the
European Economic Area or Switzerland, or any agency or
instrumentality thereof provided that such country, agency or
instrumentality has a credit rating at least equal to that of
the United States of America (provided that, in each
case, the full faith and credit of such respective nation is
pledged in support thereof), or
(2) time deposits and certificates of deposit and
commercial paper issued by a commercial bank organized under the
laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof
or under the laws of Canada, Japan or Switzerland or any member
of the European Economic Area, in each case, of recognized
standing having capital and surplus in excess of
$500 million (or the foreign currency equivalent
thereof), or
(3) commercial paper issued by others rated at least
A-2 or the
equivalent thereof by Standard & Poors
Corporation or at least
P-2 or the
equivalent thereof by Moodys Investors Service, Inc.,
in the case of each of (1), (2), and (3) maturing within
one year after the date of acquisition, or
(4) general obligations of government or corporate entities
with long-term ratings of A or better from S&P and A2 or
better from Moodys, having maturities of not more than
twelve months from the date of acquisition, so long as the
aggregate value of the Investments described in this
clause (4) does not exceed 20% of the value of cash and
short-term investments and long-term investments of the types
described above in clauses (1), (2) and (3) and
in this clause (4), in each case as shown on
Solectrons most recent balance sheet that has been made
publicly available, or
(5) Money market funds rated Aa1 or higher from
Moodys or AAm or higher from Standard &
Poors, or
(6) Euro or dollar time deposits with maturities of twelve
months or less from the date of acquisition, bankers
acceptances with maturities not exceeding twelve months, and
overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic (United
States) commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of
$500 million (or the foreign currency equivalent thereof)
and a Keefe Bank Watch Rating of B or better;
provided, in the case of (1) through (4), that with
respect to any non-domestic Person, Cash Equivalents shall also
mean those investments that are comparable to clauses (2)
and (4) above in such Persons country of organization
or country where it conducts business operations.
Cash Repatriation Transactions means a
transaction or a series of related transactions entered into by
Solectron Corporation or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
primarily for tax planning or cash repatriation purposes and
which involves principally (i) the borrowing of funds (the
Borrowed Funds) by a Restricted Subsidiary from a
commercial bank or other financial institution and (ii) the
pledge of cash or Cash Equivalents at least equal to the
62
Borrowed Funds with such commercial bank or financial
institution as collateral securing the repayment of the Borrowed
Funds by a Restricted Subsidiary.
Change of Control means the occurrence of any
of the following:
(1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or
other disposition (other than by way of merger, lease or
consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of
all or substantially all of the properties or assets of
Solectron and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole to
any person (as that term is used in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than to
Solectron or its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(2) the adoption of a plan by the Board of Directors of
Solectron providing for the liquidation or dissolution of
Solectron or the adoption of a plan by the Board of Directors of
Financeco relating to the liquidation or dissolution of
Financeco;
(3) the consummation of any transaction (including, without
limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is
that any person (as defined above) becomes the
Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of
the Voting Stock of Solectron, measured by voting power rather
than number of shares or the consummation of any transaction
(including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the
result of which is that any person (as defined
above) other than Solectron or one or more of its Restricted
Subsidiaries becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or
indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of Financeco,
measured by voting power rather than number of shares; or
(4) the first day on which a majority of the members of the
Board of Directors of Solectron or Financeco are not Continuing
Directors.
Comparable Treasury Issue means the
U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent
Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the
remaining term of the notes that would be utilized at the time
of selection and in accordance with customary financial
practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of
comparable maturity to the remaining term of the notes.
Independent Investment Banker means Banc of America
Securities LLC or, if such firm is unwilling or unable to select
the Comparable Treasury Issue, an investment banking firm of
national reputation selected by Solectron.
Comparable Treasury Price means with respect
to any redemption date, (i) the average of the Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after
excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer
Quotations for such redemption date, or (ii) if Solectron
obtains fewer than three such Reference Security Dealer
Quotations, the average of all such quotations.
Consolidated Cash Flow means, without
duplication, with respect to any specified Person for any
period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such
period plus:
(1) an amount equal to any extraordinary loss plus any net
loss realized by such Person or any of its Consolidated
Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with a sale of assets
outside the ordinary course of business, to the extent such
losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income;
plus
(2) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such
Person and its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for such
period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was deducted
in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus
(3) Consolidated Fixed Charges of such Person and its
Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
(4) the aggregate amount of cash restructuring charges
taken by Solectron, on a consolidated basis, during such period
in connection with the following:
(a) its corporate restructuring actions as reflected in its
financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 30,
2005; plus
(b) up to $15.0 million of restructuring charges with
respect to previously announced restructuring actions as
described on
page F-57
of Note 13 of the Financial Statements included elsewhere
in this prospectus; plus
63
(c) up to $125.0 million of additional cash
restructuring charges incurred after November 30, 2005,
less any Previous Restructuring Charges; provided that this
clause (c) shall never be a negative number; plus
(5) depreciation, amortization (including amortization of
intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses
that were paid in a prior period) and other non-cash expenses
(excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it
represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any
future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was
paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Consolidated
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the extent that such
depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses were
deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; minus
(6) non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income
for such period, other than the accrual of revenue in the
ordinary course of business.
in each case, on a Consolidated basis and determined in
accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Net Income means, with respect
to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net
Income of such Person and wholly-owned, Consolidated Restricted
Subsidiaries and its pro rata share of Net Income of its
other Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a
Consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP;
provided that:
(1) the Net Income (but not loss) of any Person that is not
a Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by
the equity method of accounting will be included only to the
extent of the amount of dividends or distributions paid in cash
to the specified Person or a Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary
of the Person;
(2) the Net Income of any Consolidated Restricted
Subsidiary will be excluded to the extent, but only to the
extent, that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar
distributions by that Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary of that
Net Income is not at the time permitted by operation of the
terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment,
decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation
applicable to that Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary; and
(3) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting
principles will be excluded.
Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio of Solectron
on any date of determination (the Determination
Date) means the ratio, on a pro forma basis after giving
effect to the repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or
other acquisition, retirement or discharge of Indebtedness in
connection with the transaction, of (a) an amount equal to
(1) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness (other than
(i) outstanding letters of credit and reimbursement
obligations in respect thereof and (ii) any Indebtedness
outstanding as part of Cash Repatriation Transaction not in
excess of $200.0 million in the aggregate) of Solectron and
its Restricted Subsidiaries on such Determination Date, minus
(2) the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents
(other than cash and Cash Equivalents (x) pledged as
security for the repayment of any Indebtedness outstanding as
part of Cash Repatriation Transactions in an aggregate principal
amount not to exceed $200.0 million or (y) which would
be restricted cash on the balance sheet of Solectron under GAAP)
of Solectron and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such
Determination Date; to (b) the aggregate amount of
Consolidated Cash Flow of Solectron for the Reference Period
attributable to continuing operations and businesses (exclusive
of amounts attributable to operations and businesses permanently
discontinued or disposed of); provided, that for purposes
of such calculation:
(1) acquisitions or dispositions of assets which occurred
during the Reference Period or subsequent to the Reference
Period and on or prior to the Determination Date shall be
assumed to have occurred on the first day of the Reference
Period;
(2) any designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary or any designation of an Unrestricted
Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, that
occurred during the Reference Period or subsequent to the
Reference Period and on or prior to the Determination Date shall
be assumed to have occurred on the first day of the Reference
Period; and
64
(3) any other transactions affecting the calculation of the
aggregate amount of Consolidated Cash Flow of Solectron and its
Restricted Subsidiaries for the Reference Period shall be given
effect as and to the extent provided for in the definition of
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.
Consolidated Net Worth of any Person at any
date means the aggregate consolidated stockholders equity
of such Person (plus amounts of equity attributable to preferred
stock) and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as would be shown on
the consolidated balance sheet of such Person prepared in
accordance with GAAP, adjusted to exclude (to the extent
included in calculating such equity), (a) the amount of any
such stockholders equity attributable to Disqualified
Stock or treasury stock of such Person and its consolidated
Subsidiaries, (b) all upward revaluations and other
write-ups in the book value of any asset of such Person or a
Consolidated Subsidiary of such Person subsequent to the date of
the indenture and (c) all investments in subsidiaries that
are not Consolidated Subsidiaries and in Persons that are not
Subsidiaries.
Consolidation means, with respect to any
Person, the consolidation of the accounts of the Restricted
Subsidiaries of such Person with those of such Person,
all in accordance with GAAP; provided, that
consolidation will not include consolidation of the
accounts of any Unrestricted Subsidiary with the accounts of
such Person. The term Consolidated has a correlative
meaning to the foregoing.
Continuing Directors means, as of any date of
determination, any member of the Board of Directors of Solectron
or Financeco who:
(1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of
the indenture; or
(2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of
Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing
Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such
nomination or election.
Credit Agreements means (i) that certain
revolving multicurrency credit agreement, dated August 20,
2004, as amended, by and among Solectron, Bank of America, N.A.,
JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Citicorp USA, Inc., The Bank of Nova
Scotia, the letter of credit issuers party thereto and the other
lenders party thereto providing for up to $500.0 million of
revolving credit borrowings, including any related notes,
guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements
executed in connection therewith and one or more facilities or
indentures entered into in replacement, extension, renewal,
refinancing or refunding thereof, including, in each case, any
related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and
agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case as
amended, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced
from time to time whether or not with the same agent, trustee,
lenders, holders or investors, and irrespective of any changes
in the terms and conditions thereof; and (ii) one or more
other term loans, revolving loans, swing-line, commercial paper
facilities (including any letter of credit sub-facilities or
other facilities) or indentures entered into with commercial
banks, other financial institutions or other lenders or
investors, and one or more facilities or indentures entered into
replacement, extension, renewal, refinancing or refunding
thereof, including, in each case, any related notes, indentures,
guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements
executed in connection therewith, and in each case as amended,
modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to
time whether or not with the same agent, trustee, lenders,
holders or investors, and irrespective of any changes in the
terms and conditions thereof.
Default means any event that is, or with the
passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an
Event of Default.
Disqualified Stock means any Capital Stock
that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which
it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case
at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the
happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable,
pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or
redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in
whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days
after the date on which the notes mature. Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute
Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital
Stock have the right to require Solectron to repurchase such
Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an
asset sale will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms
of such Capital Stock provide that Solectron may not repurchase
or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions
unless such repurchase or redemption complies with the covenant
described above under the caption Certain
Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant Suspension
Period Restricted Payments.
65
Equity Interests means Capital Stock and all
warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but
excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or
exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
Euro or means the
lawful single currency of participating member states of the
European Economic and Monetary Union as contemplated by the
Treaty Establishing the European Union.
European Economic Area means the member
nations of the European Economic Area pursuant to the Oporto
Agreement on the European Economic Area dated May 2, 1992,
as amended.
Existing Indebtedness means Indebtedness and
Disqualified Stock of Financeco or Solectron and its other
Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the Credit
Agreements) and preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries in
existence on the date of the indenture, until such amounts are
repaid or are no longer outstanding.
Existing Synthetic Lease Financings means
Synthetic Lease Obligations of Financeco, Solectron and its
other Subsidiaries in existence on the date of the indenture
until Solectrons or its Subsidiaries obligation to
make payments thereunder have terminated or been discharged.
Final Maturity means with respect to any
installment of interest or principal on any series of
Indebtedness, the Stated Maturity of such Indebtedness or if
applicable, the next succeeding fixed date upon which the
obligor thereon becomes obligated to repay, redeem or repurchase
such Indebtedness in its entirety.
Fixed Charges means, with respect to any
specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication,
of:
(1) the Consolidated interest expense of such Person and
its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for such period,
whether paid or accrued, including, without limitation,
amortization of debt issuance costs and original issue discount,
non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any
deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all
payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, imputed
interest with respect to Attributable Debt, commissions,
discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of
letter of credit or bankers acceptance financings, and net
of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to
Hedging Obligations; plus
(2) the Consolidated interest expense of such Person and
its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized
during such period; plus
(3) any interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person
to the extent Guaranteed by such Person or one of its
Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on
assets of such Person or one of its Consolidated Restricted
Subsidiaries, whether or not such Guarantee or Lien is called
upon; plus
(4) the product of (a) all dividends, whether paid or
accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred
stock of such Person or any of its Consolidated Restricted
Subsidiaries, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable
solely in Equity Interests of Solectron (other than Disqualified
Stock) or to Solectron or a Consolidated Restricted Subsidiary
of Solectron, multiplied by (b) a fraction, the numerator
of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the
then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax
rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case, on a
Consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP; plus
(5) the net expense to the Person and its Consolidated
Restricted Subsidiaries of borrowings under Cash Repatriation
Transactions for such period, to the extent not counted under
(1), (2) or (3) above.
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means with
respect to any specified Person for any period, the ratio of the
Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person and its Consolidated
Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the Fixed Charges of
such Person and its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for
such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of
its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries incurs, assumes,
Guarantees, repays, repurchases or redeems any Indebtedness
(other than ordinary working capital borrowings) or issues,
repurchases or redeems preferred stock subsequent to the
commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio is being calculated and on or prior to the date on which
the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio is made (the Calculation Date), then the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect
to such incurrence, assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase
or redemption of Indebtedness, or such
66
issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred stock, and the
use of the proceeds therefrom as if the same had occurred at the
beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period.
In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio:
(1) acquisitions that have been made by the specified
Person or any of its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries,
including through mergers or consolidations and including any
related financing transactions, during the four-quarter
reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on
or prior to the Calculation Date will be given pro forma effect
as if they had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter
reference period and Consolidated Cash Flow for such reference
period will be calculated on a pro forma basis in accordance
with
Regulation S-X
under the Securities Act, but without giving effect to
clause (3) of the proviso set forth in the definition of
Consolidated Net Income;
(2) the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued
operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and
operations or businesses disposed of on or prior to the
Calculation Date, will be excluded, provided, however,
this clause (2) will not exclude amounts derived from
earnouts or similar arrangements; and
(3) the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued
operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and
operations or businesses disposed of on or prior to the
Calculation Date, will be excluded, but only to the extent that
the obligations giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be
obligations of the specified Person or any of its Consolidated
Restricted Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date.
Foreign Subsidiary means any Restricted
Subsidiary of Solectron which (i) is not organized under
the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District
of Columbia, and (ii) conducts substantially all of its
business operations outside the United States of America.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting
principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the
Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements
of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other
statements by such other entity as have been approved by a
significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in
effect from time to time.
Guarantee means a guarantee other than by
endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the
ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner
including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or
through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect
thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness.
Guarantors means any subsidiary that executes
a Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of the indenture,
and their respective successors and assigns.
Hedging Obligations means, with respect to
any specified Person, the net obligations of such Person under:
(1) interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap
agreements and interest rate collar agreements;
(2) foreign exchange contracts or currency swap
agreements; and
(3) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect
such Person against fluctuations in interest rates, currency
values or commodity prices.
Indebtedness means, with respect to any
specified Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or
not contingent:
(1) in respect of borrowed money;
(2) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar
instruments;
(3) representing all obligations of such person for the
reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit,
bankers acceptance or similar credit transaction (other
than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing
obligations (other than obligations described in (1), (2), (4),
(5), or (6) hereof) entered into in the ordinary course of
business of such person to the extent such letters of credit are
not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing
is reimbursed no later than the third business day following
receipt by such person of a demand for reimbursement following
payment on the letter of credit);
67
(4) representing Capital Lease Obligations;
(5) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the
purchase price of any property, except any such balance that
constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable; or
(6) representing the net liability under any Hedging
Obligations,
if and only to the extent any of the preceding items (other than
Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance
sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.
In no event shall the term Indebtedness include any
lease properly classified as an operating lease in accordance
with GAAP. In addition, the term Indebtedness
includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any
asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness
is assumed by the specified Person, provided that if such
Indebtedness is not assumed by the specified Person, the amount
of the Indebtedness shall be limited to the lesser of the fair
market value of the assets (determined by Solectron in good
faith) subject to such Lien and the total amount of such
Indebtedness) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the
Guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any
other Person.
The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will
be:
(1) the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of
any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount; and
(2) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, together with
any interest on the Indebtedness that is more than 30 days
past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness.
Investments means, with respect to any
Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in
other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans
(including Guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital
contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances
to officers, directors and employees made in the ordinary course
of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration
of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together
with all items that are or would be classified as investments on
a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. If Solectron
or any Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron sells or otherwise
disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect
Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron such that, after giving
effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer
a Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron, Solectron will be deemed
to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or
disposition equal to the fair market value of Solectrons
Investments in such Restricted Subsidiary that were not sold or
disposed of in an amount determined as provided in the final
paragraph of the covenant described above under the caption
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Period Restricted
Payments.
Lien with respect to a Person means, with
respect to any asset of such Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge,
fixed or floating charge, security interest or encumbrance of
any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed,
recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including
any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any
lease in the nature thereof, any option in favor of a
third-party or other agreement to sell or give a security
interest in any jurisdiction.
Make-Whole Premium means, with respect to a
note, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled
payments of interest, principal and premium thereon (not
including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of
the date of redemption) as if the notes were redeemed on
March 15, 2011 pursuant to Optional
Redemption on such date, discounted to the redemption date
on a semiannual basis (assuming a
360-day year
consisting of twelve
30-day
months) at the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points.
Moodys means Moodys Investors
Service, Inc.
Net Cash Proceeds means the aggregate amount
of cash or Cash Equivalents received by Solectron in the case of
a sale of its Equity Interests (excluding Disqualified Stock)
and by Solectron and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of
an Asset Sale plus, in the case of an issuance of its Equity
Interests (excluding Disqualified Stock) upon any exercise,
exchange or conversion of securities (including, without
limitation, options, warrants, rights and convertible or
exchangeable debt) of Solectron that were issued for cash on or
after the date of the indenture, the amount of cash originally
received by Solectron upon the issuance of such securities
(including, without limitation,
68
options, warrants, rights and convertible or exchangeable debt)
less, in each case, the sum of all payments, fees, commissions
and (in the case of Asset Sales, reasonable and customary),
expenses (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses
of legal counsel and investment banking fees and expenses)
incurred in connection with such Asset Sale or sale of Equity
Interests, and, in the case of an Asset Sale only, less
(i) the amount (estimated reasonably and in good faith by
Solectron) of income, franchise, sales and other applicable
taxes required to be paid by Solectron or any of its respective
Subsidiaries in connection with such Asset Sale in the taxable
year that such sale is consummated or in the immediately
succeeding taxable year, the computation of which shall take
into account the reduction in tax liability resulting from any
available operating losses and net operating loss carryovers,
tax credits and tax credit carryforwards, and similar tax
attributes; (ii) the amounts required to be applied to the
repayment of Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness under a
Credit Agreement, secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that
were the subject of such Asset Sale and any reserve for
adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets
established in accordance with GAAP; and (iii) the amount
of any liability required to be accrued on Solectrons
Consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP solely
by virtue of such sale.
Net Income means, with respect to any
specified Person, the net income (loss) of such Person,
determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in
respect of preferred stock dividends, excluding, however:
(1) any gain (but not loss), together with any related
provision for taxes on such gain (but not loss), realized in
connection with: (a) any sale of assets outside the
ordinary course of business; or (b) the disposition of any
securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries
or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries; and
(2) any extraordinary gain (but not loss), together with
any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary gain (but
not loss).
Non-Recourse Debt means Indebtedness:
(1) as to which neither Solectron nor any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind
(including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would
constitute Indebtedness), (b) is directly or indirectly
liable as a guarantor or otherwise, or (c) constitutes the
lender, unless, in the case of (a), (b) or (c), such action
is undertaken in compliance with the covenant described under
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant
Suspension Period Restricted Payments;
(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights
that the holders of the Indebtedness may have to take
enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would
permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any holder of any
other Indebtedness (other than the notes) of Solectron or any of
its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other
Indebtedness or cause the payment of such Indebtedness to be
accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity; and
(3) as to which the lenders have been notified in writing
or have otherwise agreed that they will not have any recourse to
the assets of Solectron or any stock or assets of its Restricted
Subsidiaries.
Obligations means any principal, interest,
penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and
other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any
Indebtedness.
Permitted Business means any business
conducted or publicly proposed to be conducted by Solectron or
its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of the indenture, and
any business reasonably related thereto or reasonable extensions
thereof.
Permitted Investments means:
(1) any Investment in Solectron or in a Restricted
Subsidiary of Solectron;
(2) any Investment in Cash Equivalents or the notes and the
guarantees;
(3) any Investment by Solectron or any Subsidiary of
Solectron in a Person, if as a result of such Investment or, if
in connection with the transaction pursuant to which such
Investment is made:
(a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron; or
69
(b) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with
or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets
to, or is liquidated into, Solectron or a Restricted Subsidiary
of Solectron;
(4) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of
non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant
to and in compliance with the covenant described above under the
caption Repurchase at the Option of
Holders Asset Sales;
(5) any acquisition of any property, assets, securities or
rights, solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests
(other than Disqualified Stock) of Solectron;
(6) any Investments received in compromise of obligations
of persons, incurred in the ordinary course of business,
including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar
arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any person or
consideration received in settlement of litigation claims in
tort, bankruptcy, liquidation, receivership, insolvency or
otherwise;
(7) Investments in (a) prepaid expenses and negotiable
instruments held for collection in the ordinary course of
business, (b) accounts receivable arising in the ordinary
course of business (and Investments obtained in exchange or
settlement of accounts receivable for which Solectron or any
Restricted Subsidiary has determined that collection is not
likely) and (c) lease, utility and workers
compensation, performance and other similar deposits arising in
the ordinary course of business;
(8) Investments in connection with Hedging
Obligations; and
(9) other Investments after the date of the indenture in
any Person having an aggregate fair market value (measured on
the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect
to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all
other Investments made pursuant to this clause (9) that are
at the time outstanding not to exceed 10% of Total Assets
measured on the date each such Investment is made.
Permitted Liens means:
(1) Liens securing Indebtedness and other Obligations under
the Credit Agreements that were permitted by the terms of the
indenture to be incurred;
(2) Liens in favor of Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries or the guarantees;
(3) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such
Person is merged with or into or consolidated with Solectron or
any Subsidiary of Solectron; provided that such Liens
were not entered into in contemplation of such merger or
consolidation and do not extend to any assets of Solectron or
its Restricted Subsidiaries other than the acquired Person;
(4) Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition
of the property by Solectron or any Subsidiary of Solectron,
provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the
contemplation of such acquisition;
(5) Liens to secure the performance of statutory
obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other
obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of
business;
(6) Liens existing on the date of the indenture;
(7) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or
claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested
in good faith by appropriate proceedings, provided that
any reserve or other appropriate provision as is required in
conformity with GAAP has been made therefore;
(8) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business of
Solectron or any Subsidiary of Solectron with respect to
Obligations that do not exceed $5.0 million at any one time
outstanding;
(9) Liens to secure Indebtedness (including Capital Lease
Obligations) permitted by clause (12) of the second
paragraph of the covenant entitled Certain
Covenants in Effect other than during a Covenant Suspension
Period Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of
Preferred Stock covering only the property acquired with
such Indebtedness together with any attachments, appurtenances,
replacements, fixtures, leasehold improvements or proceeds
related thereto;
70
(10) Liens securing Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness
incurred to refinance Indebtedness that was previously so
secured in a manner no more adverse to the holders of notes than
the terms of the Liens securing such refinanced Indebtedness,
provided that the Indebtedness secured is not increased
and the Lien is not extended to any additional assets or
property that was not security for the Indebtedness so
refinanced;
(11) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods
and proceeds of any Person securing such Persons
obligations in respect of bankers acceptances issued or
credited for the account of such Person to facilitate the
purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or goods;
(12) Liens on assets leased to Solectron or a Restricted
Subsidiary of Solectron if such lease is properly classified as
an operating lease in accordance with GAAP;
(13) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect
to commercial letters of credit which encumber documents and
other property relating to such letters of credit and products
and proceeds thereof;
(14) Liens on the Equity Interests of Unrestricted
Subsidiaries securing obligations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries
not otherwise prohibited by the indenture;
(15) Liens on cash securing obligations of Solectron or its
Restricted Subsidiaries in an amount not to exceed
$95.0 million but only to the extent that (a) such
obligations are under Synthetic Lease Obligations, (b) such
Synthetic Lease Obligations were secured on the date of the
indenture, (c) the granting of such Lien(s) is in
connection with obtaining a waiver, consent or amendment, and
(d) immediately prior to such Lien being granted, such
Synthetic Lease Obligations are Indebtedness under the terms of
the indenture by virtue of a change in GAAP;
(16) Liens not otherwise described in clauses (1)
through (15) above or (17) or (18) below in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $25.0 million at any time
outstanding;
(17) Liens securing obligations of Solectron or any
Restricted Subsidiary in respect of a Receivables Program,
provided that any such Lien shall be limited to the
Receivables Programs Assets under such Receivables
Program; and
(18) Liens on cash and Cash Equivalents securing up to
$200.0 million of Indebtedness outstanding at any one time
issued as part of a Cash Repatriation Transaction.
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness means any
Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of Solectron or any of its
Restricted Subsidiaries or any preferred stock of
Solectrons Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for,
or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance,
renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness or
Disqualified Stock of Solectron or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries or other preferred stock of Solectrons
Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness or
Disqualified Stock or preferred stock held by Solectron or its
Restricted Subsidiaries); provided that:
(1) the principal amount, accreted value or liquidation
preference, if applicable, of such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount, accreted
value or liquidation preference, if applicable, of the
Indebtedness, the Disqualified Stock or the preferred stock
extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded
(plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness or accrued
dividends on the Disqualified Stock or the preferred stock, and
the amount of all expenses and premiums incurred in connection
therewith);
(2) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a Final
Maturity date, or in the case of Disqualified Stock, a first put
date, later than the Final Maturity date of, and has a Weighted
Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted
Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness or the
Disqualified Stock being extended, refinanced, renewed,
replaced, defeased or refunded;
(3) if the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced,
renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is subordinated in right
of payment to the notes or are Liquid Yield Option Notes issued
and outstanding prior to date of the indenture, such Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than
the final maturity date of, and is subordinated in right of
payment to, the notes on terms at least as favorable to the
Holders of notes as those contained in the documentation
governing the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced,
71
renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded, or in the case of
Disqualified Stock being extended, refinanced, renewed,
replaced, defeased or refunded, such Permitted Refinancing
Indebtedness is Disqualified Stock, or in the case of preferred
stock of any of Solectrons Restricted Subsidiaries being
extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded,
such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is preferred
stock; and
(4) such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred
stock is incurred or issued, as applicable, either by Solectron
or by the Restricted Subsidiary who is the obligor or issuer, as
applicable, on the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred
stock being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or
refunded.
Person means any individual, corporation,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company,
trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or
government or other entity.
Previous Restructuring Charges means cash
restructuring charges reflected on Solectrons consolidated
financial statements for any period from November 30, 2005
up to, but not including, any applicable Reference Period
beginning after November 30, 2005, which are not described
by (a) or (b) of clause (4) of the definition of
Consolidated Cash Flow.
Property means, with respect to any Person
and in connection with a Receivables Program, any interest of
such Person in any kind of property or asset, whether real,
personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including Capital
Stock in, and other securities of, any other Person. For
purposes of any calculation required pursuant to the Indenture,
the value of any Property shall be its fair market value.
Qualified Equity Offering means any public
offering of common stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of
Solectron with Net Cash Proceeds to Solectron in excess of
$50 million.
Qualified Foreign Indebtedness means
indebtedness incurred by a Foreign Subsidiary of Solectron which
(i) is incurred primarily to finance the acquisition,
design or construction of the property, plant or equipment of
such Foreign Subsidiary or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries,
and (ii) is incurred pursuant to clause (1) of the
second paragraph of the covenant described in
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Period Incurrence of
Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.
Receivables Program means, with respect to
any Person, an agreement or other arrangement or program
providing for the advance of funds to such Person against the
pledge, contribution, sale or other transfer or encumbrances of
Receivables Program Assets of such Person or such Person
and/or one
or more of its Subsidiaries.
Receivables Program Assets means all of the
following Property and interests in Property, including any
undivided interest in any pool of any such Property or
interests, whether now existing or existing in the future or
hereafter arising or acquired:
(a) accounts (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code or
any similar or equivalent legislation as in effect in any
applicable jurisdiction);
(b) accounts receivable, general intangibles, instruments,
contract rights, documents and chattel paper (including, without
limitation, all rights to payment created by or arising from
sales of goods, leases of goods or the rendition of services, no
matter how evidenced, whether or not earned by performance);
(c) all unpaid sellers or lessors rights
(including, without limitation, rescission, replevin,
reclamation and stoppage in transit) relating to any of the
foregoing or arising therefrom;
(d) all rights to any goods or merchandise represented by
any of the foregoing;
(e) all reserves and credit balances with respect to any
such accounts receivable or account debtors;
(f) all letters of credit, security or guarantees of any of
the foregoing;
(g) all insurance policies or reports relating to any of
the foregoing;
(h) all collection or deposit accounts relating to any of
the foregoing;
(i) all books and records relating to any of the foregoing;
72
(j) all instruments, contract rights, chattel paper,
documents and general intangibles relating to any of the
foregoing; and
(k) all proceeds of any of the foregoing.
Reference Period with regard to any Person
means the four full fiscal quarters for which financial
statements have been provided pursuant to the covenant specified
under Certain Covenants Before, During and
After a Covenant Suspension Period Reports (or
such lesser period during which such Person has been in
existence) ended prior to any date upon which any determination
is to be made pursuant to the terms of the notes or the
Indenture.
Reference Treasury Dealer means (i) Banc
of America Securities LLC and its successors or another
investment bank of national reputation; provided,
however, that if the foregoing shall cease to be a primary
U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a
Primary Treasury Dealer), Financeco is required to
substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer, and
(ii) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by
Financeco.
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations means,
with respect of each Reference Treasury Dealer and any
redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent
Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the
Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a
percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the
Independent Investment Banker by the each Reference Treasury
Dealer at 5:00 p.m. on the third business day preceding
such redemption date.
Replacement Asset means (i) any property
or assets (excluding Equity Interests, Indebtedness and any
other securities) that will be used in a Permitted Business of
Solectron or any Restricted Subsidiary, including, without
limitation, Property repurchased in connection with a
Receivables Program, (ii) any Equity Interests of a Person
that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron, and
(iii) any Permitted Investment (other than the Permitted
Investment described in clause (4) of the definition
thereof) which is permitted at the time such Permitted
Investment is made pursuant to the covenant described in
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Period Restricted
Payments.
Restricted Investment means an Investment
other than a Permitted Investment.
Restricted Subsidiary of a Person means any
Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not an Unrestricted
Subsidiary or a special purpose entity established solely in
connection with a Receivables Program.
S&P means Standard & Poors
Ratings Group.
Senior Debt means:
(1) all obligations consisting of the principal, premium,
if any, and accrued and unpaid interest (including interest
accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or
for reorganization relating to Financeco whether or not such
post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding) in respect
of:
(a) Indebtedness of Financeco for money borrowed, and
(b) Indebtedness of Financeco evidenced by notes,
debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment
of which Financeco is responsible or liable;
(2) all Capital Lease Obligations of Financeco and all
Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions
entered into by Financeco;
(3) all obligations of Financeco:
(a) for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of
credit, bankers acceptance or similar credit transaction,
(b) under Hedging Obligations, or
(c) issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of
property and all conditional sale obligations of Financeco and
all obligations under any title retention agreement permitted
under the indenture; and
73
(4) all obligations of other Persons of the type referred
to in clauses (a), (b) and (c) for the payment of
which Financeco is responsible or liable as Guarantor;
provided, however, that Senior Debt shall not include:
(1) Indebtedness of Financeco that is by its terms
expressly subordinate or pari passu in right of payment
to the notes;
(2) any Indebtedness incurred in violation of the
provisions of the indenture;
(3) accounts payable or any other obligations of Financeco
to trade creditors created or assumed by Financeco in the
ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of
materials or services (including Guarantees thereof or
instruments evidencing such liabilities);
(4) any liability for Federal, state, provincial, local or
other taxes owed or owing by Financeco;
(5) any obligation of Financeco to any Subsidiary; or
(6) any obligations with respect to any Capital Stock of
Financeco.
Senior Debt of Solectron has a correlative
meaning to the definition of Senior Debt.
Senior Subordinated Debt of Financeco means
the notes and any other subordinated Indebtedness of Financeco
that specifically provides that such Indebtedness is to rank
pari passu with the notes and is not subordinated by its terms
to any other Subordinated Debt or other obligation of Financeco
which is not Senior Debt. Senior Subordinated Debt
of Solectron has a correlative meaning.
Significant Subsidiary means any Subsidiary
that would be a significant subsidiary as defined in
Article 1,
Rule 1-02
of
Regulation S-X,
promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation
is in effect on the date hereof.
Stated Maturity means, with respect to any
installment of interest or principal on any series of
Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or
principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation
governing such Indebtedness, and will not include any contingent
obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or
principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment
thereof.
Subordinated Debt mean any Indebtedness of
Financeco or Solectron (whether outstanding on the date of the
Indenture or thereafter Incurred) that is subordinate or junior
in right of payment to the notes or the applicable guarantee, as
the case may be, pursuant to a written agreement to that effect.
No Indebtedness of Financeco or Solectron shall be deemed to be
subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of
Financeco or Solectron solely by virtue of any Liens,
Guarantees, maturity of payments or structural subordination.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any
specified Person:
(1) any corporation, association or other business entity
of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of
Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any
contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or
trustees of the corporation, association or other business
entity is at the time owned or controlled, directly or
indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other
Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
(2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or
the managing general partner of which is such Person or a
Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners
of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that
Person (or any combination thereof).
Support Agreement means that certain keepwell
agreement by and between Financeco and Solectron dated as of the
issue date.
Synthetic Lease Obligations means the
monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called
synthetic or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for
the use or possession of property creating obligations that do
not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, for
U.S. Federal income tax purposes, is characterized as the
indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting
treatment).
74
Total Assets means, with respect to any date
of determination, Solectrons total assets shown on
Solectrons Consolidated balance sheet in accordance with
GAAP on the last day of the fiscal quarter prior to the date of
determination.
Treasury Rate means, with respect to any
redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual
yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a
price for the comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a
percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable
Treasury Price for such redemption date.
Unrestricted Subsidiary means any Subsidiary
of Solectron other than Financeco that is designated by the
Board of Directors of Solectron as an Unrestricted Subsidiary
pursuant to a Board Resolution, but only to the extent that such
Subsidiary at the time of such designation:
(1) has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt;
(2) is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or
understanding with Solectron or any Restricted Subsidiary of
Solectron unless the terms of any such agreement, contract,
arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to Solectron
or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained
at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of Solectron;
(3) is a Person with respect to which neither Solectron nor
any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect
obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests
or (b) to maintain or preserve such Persons financial
condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified
levels of operating results; and
(4) has not guaranteed or otherwise directly or indirectly
provided credit support for any Indebtedness of Solectron or any
of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
Any designation of a Subsidiary of Solectron as an Unrestricted
Subsidiary will be evidenced to the trustee by filing with the
trustee a certified copy of the Board Resolution giving effect
to such designation and an officers certificate certifying
that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and
was permitted by the covenant described above under the caption
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during a
Covenant Suspension Period Restricted
Payments. Upon any Unrestricted Subsidiary being
designated as a Restricted Subsidiary it will thereafter cease
to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the indenture
and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be
incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron as of such date
and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of
such date under the covenant described under the caption
Certain Covenants in Effect other than during
a Covenant Suspension Period Incurrence of
Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock, Solectron
would be in default under the indenture. The Board of Directors
of Solectron may at any time designate any Unrestricted
Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that
such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of
Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of Solectron of any
outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and
such designation will only be permitted if (1) such
Indebtedness is permitted under the covenant described under the
caption Certain Covenants in Effect other than
during a Covenant Suspension Period Incurrence of
Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock, calculated
on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the
beginning of the Reference Period; and (2) no Default or
Event of Default would be in existence following such
designation.
Voting Stock of any Person as of any date
means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time
entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of
such Person.
Weighted Average Life to Maturity means, when
applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years
obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying
(a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking
fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal,
including payment at Final Maturity, in respect of the
Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the
nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the
making of such payment; by
(2) the then outstanding principal amount of such
Indebtedness.
75
CERTAIN
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
This section is a discussion of the material U.S. federal
income tax considerations relating to the exchange offer. This
summary does not provide a complete analysis of all potential
tax considerations. The information provided below is based on
existing authorities, all of which are subject to change or
differing interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect.
There can be no assurances that the Internal Revenue Service
(the IRS) will not challenge one or more of the tax
consequences described herein, and we have not obtained, nor do
we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the
U.S. federal income tax consequences of the exchange offer.
The summary generally applies only to U.S. Holders (as
defined below) that hold the notes as capital assets
(generally, for investment). This discussion does not purport to
deal with all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that
may be relevant to a particular U.S. Holder in light of the
U.S. Holders circumstances (for example, persons
subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
Code), or a U.S. Holder whose functional
currency is not the U.S. dollar). Also, it is not
intended to be wholly applicable to all categories of investors,
some of which may be subject to special rules (such as dealers
in securities or currencies, traders in securities that elect to
use a
mark-to-market
method of accounting, banks, thrifts, regulated investment
companies, insurance companies, tax-exempt entities,
tax-deferred or other retirement accounts, and persons holding
notes as part of a hedging or conversion transaction or a
straddle, or persons deemed to sell notes under the constructive
sale provisions of the Code). Finally, the summary does not
describe the effect of the U.S. federal estate and gift tax
laws or the effects of any applicable foreign, state or local
laws.
For this purpose, the term U.S. Holder means a
beneficial owner of notes that for U.S. federal income tax
purposes is (1) an individual who is a citizen or resident
of the United States, (2) a corporation, or an entity
treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the
United States or any State of the United States, including the
District of Columbia, or (3) an estate the income of which
is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of
its source. A trust is a U.S. Holder if it (1) is
subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the
control of one of more U.S. persons or (2) has a valid
election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury
regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. The term
U.S. Holder also includes certain former
citizens and residents of the Untied States. If a partnership
(including for this purpose any entity, domestic or foreign,
treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax
purposes) is a beneficial owner of a note, the tax treatment of
a partner in the partnership will depend upon the status of the
partner and the activities of the partnership. A holder of a
note that is a partnership, and partners in such partnership,
should consult their own tax advisors about the
U.S. federal income tax consequences of the exchange offer.
Investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the
application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to their
particular situations and the consequences of federal estate and
gift tax laws, foreign, state and local laws, and tax
treaties.
The exchange of original notes for exchange notes pursuant to
the exchange offer will not be a taxable exchange for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, a holder
would have the same adjusted basis and holding period in the
exchange notes as the holder had in the original notes
immediately before the exchange.
PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own
account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such
exchange notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer
in connection with resales of exchange notes received in
exchange for original notes where such original notes were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities. The company has agreed that, starting on the
expiration date and ending on the close of business 90 days
after the expiration date, it will make this prospectus, as
amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use
in connection with any such resale. In addition, until
October 29, 2006, all dealers effecting transactions in the
exchange notes may be required to deliver a prospectus.
Neither Solectron nor Financeco will receive any proceeds from
any sale of exchange notes by brokers-dealers. Exchange notes
received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the
exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more
transactions in the
over-the-counter
market, in negotiated transactions, through the
76
writing of options on the exchange notes or a combination of
such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time
of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or
negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to
purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive
compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any
such broker-dealer
and/or the
purchasers of any such exchange notes. Any broker-dealer that
resells exchange notes that were received by it for its own
account pursuant to the exchange offer and any broker or dealer
that participates in a distribution of such exchange notes may
be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of
the Act and any profit of any such resale of exchange notes and
any commissions or concessions received by any such persons may
be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Act. The
letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will
deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not
be deemed to admit that it is an underwriter within
the meaning of the Act.
For a period of 90 days after the expiration date, we will
promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any
amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer
that requests such documents in the letter of transmittal. We
have agreed to pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer
(including the expenses of one counsel for the holder of the
securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers
or dealers and will indemnify the holders of the securities
(including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the exchange notes and the related guarantees
will be passed upon for us by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich &
Rosati, Professional Corporation, Palo Alto, California. Certain
legal matters under Cayman Island law will be passed upon for us
by Charles Adams Ritchie & Duckworth.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedule of Solectron Corporation as of August 31, 2005 and
2004, and for each of the years in the
three-year
period ended August 31, 2005 and managements
assessment of effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting as of August 31, 2005 have been incorporated by
reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance
upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the
authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
77
$150,000,000
Solectron Corporation
Solectron Global Finance
LTD
8.00% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2016 of Solectron Global Finance
LTD,
registered under the Securities
Act for any and all outstanding 8.00% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2016 of
Solectron Global Finance LTD, each as
guaranteed by Solectron
Corporation
Prospectus,
dated July 28, 2006