Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Relationship with NBCU and GE Equity (Notes)

v2.4.1.9
Relationship with NBCU and GE Equity (Notes)
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Relationship with NBCU and GE Equity
Relationship with NBCU, Comcast and GE Equity
Relationship with GE Equity, Comcast and NBCU
In March 1999, we entered into an alliance with GE Capital Equity Investments, Inc. (“GE Equity”) and NBCUniversal Media, LLC ("NBCU"), pursuant to which we issued Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock and common stock warrants, and entered into a shareholder agreement, a registration rights agreement and certain other agreements. On February 25, 2009, we entered into an exchange agreement with the same parties, pursuant to which GE Equity exchanged all outstanding shares of our Series A preferred stock for (i) 4,929,266 shares of our Series B redeemable preferred stock, (ii) a warrant to purchase up to 6,000,000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.75 per share and (iii) a cash payment in the amount of $3.4 million. In connection with the exchange, the parties also amended and restated the 1999 shareholder agreement and registration rights agreement as further described below. In April 2011, we redeemed all of the outstanding Series B preferred stock for $40.9 million and paid accrued dividends of $6.4 million and in June 2014, GE Equity exercised its common stock warrant described above in a cashless exercise acquiring 5,058,741 shares of our common stock.
In January 2011, General Electric Company ("GE") consummated a transaction with Comcast Corporation ("Comcast") pursuant to which GE contributed all of its holdings in NBCU to NBCUniversal, LLC, a newly formed entity, whose common equity was initially beneficially owned 51% by Comcast and 49% by GE. As a result of that transaction, NBCU is now a wholly owned subsidiary of NBCUniversal, LLC. In March 2013, GE sold its remaining 49% common equity interest in NBCUniversal, LLC to Comcast pursuant to an agreement reached in February 2013. As of January 31, 2015, the direct equity ownership of GE Equity in the Company consisted of 3,718,767 shares of common stock, and the direct ownership of NBCU in the Company consists of 7,141,849 shares of common stock. The Company has a significant cable distribution agreement with Comcast and believes that the terms of this agreement are comparable to those with other cable system operators.
In connection with the January 2011 transfer of its ownership in NBCU to NBCUniversal, LLC, GE also agreed with Comcast that, for so long as GE Equity is entitled to appoint two members of the Company's board of directors, NBCU will be entitled to retain a board seat provided that NBCU beneficially owns at least 5% of the Company's adjusted outstanding common stock (as computed under the amended and restated shareholders agreement described below). Furthermore, GE agreed to obtain the consent of NBCU prior to consenting to the Company's adoption of any shareholders rights plan or certain other actions that would impede or restrict the ability of NBCU to acquire or dispose of shares of the Company's voting stock or taking any action that would result in NBCU being deemed to be in violation of the Federal Communications Commission multiple ownership regulations. As of March 20, 2015 GE Equity has an approximate 7% beneficial ownership in the Company and has certain rights as further described in this section.
On June 24, 2014, GE Equity exercised its common stock purchase warrant in a cashless exercise acquiring 5,058,741 shares of the Company's common stock. The warrant was issued in connection with the issuance of the Company's Series B Redeemable Preferred Stock in February 2009.
Amended and Restated Shareholder Agreement
On February 25, 2009, the Company entered into an amended and restated shareholder agreement with GE Equity and NBCU, which provides for certain corporate governance and standstill matters. The amended and restated shareholder agreement provides that GE Equity is entitled to designate nominees for three members of the Company’s board of directors so long as the aggregate beneficial ownership of GE Equity and NBCU (and their affiliates) is at least equal to 50% of their beneficial ownership as of February 25, 2009 (i.e., beneficial ownership of approximately 8.7 million common shares), and two members of the Company's board of directors so long as their aggregate beneficial ownership is at least 10% of the shares of "adjusted outstanding common stock," as defined in the amended and restated shareholder agreement. In addition, the amended and restated shareholder agreement provides that GE Equity may designate any of its director-designees to be an observer of the audit, human resources and compensation, and corporate governance and nominating committees of the Company's board of directors. Neither GE Equity nor NBCU currently has any designees serving on our board of directors.
The amended and restated shareholder agreement requires the consent of GE Equity prior to the Company (i) exceeding certain thresholds relating to the issuance of securities, the payment of dividends, the repurchase or redemption of common stock, acquisitions (including investments and joint ventures) or dispositions, and the incurrence of debt; (ii) entering into any business different than what the Company and its subsidiaries are currently engaged; and (iii) amending the Company’s articles of incorporation to adversely affect GE Equity and NBCU (or their affiliates); provided, however, that these restrictions will no longer apply when both (1) GE Equity is no longer entitled to designate three director nominees and (2) GE Equity and NBCU no longer hold any Series B preferred stock. The Company is also prohibited from taking any action that would cause any ownership interest by the Company in television broadcast stations from being attributable to GE Equity, NBCU or their affiliates.
The amended and restated shareholder agreement further provides that during the "standstill period" (as described below), subject to certain limited exceptions, GE Equity and NBCU are prohibited from: (i) making any asset/business purchases from the Company in excess of 10% of the total fair market value of the Company’s assets; (ii) increasing their beneficial ownership above 39.9% of the Company's shares; (iii) making or in any way participating in any solicitation of proxies; (iv) depositing any securities of the Company in a voting trust; (v) forming, joining or in any way becoming a member of a "13D Group" with respect to any voting securities of the Company; (vi) arranging any financing for, or providing any financing commitment specifically for, the purchase of any voting securities of the Company; or (vii) otherwise acting, whether alone or in concert with others, to seek to propose to the Company any tender or exchange offer, merger, business combination, restructuring, liquidation, recapitalization or similar transaction involving the Company, or nominating any person as a director of the Company who is not nominated by the then incumbent directors, or proposing any matter to be voted upon by the Company’s shareholders. If, during the standstill period, any inquiry has been made regarding a "takeover transaction" or "change in control," each as defined in the amended and restated shareholder agreement, that has not been rejected by the Company’s board of directors, or the Company’s board of directors pursues such a transaction, or engages in negotiations or provides information to a third party and the board of directors has not resolved to terminate such discussions, then GE Equity or NBCU may propose to the Company a tender offer or business combination proposal.
In addition, unless GE Equity and NBCU beneficially own less than 5% or more than 90% of the adjusted outstanding shares of common stock, GE Equity and NBCU shall not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company except for transfers: (i) to certain affiliates who agree to be bound by the provisions of the amended and restated shareholder agreement, (ii) that have been consented to by the Company, (iii) subject to certain exceptions, pursuant to a third-party tender offer, (iv) pursuant to a merger, consolidation or reorganization to which the Company is a party, (v) in an underwritten public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement, (vi) pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, or (vii) in a private sale or pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933; provided, that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (v), (vi) or (vii), the transfer does not result in, to the knowledge of the transferor after reasonable inquiry, any other person acquiring, after giving effect to such transfer, beneficial ownership, individually or in the aggregate with that person’s affiliates, of more than 10% (or 20% in the case of a transfer by NBCU) of the adjusted outstanding shares of the common stock, as determined in accordance with the amended and restated shareholder agreement.
The standstill period will terminate on the earliest to occur of (i) the ten-year anniversary of the amended and restated shareholder agreement, (ii) the Company entering into an agreement that would result in a "change in control" (as defined in the amended and restated shareholders agreement and subject to reinstatement), (iii) an actual "change in control" (subject to reinstatement), (iv) a third-party tender offer (subject to reinstatement), or (v) six months after GE Equity can no longer designate any nominees to the Company’s board of directors. Following the expiration of the standstill period pursuant to clause (i) above and two years in the case of clause (v) above, GE Equity and NBCU’s beneficial ownership position may not exceed 39.9% of the Company’s adjusted outstanding shares of common stock, except pursuant to issuances or exercises of any warrants or pursuant to a 100% tender offer for the Company.
Registration Rights Agreement
On February 25, 2009, the Company entered into an amended and restated registration rights agreement providing GE Equity, NBCU and their affiliates and any transferees and assigns, an aggregate of four demand registrations and unlimited piggy-back registration rights. In addition, NBCU was subsequently granted one additional demand registration right pursuant to the second amendment of the now expired NBCU trademark license agreement.