e424b5
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-133890
Prospectus Supplement
to Prospectus dated May 8, 2006
$ 1,000,000,000
(Aggregate Principal Amount)
1.00% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2013
Holders may convert their notes at
their option on any day prior to the close of business on the
scheduled trading day immediately preceding February 15,
2013 only under the following circumstances: (1) during the
five business-day period after any five consecutive trading-day
period (the measurement period) in which the trading
price per note for each day of that measurement period was less
than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of our
common stock and the conversion rate on each such day;
(2) during any calendar quarter after the calendar quarter
ending June 30, 2006, if the last reported sale price of
our common stock for 20 or more trading days in a period of 30
consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the
immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds 120% of the
applicable conversion price in effect on the last trading day of
the immediately preceding calendar quarter; or (3) upon the
occurrence of specified corporate events. On and after
February 15, 2013 until the close of business on the
scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date,
holders may convert their notes at any time, regardless of the
foregoing circumstances.
Upon conversion we will pay cash
and shares of our common stock, if any, based on a daily
conversion value, as described in this prospectus supplement,
calculated on a proportionate basis for each day of the relevant
twenty trading-day observation period. The initial conversion
rate will be 12.1426 shares of common stock per $1,000
principal amount of notes, equivalent to a conversion price of
approximately $82.36 per share of common stock. The
conversion price will be subject to adjustment in some events
but will not be adjusted for accrued interest. In addition, if a
fundamental change occurs prior to the maturity
date, we will in some cases increase the conversion rate for a
holder that elects to convert notes in connection with such
fundamental change.
Holders may require us to
repurchase for cash all or part of their notes upon a
designated event at a price equal to 100% of the
principal amount of the notes being repurchased plus any accrued
and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the relevant
repurchase date. We may not redeem the notes prior to maturity.
The notes will rank equally with
any future senior debt and senior to any future subordinated
debt, will be structurally subordinated to liabilities of our
subsidiaries and will be effectively subordinated to our secured
indebtedness. For a more detailed description of the notes, see
Description of the Notes beginning on page S-31.
We do not intend to apply for a
listing of the notes on any national securities exchange or for
inclusion of the notes on any automatic quotation system. Our
common stock is listed on The NASDAQ National Market under the
symbol SNDK. On May 9, 2006, the last reported
sale price of our common stock on The NASDAQ National Market was
$63.35 per share.
THE SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY
INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE RISK FACTORS
BEGINNING ON PAGE S-8 OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND IN
THE DOCUMENTS WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE.
Neither the Securities and
Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved
or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy
or adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds to | |
|
|
Price to | |
|
Underwriting | |
|
SanDisk | |
|
|
Public | |
|
Discounts | |
|
Corporation | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Per Note
|
|
|
100.00% |
|
|
|
2.00% |
|
|
|
98.00% |
|
Total
|
|
$ |
1,000,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
20,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
980,000,000 |
|
We have granted the underwriters
the right to purchase up to an additional $150,000,000 principal
amount of notes solely to cover over-allotments.
The underwriters expect to deliver
the notes to purchasers on May 15, 2006.
Joint Bookrunning
Managers
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY |
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. |
THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS
LLC
Prospectus Supplement dated
May 9, 2006
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
S-1 |
|
|
|
|
S-8 |
|
|
|
|
S-29 |
|
|
|
|
S-29 |
|
|
|
|
S-29 |
|
|
|
|
S-30 |
|
|
|
|
S-31 |
|
|
|
|
S-51 |
|
|
|
|
S-53 |
|
|
|
|
S-54 |
|
|
|
|
S-59 |
|
|
|
|
S-61 |
|
|
|
|
S-62 |
|
PROSPECTUS |
About this Prospectus
|
|
|
2 |
|
Where You Can Find More Information
|
|
|
2 |
|
Incorporation of Documents By Reference
|
|
|
2 |
|
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
|
|
|
3 |
|
Use of Proceeds
|
|
|
5 |
|
Dividend Policy
|
|
|
5 |
|
Experts
|
|
|
5 |
|
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the
accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus provided
in connection with this offering. Neither we nor the
underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with any
information other than the information contained or incorporated
by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying
prospectus and any free writing prospectus provided in
connection with this offering. Neither we nor the underwriters
are making any offer to sell these securities in any
jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The
information contained or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free
writing prospectus is accurate only as of the respective dates
thereof, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus
supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing
prospectus, or of any sale of our notes. It is important for you
to read and consider all the information contained in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including
the documents incorporated by reference therein, in making your
investment decision.
PRESENTATION OF INFORMATION
These offering materials consist of two documents: (1) this
prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of the notes
that we are currently offering, and (2) the accompanying
prospectus, which provides general information about us. The
information in this prospectus supplement replaces any
inconsistent information included or incorporated by reference
in the accompanying prospectus.
This prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by
reference herein contain various forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and
Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the
Exchange Act, which represent our expectations or beliefs
concerning future events. When used in this prospectus
supplement and in documents incorporated herein by reference,
the words expects, plans,
anticipates, indicates,
believes, forecast,
guidance, outlook and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Our forward-looking statements are based on our current
expectations and involve numerous risks and uncertainties that
may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate and
may significantly and adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information about our
company and this offering. This summary is not complete and does
not contain all of the information that may be important to you.
You should read carefully this entire prospectus supplement
including the Risk Factors section, and the
accompanying prospectus, and the other documents we refer to and
incorporate by reference for a more complete understanding of us
and this offering. In particular, we incorporate by reference
important business and financial information into this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Unless
otherwise noted, information in this prospectus supplement
assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their
over-allotment option to purchase additional notes.
References in this prospectus supplement to
SanDisk, the Company, we,
us and our refer to SanDisk Corporation
and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified.
SanDisk is a registered trademark of SanDisk
Corporation. All other trade names used in this prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus are trademarks of
their respective holders.
SANDISK CORPORATION
Our Company
We are the worldwide leader in flash storage card products. We
design, develop and market flash storage devices used in a wide
variety of consumer electronics products. Flash storage allows
data to be stored in a compact format that retains the data for
an extended period of time after the power has been turned off.
Our flash storage card products enable mass market adoption of
digital cameras, feature phones, MP3 players and other digital
consumer devices. Our products include flash cards, Universal
Serial Bus, or USB, flash drives and digital audio players.
As a supplier to this industry, our results are primarily driven
by worldwide demand for flash storage devices, which in turn
depends on end-user demand for electronic products. We believe
the market for flash storage is price elastic. We expect that as
we reduce the price of our flash devices, consumers will demand
an increasing number of megabytes of memory. In order to
profitably capitalize on price elasticity in the market for
flash storage products, we must reduce our cost per megabyte at
a rate similar to the change in selling price per megabyte to
the consumer. We achieve these cost reductions through
technology improvements primarily focused on increasing the
amount of memory stored in a given area of silicon.
In April 2006, we and Toshiba Corporation, or Toshiba, entered
into a non-binding memorandum of understanding to build
Fab 4, a new proposed 300-millimeter wafer fabrication
facility at Toshibas Yokkaichi, Japan operations to meet
the anticipated fast growing demand for NAND flash memory in
2008 and beyond. Assuming we enter into a definitive agreement
with Toshiba, we and Toshiba plan to start construction of the
new facility in August 2006, with initial production operations
scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2007. Toshiba will
fund construction of the building, while both we and Toshiba
will provide funds for the manufacturing equipment.
Additional Information
We were incorporated in Delaware in June 1988 under the name
SunDisk Corporation and changed our name to SanDisk Corporation
in August 1995. We file reports and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including annual
reports on
Form 10-K,
quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q, current
reports on
Form 8-K and proxy
or information statements. Those reports and statements as well
as all amendments to those documents filed or furnished pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (1) may
be read and copied at the SECs public reference room at
450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
(2) are available at the SECs internet site
(http://www.sec.gov), which contains reports, proxy and
information statements and other information regarding issuers
that file electronically with the SEC and (3) are available
free of charge through our
S-1
website as soon as reasonably practicable after electronic
filing with, or furnishing to, the SEC. Information regarding
the operation of the SECs public reference room may be
obtained by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330. Our
website address is www.sandisk.com. Except for those of our SEC
filings expressly incorporated herein by reference, information
on our website is not incorporated by reference nor otherwise
included in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying
prospectus. Our principal executive offices are located at 140
Caspian Court, Sunnyvale, California 94089 and our telephone
number is (408) 542-0500.
THE OFFERING
|
|
|
Issuer |
|
SanDisk Corporation, a Delaware corporation. |
|
Securities Offered |
|
$1.0 billion principal amount of 1.00% Convertible
Senior Notes due 2013 (plus up to an additional
$150 million principal amount for purchase by the
underwriters, solely to cover overallotments). |
|
Maturity |
|
May 15, 2013, unless earlier repurchased or converted. |
|
Interest |
|
1.00% per year. Interest will be payable semiannually in
arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, beginning
November 15, 2006. |
|
Optional Redemption |
|
The notes may not be redeemed prior to maturity. |
|
Conversion Rights |
|
Holders may convert their notes prior to the close of business
on the scheduled trading day immediately preceding
February 15, 2013, in multiples of $1,000 principal amount,
at the option of the holder under the following circumstances: |
|
|
|
during the five business-day period after any five
consecutive trading-day period (the measurement
period) in which the trading price per note for each day
of such measurement period was less than 98% of the product of
the last reported sale price of our common stock and the
conversion rate on each such day; or |
|
|
|
during any calendar quarter after the calendar
quarter ending June 30, 2006, if the last reported sale
price of our common stock for 20 or more trading days in a
period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading
day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds 120%
of the applicable conversion price in effect on the last trading
day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter; or |
|
|
upon the occurrence of specified corporate
transactions described under Description of the
Notes Conversion Rights. |
|
|
|
On and after February 15, 2013 to, and including, the close
of business on the scheduled trading day immediately preceding
the maturity date, subject to prior repurchase of the notes,
holders may convert the notes, in multiples of $1,000 principal
amount, at the option of the holder regardless of the foregoing
circumstances. |
|
|
|
The initial conversion rate will be 12.1426 shares of
common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes which is
equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately
$82.36 per share of common stock, subject to adjustment. |
S-2
|
|
|
|
|
Upon valid tender of notes for conversion, we will pay, on the
third trading day following the last day of the related
observation period, cash and shares of our common stock, if any,
based on a daily conversion value as described herein calculated
on a proportionate basis for each day of the relevant twenty
trading-day observation period. See Description of the
Notes Conversion Rights Payment upon
Conversion. |
|
|
|
In addition, if a fundamental change occurs prior to
maturity, we will increase the conversion rate for a holder who
elects to convert its notes in connection with such a
fundamental change upon conversion in the circumstances as
described under Description of the Notes
Conversion Rights Conversion Rate
Adjustments Adjustment to Shares Delivered upon
Conversion upon Fundamental Change. |
|
|
|
You will not receive any additional cash payment or additional
shares representing accrued and unpaid interest upon conversion
of a note, except in limited circumstances. Instead, interest
will be deemed paid by the cash and shares, if any, of common
stock issued to you upon conversion. |
|
Designated Event |
|
If we undergo a designated event as defined in this
prospectus supplement under Description of the
Notes Designated Event Permits Holders to Require us
to Purchase Notes, including a fundamental
change as defined in such section, you will have the
option to require us to purchase all or any portion of your
notes. The designated event purchase price will be 100% of the
principal amount of the notes to be purchased plus any accrued
and unpaid interest to but excluding the designated event
purchase date. We will pay cash for all notes so purchased. |
|
Ranking |
|
The notes will rank equally with any future senior debt and
senior to any future subordinated debt and will be effectively
subordinated to all existing liabilities of our subsidiaries and
to any secured debt we may issue to the extent of the
collateral. As of April 2, 2006, we had no outstanding
senior secured or unsecured indebtedness. |
|
|
|
Our subsidiaries, however, had liabilities, including trade and
other payables but excluding intercompany indebtedness,
outstanding in an amount of $284.1 million structurally
senior to the notes. In addition, as of April 2, 2006 we
had commitments of approximately $2.7 billion to fund our
various obligations under the FlashVision and Flash Partners
ventures with Toshiba. On April 28, 2006, we agreed to
accelerate the expansion of the Flash Partners venture, which we
expect will require an additional investment by us of
approximately $300 million. Finally, as of April 2,
2006, we had indemnification and guarantees of obligations for
these ventures of approximately $412 million. The indenture
for the notes does not restrict us or our subsidiaries from
incurring additional debt or other liabilities. Our subsidiaries
will not guarantee any of our obligations under the notes. We
may also issue indebtedness that is secured by our assets and
would be |
S-3
|
|
|
|
|
entitled to be paid from the collateral for those obligations
before the notes are entitled to any claim on that collateral. |
|
Use of Proceeds |
|
The net proceeds from this offering will be approximately
$978.5 million after deducting underwriters discounts
and estimated offering expenses or approximately
$1.1 billion if the underwriters exercise their
over-allotment option in full. The net proceeds of the offering
will be used for general corporate purposes, including capital
expenditures for new and existing manufacturing facilities,
development of new technologies, general working capital and
other non-manufacturing capital expenditures. The net proceeds
may also be used to fund strategic investments or acquisitions
of products, technologies or complementary businesses or to
obtain the right or license to use additional technologies. We
currently have no commitments or agreements for any specific
acquisitions, investments or licenses. In addition, we also
intend to use approximately $67.3 million of the proceeds
of the offering to fund the convertible note hedge transactions
and the warrant transactions entered into in connection with
this offering. See Use of Proceeds. |
|
Convertible Note Hedge and Warrant Transactions |
|
In connection with the offering of the notes, we entered into
convertible note hedge transactions with Morgan Stanley
International Limited, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley &
Co. Incorporated, and Goldman, Sachs & Co. These
transactions are expected to reduce the potential dilution upon
conversion of the notes. We also entered into warrant
transactions with Morgan Stanley International Limited and
Goldman, Sachs & Co. to offset to some extent the cost
of the convertible note hedge transactions. We intend to use
approximately $67.3 million of the net proceeds of this
offering to pay the net cost of the convertible note hedge and
the warrant transactions. If the underwriters exercise their
option to purchase additional notes to cover overallotments, we
may use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the
additional notes to enter into additional convertible note hedge
and warrant transactions. |
|
|
|
In connection with hedging these transactions, Morgan Stanley
International Limited, Goldman, Sachs & Co. or their
respective affiliates: |
|
|
|
have entered into various
over-the-counter
cash-settled derivative transactions with respect to our common
stock concurrently with the pricing of the notes; and |
|
|
|
may enter into various
over-the-counter
derivatives and/or purchase our common stock in secondary market
transactions following the pricing of the notes. |
|
|
|
These activities could have the effect of increasing or
preventing a decline in the price of our common stock
concurrently with or following the pricing of the notes. |
S-4
|
|
|
|
|
In addition, Morgan Stanley International Limited, Goldman,
Sachs & Co. or their respective affiliates may unwind
various
over-the-counter
derivatives and/or sell our common stock in secondary market
transactions prior to maturity of the notes, including during
any observation period, for the settlement of conversions of
notes as described above, which could adversely impact the price
of our common stock and of the notes. See Purchase of
Convertible Note Hedges and Sale of Warrants. |
|
Listing |
|
Our common stock is traded on The NASDAQ National Market under
the symbol SNDK. |
|
Trading |
|
The notes are a new issue of securities for which no market
currently exists. Although the underwriters have informed us
that they intend to make a market in the notes, they are under
no obligation to do so and may discontinue such activities at
any time without notice. We do not intend to list the notes on
any exchange or automated quotation system. Accordingly, we
cannot assure you that any active or liquid market will develop
for the notes. |
|
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations |
|
You should consult your tax advisors with respect to the
application of U.S. federal income tax laws to your own
particular situation as well as any tax consequences of the
ownership and disposition of the notes and our common stock
arising under the U.S. federal estate or gift tax rules or
under the laws of any state, local, foreign or other taxing
jurisdiction or under any applicable treaty. See Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations. |
|
Risk Factors |
|
Investment in the notes involves risks. You should carefully
consider the information under Risk Factors and all
other information included in or incorporated by reference into
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
before investing in the notes. |
S-5
Summary Historical Consolidated Financial and Other Data
The following summary historical consolidated financial data for
the three-month periods ended April 2, 2006 and
April 3, 2005 and as of April 2, 2006 are derived
from, and qualified by reference to, our unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in
this prospectus supplement. The summary financial data for each
of the years in the three-year period ended January 1, 2006
are derived from, and are qualified by reference to, our audited
consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in
this prospectus supplement. This summary data should be read in
conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements
incorporated by reference herein. Our unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis
consistent with our audited condensed consolidated financial
statements and, in the opinion of management, include all
adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments,
considered necessary for a fair presentation of our financial
condition and results of operations for such periods. Operating
results for the three months ended April 2, 2006 are not
necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 2006.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months | |
|
|
|
|
Ended (unaudited) | |
|
Fiscal Year Ended | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
April 2, | |
|
April 3, | |
|
January 1, | |
|
January 2, | |
|
December 28, | |
|
|
2006(1) | |
|
2005 | |
|
2006(2) | |
|
2005(3) | |
|
2003(4) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts) | |
Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product revenues
|
|
$ |
537,728 |
|
|
$ |
399,679 |
|
|
$ |
2,066,607 |
|
|
$ |
1,602,836 |
|
|
$ |
982,341 |
|
|
License and royalty revenues
|
|
|
85,532 |
|
|
|
51,296 |
|
|
|
239,462 |
|
|
|
174,219 |
|
|
|
97,460 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
623,260 |
|
|
|
450,975 |
|
|
|
2,306,069 |
|
|
|
1,777,055 |
|
|
|
1,079,801 |
|
Cost of revenues
|
|
|
384,867 |
|
|
|
251,188 |
|
|
|
1,333,335 |
|
|
|
1,091,350 |
|
|
|
641,189 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit
|
|
|
238,393 |
|
|
|
199,787 |
|
|
|
972,734 |
|
|
|
685,705 |
|
|
|
438,612 |
|
Operating income
|
|
|
57,925 |
|
|
|
113,519 |
|
|
|
576,582 |
|
|
|
418,591 |
|
|
|
257,038 |
|
Net income
|
|
$ |
35,115 |
|
|
$ |
74,516 |
|
|
$ |
386,384 |
|
|
$ |
266,616 |
|
|
$ |
168,859 |
|
Net income per share(5)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$ |
0.18 |
|
|
$ |
0.41 |
|
|
$ |
2.11 |
|
|
$ |
1.63 |
|
|
$ |
1.17 |
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$ |
0.17 |
|
|
$ |
0.39 |
|
|
$ |
2.00 |
|
|
$ |
1.44 |
|
|
$ |
1.02 |
|
Shares used in per share calculations(5)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
193,077 |
|
|
|
180,631 |
|
|
|
183,008 |
|
|
|
164,065 |
|
|
|
144,781 |
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
201,892 |
|
|
|
189,999 |
|
|
|
193,016 |
|
|
|
188,837 |
|
|
|
171,616 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of April 2, 2006 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
Actual | |
|
As Adjusted(6) | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Unaudited, in thousands) | |
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
850,565 |
|
|
$ |
1,761,745 |
|
Short-term investments
|
|
|
901,200 |
|
|
|
901,200 |
|
Working capital
|
|
|
2,099,942 |
|
|
|
3,011,122 |
|
Total assets
|
|
|
3,450,733 |
|
|
|
4,383,413 |
|
Long-term convertible senior notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
2,931,392 |
|
|
|
2,864,072 |
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes the write-off of acquired in-process technology of
($39.6) million related to the acquisition of Matrix
Semiconductor, Inc. and stock compensation expense of
($18.8) million related to the adoption of SFAS 123(R). |
|
(2) |
Includes other-than-temporary impairment charges of
($10.1) million, or ($6.4) million net of tax, related
to our investment in Tower Semiconductor Ltd., or Tower. |
|
(3) |
Includes other-than-temporary impairment charges of
($11.8) million, or ($7.4) million net of tax, related
to our investment in Tower, an adjustment to the fair value of
our Tower warrant of ($0.2) million, or ($0.1) million
net of tax, and a gain from a settlement of $6.2 million,
or $3.9 million net of tax, from a third-party brokerage
firm related to the 2003 unauthorized disposition of our
investment in United Microelectronics Corporation, or UMC. |
|
(4) |
Includes a loss of approximately ($18.3) million, or
($12.8) million net of tax, as a result of the unauthorized
sale of approximately 127.8 million shares of UMC stock, a
gain of approximately |
S-6
|
|
|
$7.0 million, or $4.9 million net of tax, related to
the sale of 35 million shares of UMC stock, write- downs
related to the recoverability of our Tower wafer credits of
($3.9) million, or ($2.7) million net of tax, and an
adjustment to the fair value of our Tower warrant of
($0.6) million, or ($0.5) million net of tax. |
|
(5) |
Net income (loss) per share and the share numbers each gives
retroactive effect to a
2-for-1 stock split, in
the form of a 100% stock dividend, effected on February 18,
2004. |
|
(6) |
As adjusted consolidated balance sheet data is adjusted to give
effect to the issuance by us of $1.0 billion aggregate
principal amount of our 1.00% convertible senior notes due
2013, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and
estimated offering expenses and the use of approximately
$67.3 million of the proceeds for the convertible note
hedge transactions and the warrants entered into in connection
with this offering. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months | |
|
|
|
|
Ended (unaudited) | |
|
Fiscal Year Ended | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
April 2, | |
|
April 3, | |
|
January 1, | |
|
January 2, | |
|
December 28, | |
|
|
2006 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2006 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands) | |
Other Financial Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash provided by operating activities
|
|
$ |
52,449 |
|
|
$ |
134,276 |
|
|
$ |
480,855 |
|
|
$ |
227,630 |
|
|
$ |
272,532 |
|
Cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(51,851 |
) |
|
|
(38,121 |
) |
|
|
(299,497 |
) |
|
|
(522,998 |
) |
|
|
(335,740 |
) |
Cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
87,970 |
|
|
|
11,272 |
|
|
|
115,398 |
|
|
|
24,648 |
|
|
|
576,902 |
|
Capital expenditures
|
|
$ |
(52,597 |
) |
|
$ |
(30,151 |
) |
|
$ |
(134,477 |
) |
|
$ |
(125,842 |
) |
|
$ |
(54,623 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months | |
|
|
|
|
Ended | |
|
Fiscal Year Ended | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
April 2, | |
|
January 1, | |
|
January 2, | |
|
December 28, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
December 30, | |
|
|
2006 | |
|
2006 | |
|
2005 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)
|
|
|
104.9 |
x |
|
|
332.6 |
x |
|
|
44.4 |
x |
|
|
29.2 |
x |
|
|
5.6 |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Computed by dividing (i) earnings before taxes adjusted for
fixed charges by (ii) fixed charges, which includes
interest expense plus amortization of debt issuance costs, the
portion of rent expense under operating leases deemed to be
representative of the interest factor and interest relating to
lease guarantees of 50%-or-less-owned affiliate. In the fiscal
year ended December 30, 2001, earnings were insufficient to
cover fixed charges by $442.8 million. |
S-7
RISK FACTORS
An investment in the notes involves risks. You should carefully
consider the risks described below, as well as the other
information included or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, before
making an investment decision. Our business, financial condition
or results of operations could be materially adversely affected
by any of these risks. The market or trading price of the notes
and our common stock could decline due to any of these risks,
and you may lose all or part of your investment. In addition,
please read Presentation of Information in this
prospectus supplement and Special Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements in the accompanying prospectus,
where we describe additional uncertainties associated with our
business and the forward-looking statements included or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. Please note that additional risks not
presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may
also impair our business and operations.
Risks Relating to Our Business
|
|
|
Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which
may adversely affect our operations and our stock price. |
Our quarterly and annual operating results have fluctuated
significantly in the past and we expect that they will continue
to fluctuate in the future. This fluctuation could result from a
variety of factors, including, among others, the following:
|
|
|
|
|
decline in the average selling prices, net of promotions, for
our products due to strategic price reductions initiated by us
or our competitors, excess supply and competitive pricing
pressures; |
|
|
|
addition of new competitors, expansion of supply from existing
competitors and ourselves creating excess market supply, which
could cause our average selling prices to decline faster than
our costs decline; |
|
|
|
timing, volume and cost of wafer production from the FlashVision
and Flash Partners ventures as impacted by fab
start-up delays and
costs, technology transitions, yields or production
interruptions due to natural disasters, power outages, equipment
failure or other factors; |
|
|
|
unpredictable or changing demand for our products, particularly
demand for certain types or capacities of our products or demand
for our products in certain markets or geographies; |
|
|
|
excess supply from captive sources due to ramping output faster
than the growth in demand; |
|
|
|
insufficient supply from captive and non-captive sources or
insufficient capacity from our test and assembly sub-contractors
to meet demand; |
|
|
|
continued development of new markets and products for NAND flash
memory and acceptance of our products in these markets; |
|
|
|
our license and royalty revenues may decline significantly in
the future as our existing license agreements and key patents
expire; |
|
|
|
timing of sell-through by our distributors and retail customers; |
|
|
|
increased purchases of flash memory products from our
non-captive sources, which typically cost more than from our
captive sources; |
|
|
|
difficulty in forecasting and managing inventory levels;
particularly due to noncancelable contractual obligations to
purchase materials such as flash memory and controllers, and the
need to build finished product in advance of customer purchase
orders; |
|
|
|
errors or defects in our products caused by, among other things,
errors or defects in the memory or controller components,
including memory and non-memory components we procure from
third-party suppliers; |
S-8
|
|
|
|
|
disruption in the manufacturing operations of third-party
suppliers for sole sourced controller wafers; |
|
|
|
write-downs of our investments in fabrication capacity, equity
investments and other assets; |
|
|
|
expensing of share-based compensation; |
|
|
|
adverse changes in product and customer mix; and |
|
|
|
the factors listed elsewhere under Risk Factors. |
|
|
|
Sales to a small number of customers represent a
significant portion of our revenues and, if we were to lose one
of our major licensees or customers or experience any material
reduction in orders from any of our customers, our revenues and
operating results would suffer. |
Sales to our top 10 customers and licensees accounted for more
than 49% and 58% of our total revenues during the first quarter
of fiscal 2006 and 2005, respectively. No customer exceeded 10%
of total revenues in either of these quarters except Samsung
Electronics Co. Ltd., which accounted for 14% of our total
revenues in the first quarter of fiscal 2006, including sales of
our products and royalty revenues. If we were to lose one of our
major licensees or customers or experience any material
reduction in orders from any of our customers or in sales of
licensed products by our licensees, our revenues and operating
results would suffer. Additionally, our license and royalty
revenues may decline significantly in the future as our existing
license agreements expire. Our sales are generally made from
standard purchase orders rather than long-term contracts.
Accordingly, our customers may generally terminate or reduce
their purchases from us at any time without notice or penalty.
In addition, the composition of our major customer base changes
from year-to-year as we
enter new markets.
|
|
|
Our business depends significantly upon sales of products
in the highly competitive consumer market, a significant portion
of which are made to retailers and through distributors and, if
our distributors and retailers are not successful in this
market, we could experience substantial product returns, which
would negatively impact our business, financial condition and
results of operations. |
A significant portion of our sales are made through retailers,
either directly or through distributors. Sales through these
channels typically include rights to return unsold inventory and
protection against price declines. As a result, we do not
recognize revenue until after the product has been sold through
to the end user, in the case of sales to retailers, or to our
distributors customers, in the case of sales to
distributors. If our distributors and retailers are not
successful in this market, we could experience substantial
product returns or price protection claims, which would harm our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Availability of sell-through data varies throughout the retail
channel, which makes it difficult for us to forecast retail
product revenues. Our arrangements with our customers also
provide them price protection against declines in our
recommended selling prices, which has the effect of reducing our
deferred revenue and eventually revenue. Except in limited
circumstances, we do not have exclusive relationships with our
retailers or distributors and therefore must rely on them to
effectively sell our products over those of our competitors.
|
|
|
Our average selling prices, net of promotions, may decline
due to excess supply, competitive pricing pressures and
strategic price reductions initiated by us or our
competitors. |
The market for NAND flash products is competitive and
characterized by rapid price declines. Price declines may be
influenced by, among other factors, strategic price decreases by
us or our competitors such as those implemented by us in 2006,
supply in excess of demand from existing or new competitors,
technology transitions, including adoption of multi-level cell,
or MLC, by other competitors, new technologies or other
strategic actions by competitors to gain market share. If our
S-9
technology transitions and cost reductions fail to keep pace
with the rate of price declines or our price decreases fail to
generate sufficient additional demand, our gross margin and
operating results will be negatively impacted.
|
|
|
Our revenue depends in part on the success of products
sold by our OEM customers. |
A portion of our sales are to a number of original equipment
manufacturers, or OEMs, who bundle our flash memory products
with their products, such as cameras or handsets. Our sales to
these customers are dependent upon the OEM choosing our products
over those of our competitors and on the OEMs ability to
create, introduce, market and sell its products successfully in
its markets. Should our OEM customers be unsuccessful in selling
their current or future products that include our product, or
should they decide to discontinue bundling our products, our
results of operation and financial condition could be harmed.
|
|
|
The continued growth of our business depends on the
development of new markets and products for NAND flash memory
and continued elasticity in our existing markets. |
Over the last several years, we have derived the majority of our
revenue from the digital camera market. This market continues to
experience slower growth rates and continues to represent a
declining percentage of our total revenues and therefore, our
growth will be increasingly dependent on the development of new
markets and new products for NAND flash memory. For example, in
2005, our revenues from the digital camera market grew by only
4% over the prior year, and it is possible that our revenue from
this market could decline in future years. Newer markets for
flash memory include USB drives, handsets, gaming and digital
audio players. There can be no assurance that new markets and
products will develop and grow fast enough, or that new markets
will adopt NAND flash technologies in general or our products in
particular, to enable us to continue our growth. There can be no
assurance that the increase in average product capacity demand
in response to price reductions will continue to generate
revenue growth for us as it has in the past.
|
|
|
We continually seek to develop new applications, products,
technologies and standards, which may not be widely adopted by
consumers or, if adopted, may reduce demand by consumers for our
older products. |
We continually seek to develop new applications, products and
standards and enhance existing products and standards with
higher memory capacities and other enhanced features. New
applications, such as the adoption of flash memory cards in
mobile handsets, can take several years to develop. Early
successes in working with handset manufacturers to add card
slots to their mobile phones does not guarantee that consumers
will adopt memory cards used for storing songs, images and other
content in mobile handsets. Our new products may not gain market
acceptance and we may not be successful in penetrating the new
markets that we target, such as handsets, digital audio players
or pre-recorded flash memory cards. As we introduce new
standards or technologies, such as
TrustedFlashtm,
it can take time for these new standards or technologies to be
adopted, for consumers to accept and transition to these new
standards or technologies and for significant sales to be
generated from them, if this happens at all. Moreover, broad
acceptance of new standards, technologies or products by
consumers may reduce demand for our older products. If this
decreased demand is not offset by increased demand for our other
form factors or our new products, our results of operations
could be harmed. Any new applications, products, technologies or
standards we develop may not be commercially successful.
|
|
|
We face competition from numerous manufacturers and
marketers of products using flash memory, as well as from
manufacturers of new and alternative technologies, and if we
cannot compete effectively, our results of operations and
financial condition will suffer. |
Our competitors include many large domestic and international
companies that have greater access to advanced wafer
manufacturing capacity and substantially greater financial,
technical, marketing and other resources than we do, which
allows them to produce flash memory chips in high volumes at low
S-10
costs and to sell these flash memory chips themselves or to our
flash card competitors at a low cost. Some of our competitors
may sell their flash memory chips at or below their true
manufacturing costs to gain market share and to cover their
fixed costs. Such practices have been common in the DRAM
industry during periods of excess supply, and have resulted in
substantial losses in the DRAM industry. In addition, many
semiconductor companies have begun to bring up substantial new
capacity of flash memory, including MLC flash memory. For
example, Samsung began shipping its first MLC chips in the third
quarter of 2005 and further ramped its MLC output in the fourth
quarter of 2005. In addition, Hynix Semiconductor, Inc., or
Hynix, is aggressively ramping NAND output and IM Flash
Technologies, LLC is expected to produce significant NAND
output in the future. If the combined total new flash memory
capacity exceeds the corresponding growth in demand, prices may
decline dramatically, adversely impacting our results of
operations and financial condition. In addition, current and
future competitors produce or could produce alternative flash
memory technologies that compete against our NAND flash memory
technology.
Our primary semiconductor competitors continue to include our
historical competitors Renesas Technology Corporation, or
Renesas, Samsung and Toshiba. New competitors include Hynix,
Infineon Technologies AG, or Infineon, Micron Technology, Inc.,
or Micron and STMicroelectronics N.V., which began shipping NAND
or NAND-competitive memory in 2004. If any of these competitors
increase their memory output, as Hynix recently has, it will
likely result in a decline in the prevailing prices for packaged
NAND semiconductor components.
We also compete with flash memory card manufacturers and
resellers. These companies purchase, or have a captive supply
of, flash memory components and assemble memory cards. These
companies include, among others, Dane-Elec Manufacturing, Delkin
Devices, Inc., Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Hagiwara Sys-Com Co.,
Ltd., Hama Corporation, Inc., I/ O Data Device, Inc., Infineon,
Jessops PLC, Kingmax, Inc., Kingston Technology Company, Inc.,
Lexar Media, Inc., or Lexar, M-Systems, Inc., or
M-Systems, Matsushita
Battery Industrial Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industries,
Ltd., or Matsushita, Micron, Memorex Products, Inc., or Memorex,
Panasonic, which is a brand owned by Matsushita, PNY
Technologies, Inc., or PNY, PQI Corporation, Pretec Electronics
Corporation (USA), Renesas, Samsung, Sharp Electronics KK,
SimpleTech, Inc., Sony Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and
Viking Components, Inc.
Some of our competitors have substantially greater resources
than we do, have well recognized brand names or have the ability
to operate their business on lower margins than we do. The
success of our competitors may adversely affect our future sales
revenues and may result in the loss of our key customers. For
example, Samsung, with significant manufacturing capacity, brand
recognition and access to broad distribution channels, provides
competing flash cards, such as the MMC
microtm
that competes directly with our
microSDtm
mobile card. Lexar markets a line of flash cards bearing the
Kodak brand name, which competes with our flash memory cards.
Our handset card products also face competition from embedded
solutions from competitors including Intel, M-Systems and
Samsung. Our digital audio players face competition from similar
products offered by other companies, including Apple Computer,
Inc., Creative Technologies, Ltd., iriver America, Inc. and
Samsung. Our USB flash drives face competition from Lexar,
M-Systems, Memorex, and PNY, among others. If our products
cannot compete effectively, our market share and profitability
will be adversely impacted.
Furthermore, many companies are pursuing new or alternative
technologies, such as nanotechnologies or microdrives, which may
compete with flash memory. These new or alternative technologies
may provide smaller size, higher capacity, reduced cost, lower
power consumption or other advantages. If we cannot compete
effectively, our results of operations and financial condition
will suffer.
We have patent cross-license agreements with several of our
leading competitors. Under these agreements, we have enabled
competitors to manufacture and sell products that incorporate
technology covered by our patents. If we continue to license our
patents to our competitors, competition may increase and may
harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
S-11
We believe that our ability to compete successfully depends on a
number of factors, including:
|
|
|
|
|
price, quality and on-time delivery to our customers; |
|
|
|
product performance, availability and differentiation; |
|
|
|
success in developing new applications and new market segments; |
|
|
|
sufficient availability of supply; |
|
|
|
efficiency of production; |
|
|
|
timing of new product announcements or introductions by us, our
customers and our competitors; |
|
|
|
the ability of our competitors to incorporate standards or
develop formats which we do not offer; |
|
|
|
the number and nature of our competitors in a given market; |
|
|
|
successful protection of intellectual property rights; and |
|
|
|
general market and economic conditions. |
We may not be able to successfully compete in the marketplace.
|
|
|
The semiconductor industry is subject to significant
downturns that have harmed our business, financial condition and
results of operations in the past and may do so in the
future. |
The semiconductor industry is highly cyclical and is
characterized by constant and rapid technological change, rapid
product obsolescence and price declines, evolving standards,
short product life cycles and wide fluctuations in product
supply and demand. The industry has experienced significant
downturns, often in connection with, or in anticipation of,
maturing product cycles of both semiconductor companies
and their customers products and declines in general
economic conditions. These downturns have been characterized by
diminished product demand, production overcapacity, high
inventory levels and accelerated declines in selling prices. We
have experienced these conditions in our business in the past
and may experience such downturns in the future.
|
|
|
Our business and the markets we address are subject to
significant fluctuations in supply and demand and our
commitments to our ventures with Toshiba may result in
losses. |
Through Flash Partners increased production, we expect our
2006 captive memory supply to increase by a higher percentage
than our flash memory supply increased in either of the last two
years. Our obligation to purchase 50% of the supply from
FlashVision and Flash Partners, the ventures with Toshiba, could
harm our business and results of operations if our committed
supply exceeds demand for our products. The adverse effects
could include, among other things, significant decreases in our
product prices, significant excess, obsolete or lower of cost or
market inventory write-downs and the impairment of our
investments in the ventures with Toshiba. These effects could be
magnified if the Fab 4 venture, a proposed new advanced NAND fab
with Toshiba, is completed and commences production. Any future
excess supply could have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
|
|
|
We depend on third-party foundries for silicon supply and
any shortage or disruption in our supply from these sources will
reduce our revenues, earnings and gross margins. |
All of our flash memory card products require silicon supply for
the memory and controller components. The substantial majority
of our flash memory is currently supplied by our ventures with
Toshiba and by Toshiba pursuant to our foundry agreement, and to
a lesser extent by Renesas and Samsung. Any disruption in supply
of flash memory from our captive or non-captive sources would
harm our operating results. For example, we intend to increase
production at Fab 3, commence production at Fab 4 and
continue to procure wafers from non-captive sources. If Fab 3
production
S-12
ramp does not increase as anticipated, we fail to enter into
definitive agreements for Fab 4, fail to commence
production at Fab 4 as planned, Fab 4 does not meet anticipated
manufacturing output, or our non-captive sources fail to supply
wafers in the amounts and at the times we expect, we may not
have sufficient supply to meet demand and our operating results
will be harmed. Currently, our controller wafers are only
manufactured by Tower and UMC, and some of these controllers are
sole-sourced at either UMC or Tower. Any disruption in the
manufacturing operations of Tower or UMC would result in
delivery delays, would adversely affect our ability to make
timely shipments of our products and would harm our operating
results until we could qualify an alternate source of supply for
our controller wafers, which could take three or more quarters
to complete. In times of significant growth in global demand for
flash memory, demand from our customers may outstrip the supply
of flash memory and controllers available to us from our current
sources. If our silicon vendors are unable to satisfy our
requirements on competitive terms or at all due to lack of
capacity, technological difficulties, natural disaster,
financial difficulty, power failure, labor unrest, their refusal
to do business with us, their relationships with our competitors
or other causes, we may lose potential sales and our business,
financial condition and operating results may suffer. In
addition, these risks are magnified at Toshibas Yokkaichi
operations, where the current ventures are operated, Fab 4 will
be located, and Toshibas foundry capacity is located.
Earthquakes and power outages have resulted in production line
stoppage and loss of wafers in Yokkaichi and similar stoppages
and losses may occur in the future. For example, in the first
quarter of fiscal 2006, a brief power outage in Fab 3 resulted
in a loss of wafers and significant costs associated with
bringing the fab back on line. Also, the Tower fabrication
facility, from which we source controller wafers, is facing
financial challenges and is located in Israel, an area of
political turmoil. Any disruption or delay in supply from our
silicon sources could significantly harm our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
|
|
|
Our actual manufacturing yields may be lower than our
expectations resulting in increased costs and product
shortages. |
The fabrication of our products requires wafers to be produced
in a highly controlled and ultra clean environment.
Semiconductor manufacturing yields and product reliability are a
function of both design technology and manufacturing process
technology and production delays may be caused by equipment
malfunctions, fabrication facility accidents or human errors.
Yield problems may not be identified or improved until an actual
product is made and can be tested. As a result, yield problems
may not be identified until the wafers are well into the
production process. We have from time to time experienced yields
which have adversely affected our business and results of
operations. We have experienced adverse yields on more than one
occasion when we have transitioned to new generations of
products. If actual yields are low, we will experience higher
costs and reduced product supply, which could harm our business,
financial condition and results of operations. For example, if
the production ramp and/or yield of the 70-nanometer,
300-millimeter Flash Partners wafers does not increase as
expected, we may not have enough supply to meet demand and our
cost competitiveness, business, financial condition and results
of operations will be harmed.
|
|
|
We depend on our third-party subcontractors and our
business could be harmed if our subcontractors do not perform as
planned. |
We rely on third-party subcontractors for our wafer testing, IC
assembly, packaged testing, product assembly, product testing
and order fulfillment. From
time-to-time, our
subcontractors have experienced difficulty in meeting our
requirements. If we are unable to increase the capacity of our
current sub-contractors or qualify and engage additional
sub-contractors, we may not be able to meet demand for our
products. We do not have long-term contracts with our existing
subcontractors nor do we expect to have long-term contracts with
any new subcontract suppliers. We do not have exclusive
relationships with any of our subcontractors and therefore
cannot guarantee that they will devote sufficient resources to
manufacturing our products. We cannot, and will not, be able to
directly control product delivery schedules. Furthermore, we
manufacture on a turnkey basis with some of our subcontract
suppliers. In these arrangements we do not have visibility and
control of their inventories of purchased parts
S-13
necessary to build our products or of the progress of our
products through their assembly line. Any significant problems
that occur at our subcontractors, or their failure to perform at
the level we expect, could lead to product shortages or quality
assurance problems, either of which would have adverse effects
on our operating results.
|
|
|
In transitioning to new processes, products and silicon
sources, we face production and market acceptance risks that
have caused, and may in the future cause significant product
delays that could harm our business. |
Successive generations of our products have incorporated
semiconductors with greater memory capacity per chip. The
transition to new generations of products, such as the
55-nanometer 8 and 16 gigabit MLC chip which we expect to
begin shipping in volume in 2007, is highly complex and requires
new controllers, new test procedures and modifications of
numerous aspects of manufacturing, as well as extensive
qualification of the new products by both us and our OEM
customers. In addition, Flash Partners is currently ramping the
70-nanometer 8 gigabit MLC chip in the Yokkaichi 300-millimeter
fab and this transition is subject to yield, quality and output
risk. In addition, procurement of MLC wafers from non-captive
sources requires us to develop new controller technology and may
result in inadequate quality or performance in our products that
integrate these MLC components. Any material delay in a
development or qualification schedule could delay deliveries and
adversely impact our operating results. We periodically have
experienced significant delays in the development and volume
production ramp-up of
our products. Similar delays could occur in the future and could
harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
|
|
|
Our products may contain errors or defects, which could
result in the rejection of our products, product recalls, damage
to our reputation, lost revenues, diverted development resources
and increased service costs and warranty claims and
litigation. |
Our products are complex, must meet stringent user requirements,
may contain errors or defects and the majority of our products
are warranted for one to five years. Errors or defects in our
products may be caused by, among other things, errors or defects
in the memory or controller components, including components we
procure from non-captive sources such as the MLC products we
procure from a third-party supplier. These factors could result
in the rejection of our products, damage to our reputation, lost
revenues, diverted development resources, increased customer
service and support costs and warranty claims and litigation. We
record an allowance for warranty and similar costs in connection
with sales of our product, but actual warranty and similar costs
may be significantly higher than our recorded estimate and
result in an adverse effect on our results of operations and
financial condition.
Our new products have from
time-to-time been
introduced with design and production errors at a rate higher
than the error rate in our established products. We must
estimate warranty and similar costs for new products without
historical information and actual costs may significantly exceed
our recorded estimates. Underestimation of our warranty and
similar costs would have an adverse effect on our results of
operations and financial condition.
|
|
|
We and Toshiba plan to continue to expand the wafer
fabrication capacity of the Flash Partners business venture as
well as form a new venture, and as we do so, we will make
substantial capital investments and incur substantial
start-up and tool
relocation costs, which could adversely impact our operating
results. |
We and Toshiba are making, and plan to continue to make,
substantial investments in new capital assets to expand the
wafer fabrication capacity of our Flash Partners business
venture in Japan. We and Toshiba recently announced our
intention to accelerate expansion at Fab 3 to bring wafer
capacity to 90,000 wafers per month by April 2007 and in
addition, we and Toshiba recently announced that we entered into
a non-binding memorandum of understanding for Fab 4, a
proposed new advanced NAND fab. In addition, each time that we
and Toshiba add substantial new wafer fabrication capacity, we
will experience significant initial design and development and
start-up costs as a
result of the delay between
S-14
the time of the investment and the time qualified products are
manufactured and sold in volume quantities. For several
quarters, we will incur initial design and development costs and
start-up costs and pay
our share of ongoing operating activities even if we do not
achieve the planned output volume or utilize our full share of
the expanded output, and these costs will impact our gross
margins, results of operations and financial condition.
|
|
|
There is no assurance that Flash Partners
300-millimeter NAND flash memory facility will perform as
expected. |
We believe that our future success will continue to depend on
the development and introduction of new generations of flash
memory wafers, such as the 300-millimeter wafers produced by
Flash Partners. These wafers are substantially larger in surface
area and therefore more susceptible to new technological and
manufacturing issues, such as mechanical and thermal stresses,
than 200-millimeter wafers that we use in production at
Yokkaichi Fabs 1 and 2. We have limited experience in operating
a wafer manufacturing line and we rely on Toshibas
capability to operate and manage the Yokkaichi facilities. Prior
to Fab 3, Toshiba did not have experience in manufacturing
300-millimeter advanced NAND designs, nor in operating a new
equipment set that had to be optimized to process 300-millimeter
NAND wafers with competitive yields. Flash Partners
300-millimeter facility may not perform as expected or ramp to
volume production on time, and the cost to equip the facility
may be significantly more than planned. Samsung, the
worlds largest NAND flash memory manufacturer, already has
experience manufacturing 300-millimeter wafers with 90- and
70-nanometer feature sizes. Also, Samsung is licensed under our
patents to use MLC technology, which further enhances its
manufacturing capabilities, and began shipping NAND/ MLC
products in the third quarter of 2005. Samsung may be able to
produce product at a lower cost than we can and increase their
market share, thus adversely affecting our operating results and
financial condition.
|
|
|
We have a contingent indemnification obligation for
certain liabilities Toshiba incurs as a result of Toshibas
guarantee of the FlashVision equipment lease arrangement and
have environmental and intellectual property indemnification as
well as guarantee obligations with respect to Flash
Partners. |
Toshiba has guaranteed FlashVisions lease arrangement with
third-party lessors. The total minimum remaining lease payments
as of April 2, 2006 were 16.4 billion Japanese yen, or
approximately $139 million based upon the exchange rate at
April 2, 2006. If Toshiba makes payments under its
guarantee, we have agreed to indemnify Toshiba for 49.9% of its
costs.
In December 2004 and December 2005, Flash Partners entered into
two separate equipment lease facilities totaling
85.0 billion Japanese yen, or approximately
$724 million based upon the exchange rate at April 2,
2006, which, as of April 2, 2006, had been drawn down in
their entirety. As of April 2, 2006, our cumulative
guarantee under the equipment leases, net of cumulative lease
payments was approximately 40.3 billion Japanese yen, or
approximately $343 million based on the exchange rate at
April 2, 2006. If our corporate rating is significantly
downgraded by any rating agency, it may impair the ability of
our ventures with Toshiba to obtain future equipment lease
financings on terms consistent with current leases and would
cause a default under certain current leases, either of which
could harm our business and financial condition.
We and Toshiba have also agreed to mutually contribute to, and
indemnify each other and Flash Partners for, environmental
remediation costs or liability resulting from Flash
Partners manufacturing operations in certain
circumstances. In addition, we and Toshiba entered into a Patent
Indemnification Agreement under which in many cases we will
share in the expenses associated with the defense and cost of
settlement associated with such claims. This agreement provides
limited protection for us against third-party claims that NAND
flash memory products manufactured and sold by Flash Partners
infringe third-party patents.
S-15
None of the foregoing obligations are reflected as liabilities
on our consolidated balance sheets. If we have to perform our
obligations under these agreements, our business will be harmed
and our financial condition and results of operations will be
adversely affected.
|
|
|
Seasonality in our business may result in our inability to
accurately forecast our product purchase requirements. |
Sales of our products in the consumer electronics market are
subject to seasonality. For example, sales have typically
increased significantly in the fourth quarter of each year,
sometimes followed by declines in the first quarter of the
following year. This seasonality increases the complexity of
forecasting our business. If our forecasts are inaccurate, we
can lose market share or procure excess inventory or
inappropriately increase or decrease our operating expenses, any
of which could harm our business, financial condition and
results of operations. This seasonality also may lead to higher
volatility in our stock price, the need for significant working
capital investments in receivables and inventory and our need to
build up inventory levels in advance of our most active selling
seasons.
|
|
|
From time to time, we overestimate our requirements and
build excess inventory, and underestimate our requirements and
have a shortage of supply, both of which harm our financial
results. |
The majority of our products are sold into consumer markets,
which are difficult to accurately forecast. Also, a substantial
majority of our quarterly sales are from orders received and
fulfilled in that quarter. Additionally, we depend upon timely
reporting from our retail and distributor customers as to their
inventory levels and sales of our products in order to forecast
demand for our products. Our international customers submit
these reports on a monthly, not weekly, basis making it more
difficult to accurately forecast demand. We have in the past
significantly over-forecasted and under-forecasted actual demand
for our products. The failure to accurately forecast demand for
our products will result in lost sales or excess inventory both
of which will have an adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations. In addition, at times
inventory may increase in anticipation of increased demand or as
captive wafer capacity ramps. If demand does not materialize, we
may be forced to write-down excess inventory which may harm our
financial condition and results of operations.
Under conditions of tight flash memory supply, we may be unable
to adequately increase our production volumes or secure
sufficient supply in order to maintain our market share. If we
are unable to maintain market share, our results of operations
and financial condition could be harmed. Conversely, during
periods of excess supply in the market for our flash memory
products, we may lose market share to competitors who
aggressively lower their prices.
Our ability to respond to changes in market conditions from our
forecast is limited by our purchasing arrangements with our
silicon sources. These arrangements generally provide that the
first three months of our rolling nine-month projected supply
requirements are fixed and we may make only limited percentage
changes in the second three months of the period covered by our
supply requirement projections.
|
|
|
We are sole sourced for a number of our critical
components and the absence of a
back-up supplier
exposes our supply chain to unanticipated disruptions. |
We rely on our vendors, some of which are a sole source of
supply, for many of our critical components. We do not have
long-term supply agreements with most of these vendors. Our
business, financial condition and operating results could be
significantly harmed by delays or reductions in shipments if we
are unable to develop alternative sources or obtain sufficient
quantities of these components.
S-16
|
|
|
We are exposed to foreign currency risks. |
Our purchases of NAND flash memory from the Toshiba ventures and
our investments in those ventures are denominated in Japanese
yen. Our sales, however, are primarily denominated in
U.S. dollars. Additionally, we expect over time to increase
the percentage of our sales denominated in currencies other than
the U.S. dollar. This exposes us to significant risk from
foreign currency fluctuations. Management of these foreign
exchange exposures and the foreign currency forward contracts
used to mitigate these exposures is complicated and if we do not
successfully manage our foreign exchange exposures, our
business, results of operations and financial condition could be
harmed.
|
|
|
Terrorist attacks, war, threats of war and government
responses thereto may negatively impact our operations,
revenues, costs and stock price. |
Terrorist attacks, U.S. military responses to these
attacks, war, threats of war and any corresponding decline in
consumer confidence could have a negative impact on consumer
retail demand, which is the largest channel for our products.
Any of these events may disrupt our operations or those of our
customers and suppliers and may affect the availability of
materials needed to manufacture our products or the means to
transport those materials to manufacturing facilities and
finished products to customers. Any of these events could also
increase volatility in the U.S. and world financial markets,
which could harm our stock price and may limit the capital
resources available to us and our customers or suppliers or
adversely affect consumer confidence. This could harm our
business and results of operations.
|
|
|
Natural disasters or epidemics in the countries in which
we or our suppliers or subcontractors operate could negatively
impact our operations. |
Our operations, including those of our suppliers and
subcontractors, are concentrated in Sunnyvale, California,
Yokkaichi, Japan, Hsinchu and Taichung, Taiwan and Dongguan,
Shanghai and Shenzen, China. In the past, these areas have been
affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and
typhoons, and some areas have been affected by epidemics, such
as avian flu. If a natural disaster or epidemic were to occur in
one or more or these areas, our disaster recovery processes may
not provide adequate business continuity. In addition, we do not
have insurance for most natural disasters, including
earthquakes. This could harm our business and results of
operations.
|
|
|
We may be unable to protect our intellectual property
rights, which would harm our business, financial condition and
results of operations. |
We rely on a combination of patents, trademarks, copyright and
trade secret laws, confidentiality procedures and licensing
arrangements to protect our intellectual property rights. In the
past, we have been involved in significant and expensive
disputes regarding our intellectual property rights and those of
others, including claims that we may be infringing third
parties patents, trademarks and other intellectual
property rights. We expect that we may be involved in similar
disputes in the future. We cannot assure you that:
|
|
|
|
|
any of our existing patents will not be invalidated; |
|
|
|
patents will be issued for any of our pending applications; |
|
|
|
any claims allowed from existing or pending patents will have
sufficient scope or strength; |
|
|
|
our patents will be issued in the primary countries where our
products are sold in order to protect our rights and potential
commercial advantage; or |
|
|
|
any of our products or technologies do not infringe on the
patents of other companies. |
In addition, our competitors may be able to design their
products around our patents and other proprietary rights.
S-17
Several companies have recently entered or announced their
intentions to enter the flash memory market, and we believe
these companies may require a license from us. Enforcement of
our rights may require litigation. If we bring a patent
infringement action and are not successful, our competitors
would be able to use similar technology to compete with us.
Moreover, the defendant in such an action may successfully
countersue us for infringement of their patent or assert a
counterclaim that our patents are invalid or unenforceable. If
we did not prevail as a defendant in patent infringement case,
we could be required to pay substantial damages, cease the
manufacture, use and sale of infringing products, expend
significant resources to develop non-infringing technology,
discontinue the use of specific processes or obtain licenses to
the infringing technology.
|
|
|
We may be unable to license intellectual property to or
from third parties as needed, or renew existing licenses, which
could expose us to liability for damages, increase our costs or
limit or prohibit us from selling products. |
If we incorporate third-party technology into our products or if
we are found to infringe others intellectual property, we
could be required to license intellectual property from a third
party. We may also need to license some of our intellectual
property to others in order to enable us to obtain important
cross-licenses to third-party patents. We cannot be certain that
licenses will be offered when we need them, or that the terms
offered will be acceptable, or that these licenses will help our
business. If we do obtain licenses from third parties, we may be
required to pay license fees or royalty payments. In addition,
if we are unable to obtain a license that is necessary to the
manufacture of our products, we could be required to suspend the
manufacture of products or stop our product suppliers from using
processes that may infringe the rights of third parties. We may
not be successful in redesigning our products, the necessary
licenses may not be available under reasonable terms, our
existing licensees may not renew their licenses upon expiration
and we may not be successful in signing new licensees in the
future.
|
|
|
We are currently and may in the future be involved in
litigation, including litigation regarding our intellectual
property rights or those of third parties, which may be costly,
may divert the efforts of our key personnel and could result in
adverse court rulings which could materially harm our
business. |
We are involved in a number of lawsuits, including among others,
several cases involving our patents and the patents of third
parties. We are the plaintiff in some of these actions and the
defendant in other of these actions. Some of the actions could
seek injunctions against the sale of our products and/or
substantial monetary damages, which if granted or awarded, could
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Litigation is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that
may cause actual results to differ materially from our
expectations. Factors that could cause litigation results to
differ include, but are not limited to, the discovery of
previously unknown facts, changes in the law or in the
interpretation of laws, and uncertainties associated with the
judicial decision-making process. If we receive an adverse
judgment in any litigation, we could be required to pay
substantial damages and/or cease the manufacture, use and sale
of products. Litigation, including intellectual property
litigation, can be complex, can extend for a protracted period
of time, and can be very expensive. Litigation initiated by us
could also result in counter-claims against us, which could
increase the costs associated with the litigation and result in
our payment of damages or other judgments against us. In
addition, litigation may divert the efforts and attention of
some of our key personnel.
We have been, and expect to continue to be, subject to claims
and legal proceedings regarding alleged infringement by us of
the patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights
of third parties. From time to time we have sued, and may in the
future sue, third parties in order to protect our intellectual
property rights. Parties that we have sued and that we may sue
for patent infringement may countersue us for infringing their
patents. If we are held to infringe the intellectual property of
others, we may need to spend significant resources to develop
non-infringing technology or obtain
S-18
licenses from third parties, but we may not be able to develop
such technology or acquire such licenses on terms acceptable to
us or at all. We may also be required to pay significant damages
and/or discontinue the use of certain manufacturing or design
processes. In addition, we or our suppliers could be enjoined
from selling some or all of our respective products in one or
more geographic locations. If we or our suppliers are enjoined
from selling any of our respective products or if we are
required to develop new technologies or pay significant monetary
damages or are required to make substantial royalty payments,
our business would be harmed.
Moreover, from time to time we agree to indemnify certain of our
suppliers and customers for alleged patent infringement. The
scope of such indemnity varies but may in some instances include
indemnification for damages and expenses, including
attorneys fees. We may from time to time be engaged in
litigation as a result of these indemnification obligations.
Third-party claims for patent infringement are excluded from
coverage under our insurance policies. A future obligation to
indemnify our customers or suppliers may have a material adverse
effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
|
|
|
Because of our international business and operations, we
must comply with numerous international laws and regulations,
and we are vulnerable to political instability, currency
fluctuations and other risks related to international
operations. |
Currently, all of our products are produced overseas in China,
Israel, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. We may, therefore, be
affected by the political, economic and military conditions in
these countries.
Specifically, China does not currently have a comprehensive and
highly developed legal system, particularly with respect to the
protection of intellectual property rights. This result, among
other things, in the prevalence of counterfeit goods in China.
The enforcement of existing and future laws and contracts
remains uncertain, and the implementation and interpretation of
such laws may be inconsistent. Such inconsistency could lead to
piracy and degradation of our intellectual property protection.
Our results of operations and financial condition could be
harmed by the sale of counterfeit products.
Our international business activities could also be limited or
disrupted by any of the following factors:
|
|
|
|
|
the need to comply with foreign government regulation; |
|
|
|
general geopolitical risks such as political and economic
instability, potential hostilities and changes in diplomatic and
trade relationships; |
|
|
|
natural disasters affecting the countries in which we conduct
our business, particularly Japan, such as the earthquakes
experienced in Taiwan in 1999, in Japan in 2004, 2003 and
previous years, and in China in previous years; |
|
|
|
reduced sales to our customers or interruption to our
manufacturing processes in the Pacific Rim that may arise from
regional issues in Asia; |
|
|
|
imposition of regulatory requirements, tariffs, import and
export restrictions and other barriers and restrictions; |
|
|
|
imposition of additional duties, charges and/or fees related to
customs entries for our products, which are all manufactured
offshore; |
|
|
|
inability to successfully manage our foreign exchange exposures; |
|
|
|
longer payment cycles and greater difficulty in accounts
receivable collection; |
|
|
|
adverse tax rules and regulations; |
S-19
|
|
|
|
|
weak protection of our intellectual property rights; and |
|
|
|
delays in product shipments due to local customs restrictions. |
|
|
|
Tower Semiconductors financial situation is
challenging. |
Tower supplies a significant portion of our controller wafers
from its Fab 2 facility and is currently a sole source of supply
for some of our controllers. Towers Fab 2 is operational
but has not been completed and a continued supply of controllers
to us from Tower on a cost-effective basis may be dependent on
this completion. Towers completion of the equipment
installation, technology transfer and
ramp-up of production
at Fab 2 is dependent upon Tower (a) having, or being able
to raise, sufficient funds to complete the Fab 2 project;
(b) meeting the conditions to receive Israeli government
grants and tax benefits approved for Fab 2; and
(c) obtaining the approval of the Israeli Investment Center
to extend the five-year investment period under its Fab 2
approved enterprise program. In addition, Tower recently entered
into an amendment to the credit facility agreement with its
banks. If Tower fails to raise funds in the amounts and at the
times required under the amended credit facility agreement or
otherwise fails to comply with the revised financial ratios and
covenants to avoid being in default under its amended bank
credit agreements, Tower may have to cease operations. If this
occurs, we will be forced to source our controllers from another
supplier and our business, financial condition and results of
operations may be harmed. Specifically, our ability to supply a
number of products would be disrupted until we were able to
transition manufacturing and qualify a new foundry with respect
to controllers that are currently sole sourced at Tower, which
could take three or more quarters to complete.
We have recognized cumulative losses of approximately
$53.6 million as a result of the other-than-temporary
decline in the value of our investment in Tower ordinary shares,
$9.2 million as a result of the impairment in value on our
prepaid wafer credits and $1.3 million of losses on our
warrant to purchase Tower ordinary shares as of April 2,
2006. We are subject to certain restrictions on the transfer of
our approximately 10.4 million Tower ordinary shares
including certain rights of first refusal, and through January
2008, have agreed to maintain minimum shareholdings. It is
possible that we will record further write-downs of our
investment, which was carried on our consolidated balance sheet
at $12.9 million as of April 2, 2006, which would harm
our results of operations and financial condition.
|
|
|
Our stock price has been, and may continue to be,
volatile, which could result in investors losing all or part of
their investments. |
The market price of our stock has fluctuated significantly in
the past and may continue to fluctuate in the future. We believe
that such fluctuations will continue as a result of many
factors, including future announcements concerning us, our
competitors or principal customers regarding financial results
or expectations, technological innovations, new product
introductions, governmental regulations, the commencement or
results of litigation or changes in earnings estimates by
analysts. In addition, in recent years the stock market has
experienced significant price and volume fluctuations and the
market prices of the securities of high technology and
semiconductor companies have been especially volatile, often for
reasons outside the control of the particular companies. These
fluctuations as well as general economic, political and market
conditions may have an adverse affect on the market price of our
common stock.
|
|
|
We may make acquisitions that are dilutive to existing
stockholders, result in unanticipated accounting charges or
otherwise adversely affect our results of operations, and result
in difficulties in assimilating and integrating the operations,
personnel, technologies, products and information systems of
acquired companies or businesses. |
We continually evaluate and explore strategic opportunities as
they arise, including business combinations, strategic
partnerships, collaborations, capital investments and the
purchase, licensing or sale of assets. If we issue equity
securities in connection with an acquisition, the issuance may be
S-20
dilutive to our existing stockholders. Alternatively,
acquisitions made entirely or partially for cash would reduce
our cash reserves.
Acquisitions may require significant capital infusions,
typically entail many risks and could result in difficulties in
assimilating and integrating the operations, personnel,
technologies, products and information systems of acquired
companies. In order to realize the intended benefits of our
recent acquisition of Matrix, we will have to successfully
integrate and retain key Matrix personnel. We may experience
delays in the timing and successful integration of acquired
technologies and product development through volume production,
unanticipated costs and expenditures, changing relationships
with customers, suppliers and strategic partners, or
contractual, intellectual property or employment issues. In
addition, key personnel of an acquired company may decide not to
work for us. The acquisition of another company or its products
and technologies may also result in our entering into a
geographic or business market in which we have little or no
prior experience. These challenges could disrupt our ongoing
business, distract our management and employees, harm our
reputation and increase our expenses. These challenges are
magnified as the size of the acquisition increases, and we
cannot assure you that we will realize the intended benefits of
any acquisition. Furthermore, acquisitions may require large
one-time charges and can result in increased debt or contingent
liabilities, adverse tax consequences, substantial depreciation
or deferred compensation charges, the amortization of
identifiable purchased intangible assets or impairment of
goodwill, any of which could have a material adverse effect on
our business, financial condition or results of operations.
|
|
|
Our success depends on key personnel, including our
executive officers, the loss of who could disrupt our
business. |
Our success greatly depends on the continued contributions of
our senior management and other key research and development,
sales, marketing and operations personnel, including
Dr. Eli Harari, our founder, president and chief executive
officer. We do not have employment agreements with any of our
executive officers and they are free to terminate their
employment with us at any time. Our success will also depend on
our ability to recruit additional highly skilled personnel. We
may not be successful in hiring or retaining key personnel and
our key personnel may not remain employed with us.
|
|
|
To manage our growth, we may need to improve our systems,
controls and procedures and relocate portions of our business to
new or larger facilities. |
We have experienced and may continue to experience rapid growth,
which has placed, and could continue to place a significant
strain on our managerial, financial and operations resources and
personnel. We expect that our number of employees, including
management-level employees, will continue to increase for the
foreseeable future. We must continue to improve our operational,
accounting and financial systems and managerial controls and
procedures, including fraud procedures, and we will need to
continue to expand, as well as, train and manage our workforce.
From time-to-time, we
may need to relocate portions of our business to new or larger
facilities which could result in disruption of our business or
operations. For example, in May 2006, we plan to relocate our
corporate headquarters and significant engineering operations,
including labs and data centers, to new facilities. If we do not
manage our growth effectively, including transitions to new or
larger facilities, our business could be harmed.
|
|
|
We expect to raise additional financing, which could be
difficult to obtain, and which if not obtained in satisfactory
amounts may prevent us from funding the ventures with Toshiba,
increasing our wafer supply, developing or enhancing our
products, taking advantage of future opportunities, growing our
business or responding to competitive pressures or unanticipated
industry changes, any of which could harm our business. |
We currently believe that we have sufficient cash resources to
fund our operations as well as our investments in Flash Partners
for at least the next twelve months; however, we expect to raise
additional funds, including funds to meet our obligations with
respect to Flash Partners, and we cannot
S-21
be certain that we will be able to obtain additional financing
on favorable terms, if at all. From
time-to-time, we may
decide to raise additional funds through public or private debt,
equity or lease financings. If we issue additional equity
securities, our stockholders will experience dilution and the
new equity securities may have rights, preferences or privileges
senior to those of existing holders of common stock. If we raise
funds through debt or lease financing, we will have to pay
interest and may be subject to restrictive covenants, which
could harm our business. If we cannot raise funds on acceptable
terms, if and when needed, we may not be able to develop or
enhance our products, fulfill our obligations to Flash Partners,
take advantage of future opportunities, grow our business or
respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated industry
changes, any of which could have a negative impact on our
business.
|
|
|
Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents,
stockholder rights plan and in Delaware law could discourage or
delay a change in control and, as a result, negatively impact
our stockholders. |
We have taken a number of actions that could have the effect of
discouraging a takeover attempt. For example, we have a
stockholders rights plan that would cause substantial
dilution to a stockholder, and substantially increase the cost
paid by a stockholder, who attempts to acquire us on terms not
approved by our board of directors. This could discourage an
acquisition of us. In addition, our certificate of incorporation
grants our board of directors the authority to fix the rights,
preferences and privileges of and issue up to
4,000,000 shares of preferred stock without stockholder
action (2,000,000 of which have already been reserved under our
stockholder rights plan). Issuing preferred stock could have the
effect of making it more difficult and less attractive for a
third-party to acquire a majority of our outstanding voting
stock. Preferred stock may also have other rights, including
economic rights senior to our common stock that could have a
material adverse effect on the market value of our common stock.
In addition, we are subject to the antitakeover provisions of
Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This
section provides that a corporation may not engage in any
business combination with any interested stockholder during the
three-year period following the time that a stockholder became
an interested stockholder. This provision could have the effect
of delaying or discouraging a change of control of SanDisk.
|
|
|
Changes in securities laws and regulations have increased
our costs; further, in the event we are unable to satisfy
regulatory requirements relating to internal control, or if our
internal control over financial reporting is not effective, our
business could suffer. |
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that became law in July 2002
required changes in our corporate governance, public disclosure
and compliance practices. The number of rules and regulations
applicable to us has increased and will continue to increase our
legal and financial compliance costs, and has made some
activities more difficult, such as stockholder approval of new
option plans. In addition, we have incurred and expect to
continue to incur significant costs in connection with
compliance with Section 404 of that law regarding internal
control over financial reporting. These laws and regulations and
perceived increased risk of liability could make it more
difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our
board of directors, particularly to serve on our audit
committee, and qualified executive officers. We cannot estimate
the timing or magnitude of additional costs we may incur as a
result.
In connection with our certification process under
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we have
identified and will from
time-to-time identify a
number of deficiencies in our internal control over financial
reporting. We cannot assure you that individually or in the
aggregate these deficiencies would not be deemed to be a
material weakness. Furthermore, we may not be able to implement
enhancements on a timely basis in order to prevent a failure of
our internal controls or enable us to furnish future unqualified
certifications. A material weakness or deficiency in internal
control over financial reporting could materially impact our
reported financial results and the market price of our stock
could significantly decline. Additionally, adverse publicity
related to the disclosure of a material
S-22
weakness or deficiency in internal controls over financial
reporting could have a negative impact on our reputation,
business and stock price. Any internal control or procedure, no
matter how well designed and operated, can provide only
reasonable assurance of achieving desired control objectives.
Risks Related to this Offering
|
|
|
We have significant financial obligations related to our
ventures with Toshiba which could impact our ability to comply
with our obligations under the notes. |
We have entered into agreements to guarantee, indemnify or
provide financial support with respect to lease and certain
other obligations of our ventures with Toshiba in which we have
a 49.9% ownership interest. In addition, we may enter into
future agreements to increase manufacturing capacity, including
further expansion of Fab 3 and development of Fab 4. As of
April 2, 2006 we had commitments of approximately
$2.7 billion to fund our various obligations under the
FlashVision and Flash Partners ventures with Toshiba. On
April 28, 2006, we agreed to accelerate the expansion of
the Flash Partners venture, which we expect will require an
additional investment by us of approximately $300 million.
Finally, as of April 2, 2006, we had indemnification and
guarantees of obligations for these ventures of approximately
$412 million. Due to these and our other commitments, we
may not have sufficient funds to make payments under or
repurchase the notes.
|
|
|
Our debt service obligations may adversely affect our cash
flow. |
While the notes are outstanding, we will have debt service
obligations on the notes of approximately $10.0 million per
year in interest payments. If the underwriters exercise their
option to purchase additional notes, or if we issue other debt
securities in the future, our debt service obligations will
increase. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash to meet
these obligations and must instead use our existing cash or
investments, we may have to reduce, curtail or terminate other
activities of our business.
We intend to fulfill our debt service obligations from cash
generated by our operations, if any, and from our existing cash
and investments. We may enter into other senior financial
instruments.
Our indebtedness could have significant negative consequences to
you. For example, it could:
|
|
|
|
|
increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and
industry conditions; |
|
|
|
limit our ability to obtain additional financing; |
|
|
|
require the dedication of a substantial portion of any cash flow
from operations to the payment of principal of, and interest on,
our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of such cash
flow to fund our growth strategy, working capital, capital
expenditures and other general corporate purposes; |
|
|
|
limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes
in our business and our industry; and |
|
|
|
place us at a competitive disadvantage relative to our
competitors with less debt. |
|
|
|
The notes will effectively rank junior in right of payment
to any future secured debt and the liabilities of our
subsidiaries. |
The notes are our general, unsecured obligations and effectively
rank junior in right of payment to any future secured debt to
the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt. The
notes are equal in right of payment with any future
unsubordinated, unsecured debt. Although, as of April 2,
2006, we had no debt outstanding, we expect from time to time to
incur additional indebtedness and other liabilities.
In addition, the notes are not guaranteed by any of our existing
or future subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are separate and
distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or
otherwise, to pay any amounts due with respect to the notes or
to make any funds available therefor, whether by
S-23
dividends, loans or other payments. As a result, the notes
effectively rank junior in right of payment to all existing and
future debt and other liabilities, including trade payables, of
our subsidiaries. As of April 2, 2006, our subsidiaries had
no outstanding debt, but had total trade and other payables of
$284.1 million.
|
|
|
The conditional conversion feature of the notes could
prevent you from receiving the value of cash and common stock
into which a note would otherwise be convertible. |
Prior to February 15, 2013, the notes are convertible into
cash and shares of our common stock only if specified conditions
are met. If the specific conditions for conversion are not met,
you will not be able to convert your notes, and you may not be
able to receive the value of the cash and common stock into
which the notes would otherwise be convertible.
|
|
|
The net share settlement feature of the notes may have
adverse consequences. |
The notes are subject to net share settlement, which means that
we will satisfy our conversion obligation to holders by paying
cash in settlement of the lesser of the principal amount and the
conversion value of the notes and by delivering shares of our
common stock in settlement of any and all conversion obligations
in excess of the daily conversion values, as described under
Description of the Notes Conversion
Rights Payment upon Conversion. Accordingly,
upon conversion of a note, holders might not receive any shares
of our common stock, or they might receive fewer shares of
common stock relative to the conversion value of the note. In
addition, any settlement of a conversion of notes into cash and
shares of our common stock will be delayed until at least the
24th trading day following our receipt of the holders
conversion notice. Accordingly, you may receive fewer proceeds
than expected because the value of our common stock may decline,
or fail to appreciate as much as you may expect, between the day
that you exercise your conversion right and the day the
conversion value of your notes is determined.
Our failure to convert the notes into cash or a combination of
cash and common stock upon exercise of a holders
conversion right in accordance with the provisions of the
indenture would constitute a default under the indenture. We may
not have the financial resources or be able to arrange for
financing to pay such principal amount in connection with the
surrender of the notes for conversion. While we do not currently
have any debt or other agreements that would restrict our
ability to pay the principal amount of the notes in cash, we may
enter into such an agreement in the future which may limit or
prohibit our ability to make any such payment. In addition, a
default under the indenture could lead to a default under
existing and future agreements governing our indebtedness. If,
due to a default, the repayment of related indebtedness were to
be accelerated after any applicable notice or grace periods, we
may not have sufficient funds to repay such indebtedness and
amounts owing in respect of the conversion of any notes.
|
|
|
There is no public market for the notes, which could limit
their market price or your ability to sell them for an amount
equal to or higher than their initial offering price. |
The notes are a new issue of securities for which there
currently is no trading market. Although the underwriters intend
to make a market for the notes, they are not obligated to do so
and may terminate market making activities at any time. As a
result, we cannot assure you that a liquid market will develop
for the notes. If any of the notes are traded after their
initial issuance, they may trade at a discount from their
initial offering price and you may be unable to resell your
notes or may be able to sell them only at a substantial
discount. Future trading prices of the notes will depend on many
factors, including prevailing interest rates, the market for
similar securities, general economic conditions and our
financial condition, performance and prospects.
S-24
|
|
|
Our stock price has been, and may continue to be,
volatile, which could result in investors losing all or part of
their investments. |
The notes are convertible into cash and shares of our common
stock, if any, based on the last reported sale price of our
common stock on each trading day in observation period, and
therefore we expect that the trading price of our common stock
will significantly affect the trading price of the notes. The
market price of our stock has fluctuated significantly in the
past and may continue to fluctuate in the future. We believe
that such fluctuations will continue as a result of many
factors, including future announcements concerning us, our
competitors or principal customers regarding financial results
or expectations, technological innovations, new product
introductions, governmental regulations, the commencement or
results of litigation or changes in earnings estimates by
analysts. In addition, in recent years the stock market has
experienced significant price and volume fluctuations and the
market prices of the securities of high technology and
semiconductor companies have been especially volatile, often for
reasons outside the control of the particular companies. These
fluctuations as well as general economic, political and market
conditions may have an adverse effect on the market price of our
common stock.
|
|
|
Future sales or issuances of common stock may depress the
trading price of our common stock and the notes. |
We maintain employee stock plans that reserved
10,700,000 shares of common stock to be issued to officers,
directors and eligible employees under terms and conditions to
be set by our board of directors or Compensation Committee. In
addition, at our 2006 annual meeting on May 25, 2006, our
stockholders will be asked to approve an amendment to our 2005
Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares reserved for
issuance under that plan by an additional
15,000,000 shares. As of April 2, 2006, approximately
21,967,312 shares of our common stock were reserved for
issuance upon exercise of outstanding options with a
weighted-average exercise price of $28.99 per share, and
approximately 384,336 shares were issuable upon vesting of
restricted stock and restricted stock units. The sale of
substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely impact
the market price of our common stock, which could in turn
negatively affect the trading price of the notes.
In addition, the price of our common stock could also be
affected by possible sales of our common stock by investors who
view the notes as a more attractive means of equity
participation in our company and by hedging or arbitrage trading
activity that we expect to develop involving our common stock.
The hedging or arbitrage could, in turn, negatively affect the
trading price of the notes.
|
|
|
Because we have made only limited covenants in the
indenture for the notes, and the terms of the notes do not
provide protection against some types of important corporate
events, these limited covenants and protections against certain
types of important corporate events may not protect your
investment. |
The indenture for the notes does not:
|
|
|
|
|
require us to maintain any financial ratios or specific levels
of net worth, revenues, income, cash flows or liquidity and,
accordingly, does not protect holders of the notes in the event
that we experience significant adverse changes in our financial
condition or results of operations; |
|
|
|
limit our subsidiaries ability to incur indebtedness,
which would effectively rank senior to the notes; |
|
|
|
limit our subsidiaries ability to pay dividends or
otherwise transfer funds to us; |
|
|
|
limit our ability to incur secured indebtedness that would
effectively rank senior to the notes to the extent of the value
of the assets securing the indebtedness; |
S-25
|
|
|
|
|
limit our ability to incur indebtedness that is equal in right
of payment to the notes; |
|
|
|
restrict our subsidiaries ability to issue securities that
would be senior to the equity interests of our subsidiaries that
we hold; |
|
|
|
restrict our ability to repurchase or prepay our
securities; or |
|
|
|
restrict our ability to make investments or to repurchase or pay
dividends or make other payments in respect of our common stock
or other securities ranking junior to the notes. |
Furthermore, the indenture for the notes contains only limited
protections in the event of a change in control. We could engage
in many types of transactions, such as certain acquisitions,
refinancings or recapitalizations, that could substantially
affect our capital structure and the value of the notes and our
common stock but would not constitute a fundamental
change that permits holders to require us to repurchase
their notes. For these reasons, you should not consider the
covenants in the indenture or the repurchase feature of the
notes as a significant factor in evaluating whether to invest in
the notes.
|
|
|
We may be unable to repurchase notes upon the occurrence
of a designated event; a designated event may adversely affect
us or the notes. |
You have the right to require us to repurchase your notes upon
the occurrence of a designated event as described under
Description of the Notes Conversion
Rights Designated Event Permits Holders to Require
Us to Purchase Notes. If a designated event occurs, we
cannot assure you that we will have enough funds to repurchase
all the notes. In addition, future debt we incur or other
agreements we may enter into may limit our ability to repurchase
the notes upon a designated event. Moreover, if you or other
investors in our notes exercise the repurchase right upon a
designated event, it may cause a default under our other debt,
even if the designated event itself does not cause a default,
because of the potential financial effect on us that would be
caused by such a repurchase.
A fundamental change or change in control transaction involving
us could have a negative effect on us and the trading price of
our common stock and could negatively impact the trading price
of the notes. Furthermore, the designated event provisions,
including the provisions requiring the increase to the
conversion rate for conversions in connection with a fundamental
change in some cases, may make more difficult or discourage a
takeover of our company and the removal of incumbent management.
|
|
|
The adjustment to the conversion rate for notes converted
in connection with a fundamental change may not adequately
compensate you for any lost value of your notes as a result of
such transaction. |
If a fundamental change occurs at the time prior to maturity, we
will increase the conversion rate by a number of additional
shares of our common stock for notes converted in connection
with such fundamental change. The increase in the conversion
rate will be determined based on the date on which the
fundamental change becomes effective and the price paid per
share of our common stock in such transaction, as described
below under Description of the Notes
Conversion Rights Conversion Rate
Adjustments Adjustment to Shares Delivered upon
Conversion upon Fundamental Change. The adjustment to the
conversion rate for notes converted in connection with a
fundamental change may not adequately compensate you for any
lost value of your notes as a result of such transaction. In
addition, if the price of our common stock in the transaction is
greater than $300.00 per share or less than $63.35 per
share, in each case, subject to adjustment, no adjustment will
be made to the conversion rate. Moreover, in no event will the
total number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion
as a result of this adjustment exceed 15.7853 per $1,000
principal amount of notes, subject to adjustments in the same
manner as the conversion rate as set forth under
Description of the Notes Conversion Rate
Adjustments. Our obligation to increase the conversion
S-26
rate in connection with a fundamental change could be considered
a penalty, in which case the enforceability thereof would be
subject to general principles of reasonableness of economic
remedies.
|
|
|
A change in control of us may not constitute a
designated event for purposes of the notes. |
The indenture contains no covenants or other provisions to
afford protection to holders of the notes in the event of a
change in control of us except to the extent described under
Description of the Notes Designated Event
Permits Holders to Require us to Purchase Notes, and
Description of the Notes Conversion
Rights Conversion Rate Adjustments
Adjustment to Shares Delivered upon Conversion upon Fundamental
Change upon the occurrence of a designated event or
fundamental change. However, the terms fundamental
change and designated event are limited and
may not include every change in control event that might cause
the market price of the notes to decline. As a result, your
rights under the notes upon the occurrence of a designated event
or fundamental change may not preserve the value of the notes in
the event of a change in control of us. In addition, any change
in control of us may negatively affect the liquidity, value or
volatility of our common stock, thereby negatively impacting the
value of the notes.
|
|
|
The conversion rate of the notes may not be adjusted for
all dilutive events that may occur. |
The conversion rate of the notes is subject to adjustment for
certain events including, but not limited to, the issuance of
stock dividends on shares of our common stock, the issuance of
certain rights or warrants, subdivisions or combinations of
shares of our common stock, certain distributions of assets,
debt securities, capital stock or cash to holders of our common
stock and certain issuer tender or exchange offers as described
under Description of the Notes Conversion Rate
Adjustments. The conversion rate will not be adjusted for
other events, such as stock issuances for cash or third-party
tender offers, that may adversely affect the trading price of
the notes or the common stock. See Description of the
Notes Conversion Rate Adjustments. We are not
restricted from issuing additional common stock during the life
of the notes and have no obligation to consider the interests of
holders of the notes in deciding whether to issue common stock.
An event that adversely affects the value of the notes, but does
not result in an adjustment to the conversion rate, may occur.
|
|
|
We have never paid cash dividends and do not anticipate
paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the
future. |
We currently intend to retain any earnings to finance our
operations and growth. Since we have never paid cash dividends
and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common
stock, any short-term return on your investment will depend on
the market price of the notes and our common stock.
|
|
|
You may have to pay U.S. federal taxes if we adjust
the conversion rate in certain circumstances, even if you do not
receive any cash. |
We will adjust the conversion rate of the notes for stock splits
and combinations, stock dividends, cash dividends and certain
other events that affect our capital structure. See
Description of the Notes Conversion Rate
Adjustments. If we adjust the conversion rate, you may be
treated as having received a constructive distribution from us,
resulting in taxable income to you for U.S. federal income
tax purposes, even though you would not receive any cash in
connection with the conversion rate adjustment and even though
you might not exercise your conversion right. In addition,
non-U.S. holders
of the notes may, in certain circumstances, be deemed to have
received a distribution subject to U.S. federal withholding
tax requirements. See Material United States Federal
Income Tax Considera-
S-27
tions U.S. Holders Constructive
Distributions and Certain United States Federal
Income Tax Considerations
Non-U.S. Holders
Dividends.
|
|
|
The convertible note hedge transactions and the warrant
option transactions may affect the value of the notes and our
common stock. |
We have entered into convertible note hedge transactions with
Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited and Goldman,
Sachs & Co., or the dealers. These transactions are
expected to reduce the potential dilution upon conversion of the
notes. We intend to use approximately $67.3 million of the
net proceeds of this offering to pay the net cost of the
convertible note hedge in excess of the warrant transactions
assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to
purchase additional notes to cover overallotments. If the
underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional notes
to cover overallotments, we may use a portion of the net
proceeds from the sale of the additional notes to enter into
additional convertible note hedge transactions and warrant
transactions. These transactions will be accounted for as an
adjustment to our stockholders equity. In connection with
hedging these transactions, the dealers or their affiliates:
|
|
|
|
|
have entered into various
over-the-counter
cash-settled derivative transactions with respect to our common
stock, concurrently with, and shortly after, the pricing of the
notes; and |
|
|
|
may enter into, or may unwind, various
over-the-counter
derivatives and/or purchase or sell our common stock in
secondary market transactions following the pricing of the
notes, including during any observation period related to a
conversion of notes. |
Such activities could have the effect of increasing, or
preventing a decline in, the price of our common stock
concurrently with, or following, the pricing of the notes. The
dealers or their affiliates are likely to modify their hedge
positions from time to time prior to conversion or maturity of
the notes by purchasing and selling shares of our common stock,
other of our securities or other instruments they may wish to
use in connection with such hedging. In particular, such hedging
modification may occur during any observation period for a
conversion of notes, which may have a negative effect on the
value of the consideration received in relation to the
conversion of those notes. In addition, we intend to exercise
options we hold under the convertible note hedge transactions
whenever notes are converted. To unwind their hedge positions
with respect to those exercised options, the dealers or their
affiliates expect to sell shares of our common stock in
secondary market transactions or unwind various
over-the-counter
derivative transactions with respect to our common stock during
the observation period, if any, for the converted notes.
In addition, if the convertible note hedge transactions and the
warrant transactions fail to become effective when this offering
of notes is completed, or if the offering is not completed, the
dealers or their affiliates may unwind their hedge positions
with respect to our common stock, which could adversely affect
the value of our common stock and, as a result, the value of the
notes. We have also agreed to indemnify the dealers or their
affiliates for losses incurred in connection with a potential
unwinding of their hedge positions under certain circumstances.
The effect, if any, of any of these transactions and activities
on the market price of our common stock or the notes will depend
in part on market conditions and cannot be ascertained at this
time, but any of these activities could adversely affect the
value of our common stock and the value of the notes and, as a
result, the amount of cash and the number of shares of common
stock, if any, you will receive upon the conversion of the notes.
S-28
USE OF PROCEEDS
We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of
approximately $978.5 million after deducting
underwriters discounts and estimated offering expenses or
approximately $1.1 billion if the underwriters exercise
their over-allotment option in full. The net proceeds of the
offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including
capital expenditures for new and existing manufacturing
facilities, development of new technologies, general working
capital and other non-manufacturing capital expenditures. The
net proceeds may also be used to fund strategic investments or
acquisitions of products, technologies or complementary
businesses or to obtain the right or license to use additional
technologies. We currently have no commitments or agreements for
any specific acquisitions, investments or licenses. In addition,
we also intend to use approximately $67.3 million of the
proceeds of the offering to fund the convertible note hedge
transactions and warrant transactions entered into in connection
with this offering. See Purchase of Convertible
Note Hedges and Sale of Warrants. Our management will
have broad discretion as to the application of the net offering
proceeds. Pending their ultimate use, we expect to invest the
net proceeds to us from this offering in interest bearing,
investment grade securities.
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK
Our common stock trades on The NASDAQ National Market under the
symbol SNDK. The following table shows the range of
high and low sales prices per share for our common stock for the
periods indicated and as reported by NASDAQ through May 9,
2006. The information set forth below gives retroactive effect
to a 2-for-1 stock
split, in the form of a 100% stock dividend effective on
February 18, 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price Range of | |
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
|
| |
Quarter Ended |
|
High | |
|
Low | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
March 28, 2004
|
|
$ |
36.35 |
|
|
$ |
23.49 |
|
June 27, 2004
|
|
|
33.25 |
|
|
|
19.79 |
|
September 26, 2004
|
|
|
28.70 |
|
|
|
19.28 |
|
January 2, 2005
|
|
|
31.96 |
|
|
|
19.66 |
|
April 3, 2005
|
|
|
28.42 |
|
|
|
20.25 |
|
July 3, 2005
|
|
|
29.03 |
|
|
|
23.45 |
|
October 2, 2005
|
|
|
48.58 |
|
|
|
23.41 |
|
January 1, 2006
|
|
|
65.49 |
|
|
|
46.15 |
|
April 2, 2006
|
|
|
79.80 |
|
|
|
52.15 |
|
July 2, 2006 (through May 9, 2006)
|
|
|
65.79 |
|
|
|
55.02 |
|
On May 9, 2006, the last reported sale price for our common
stock on The NASDAQ National Market was $63.35 per share.
DIVIDEND POLICY
We have never paid or declared any cash dividends and do not
anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
The decision whether to pay cash dividends will be made by our
Board of Directors in light of conditions then existing,
including our results of operations, financial condition and
requirements, business conditions, covenants under loan
agreements and other contractual arrangements, and other factors.
S-29
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization as of
April 2, 2006:
|
|
|
|
|
on an actual basis; and |
|
|
|
on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the receipt of the net
proceeds from the sale of the notes in this offering, after
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated
offering expenses payable by us and use of approximately
$67.3 million of the proceeds for the convertible note
hedge transactions and the warrants entered into in connection
with this offering. |
You should read this table in conjunction with our unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes to
those statements, which are incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of April 2, 2006 | |
|
|
| |
|
|
Actual | |
|
As Adjusted | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(Unaudited, in thousands, | |
|
|
except share amounts) | |
Cash, cash equivalents and investments
|
|
$ |
1,751,765 |
|
|
$ |
2,662,945 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term convertible senior notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 4,000,000 shares
authorized, 2,000,000 shares designated Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, remainder are
undesignated; no shares issued or outstanding, actual and as
adjusted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 400,000,000 shares
authorized, 194,603,634 shares issued and outstanding,
actual and as adjusted
|
|
|
195 |
|
|
|
195 |
|
Capital in excess of par value
|
|
|
1,984,474 |
|
|
|
1,917,154 |
|
Accumulated earnings
|
|
|
941,739 |
|
|
|
941,739 |
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income
|
|
|
4,984 |
|
|
|
4,984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
2,931,392 |
|
|
|
2,864,072 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$ |
2,931,392 |
|
|
$ |
3,864,072 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This table excludes the following shares:
|
|
|
|
|
21,967,312 shares issuable upon exercise of options
outstanding at a weighted average exercise price of
$28.99 per share as of April 2, 2006; |
|
|
|
384,336 shares of common stock issuable upon vesting of
restricted stock and restricted stock units outstanding as of
April 2, 2006; |
|
|
|
a total of 10,700,000 shares reserved for future issuance
under our stock option and employee stock purchase plans as of
April 2, 2006, excluding the 15,000,000 share increase
in the number of shares reserved for issuance under our 2005
Incentive Plan for which we are seeking stockholder approval at
our 2006 annual meeting; and |
|
|
|
12,142,600 shares of common stock initially issuable upon
conversion of the notes offered hereby. |
This table also does not take into account the
400,000,000 share increase in our authorized common stock
for which we are seeking stockholder approval at our 2006 annual
meeting.
S-30
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
We will issue the notes under an indenture to be dated as of
May 15, 2006 between us and The Bank of New York, a New
York banking corporation, as trustee. The terms of the notes
include those expressly set forth in the indenture and those
made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture
Act of 1939, as amended.
The following description is a summary of the material
provisions of the notes and the indenture and does not purport
to be complete. This summary is subject to and is qualified by
reference to all the provisions of the notes and the indenture,
including the definitions of terms used in the indenture. We
urge you to carefully read the entire indenture because it, and
not this description, defines your rights as a holder of the
notes. You may request a copy of the indenture from us. A copy
of the indenture will be filed by us with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and will be available as described under the
heading Where You Can Find More Information in the
prospectus accompanying this prospectus supplement.
For purposes of this description, references to the
Company, we, our and
us refer only to SanDisk Corporation and not to our
subsidiaries.
General
The notes:
|
|
|
|
|
our general unsecured obligations, |
|
|
|
equal in right of payment with any other senior unsecured
indebtedness of ours; |
|
|
|
senior in right of payment to any indebtedness that is
contractually subordinated to the notes; |
|
|
|
structurally subordinated to the claims of our
subsidiaries creditors, including trade creditors; and |
|
|
|
effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness to the
extent of the value of the collateral securing such
indebtedness. See Risk Factors Risks Related
to this Offering We have significant financial
obligations related to our ventures with Toshiba which could
impact our ability to comply with our obligations under the
notes. |
|
|
|
|
|
will be limited to an aggregate principal amount of
$1.0 billion, or $1.15 billion if the underwriters
exercise their overallotment option to purchase additional notes
in full, except as set forth below; |
|
|
|
mature on May 15, 2013, unless earlier converted or
repurchased; |
|
|
|
will be issued without interest coupon, in denominations of
$1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000; and |
|
|
|
will be represented by one or more registered notes in global
form, but in certain limited circumstances may be represented by
notes in definitive form. |
The indenture does not limit the amount of debt that may be
issued by us or our subsidiaries under the indenture or
otherwise. Our subsidiaries will not guarantee any of our
obligations under the notes.
The notes are convertible as described below under
Conversion Rights.
The notes will be issued only in denominations of $1,000 and
multiples of $1,000. We use the term note in this
prospectus supplement to refer to each $1,000 principal amount
of notes.
We may, without the consent of the holders, reopen the notes and
issue additional notes under the indenture with the same terms
and with the same CUSIP number as the notes offered hereby in an
unlimited aggregate principal amount, so long as the additional
notes are fungible with the notes offered hereby for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. We may also from time to
time repurchase the
S-31
notes in tender offers, open market purchases or negotiated
transactions without prior notice to holders.
The registered holder of a note will be treated as the owner of
it for all purposes.
Other than restrictions described under
Designated Event Permits Holders to Require Us
to Purchase Notes and Consolidation,
Merger and Sale of Assets below, and except for the
provisions set forth under Conversion
Rights Conversion Rate Adjustments
Adjustment to Shares Delivered upon Conversion upon Fundamental
Change, the indenture does not contain any covenants or
other provisions designed to afford holders of the notes
protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction
involving us or in the event of a decline in our credit rating
as the result of a takeover, recapitalization, highly leveraged
transaction or similar restructuring involving us that could
adversely affect holders. See Risk Factors
Risks Related to this Offering.
Payments on the Notes; Paying Agent and Registrar
We will pay the principal of certificated notes at the office or
agency designated by us in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York. We have initially designated a corporate trust office
of the trustee as our paying agent and registrar and its agency
in New York, New York as a place where notes may be presented
for payment or for registration of transfer. We may, however,
change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the
holders of the notes, and we may act as paying agent or
registrar. Interest on certificated notes will be payable
(i) to holders having an aggregate principal amount of
$1,000,000 or less, by check mailed to the holders of these
notes and (ii) to holders having an aggregate principal
amount of more than $1,000,000, either by check mailed to each
holder or, upon application by a holder to the registrar not
later than the relevant record date, by wire transfer in
immediately available funds to that holders account within
the United States, which application shall remain in effect
until the holder notifies, in writing, the registrar to the
contrary.
We will pay principal of, and interest on notes in global form
registered in the name of or held by The Depository Trust
Company or its nominee in immediately available funds to The
Depository Trust Company or its nominee, as the case may be, as
the registered holder of such global notes.
Transfer and Exchange
A holder of notes may transfer or exchange notes at the office
of the registrar in accordance with the indenture. The registrar
and the trustee may require a holder, among other things, to
furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents. No
service charge will be imposed by us, the trustee or the
registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of notes,
but we may require a holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any
transfer tax or other similar governmental charge required by
law or permitted, by the indenture. We are not required to
transfer or exchange any note selected or surrendered for
conversion.
Interest
The notes will bear interest at a rate of 1.00% per year
from May 15, 2006, or from the most recent date to which
interest has been paid or duly provided for. Interest will be
payable semiannually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of
each year, beginning November 15, 2006.
Interest will be paid to the person in whose name a note is
registered at the close of business on May 1 or
November 1, as the case may be, immediately preceding the
relevant interest payment date. Interest on the notes will be
computed on the basis of a
360-day year composed
of twelve 30-day months.
No sinking fund is provided for the notes.
S-32
Conversion Rights
Upon the occurrence of any of the conditions described under the
headings Conversion Upon Satisfaction of
Trading Price Condition, Conversion
Based on Common Stock Price and
Conversion upon Specified Corporate
Transactions, holders may convert each of their notes
initially at an initial conversion rate of 12.1426 shares
of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which is
equivalent to a conversion price of approximately
$82.36 per share of common stock, at any time prior to the
close of business on the scheduled trading day immediately
preceding February 15, 2013. On and after February 15,
2013, holders may convert each of their notes at the conversion
rate regardless of the conditions described under the headings
Conversion Upon Satisfaction of Trading Price
Condition, Conversion Based on Common
Stock Price and Conversion upon
Specified Corporate Transactions until the close of
business on the scheduled trading day immediately preceding the
maturity date of May 15, 2013.
The conversion rate and the equivalent conversion price in
effect at any given time are referred to as the applicable
conversion rate and the applicable conversion
price, respectively, and will be subject to adjustment as
described below. The conversion price at any given time will be
computed by dividing $1,000 by the applicable conversion rate at
such time. A holder may convert fewer than all of such
holders notes so long as the notes converted are an
integral multiple of $1,000 principal amount.
Upon conversion, you will not receive any separate cash payment
for accrued and unpaid interest unless such conversion occurs
between a regular record date and the interest payment date to
which it relates. Our settlement of conversions as described
below under Payment upon Conversion will
be deemed to satisfy our obligation to pay:
|
|
|
|
|
the principal amount of the note; and |
|
|
|
accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the
conversion date. |
As a result, accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including,
the conversion date will be deemed to be paid in full rather
than cancelled, extinguished or forfeited.
Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, if notes are converted
after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on a record date,
holders of such notes at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on
the record date will receive the interest payable on such notes
on the corresponding interest payment date notwithstanding the
conversion. Notes, upon surrender for conversion during the
period from 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on any regular
record date to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
immediately following interest payment date, must be accompanied
by funds equal to the amount of interest payable on the notes so
converted; but no such payment need be made:
|
|
|
|
|
if we have specified a designated event purchase date as defined
below that is after a record date and on or prior to the
corresponding interest payment date; or |
|
|
|
to the extent of any overdue interest, if any overdue interest
exists at the time of conversion with respect to such notes. |
If a holder converts notes, we will pay any documentary, stamp
or similar issue or transfer tax due on the issue of any shares
of our common stock upon the conversion, unless the tax is due
because the holder requests any shares to be issued in a name
other than the holders name, in which case the holder will
pay that tax.
|
|
|
Conversion upon Satisfaction of Trading Price
Condition |
Prior to February 15, 2013, a holder may surrender notes
for conversion during the five business day period after any
five consecutive trading day period (the measurement
period) in which the trading price per $1,000
principal amount of notes was less than 98% of the product of
the last reported sale price of our common stock and the
conversion rate for such date, subject to compliance with the
S-33
procedures and conditions described below concerning the
trustees obligation to make a trading price determination.
The trading price of the notes on any date of
determination means the average of the secondary market bid
quotations obtained by the trustee for $2.0 million
principal amount of the notes at approximately 3:30 p.m.,
New York City time, on such determination date from three
independent nationally recognized securities dealers we select,
which may include any or all of the underwriters; but if three
such bids cannot reasonably be obtained by the trustee, but two
such bids are obtained, then the average of the two bids shall
be used, and if only one such bid can reasonably be obtained by
the trustee, that one bid shall be used. If the trustee cannot
reasonably obtain at least one bid for $2.0 million
principal amount of the notes from a nationally recognized
securities dealer, then the notes will not be deemed to be
convertible pursuant to the conversion trigger. Any such
determination will be conclusive absent manifest error.
In connection with any conversion upon satisfaction of the above
trading pricing condition, the trustee shall have no obligation
to determine the trading price of the notes unless we have
requested such determination; and we will have no obligation to
make such request unless a holder provides us with reasonable
evidence that the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of
notes would be less than 98% of the product of the last reported
sale price of our common stock and the conversion rate. At such
time, we shall instruct the trustee to determine the trading
price of the notes beginning on the next trading day and on each
successive trading day until the trading price per $1,000
principal amount of notes is greater than or equal to 98% of the
product of the last reported sale price of our common stock and
the conversion rate.
If the trading price condition has been met, we shall so notify
the holders of the notes. If, at any point after the trading
price condition has been met, the trading price per $1,000
principal amount of notes is greater than 98% of the product of
the last reported sale price of our common stock and the
conversion rate for such date, we shall so notify the holders of
notes.
The last reported sale price of our common stock on
any date means the closing sale price per share, or if no
closing sale price is reported, the average of the bid and ask
prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the
average bid and the average ask prices, on that date as reported
by The NASDAQ National Market, or if our common stock is not
then traded on The NASDAQ National Market, on the principal
United States national or regional securities exchange on which
it is then listed, if any. If our common stock is not reported
by The NASDAQ National Market or listed on a United States
national or regional securities exchange on the relevant date,
the last reported sale price will be the last quoted
bid price for our common stock in the
over-the-counter market
on the relevant date as reported by the National Quotation
Bureau or similar organization. If our common stock is not so
quoted, the last reported sale price will be the average of the
mid-point of the last bid and ask prices for our common stock on
the relevant date from each of at least three nationally
recognized independent investment banking firms, which may
include any or all of the underwriters, selected by us for this
purpose. Any such determination will be conclusive absent
manifest error.
Trading day means a day during which
(i) trading in our common stock generally occurs,
(ii) there is no market disruption event as defined below
and (iii) a last reported sale price for our common stock,
other than a last reported sale price referred to in the last
sentence of such definition, is available for such day.
Market disruption event means the occurrence or
existence for more than one-half hour period in the aggregate on
any scheduled trading day for our common stock of any suspension
or limitation imposed on trading by reason of movements in price
exceeding limits permitted by The NASDAQ National Market or
otherwise in our common stock or in any options, contracts or
future contracts relating to our common stock, and such
suspension or limitation occurs or exists at any time before
1:00 p.m., New York City time, on such day.
S-34
|
|
|
Conversion Based On Common Stock Price |
Prior to February 15, 2013, a holder may surrender notes
for conversion during any calendar quarter after the calendar
quarter ending June 30, 2006, if the last reported sale
price of our common stock for 20 or more trading days in a
period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading
day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds 120%
of the applicable conversion price in effect on the last trading
day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter.
|
|
|
Conversion upon Specified Corporate Transactions |
If we elect to:
|
|
|
|
|
distribute to all or substantially all holders of our common
stock certain rights entitling them to purchase, for a period
expiring within 60 days after the record date of the
distribution, shares of our common stock at less than the last
reported sale price of a share of our common stock on the
trading day immediately preceding the declaration date of the
distribution; or |
|
|
|
distribute to all or substantially all holders of our common
stock our assets, debt securities or certain rights to purchase
our securities, which distribution has a per share value as
determined by our board of directors exceeding 10% of the last
reported sale price of our common stock on the day preceding the
declaration date for such distribution, |
we must notify the holders of the notes at least 20 business
days prior to the ex-dividend date for such distribution. Once
we have given such notice, holders may surrender their notes for
conversion at any time until the earlier of 5:00 p.m., New
York City time, on the business day immediately prior to the
ex-dividend date or our announcement that such distribution will
not take place, even if the notes are not otherwise convertible
at such time. The ex-dividend date is the first date upon which
a sale of the common stock does not automatically transfer the
right to receive the relevant dividend from the seller of the
common stock to its buyer. You may not exercise this right if
you may participate in the distribution without conversion.
In addition, if we are party to any transaction or event that
constitutes a designated event, a holder may surrender notes for
conversion at any time from and after the 30th scheduled
trading day prior to the anticipated effective date of such
transaction or event until the repurchase date corresponding to
such designated event, and if such designated event constitutes
a fundamental change, will be entitled to receive extra shares
upon any conversion as described below under
Adjustment to Shares Delivered Upon Conversion
Upon Fundamental Change.
You will also have the right to convert your notes if we are a
party to a combination, merger, binding share exchange or sale
or conveyance of all or substantially all of our property and
assets, in each case pursuant to which our common stock would be
converted into cash, securities and/or other property that does
not also constitute a designated event. In such event, you will
have the right to convert your notes at any time beginning 15
calendar days prior to the date that is the actual effective
date of such transaction and ending on the 15th calendar day
following the effective date of such transition. We will notify
holders at least 20 calendar days prior to the anticipated
effective date of such transaction. If the transaction also
constitutes a designated event, in lieu of the conversion right
described in this paragraph, you will have the conversion right
described in the preceding paragraph and you will have the right
to require us to repurchase your notes as set forth below under
Designated Event Permits Holders to Require Us
to Purchase Notes.
If you hold a beneficial interest in a global note, to convert
you must comply with DTCs procedures for converting a
beneficial interest in a global note and, if required, pay funds
equal to interest payable on the next interest payment date to
which you are not entitled and, if required, pay all taxes or
duties, if any.
S-35
If you hold a certificated note, to convert you must:
|
|
|
|
|
complete and manually sign the conversion notice on the back of
the note, or a facsimile of the conversion notice; |
|
|
|
deliver the conversion notice, which is irrevocable, and the
note to the conversion agent; |
|
|
|
if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer
documents; |
|
|
|
if required, pay all transfer or similar taxes; and |
|
|
|
if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the next
interest payment date to which you are not entitled. |
The date you comply with these requirements is the
conversion date under the indenture.
If a holder has already delivered a purchase notice as described
under Designated Event Permits Holders to
Require Us to Purchase Notes with respect to a note, the
holder may not surrender that note for conversion until the
holder has withdrawn the notice in accordance with the indenture.
We will settle conversion of all notes validly tendered for
conversion in cash and shares of our common stock, if
applicable. We will settle each $1,000 principal amount of notes
being converted by delivering, on the third trading day
immediately following the last day of the related observation
period, cash and shares of our common stock, if any, equal to
the sum of the daily settlement amounts as defined below for
each of the 20 trading days during the related observation
period.
The observation period with respect to any note
means the 20 consecutive trading-day period beginning on and
including the second trading day after you validly deliver your
conversion notice to the conversion agent.
The daily settlement amount, for each of the 20
trading days during the observation period, shall consist of:
|
|
|
|
|
cash equal to the lesser of (x) $50 and (y) the daily
conversion value relating to such day; plus |
|
|
|
if such daily conversion value exceeds $50, a number of shares
equal to (A) the difference between such daily conversion
value and $50, divided by (B) the daily VWAP of our common
stock for such day (the deliverable stock). |
The daily conversion value means, for each of the 20
consecutive trading days during the observation period, 1/20 of
the product of (1) the applicable conversion rate and
(2) the daily VWAP of our common stock, or the
consideration into which our common stock has been converted in
connection with certain corporate transactions, on such day. Any
such determination will be conclusive absent manifest error.
The daily VWAP for our common stock means, for each
of the 20 consecutive trading days during the observation
period, the per share volume-weighted average price as displayed
under the heading Bloomberg VWAP on Bloomberg
page [SNDK <equity> AQR] in respect of the period
from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on
such trading day, or if such volume-weighted average price is
unavailable, the market value of one share of our common stock
on such trading day as our board of directors determines in good
faith using a volume-weighted method.
We will deliver cash in lieu of any fractional shares of common
stock issuable in connection with payment of the amounts above
based on the last reported sale price of our common stock on the
last day of the applicable observation period.
The indenture requires us to pay the principal portion of the
conversion amount of the notes in cash, and we may be required
to pay cash for all or a significant portion of the total
principal amount of the notes as a result of conversions after
the occurrence of any of the events referred to above. See
S-36
Risk Factors Risks Related to this
Offering. While we do not currently have any debt or other
agreements that would restrict our ability to pay the principal
amount of the notes in cash, we may enter into such an agreement
in the future which may limit or prohibit our ability to make
any such payment. Our failure to pay the principal amount of the
notes when converted would result in an event of default with
respect to the notes.
|
|
|
Conversion Rate Adjustments |
The conversion rate will be adjusted as described below, except
that we will not make any adjustments to the conversion rate if
holders of the notes participate, as a result of holding the
notes, in any of the transactions described below without having
to convert their notes.
(1) If we issue shares of our common stock as a dividend or
distribution on all or substantially all of our shares of our
common stock, or if we effect a share split or share
combination, the conversion rate will be adjusted based on the
following formula:
|
|
|
where, |
|
|
CR0
= the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to the
ex-date for such event; |
|
|
CR′ = the conversion rate in effect immediately after the
ex-date for such event; |
|
|
OS0
= the number of shares of our common stock outstanding
immediately prior to the
ex-date for
such event; and |
|
|
OS′ = the number of shares of our common stock outstanding
immediately after the ex-date for such event. |
(2) If we issue to all or substantially all holders of our
common stock any rights or warrants entitling them for a period
of not more than 60 calendar days to subscribe for or purchase
shares of our common stock, at a price per share less than the
last reported sale price of our common stock on the business day
immediately preceding the date of announcement of such issuance,
the conversion rate will be adjusted based on the following
formula, provided that the conversion rate will be readjusted to
the extent that such rights or warrants are not exercised prior
to their expiration:
|
|
CR′ = CR 0 × |
OS0 + X |
OS0 + Y |
|
|
|
where, |
|
|
CR0
= the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to the
ex-date for such event; |
|
|
CR′ = the conversion rate in effect immediately after the
ex-date for such event; |
|
|
OS0
= the number of shares of our common stock outstanding
immediately prior to the
ex-date for
such event; |
|
|
X = the total number of shares of our common stock issuable
pursuant to such rights; and |
|
|
Y = the number of shares of our common stock equal to the
aggregate price payable to exercise such rights, warrants or
convertible securities divided by the average of the last
reported sale prices of our common stock over the ten
consecutive trading-day period ending on the business day
immediately preceding the ex-date relating to such
distribution for the issuance of such rights or warrants. |
S-37
(3) If we distribute shares of our capital stock, evidences
of our indebtedness or other assets or property of ours to all
or substantially all holders of our common stock, excluding:
|
|
|
|
|
dividends or distributions and rights or warrants referred to in
clause (1) or (2) above; |
|
|
|
dividends or distributions paid exclusively in cash; and |
|
|
|
as described below in this paragraph (3) with respect
to spin-offs; |
then the conversion rate will be adjusted based on the following
formula:
|
|
CR′ =
CR0 × |
SP
0 |
SP0- FMV |
where,
CR0
= the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to the
ex-date for such distribution;
CR′ = the conversion rate in effect immediately after the
ex-date for such distribution;
SP0
= the average of the last reported sale prices of our common
stock over the ten consecutive trading-day period ending on the
business day immediately preceding the ex-date
relating to such distribution; and
FMV = the fair market value as determined by our board of
directors of the shares of capital stock, evidences of
indebtedness, assets or property distributed with respect to
each outstanding share of our common stock on the
ex-date relating to such distribution.
With respect to an adjustment pursuant to this clause (3)
where there has been a payment of a dividend or other
distribution on our common stock in shares of capital stock of
any class or series, or similar equity interest, of or relating
to a subsidiary or other business unit, which we refer to as a
spin-off, the conversion rate in effect immediately
before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the record date
fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to receive the
distribution will be increased based on the following formula:
|
|
CR′ =
CR0 × |
FMV0+
MP0 |
MP0 |
where,
CR0
= the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to such
distribution;
CR′ = the conversion rate in effect immediately after such
distribution;
FMV0
= the average of the last reported sale prices of the capital
stock or similar equity interest distributed to holders of our
common stock applicable to one share of our common stock over
the first ten consecutive trading-day period after the effective
date of the spin-off; and
MP0
= the average of the last reported sale prices of our common
stock over the first ten consecutive trading-day period after
the effective date of the spin-off.
The adjustment to the conversion rate under the preceding
paragraph will occur on the tenth trading day from, and
including, the effective date of the spin-off; provided that in
respect of any conversion within the ten trading days following
any spin-off, references within this paragraph (3) to
ten days shall be deemed replaced with such lesser number of
trading days as have elapsed between such spin-off and the
conversion date in determining the applicable conversion rate.
(4) If we pay any cash dividend or distribution to all or
substantially all holders of our common stock, the conversion
rate will be adjusted based on the following formula:
where,
S-38
CR0
= the conversion rate in effect immediately prior to the
ex-date for such distribution;
CR′ = the conversion rate in effect immediately after the
ex-date for such distribution;
SP0
= the last reported sale price of our common stock on the
trading day immediately preceding the ex-date
relating to such distribution; and
C = the amount in cash per share we distribute to holders of our
common stock.
(5) If we or any of our subsidiaries makes a payment in
respect of a tender offer or exchange offer for our common
stock, if the cash and value of any other consideration included
in the payment per share of common stock exceeds the last
reported sale price of our common stock on the trading day next
succeeding the last date on which tenders or exchanges may be
made pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, the conversion
rate will be increased based on the following formula:
|
|
CR′ =
CR0 × |
AC + (SP′ × OS′) |
OS0× SP′ |
where,
CR0
= the conversion rate in effect on the date such tender or
exchange offer expires;
CR′ = the conversion rate in effect on the day next succeeding
the date such tender or exchange offer expires;
AC = the aggregate value of all cash and any other consideration
as determined by our board of directors paid or payable for
shares purchased in such tender or exchange offer;
OS0
= the number of shares of our common stock outstanding
immediately prior to the date such tender or exchange offer
expires;
OS′ = the number of shares of our common stock outstanding
immediately after the date such tender or exchange offer
expires; and
SP′ = the average of the last reported sale prices of our
common stock on the trading day next succeeding the date such
tender or exchange offer expires.
If the application of the foregoing formula would result in a
decrease in the conversion rate, no adjustment to the conversion
rate will be made.
As used in this section, ex-date means the first
date on which the shares of our common stock trade on the
applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way,
without the right to receive the issuance or distribution in
question.
Except as stated herein, we will not adjust the conversion rate
for the issuance of shares of our common stock or any securities
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock
or the right to purchase shares of our common stock or such
convertible or exchangeable securities.
Events that Will not Result in Adjustments. The
applicable conversion rate will not be adjusted:
|
|
|
|
|
upon the issuance of any shares of our common stock pursuant to
any present or future plan providing for the reinvestment of
dividends or interest payable on our securities and the
investment of additional optional amounts in shares of our
common stock under any plan; |
|
|
|
upon the issuance of any shares of our common stock or options
or rights to purchase those shares pursuant to any present or
future employee, director or consultant benefit plan or program
of or assumed by us or any of our subsidiaries; |
|
|
|
upon the issuance of any shares of our common stock pursuant to
any option, warrant, right or exercisable, exchangeable or
convertible security not described in the preceding bullet and
outstanding as of the date the notes were first issued; |
|
|
|
for a change in the par value of the common stock; or |
S-39
|
|
|
|
|
for accrued and unpaid interest. |
Adjustments to the applicable conversion rate will be calculated
to the nearest 1/10,000th of a share. We will not be
required to make an adjustment in the conversion rate unless the
adjustment would require a change of at least 1% in the
conversion rate. However, we will carry forward any adjustments
that are less than 1% of the conversion rate and make such
carried forward adjustments, regardless of whether the aggregate
adjustment is less than 1% within one year of the first such
adjustment carried forward, upon a designated event, fundamental
change or upon maturity. Except as described above in this
section or in Adjustment to Shares Delivered
upon Conversion upon Fundamental Change below, we will not
adjust the conversion rate.
Treatment of Reference Property. In the event of:
|
|
|
|
|
any reclassification of our common stock; or |
|
|
|
a consolidation, merger or combination involving us; or |
|
|
|
a sale or conveyance to another person of all or substantially
all of our property and assets, |
in which holders of our outstanding common stock would be
entitled to receive cash, securities or other property for their
shares of common stock, you will be entitled thereafter to
convert your notes into:
|
|
|
|
|
cash up to the aggregate principal amount thereof; and |
|
|
|
in lieu of any shares of our common stock otherwise deliverable,
the same type and in the same proportions of consideration
received by holders of our common stock in the relevant events,
or the reference property. |
The amount of any reference property you receive will be based
on the daily conversion values of reference property and the
applicable conversion rate, as described above.
For purposes of the foregoing, the type and amount of
consideration that a holder of our common stock would have been
entitled to in the case of reclassifications, consolidations,
mergers, sales or transfers of assets or other transactions that
cause our common stock to be converted into the right to receive
more than a single type of consideration determined, based in
part upon any form of stockholder election, will be deemed to be
the weighted average of the types and amounts of consideration
received by the holders of our common stock that affirmatively
make such an election.
Treatment of Rights. To the extent that we have a rights
plan in effect upon conversion of the notes into common stock,
you will receive, in addition to any common stock, the rights
under the rights plan, unless prior to any conversion, the
rights have separated from the common stock, in which case the
conversion rate will be adjusted at the time of separation as if
we distributed to all holders of our common stock, shares of our
capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or assets as described
in clause (3) under Adjustment
Events above, subject to readjustment in the event of the
expiration, termination or redemption of such rights.
Voluntary Increases of Conversion Rate. We are permitted,
to the extent permitted by law, to increase the conversion rate
of the notes by any amount for a period of at least 20 days
if our board of directors determines that such increase would be
in our best interest. We may also, but are not required to,
increase the conversion rate to avoid or diminish income tax to
holders of our common stock or rights to purchase shares of our
common stock in connection with a dividend or distribution of
shares or rights to acquire shares or similar event.
Tax Effect. A holder may, in some circumstances,
including the distribution of cash dividends to holders of our
shares of common stock, be deemed to have received a
distribution or dividend subject to U.S. federal income tax
as a result of an adjustment or the nonoccurrence of an
adjustment to the conversion rate. For a discussion of the
U.S. federal income tax treatment of an adjustment to the
conversion rate, see Material United States Federal Income
Tax Considerations.
S-40
|
|
|
Adjustment to Shares Delivered upon Conversion upon
Fundamental Change |
If you elect to convert your notes at any time on or after the
30th scheduled trading day prior to the anticipated
effective date of a fundamental change as defined
below until the related designated event purchase date, the
conversion rate will be increased by an additional number of
shares of common stock, or the additional shares, as described
below; provided, however, that no increase will be made in the
case of a fundamental change if at least 90% of the
consideration paid for our common stock (excluding cash payments
for fractional shares and cash payments made pursuant to
dissenters appraisal rights) in such fundamental change
transaction consists of shares of capital stock traded on the
New York Stock Exchange or another U.S. national securities
exchange or quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market or another
established automated over-the-counter trading market in the
United States (or that will be so traded or quoted immediately
following the transaction) and as a result of such transaction
or transactions the notes become convertible solely into such
common stock. We will notify holders of the occurrence of any
such fundamental change and issue a press release no later than
30 scheduled trading days prior to the anticipated effective
date of such transaction. We will settle conversions of notes as
described below under Settlement of
Conversions in a Fundamental Change.
The number of additional shares by which the conversion rate
will be increased will be determined by reference to the table
below, based on the date on which the fundamental change occurs
or becomes effective, the effective date, and the
price, the stock price, paid per share of our common
stock in the fundamental change. If holders of our common stock
receive only cash in the fundamental change, the stock price
shall be the cash amount paid per share. Otherwise, the stock
price shall be the average of the last reported sale prices of
our common stock over the five trading-day period ending on the
trading day preceding the effective date of the fundamental
change.
The stock prices set forth in the first row of the table below
will be adjusted as of any date on which the conversion rate of
the notes is otherwise adjusted. The adjusted stock prices will
equal the stock prices applicable immediately prior to such
adjustment, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the conversion rate immediately prior to the adjustment giving
rise to the stock price adjustment and the denominator of which
is the conversion rate as so adjusted. The number of additional
shares will be adjusted in the same manner as the conversion
rate as set forth under Conversion Rate
Adjustments.
The following table sets forth the hypothetical stock price and
the number of additional shares to be received per $1,000
principal amount of notes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock Price | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Effective Date |
|
$63.35 | |
|
$65.00 | |
|
$70.00 | |
|
$75.00 | |
|
$80.00 | |
|
$90.00 | |
|
$100.00 | |
|
$110.00 | |
|
$125.00 | |
|
$150.00 | |
|
$200.00 | |
|
$250.00 | |
|
$300.00 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2006 |
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.4844 |
|
|
|
3.0408 |
|
|
|
2.6725 |
|
|
|
2.3634 |
|
|
|
1.8785 |
|
|
|
1.5200 |
|
|
|
1.2485 |
|
|
|
0.9510 |
|
|
|
0.6338 |
|
|
|
0.3168 |
|
|
|
0.1736 |
|
|
|
0.1002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2007
|
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.5441 |
|
|
|
3.0746 |
|
|
|
2.6863 |
|
|
|
2.3618 |
|
|
|
1.8560 |
|
|
|
1.4853 |
|
|
|
1.2072 |
|
|
|
0.9058 |
|
|
|
0.5899 |
|
|
|
0.2833 |
|
|
|
0.1499 |
|
|
|
0.0836 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2008
|
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.5888 |
|
|
|
3.0898 |
|
|
|
2.6790 |
|
|
|
2.3376 |
|
|
|
1.8096 |
|
|
|
1.4272 |
|
|
|
1.1437 |
|
|
|
0.8410 |
|
|
|
0.5310 |
|
|
|
0.2417 |
|
|
|
0.1221 |
|
|
|
0.0651 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2009
|
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.6101 |
|
|
|
3.0765 |
|
|
|
2.6401 |
|
|
|
2.2799 |
|
|
|
1.7288 |
|
|
|
1.3360 |
|
|
|
1.0495 |
|
|
|
0.7500 |
|
|
|
0.4532 |
|
|
|
0.1914 |
|
|
|
0.0907 |
|
|
|
0.0455 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2010
|
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.5985 |
|
|
|
3.0221 |
|
|
|
2.5548 |
|
|
|
2.1728 |
|
|
|
1.5973 |
|
|
|
1.1967 |
|
|
|
0.9118 |
|
|
|
0.6234 |
|
|
|
0.3522 |
|
|
|
0.1332 |
|
|
|
0.0578 |
|
|
|
0.0267 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2011
|
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.5309 |
|
|
|
2.8964 |
|
|
|
2.3887 |
|
|
|
1.9798 |
|
|
|
1.3797 |
|
|
|
0.9785 |
|
|
|
0.7058 |
|
|
|
0.4456 |
|
|
|
0.2235 |
|
|
|
0.0713 |
|
|
|
0.0278 |
|
|
|
0.0118 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2012
|
|
|
3.6393 |
|
|
|
3.3548 |
|
|
|
2.6208 |
|
|
|
2.0470 |
|
|
|
1.5992 |
|
|
|
0.9791 |
|
|
|
0.6041 |
|
|
|
0.3779 |
|
|
|
0.1945 |
|
|
|
0.0749 |
|
|
|
0.0210 |
|
|
|
0.0088 |
|
|
|
0.0037 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2013
|
|
|
3.6427 |
|
|
|
3.2420 |
|
|
|
2.1431 |
|
|
|
1.1907 |
|
|
|
0.3574 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
0.0000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The exact stock prices and effective dates may not be set forth
in the table above, in which case:
|
|
|
|
|
If the stock price is between two stock price amounts in the
table or the effective date is between two effective dates in
the table, the number of additional shares will be determined by
a straight-line interpolation between the number of additional
shares set forth for the higher and lower stock price amounts
and the two dates, as applicable, based on a
365-day year. |
|
|
|
If the stock price is greater than $300.00 per share,
subject to adjustment, no additional shares will be issued upon
conversion. |
S-41
|
|
|
|
|
If the stock price is less than $63.35 per share, subject
to adjustment, no additional shares will be issued upon
conversion. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the total number
of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion exceed
15.7853 per $1,000 principal amount of notes, subject to
adjustments in the same manner as the conversion rate as set
forth under Conversion Rate Adjustments.
In addition, if you convert your notes prior to the effective
date of any fundamental change, and the fundamental change does
not occur, you will not be entitled to an increased conversion
rate in connection with such conversion.
Our obligation to increase the conversion rate as described
above could be considered a penalty, in which case the
enforceability thereof would be subject to general principles of
economic remedies.
|
|
|
Settlement of Conversions in a Fundamental Change |
As described above under Conversion Rate
Adjustments Treatment of Reference Property,
upon effectiveness of any fundamental change, the notes will be
convertible into reference property or cash and reference
property as applicable. If, as described above, we are required
to increase the conversion rate by the additional shares as a
result of the fundamental change, notes surrendered for
conversion will be settled as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
If the last day of the applicable observation period related to
notes surrendered for conversion is prior to the third trading
day preceding the effective date of the fundamental change, we
will settle such conversion as described under
Payment upon Conversion above by
delivering the amount of cash and shares of our common stock, if
any, based on the conversion rate then in effect without regard
to the number of additional shares to be added to the conversion
rate as described above, on the third trading day immediately
following the last day of the applicable observation period. In
addition, as soon as practicable following the effective date of
the fundamental change, we will deliver the increase in such
amount of cash and reference property deliverable in lieu of
shares of our common stock, if any, as if the conversion rate
had been increased by such number of additional shares during
the related observation period and based upon the related daily
VWAP prices during such observation period. If such increased
amount results in an increase to the amount of cash to be paid
to holders, we will pay such increase in cash, and if such
increased settlement amount results in an increase to the number
of shares of our common stock, we will deliver such increase by
delivering reference property based on such increased number of
shares. |
|
|
|
If the last day of the applicable observation period related to
notes surrendered for conversion is on or following the third
scheduled trading day preceding the effective date of the
fundamental change, we will settle such conversion as described
under Payment upon Conversion above
based on the conversion rate as increased by the additional
shares described above on the later to occur of (1) the
effective date of the transaction and (2) third trading day
immediately following the last day of the applicable observation
period. |
|
|
|
Designated Event Permits Holders to Require Us to Purchase
Notes |
If a designated event as defined below occurs at any time, you
will have the right, at your option, to require us to purchase
any or all of your notes, or any portion of the principal amount
thereof that is equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000, on a date, the designated event repurchase
date, of our choosing that is not less than 20 nor more
than 35 days after the date of our notice of the designated
event. The price we are required to pay is equal to 100% of the
principal amount of the notes to be purchased plus accrued and
unpaid interest to but excluding the designated event purchase
date unless the designated event purchase date is between a
regular record date and the interest payment date to which it
relates. Any notes purchased by us will be paid for in cash.
S-42
A designated event will be deemed to have occurred
upon a fundamental change or a termination of trading.
A fundamental change will be deemed to have occurred
at the time after the notes are originally issued that any of
the following occurs:
|
|
|
(1) any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to
be a person under Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act, acquires beneficial ownership, directly or
indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition
transaction or series of transactions, of shares of our capital
stock entitling the person to exercise 50% or more of the total
voting power of all shares of our capital stock entitled to vote
generally in elections of directors, other than an acquisition
by us, any of our subsidiaries or any of our employee benefit
plans; or |
|
|
(2) we merge or consolidate with or into any other person,
other than a subsidiary, another person merges with or into us,
or we convey, sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all
of our assets to another person, other than any transaction: |
|
|
|
|
|
that does not result in a reclassification, conversion, exchange
or cancellation of our outstanding common stock; |
|
|
|
pursuant to which the holders of our common stock immediately
prior to the transaction have the entitlement to exercise,
directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the voting power of all
shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors of the continuing or surviving corporation
immediately after the transaction; or |
|
|
|
which is effected solely to change our jurisdiction of
incorporation and results in a reclassification, conversion or
exchange of outstanding shares of our common stock solely into
shares of common stock of the surviving entity. |
However, notwithstanding the foregoing, holders of the notes
will not have the right to require us to repurchase any notes
under clauses (1) or (2) above, and we will not be
required to deliver the designated event repurchase right notice
incidental thereto, if at least 90% of the consideration paid
for our common stock, excluding cash payments for fractional
shares and cash payments made pursuant to dissenters
appraisal rights, in a merger or consolidation or a conveyance,
sale, transfer or lease otherwise constituting a fundamental
change under clause (2) above consists of shares of common
stock traded on The NASDAQ National Market or a
U.S. national securities exchange or quoted on another
established automated
over-the-counter
trading market in the United States, or will be so traded or
quoted immediately following the merger or consolidation, and,
as a result of the merger or consolidation, the notes become
convertible into such shares of such common stock.
For purposes of these provisions, whether a person is a
beneficial owner will be determined in accordance
with Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act, and person includes any
syndicate or group that would be deemed to be a
person under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange
Act.
A termination of trading will be deemed to have
occurred if our common stock is neither listed for trading on a
U.S. national securities exchange nor approved for trading
on The NASDAQ National Market at a time when The NASDAQ National
Market is not a U.S. national securities exchange.
On or before the 10th day after the occurrence of a
designated event, we will provide to all holders of the notes
and the trustee and paying agent a notice of the occurrence of
the designated event and of the resulting purchase right. Such
notice shall state, among other things:
|
|
|
|
|
the events causing a designated event and whether such
designated event also constitutes a fundamental change; |
|
|
|
the date of the designated event; |
|
|
|
the last date on which a holder may exercise the repurchase
right; |
|
|
|
the designated event purchase price or the fundamental change
purchase price, if applicable; |
S-43
|
|
|
|
|
the designated event purchase date; |
|
|
|
the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion
agent, if applicable; |
|
|
|
the applicable conversion rate and any adjustments to the
applicable conversion rate; |
|
|
|
that the notes with respect to which a designated event change
purchase notice has been delivered by a holder may be converted
only if the holder withdraws the designated event purchase
notice in accordance with the terms of the indenture; and |
|
|
|
the procedures that holders must follow to require us to
purchase their notes. |
Simultaneously with providing such notice, we will publish a
notice containing this information on our website or through
such other public medium as we may use at that time.
To exercise the purchase right, you must deliver, on or before
the designated event repurchase date, the notes to be purchased,
duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written purchase
notice and the form entitled Form of Designated Event
Purchase Notice on the reverse side of the notes duly
completed, to the paying agent. Your purchase notice must state:
|
|
|
|
|
if certificated, the certificate numbers of your notes to be
delivered for purchase; |
|
|
|
the portion of the principal amount of notes to be purchased,
which must be $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof; and |
|
|
|
that the notes are to be purchased by us pursuant to the
applicable provisions of the notes and the indenture. |
You may withdraw any purchase notice in whole or in part by a
written notice of withdrawal delivered to the paying agent prior
to the close of business on the designated event purchase date.
The notice of withdrawal shall state:
|
|
|
|
|
the principal amount of the withdrawn notes; |
|
|
|
if certificated notes have been issued, the certificate numbers
of the withdrawn notes, or if not certificated, your notice must
comply with appropriate DTC procedures; and |
|
|
|
the principal amount, if any, which remains subject to the
purchase notice. |
We will be required to purchase the notes on the designated
event repurchase date. You will receive payment of the
designated event purchase price promptly following the later of
the designated event purchase date or the time of book-entry
transfer or the delivery of the notes. If the paying agent holds
money or securities sufficient to pay the designated event
purchase price of the notes on the business day following the
designated event purchase date, then:
|
|
|
|
|
the notes will cease to be outstanding and interest will cease
to accrue, whether or not book-entry transfer of the notes is
made or whether or not the note is delivered to the paying
agent; and |
|
|
|
all other rights of the holder will terminate other than the
right to receive the designated event purchase price or
fundamental change purchase price, as the case may be, and
previously accrued and unpaid interest upon delivery or transfer
of the notes. |
The purchase rights of the holders could discourage a potential
acquirer of us. The designated event purchase price and
fundamental change purchase features, however, are not the
result of managements knowledge of any specific effort to
obtain control of us by any means or part of a plan by
management to adopt a series of anti-takeover provisions.
If a designated event were to occur, we may not have the
financial resources or be able to arrange for financing to pay
such principal amount in connection with the tender of notes for
repurchase. While we do not currently have any debt or other
agreements that would restrict our ability to pay the principal
amount of the notes in cash, we may enter into such an agreement
in the future which may limit or prohibit our ability to make
any such payment. See Risk Factors Risks
Related to this
S-44
Offering We may be unable to repurchase notes upon
the occurrence of a designated event; a designated event may
adversely affect us or the notes. If we fail to purchase
the notes when required following a designated event, we will be
in default under the indenture. In addition, we may in the
future incur other indebtedness with similar change in control
provisions permitting our holders to accelerate or to require us
to purchase our indebtedness upon the occurrence of similar
events or on some specific dates.
No notes may be purchased at the option of holders upon a
designated event if there has occurred and is continuing an
event of default other than an event of default that is cured by
the payment of the designated event purchase price of the notes.
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets
The indenture provides that we will not consolidate with or
merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or
substantially all of our properties and assets to, another
person, unless (i) the resulting, surviving or transferee
person, if not the Company, is a person organized and existing
under the laws of the United States of America, any State
thereof or the District of Columbia, and such entity, if not the
Company, expressly assumes by supplemental indenture all of our
obligations under the notes and the indenture; and
(ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction,
no default has occurred and is continuing under the indenture.
Upon any such consolidation, merger or transfer, the resulting,
surviving or transferee person shall succeed to, and may
exercise every right and power of, the Company under the
indenture.
Although these types of transactions are permitted under the
indenture, certain of the foregoing transactions could
constitute a designated event as defined above permitting each
holder to require us to purchase the notes of such holder as
described above.
Events of Default
Each of the following is an Event of Default:
|
|
|
(1) default in any payment of interest on any note when due
and payable and the default continues for a period of
30 days; |
|
|
(2) default in the payment of principal of any note when
due and payable at its stated maturity, upon required
repurchase, upon declaration or otherwise; |
|
|
(3) failure by us to comply with our obligation to convert
the notes into cash or a combination of cash and common stock,
as applicable, upon exercise of a holders conversion right; |
|
|
(4) failure by us to comply with our obligations under
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets; |
|
|
(5) failure by us to issue a designated event notice when
due; |
|
|
(6) failure by us for 60 days after written notice
from the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal
amount of the notes then outstanding has been received to comply
with any of our other agreements contained in the notes or
indenture; |
|
|
(7) default by us or any majority owned subsidiary in the
payment of the principal or interest on any mortgage, agreement
or other instrument under which there may be outstanding, or by
which there may be secured or evidenced any debt for money
borrowed in excess of $50 million in the aggregate of the
Company and/or any subsidiary, whether such debt now exists or
shall hereafter be created, which default results in such debt
becoming or being declared due and payable, and such
acceleration shall not have been rescinded or annulled within
30 days after written notice of such acceleration has been
received by us or such subsidiary; or |
S-45
|
|
|
(8) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or
reorganization of the Company or any of our significant
subsidiaries as defined in Rule 1-02 of
Regulation S-X
promulgated by the SEC as in effect on the original date of
issuance of the notes (the bankruptcy provisions). |
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee by
notice to us, or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount
of the outstanding notes by notice to us and the trustee, may,
and the trustee at the request of such holders shall, declare
100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all
the notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such
principal and accrued and unpaid interest will be due and
payable immediately. However, upon an Event of Default arising
out of the bankruptcy provisions, the aggregate principal amount
and accrued and unpaid interest will be due and payable
immediately.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding
notes may waive all past defaults except with respect to
nonpayment of principal or interest and rescind any such
acceleration with respect to the notes and its consequences if
(1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or
decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all
existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the
principal of and interest on the notes that have become due
solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or
waived.
Subject to the provisions of the indenture relating to the
duties of the trustee, if an Event of Default occurs and is
continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise
any of the rights or powers under the indenture at the request
or direction of any of the holders unless such holders have
offered to the trustee indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal or
interest when due, no holder may pursue any remedy with respect
to the indenture or the notes unless:
|
|
|
(1) such holder has previously given the trustee notice
that an Event of Default is continuing; |
|
|
(2) holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the
outstanding notes have requested the trustee to pursue the
remedy; |
|
|
(3) such holders have offered the trustee security or
indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against any loss,
liability or expense; |
|
|
(4) the trustee has not complied with such request within
60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of
security or indemnity; and |
|
|
(5) the holders of a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding notes have not given the trustee a direction that,
in the opinion of the trustee, is inconsistent with such request
within such 60-day
period. |
Subject to certain restrictions, the holders of a majority in
principal amount of the outstanding notes are given the right to
direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding
for any remedy available to the trustee or of exercising any
trust or power conferred on the trustee. The Indenture provides
that in the event an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, the trustee will be required in the exercise of its
powers to use the degree of care that a prudent person would use
in the conduct of its own affairs. The trustee, however, may
refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the
indenture or that the trustee determines is unduly prejudicial
to the rights of any other holder or that would involve the
trustee in personal liability. Prior to taking any action under
the indenture, the trustee will be entitled to indemnification
satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and
expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.
The indenture provides that if a default occurs and is
continuing and is known to the trustee, the trustee must mail to
each holder notice of the default within 90 days after it
occurs. Except in the case of a default in the payment of
principal of or interest on any note, the trustee may withhold
notice if and so long as a committee of trust officers of the
trustee in good faith determines that withholding notice is in
the interests of the holders. In addition, we are required to
deliver to the trustee, within 120 days after the end of
each fiscal year, a certificate indicating whether the signers
thereof know of
S-46
any default that occurred during the previous year. We are also
required to deliver to the trustee, within 30 days after
the occurrence thereof, written notice of any events which would
constitute certain defaults, their status and what action we are
taking or propose to take in respect thereof.
Optional Redemption by SanDisk
The notes may not be redeemed prior to maturity.
Modification and Amendment
Subject to certain exceptions, the indenture or the notes may be
amended with the consent of the holders of at least 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,
subject to certain exceptions, any past default or compliance
with any provisions may be waived 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. However, without the consent of each holder of an
outstanding note affected, no amendment may, among other things:
|
|
|
(1) reduce the amount of notes whose holders must consent
to an amendment; |
|
|
(2) reduce the rate, or extend the stated time for payment,
of interest on any note; |
|
|
(3) reduce the principal, or extend the stated maturity, of
any note; |
|
|
(4) make any change that adversely affects the conversion
rights of any notes; |
|
|
(5) reduce the designated event purchase price or
fundamental change purchase price of any note or amend or modify
in any manner adverse to the holders of notes our obligation to
make such payments, whether through an amendment or waiver of
provisions in the covenants, definitions or otherwise; |
|
|
(6) change the place or currency of payment of principal or
interest in respect of any note; |
|
|
(7) impair the right of any holder to receive payment of
principal of and interest on such holders notes on or
after the due dates therefore or to institute suit for the
enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such
holders notes; or |
|
|
(8) make any change in the amendment provisions which
require each holders consent or in the waiver provisions. |
Without the consent of any holder, we and the trustee may amend
the indenture to:
|
|
|
(1) cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency; |
|
|
(2) provide for the assumption by a successor corporation,
partnership, trust or limited liability company of our
obligations under the indenture; |
|
|
(3) provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in
place of certificated notes, provided that the uncertificated
notes are issued in registered form for purposes of
Section 163(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, or the Code, or in a manner such that the
uncertificated notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B)
of the Code; |
|
|
(4) add guarantees with respect to the notes; |
|
|
(5) secure the notes; |
|
|
(6) add to our covenants for the benefit of the holders or
surrender any right or power conferred upon us; |
|
|
(7) make any change that does not materially adversely
affect the rights of any holder; or |
S-47
|
|
|
(8) comply with any requirement of the Securities and
Exchange Commission in connection with the qualification of the
indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. |
The consent of the holders is not necessary under the indenture
to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is
sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the
proposed amendment. After an amendment under the indenture
becomes effective, we are required to mail to the holders a
notice briefly describing such amendment. However, the failure
to give such notice to all the holders, or any defect in the
notice, will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment.
Discharge
We may satisfy and discharge our obligations under the indenture
by delivering to the securities registrar for cancellation all
outstanding notes or by depositing with the trustee or
delivering to the holders, as applicable, after the notes have
become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, or any
purchase date, or upon conversion or otherwise, cash and shares
of common stock, if applicable, sufficient to pay all of the
outstanding notes and paying all other sums payable under the
indenture by us. Such discharge is subject to terms contained in
the indenture.
Calculations in Respect of Notes
Except as otherwise provided above, we will be responsible for
making all calculations called for under the notes. These
calculations include, but are not limited to, determinations of
the last reported sale prices of our common stock, accrued
interest payable on the notes and the conversion rate of the
notes. We will make all these calculations in good faith and,
absent manifest error, our calculations will be final and
binding on holders of notes. We will provide a schedule of our
calculations to each of the trustee and the conversion agent,
and each of the trustee and conversion agent is entitled to rely
conclusively upon the accuracy of our calculations without
independent verification. The trustee will forward our
calculations to any holder of notes upon the request of that
holder.
Trustee
The Bank of New York is the trustee, security registrar, paying
agent and conversion agent.
Form, Denomination and Registration
The bonds will be issued:
|
|
|
|
|
in fully registered form; |
|
|
|
without interest coupons; and |
|
|
|
in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and multiples of
$1,000. |
Global Bond, Book-Entry Form
Bonds will be evidenced by one or more global bonds. We will
deposit the global bond or bonds with DTC and register the
global bonds in the name of Cede & Co. as DTCs
nominee. Except as set forth below, a global bond may be
transferred, in whole or in part, only to another nominee of DTC
or to a successor of DTC or its nominee.
Beneficial interests in a global bond may be held directly
through DTC if such holder is a participant in DTC, or
indirectly through organizations that are participants in DTC,
whom we refer to as participants. Transfers between participants
will be effected in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC
rules and will be settled in clearing house funds. The laws of
some states require that some persons take physical delivery of
securities in definitive form. As a result, the ability to
transfer beneficial interests in the global bond to such persons
may be limited.
S-48
Holders who are not participants may beneficially own interests
in a global bond held by DTC only through participants, or some
banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and other parties that
clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a
participant, either directly or indirectly, who we refer to as
indirect participants. So long as Cede & Co., as the
nominee of DTC, is the registered owner of a global bond,
Cede & Co. for all purposes will be considered the sole
holder of such global bond. Except as provided below, owners of
beneficial interests in a global bond will:
|
|
|
|
|
not be entitled to have certificates registered in their names; |
|
|
|
not receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive
registered form; and |
|
|
|
not be considered holders of the global bond. |
We will pay interest on the repurchase price of a global bond to
Cede & Co., as the registered owner of the global bond,
by wire transfer of immediately available funds on each interest
payment date, repurchase date or designated event repurchase
date, as the case may be. Neither we, the trustee nor any paying
agent will be responsible or liable:
|
|
|
|
|
for the records relating to, or payments made on account of,
beneficial ownership interests in a global bond; or |
|
|
|
for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating
to the beneficial ownership interests. |
We have been informed that DTCs practice is to credit
participants accounts upon receipt of funds on that
payment date with payments in amounts proportionate to their
respective beneficial interests in the principal amount
represented by a global bond as shown in the records of DTC.
Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in
the principal amount represented by a global bond held through
participants will be the responsibility of the participants, as
is now the case with securities held for the accounts of
customers registered in street name.
Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn
act on behalf of indirect participants, the ability of a person
having a beneficial interest in the principal amount represented
by the global bond to pledge such interest to persons or
entities that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise
take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the
lack of a physical certificate evidencing its interest.
Neither we, the trustee, registrar, paying agent nor conversion
agent will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or
its participants or indirect participants of their respective
obligations under the rules and procedures governing their
operations. DTC has advised us that it will take any action
permitted to be taken by a holder of bonds, including the
presentation of bonds for exchange, only at the direction of one
or more participants to whose account with DTC interests in the
global bond are credited, and only in respect of the principal
amount of the bonds represented by the global bond as to which
the participant or participants has or have given such direction.
DTC has advised us that it is:
|
|
|
|
|
a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the
State of New York, and a member of the Federal Reserve System; |
|
|
|
a clearing corporation within the meaning of the
Uniform Commercial Code; and |
|
|
|
a clearing agency registered pursuant to the
provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. |
DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and to
facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities
transactions between participants through electronic book-entry
changes to the accounts of its participants. Participants
include securities brokers, dealers, banks, trust companies and
clearing corporations and other organizations. Some of the
participants or their representatives, together with other
entities, own DTC. Indirect access to the DTC system is
available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust
companies that clear through or maintain a custodial
relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly.
S-49
DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate
transfers of interests in a global bond among participants.
However, DTC is under no obligation to perform or continue to
perform these procedures, and may discontinue these procedures
at any time. If DTC is at any time unwilling or unable to
continue as depositary and a successor depositary is not
appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue bonds in
certificated form in exchange for global bonds. In addition, the
owner of a beneficial interest in a global bond will be entitled
to receive a bond in certificated form in exchange for such
interest if an event of default has occurred and is continuing.
Information Concerning the Trustee; Reports by SanDisk
We have appointed The Bank of New York, a New York banking
corporation, the trustee under the indenture, as paying agent,
conversion agent, bond registrar and custodian for the bonds.
The trustee or its affiliates may provide banking and other
services to us in the ordinary course of their business.
The indenture contains limitations on the rights of the trustee,
if it or any of its affiliates is then our creditor, to obtain
payment of claims in some cases or to realize on some property
received on any claim as security or otherwise. The trustee and
its affiliates will be permitted to engage in other transactions
with us. However, if the trustee or any affiliate continues to
have any conflicting interest and a default occurs with respect
to the bonds, the trustee must eliminate such conflict or resign.
In the indenture, we have agreed to file with the trustee and
transmit to holders of the bonds such information, documents and
other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required
pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the time and in the
manner required by such Act.
Governing Law
The bonds and the indenture will be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
S-50
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
As of May 1, 2006, there were 195,331,052 shares of
our common stock issued and outstanding. We are authorized to
issue 400,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par
value per share. We are also authorized to issue
4,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value
per share, of which as of May 1, 2006,
2,000,000 shares had been designated Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock and the remainder were
undesignated. The following description summarizes the material
features of our capital stock and some provisions of Delaware
corporate law that apply to us. For greater detail about our
capital stock, please refer to our certificate of incorporation
and our bylaws.
Common Stock
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per
share on all matters to be voted upon by our common stockholders
and are entitled to cumulate shares for purposes of voting to
elect directors.
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding
preferred stock, the holders of our common stock are entitled to
receive ratably dividends, if any, as may be declared from time
to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available
for that purpose. If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up, the
holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all
assets remaining after payment of liabilities, subject to prior
distribution rights of our preferred stock, if any, then
outstanding. Our common stock has no preemptive or conversion
rights or other subscription rights. There are no redemption or
sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors has the authority to issue preferred
stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences,
privileges and restrictions of each series, including dividend
rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption,
redemption prices, liquidation preferences and the number of
shares constituting any series or the designation of such
series, without further vote or action by our stockholders. The
issuance of preferred stock may have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control of us without
further action by our stockholders and may adversely affect the
voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock. The
issuance of preferred stock with voting and conversion rights
may adversely affect the voting power of the holders of our
common stock, including the loss of voting control to others.
Our board of directors has designated a total of
2,000,000 shares of our preferred stock as Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, which are reserved for
issuance under our stockholder rights plan.
Stockholders Rights Plan
On September 15, 2003, we adopted a stockholders
rights plan and declared a dividend of one preferred share
purchase right for each outstanding share of our common stock,
$0.001 par value. The dividend was paid on
September 25, 2003 to stockholders of record on that date.
Under the rights plan, each right will entitle the registered
holder to purchase from us one two-hundredths of a share of our
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
$0.001 par value, referred to as the Preferred Shares, at a
purchase price of $225.00 per one two-hundredths of a
Preferred Share, subject to adjustment. Because the rights may
substantially dilute the stock ownership of a person attempting
to take us over without the approval of our board of directors,
our rights plan could make it more difficult for a third party
to acquire us, or a significant portion of our capital stock,
without first negotiating with our board of directors regarding
the acquisition.
The description of our rights plan contained in the Registration
Statement on Form 8-A filed on September 25, 2003 and
any subsequent updates is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus supplement.
S-51
Anti-takeover Provisions of Our Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, as amended, our Restated Bylaws and Delaware
Law
Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may
delay or prevent a change of control or changes in our
management. These provisions include:
Several provisions of our certificate of incorporation and
bylaws could deter or delay unsolicited changes in control of
us. These include provisions restricting or eliminating our
stockholders power to fill vacancies on the board of
directors, nominate directors and raise other matters at
stockholders meetings. In addition, our board of directors
has the authority, without further action by our stockholders,
to fix the rights and preferences of and issue preferred stock.
These provisions and others that could be adopted in the future
could deter unsolicited takeovers or delay or prevent changes in
control of us or our management, including transactions in which
stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares
over then current market prices. In addition, these provisions
could limit the ability of stockholders to approve transactions
that they may deem to be in their best interests.
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, this statute
prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in a business
combination with any interested stockholder for a period of
three years following the time that such stockholder became an
interested stockholder, unless (1) prior to such time, the
board of directors of the corporation approved either the
business combination or the transaction which resulted in the
stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; or (2) upon
consummation of the transaction which resulted in the
stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested
stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the
corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced,
excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares
outstanding those shares owned (a) by persons who are
directors and also officers and (b) employee stock plans in
which employee participants do not have the right to determine
confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be
tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or (3) at or
subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by
the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special
meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the
affirmative vote of at least
662/3
% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by
the interested stockholder.
Generally, a business combination includes a merger,
asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a
financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An
interested stockholder is a person who, together
with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years
prior did own, 15% or more of the corporations voting
stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is
Computershare Investor Services, L.L.C.
Listing
Our common stock is traded on The NASDAQ National Market under
the trading symbol SNDK.
S-52
PURCHASE OF CONVERTIBLE NOTE HEDGES AND SALE OF
WARRANTS
We entered into convertible note hedge transactions with respect
to our common stock, the purchased call options,
with Morgan Stanley International Limited, an affiliate of
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, and Goldman,
Sachs & Co., together with Morgan Stanley International
Limited, the dealers. The purchased call options
will cover, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments,
approximately 12.1 million shares of our common stock.
Concurrently with entering into the purchased call option
transactions, we also entered into warrant transactions whereby
we will sell to the dealers warrants to acquire, subject to
customary anti-dilution adjustments, approximately
12.1 million shares of our common stock with a higher
strike price than the purchased call option, the sold
warrants. The purchased call options and the sold warrants
are summarized below. If the underwriters exercise their
overallotment option to purchase additional notes, we may enter
into additional purchased call options and sold warrants up to
an amount equal to the number of shares initially issuable upon
exchange of additional notes.
The purchased call options and sold warrants are separate
transactions entered into by us with the dealers, are not part
of the terms of the notes and will not affect the holders
rights under the notes. As a holder of the notes, you will not
have any rights with respect to the purchased call options or
the sold warrants.
The convertible note hedge transactions are expected to reduce
the potential dilution upon conversion of the notes in the event
that the market value per share of our common stock at the time
of exercise is greater than the strike price of the purchased
call options, which corresponds to the initial conversion price
of the notes and are similarly subject to the same customary
adjustments.
If the market value per share of our common stock at the time of
any exercise under the purchased call options is above the
strike price of the purchased call options, the purchased call
options entitle us to receive from the dealers net shares of our
common stock based on the excess of the then current market
price of our common stock over the strike price of the purchased
call options. Additionally, if the market price of our common
stock at the time of exercise under any sold warrant exceeds the
strike price of the sold warrants, we will owe the dealers net
shares of our common stock in an amount based on the excess of
the then-current market price of our common stock over the
strike price of the sold warrants.
If the market value of our common stock at the maturity of the
sold warrants, if not otherwise exercised earlier by the dealer,
exceeds the strike price of the sold warrants, the dilution
mitigation under the purchased call options will be capped,
which means that there would be dilution from conversion of the
notes to the extent that the then market value per share of our
common stock exceeds the strike price of the warrants at the
time of conversion.
For discussion of hedging arrangements that we have entered into
in connection with these purchased call options and sold
warrants, see Underwriting and Risk
Factors Risks Related to this Offering
The convertible note hedge and warrant option transactions may
affect the value of the notes and our common stock.
S-53
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal
income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and
disposition of the notes and the common stock into which the
notes may be converted by a holder who purchases the notes upon
their initial issuance in this offering at the offering price.
This summary is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, or the Code, Treasury Regulations, Internal Revenue
Service, or IRS, rulings and judicial decisions now in effect,
all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive
effect, or different interpretations. This summary does not
discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation which
may be important to particular investors in light of their
individual investment circumstances, such as investors subject
to special tax rules, such as financial institutions, insurance
companies, broker-dealers, partnerships and other pass-through
entities and tax-exempt organizations including private
foundations, or to investors that will hold notes, or common
stock received pursuant to a conversion of notes, as part of a
straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale, or other
integrated security transaction for United States federal income
tax purposes, that have a functional currency other than the
United States dollar or that may be subject to the alternative
minimum tax, all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ
significantly from those summarized below. In addition, this
summary does not discuss any foreign, state, or local tax
considerations. This summary assumes that the notes will be
treated as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax
purposes. This summary further assumes that investors will hold
their notes and common stock received pursuant to a conversion
of notes as capital assets (generally, property held
for investment) under the Code. Each prospective investor is
urged to consult its tax advisor regarding the
U.S. federal, state, local, and non-United States income
and other tax considerations of an investment in the notes or
common stock received pursuant to a conversion of notes.
U.S. Holders
As used herein, a U.S. holder is a beneficial
owner of notes or common stock that is, for U.S. federal
income tax purposes:
1. a citizen or resident alien individual of the United
States;
2. a corporation or other 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 thereof
or the District of Columbia;
3 an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal
income tax regardless of its source; or
4. a trust if (A) a court within the United States is
able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of
the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority
to control all substantial decisions of the trust or
(B) the trust has a valid election in effect under
applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a
U.S. person.
A
non-U.S. holder
is a beneficial owner, other than a partnership, of the notes or
common stock that is not a U.S. holder.
If a partnership or other entity taxable as a partnership holds
notes or common stock received pursuant to a conversion of
notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on
the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.
Partners of partnerships holding notes or common stock should
consult their tax advisors.
Interest
Payments of interest made to a U.S. holder in respect of
the notes, including any accrued and unpaid interest deemed to
have been paid upon conversion, will be subject to
U.S. federal income tax as ordinary income when received or
accrued in accordance with such U.S. holders regular
method of tax accounting for U.S. federal income tax
purposes.
S-54
Conversion of the Notes
If a U.S. holder converts or exchanges the notes, and we deliver
a combination of cash and our common stock in the conversion,
then, in general:
|
|
|
|
|
a U.S. holder should recognize gain, but not loss, to the
extent that the cash and the value of the shares, other than
amounts attributable to accrued interest, exceed the
U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in the notes, but in
no event should the amount of recognized gain exceed the amount
of cash received; |
|
|
|
any gain recognized by a U.S. holder should be treated as
capital gain and, to the extent the U.S. holder has owned
the note for more than one year, should be treated as long-term
capital gain; |
|
|
|
a U.S. holder will be required to include in gross income
all accrued and unpaid interest up to the date of conversion; |
|
|
|
a U.S. holders basis in the shares received should be
the same as its basis in the notes converted or exchanged, which
will generally be equal to the amount paid for the notes plus
any amounts paid in connection with such conversion representing
interest at the time of conversion of the note, exclusive of any
basis allocable to a fractional share, decreased by the amount
of cash received, other than cash received in lieu of a
fractional share, and increased by the amount of gain, if any,
recognized by such holder, other than gain with respect to a
fractional share; |
|
|
|
a U.S. holders amount of gain or loss recognized on
the receipt of cash in lieu of a fractional share should equal
the difference between the amount of cash received in respect of
the fractional share and the portion of the
U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in the note that is
allocable to the fractional share; and |
|
|
|
the holding period in the shares received in the exchange should
include the holding period for the notes that were converted or
exchanged, except that the holding period of shares attributable
to accrued interest may commence on the day following the date
of delivery of common stock, although there is no authority
precisely on point. |
U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors
with respect to the United States federal income tax
consequences resulting from the exchange of notes into a
combination of cash and common stock.
Sale or Exchange of Notes or Common Stock Received upon
Conversion of Notes
Upon the sale or exchange of a note, including a conversion of
notes solely into cash, or of common stock received upon
conversion of a note, a U.S. holder generally will
recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between
(a) the amount of cash proceeds and the fair market value
of any property received on such sale or exchange, except to the
extent such amount is attributable to accrued interest, which
will be subject to tax as ordinary income to the extent not
previously included in gross income by the U.S. holder and
(b) the U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in the
note or common stock. A U.S. holders tax basis in a
note will generally be the amount paid for such note and a
U.S. holders tax basis in common stock received upon
conversion of a note will generally be determined as described
above, under Conversion of the Notes. Such gain or
loss will be long-term if the U.S. holder is treated as
holding the note or common stock received upon conversion of a
note for more than one year at the time of sale or exchange.
Generally, long-term capital gain for certain non-corporate
U.S. holders, including individuals, is eligible for a
reduced rate of taxation. The amount deductible in respect of a
capital loss is subject to limitations under the Code.
Constructive Distributions
If at any time we make a distribution of property to our
stockholders that would be taxable to the stockholders as a
dividend for United States federal income tax purposes and, in
accordance with the
S-55
anti-dilution provisions of the notes, the conversion rate of
the notes is adjusted, such adjustment generally will be deemed
to be the payment of a taxable dividend, for United States
federal income tax purposes, to U.S. holders of the notes.
For example, an adjustment of the conversion rate in the event
of distributions of our debt instruments, or our assets, or an
adjustment in the event of a cash dividend, generally will
result in deemed dividend treatment to U.S. holders of the
notes. As a result, a U.S. holder could have taxable income
as a result of an event pursuant to which the U.S. holder
receives no cash or property. Moreover, if there is not a full
adjustment to the conversion ratio of the notes to reflect a
stock dividend or other event increasing the proportionate
interest of the stockholders in our assets or earnings and
profits, then such increase in the proportionate interest of the
stockholders generally will be treated as a distribution to the
stockholders, taxable as a dividend to the extent of our current
and/or accumulated earnings and profits. Adjustments to the
conversion price made pursuant to a bona fide reasonable
adjustment formula which has the effect of preventing dilution
in the interest of the U.S. holders of the notes in such
circumstances, however, will generally not be considered to
result in a constructive dividend distribution.
U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors concerning
the appropriate tax treatment of an increase in the conversion
rate by reason of a fundamental change.
Distributions
Cash distributions, if any, made on our common stock generally
will be included in the gross income of a U.S. holder of
our common stock as dividend income to the extent of our current
or accumulated earnings and profits as determined for United
States federal income tax purposes. Cash distributions in excess
of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will be
treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of such
U.S. holders adjusted tax basis in the common stock
and thereafter as capital gain from the sale or exchange of such
common stock. Dividends received by a corporate U.S. holder
that is subject to United States federal income tax may be
eligible for a dividends received deduction. Dividends received
by certain non-corporate U.S. holders, including
individuals, will generally be subject to tax at a reduced rate
of United States federal income tax under current law, provided
certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Payments we make to a U.S. holder related to the notes or
the common stock will be reported to the IRS, unless the
U.S. holder is an exempt recipient or otherwise establishes
an exemption. Backup withholding may apply to payments received
by a U.S. holder if the U.S. holder fails to provide
us with certain identifying information, including the
U.S. holders correct taxpayer identification number,
in the manner required or is not otherwise exempt from this
requirement. Generally, individuals are not exempt recipients
and corporations are exempt recipients. The amount of backup
withholding withheld from payments to a U.S. holder will be
allowed as a credit against the U.S. holders United
States federal income tax liability and may entitle the
U.S. holder to a refund provided the U.S. holder
timely furnishes the required information to the IRS.
Non-U.S. Holders
The following discussion is limited to the U.S. federal
income tax consequences relevant to a
Non-U.S. holder as
defined above.
Payments of interest to nonresident persons or entities are
generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of
30%, or a reduced or zero rate under the terms of an applicable
income tax treaty between the United States and the
non-U.S. holders
country of residence, collected by means of withholding by the
payor. Payments of interest on the notes to most
non-U.S. holders,
however, will qualify as portfolio interest, and
thus will be exempt from the withholding tax, if the holders
certify
S-56
their nonresident status as described below. The portfolio
interest exception will not apply to payments of interest to a
non-U.S. holder
that:
|
|
|
|
|
owns, actually or constructively, at least 10% of our voting
stock; |
|
|
|
is a bank that acquired the notes in consideration for an
extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement entered
into in the ordinary course of business; or |
|
|
|
is a controlled foreign corporation that is related
to us. |
In general, a foreign corporation is a controlled foreign
corporation if more than 50% of its stock is owned, actually or
constructively, by one or more U.S. persons that each owns,
actually or constructively, at least 10% of the
corporations voting stock.
The portfolio interest exception, entitlement to treaty benefits
and several of the special rules for
non-U.S. holders
described below apply only if the holder certifies its
nonresident status. A
non-U.S. holder
can meet this certification requirement by providing a properly
executed IRS
Form W-8BEN or
appropriate substitute form to us or our paying agent prior to
the payment. If the
non-U.S. holder
holds the note through a financial institution or other agent
acting on the holders behalf, the holder will be required
to provide appropriate documentation to the agent. The
non-U.S. holders
agent will then be required to provide certification to us or
our paying agent, either directly or through other
intermediaries.
|
|
|
Sale, Exchange, Redemption, Conversion or Other Disposition
of Notes |
Non-U.S. holders
generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on
any gain realized on the sale, exchange, redemption, conversion
or other disposition of notes (other than with respect to
payments attributable to accrued interest, which will be taxed
as described under
Non-U.S. Holders
Taxation of Interest above), unless:
|
|
|
|
|
the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the
non-U.S. holder of
a U.S. trade or business and, if an income tax treaty
applies, the gain is attributable to the
non-U.S. holders
permanent establishment in the United States, in which case it
would be subject to tax as described below under
Non-U.S.
Holders Income or Gains Effectively Connected with a
U.S. Trade or Business; |
|
|
|
the
non-U.S. holder
was a citizen or resident of the United States and is subject to
certain special rules that apply to expatriates; |
|
|
|
subject to certain exceptions, the
non-U.S. holder is
an individual who is present in the United States for
183 days or more in the year of disposition, in which case
the gain would be subject to a flat 30% tax, which may be offset
by U.S. source capital losses, even though the individual
is not considered a resident of the U.S.; or |
|
|
|
the rules of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, or
FIRPTA, described below treat the gain as effectively connected
with a U.S. trade or business. |
The FIRPTA rules may apply to a sale, exchange, redemption or
other disposition of notes if we are, or were within five years
before the transaction, a U.S. real property holding
corporation, or USRPHC. In general, we would be a USRPHC
if interests in U.S. real estate comprised most of our
assets. We do not believe that we are a USRPHC or that we will
become one in the future.
Dividends paid to a
non-U.S. holder on
common stock received on conversion of a note and any taxable
constructive stock dividends as described under
U.S. Holders Constructive
Distributions above generally will be subject to
U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate. The withholding tax,
however, may be reduced under the terms of an applicable income
tax treaty between the United States and the
S-57
non-U.S. holders
country of residence. A
non-U.S. holder
should demonstrate its entitlement to treaty benefits by
delivering a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or
appropriate substitute form.
Non-U.S. holders
generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on
any gains realized on the sale, exchange, or other disposition
of common stock, unless the exceptions described under
Non-U.S. Holders
Sale, Exchange, Redemption, Conversion or Other Disposition of
Notes above apply.
Income or Gains Effectively Connected With a U.S. Trade
or Business
The preceding discussion of the U.S. federal income and
withholding tax considerations of the purchase, ownership or
disposition of notes or common stock by a
non-U.S. holder
assumes that the holder is not engaged in a U.S. trade or
business. If any interest on the notes, dividends on common
stock, or gain from the sale, exchange, redemption, conversion
or other disposition of the notes or common stock is effectively
connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the
non-U.S. holder,
then the income or gain will be subject to U.S. federal
income tax at the regular graduated rates applicable to
U.S. holders. If the
non-U.S. holder is
eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty between the United
States and the holders country of residence, any
effectively connected income or gain generally will
be subject to U.S. federal income tax only if it is also
attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base
maintained by the holder in the United States. Payments of
interest or dividends that are effectively connected with a
U.S. trade or business and, if a tax treaty applies,
attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base in the
United States, and therefore included in the gross income of a
non-U.S. holder,
will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax provided that the
holder claims exemption from withholding. To claim exemption
from withholding, the holder must certify its qualification,
which can be done by filing a properly executed IRS
Form W-8ECI or appropriate substitute form. If the
non-U.S. holder is
a corporation, that portion of its earnings and profits that is
effectively connected with its U.S. trade or business
generally also would be subject to a branch profits
tax. The branch profits tax rate is generally 30%,
although an applicable income tax treaty might provide for a
lower rate.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
The Code and the Treasury regulations require those who make
specified payments to report the payments to the IRS. Among the
specified payments are interest, dividends, and proceeds paid by
brokers to their customers. The required information returns
enable the IRS to determine whether the recipient properly
included the payments in income. This reporting regime is
reinforced by backup withholding rules. These rules
require the payors to withhold tax from payments subject to
information reporting if the recipient fails to cooperate with
the reporting regime by failing to provide his taxpayer
identification number to the payor, furnishing an incorrect
identification number, or repeatedly failing to report interest
or dividends on his returns. The backup withholding tax rate is
currently 28%.
We must report annually to the IRS the interest and/or dividends
paid to each
non-U.S. holder
and the tax withheld, if any, with respect to such interest
and/or dividends, including any tax withheld pursuant to the
rules described under
Non-U.S. Holders
Taxation of Interest and
Non-U.S. Holders
Dividends above. Copies of these reports may be made
available to tax authorities in the country where the
non-U.S. holder
resides. Payments to
non-U.S. holders
of dividends on our common stock or interest on the notes may be
subject to backup withholding unless the
non-U.S. holder
certifies its nonresident status on a properly executed IRS
Form W-8BEN or appropriate substitute form. Payments made
to
non-U.S. holders
by a broker upon a sale of the notes or our common stock will
not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding as
long as the
non-U.S. holder
certifies its foreign status.
Any amounts withheld from a payment to a holder of notes or
common stock under the backup withholding rules can be credited
against any U.S. federal income tax liability of the holder.
S-58
UNDERWRITING
Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an
underwriting agreement dated May 9, 2006, we have agreed to
sell to each of the underwriters, and the underwriters have
severally agreed to purchase, the following respective aggregate
principal amount of notes:
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Principal Amount | |
|
|
| |
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
|
|
$ |
500,000,000 |
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
|
|
|
400,000,000 |
|
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
|
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ |
1,000,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the
underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the notes offered
by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus
are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their
counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are
obligated to take and pay for all of the notes offered by this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus if any
notes are taken. However, the underwriters are not required to
take or pay for any notes covered by the option of the
underwriters to purchase additional notes as described below.
The underwriters initially propose to offer the notes directly
to the public at the public offering price listed on the cover
page of this prospectus supplement. After the notes are released
to the public, the offering price and other selling terms may
from time to time be varied by the underwriters.
We have granted to the underwriters an option exercisable for
30 days from the date of the closing of this offering to
purchase, in the event the underwriters sell more than
$1.0 billion principal amount of notes, up to an additional
$150 million aggregate principal amount of notes at the
public offering price set forth on the cover page of this
prospectus supplement, less underwriting discounts and
commissions, solely to cover over-allotments.
The following table shows the total underwriting discounts and
commissions to be paid to the underwriters by us for the notes.
These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full
exercise of the option of the underwriters to purchase up to
$150.0 million additional principal amount of notes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions Paid by Us |
|
No Exercise | |
|
Full Exercise | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Per $1,000 principal amount of notes
|
|
$ |
20.00 |
|
|
$ |
20.00 |
|
Total
|
|
$ |
20,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
23,000,000 |
|
The notes are a new issue of securities with no established
trading market. We do not intend to list the notes on any
national securities exchange or include them in any automated
quotation system. The underwriters have advised us that they
presently intend to make a market in the notes as permitted by
applicable laws and regulations. The underwriters are not
obligated, however, to make a market in the notes and any such
market-making activity may be discontinued at any time at the
sole discretion of the underwriters. Accordingly, no assurance
can be given as to the liquidity of, or trading markets for, the
notes.
We and each of our directors and executive officers have agreed,
without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley &
Co. Incorporated and Goldman, Sachs & Co., not to,
during the period ending 90 days immediately after the date
of this prospectus supplement, provided however, these
restrictions will not apply to one of our directors after his
planned retirement from our board of directors on May 25,
2006:
|
|
|
|
|
offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell,
grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or
otherwise transfer or dispose of directly or indirectly, any
shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock; |
S-59
|
|
|
|
|
enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences
of ownership of our common stock; or |
|
|
|
file any registration statement with the SEC relating to the
offering of any shares of common stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; |
whether any transaction described above is to be settled by
delivery of our common stock or such other securities, in cash
or otherwise.
The restrictions described in the preceding paragraph do not
apply to:
|
|
|
|
|
the issuance and sale of the notes offered by this prospectus
supplement; |
|
|
|
the issuance of shares of our common stock upon conversion of
the notes; |
|
|
|
the issuance by us of shares of our common stock upon the
exercise of options or a warrant or the conversion of a security
outstanding as of the date of this prospectus supplement; |
|
|
|
the issuance by us of the convertible note hedge and warrant; |
|
|
|
the issuance by us of shares of our common stock, options or
other rights under our existing stock option plan, stock
purchase plan or other employee plan that has been disclosed to
the underwriters in writing; |
|
|
|
the issuance by us of any shares or other securities in
connection with a merger, acquisition, asset purchase or similar
business combination representing up to 7% of our outstanding
shares as of the date hereof; |
|
|
|
the sale by any of our directors and executive officers of
shares of our common stock through existing
Rule 10b5-1 plans
as in effect on April 30, 2006 and that have been disclosed
to the underwriters in writing or proposed
10b5-1 plans, the
implementation of which has been approved by the underwriters as
of the date hereof; |
|
|
|
the transfer by any of our directors and executive officers as a
bona fide gift of our common stock, provided that the transferee
agrees to be bound by such restrictions and certain other
conditions are satisfied; or to any trust for the direct or
indirect benefit of such director or executive officer, provided
that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound by such
restrictions and certain other conditions are satisfied; |
|
|
|
in the event the service of any director or executive officer is
terminated for any reason, the transfer to us or any broker in
order to pay the exercise price, excluding withholding taxes,
for any stock option issued pursuant to our stock option plans;
and |
|
|
|
purchases of shares of our common stock, the notes or any of our
other securities by our directors or executive officers in open
market transactions after the completion of this offering. |
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and
to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required
to make in respect of those liabilities.
In order to facilitate the offering of the notes, the
underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain
or otherwise affect the price of the notes. Specifically, the
underwriters may sell a greater principal amount of notes than
they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement,
creating a short position. A short sale is covered if the short
position is no greater than the principal amount of notes
available for purchase by the underwriters under their option to
purchase additional notes. The underwriters can close out a
covered short sale by exercising their option to purchase
additional notes or purchasing the notes in the open market. In
determining the source of notes to close out a covered short
sale, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the
open market price of notes compared to the price available under
the over-allotment option. The underwriters may also sell notes
in excess of the over-allotment option, creating a naked short
position.
S-60
The underwriters must close out any naked short position by
purchasing notes in the open market. A naked short position is
more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that
there may be downward pressure on the price of the notes in the
open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors
who purchase in the offering. As an additional means of
facilitating this offering, the underwriters may bid for, and
purchase, notes in the open market to stabilize the price of the
notes. These activities may raise or maintain the market price
of the notes above independent market levels or prevent or
retard a decline in the market price of the notes. The
underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and
may end any of these activities at any time.
In general, purchases of a security for the purpose of
stabilizing or reducing a syndicate short position could cause
the price of the security to be higher than it might otherwise
be in the absence of such purchases.
Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or
prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that
the transactions described above may have on the price of the
common stock or the price of the notes. In addition, neither we
nor the underwriters make any representation that the
underwriters will engage in such transactions or that such
transactions will not be discontinued without notice, once they
are commenced.
In addition, we entered into convertible note hedge transactions
and issued warrants to Morgan Stanley International Limited, an
affiliate of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, and
Goldman, Sachs & Co., the dealers, using
approximately $67.3 million of the proceeds of this
offering. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase
additional notes, we may enter into additional convertible note
hedge and warrant transactions up to an amount equal to the
number of shares initially issuable upon conversion of the notes
issued upon exercise of the underwriters option. In
connection with the convertible note hedge and warrant
transactions, the dealers will purchase shares of our common
stock in secondary market transactions and/or will enter into
various derivative transactions at the time of this offering
after the pricing of the notes. See Purchase of
Convertible Note Hedges and Sale of Warrants. The
dealers are likely to modify their hedge positions throughout
the life of the notes by purchasing and selling shares of our
common stock, other securities of ours or other instruments they
may wish to use in connection with such hedging. Depending on,
among other things, future market conditions, the aggregate
amount and the composition of these hedging arrangements between
us and the dealers are likely to vary over time. The effect, if
any, of such arrangements and activities on the market price of
our common stock or the notes cannot be ascertained at this
time, but any of these activities could materially and adversely
affect the value of our common stock and the value of the notes.
Other than the cost of the convertible note hedge and warrant
transactions, we estimate that our share of the total expenses
of this offering will be approximately $1.5 million.
The underwriters and their affiliates have provided and may in
the future provide financial advisory and investment banking
services to us for which they receive customary fees.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters relating to the notes offered hereby will
be passed upon for us by OMelveny & Myers LLP,
Menlo Park, California. The underwriters have been represented
in connection with this offering by Simpson Thacher &
Bartlett LLP, Palo Alto, California.
S-61
EXPERTS
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, have audited our consolidated financial
statements included in our Annual Report (Amendment No. 1
of our Form 10-K/
A) for the year ended January 1, 2006 and managements
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting as of January 1, 2006, as set forth in
their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and
elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial
statements and managements assessment are incorporated by
reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLPs
reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and
auditing.
S-62
$1,000,000,000
(Aggregate Principal
Amount)
1.00% Convertible Senior
Notes Due 2013
|
|
MORGAN STANLEY |
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. |
THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS
LLC