As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 5, 2013
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Israel | Not Applicable | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrants principal executive offices)
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies of all communications, including communications sent to agent for service, should be sent to:
Colin J. Diamond, Esq. Joshua G. Kiernan, Esq. White & Case LLP 1155 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10036 Tel: (212) 819-8200 Fax: (212) 354-8113 |
Michal Baumwald Oron, Adv. General Counsel Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd. Kibbutz Sdot-Yam MP Menashe, 3780400 Israel Tel: +972 (4) 610-9239 Fax: +972 (4) 636-4400 |
Amir Halevy, Adv. Dr. Shachar Hadar, Adv. Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co. One Azrieli Center Tel Aviv 6702100, Israel Tel: +972 (3) 607-4444 Fax: +972 (3) 607-4470 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective as determined by market conditions.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415, check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
Title of each class of securities to be registered | Amount to be registered(1) |
Proposed maximum offering price per unit(2) |
Proposed maximum aggregate offering price |
Amount of registration fee | ||||||||||||
Ordinary Shares, par value NIS 0.04 per share(3) | 10,291,250 | $ | 25.36 | $ | 260,986,100 | $ | 35,598.50 | (4) |
(1) | Up to 10,291,250 ordinary shares may be sold from time to time pursuant to this Registration Statement by the selling shareholders named herein. Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement also includes additional ordinary shares issuable upon stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions. |
(2) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, based upon the average of the high and low sales prices ($24.53 and $26.19) of the Registrants ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on March 27, 2013. |
(3) | Represents ordinary shares registered for resale by the selling shareholders. |
(4) | The Registrant has previously paid the full amount of the registration fee. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information contained in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling shareholders may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to completion, dated April 5, 2013
PROSPECTUS
This prospectus relates to the sale or other disposition, from time to time, by the selling shareholders identified in this prospectus of up to 10,291,250 of our ordinary shares. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of ordinary shares by the selling shareholders.
Each time a selling shareholder sells securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the specific terms of the securities offered. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in our securities.
The selling shareholders may, from time to time, offer to sell the ordinary shares through public or private transactions, directly or through underwriters, agents or dealers, on or off the Nasdaq Global Select Market at prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. If any underwriters, agents or dealers are involved in the sale of any of these securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the underwriter, agent or dealer and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts.
Our ordinary shares are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CSTE.
Investing in these securities involves certain risks. Please carefully consider the Risk Factors in ITEM 3: Key Information Risk Factors of our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F incorporated by reference in this prospectus, the Risk Factors beginning on page 2 of this prospectus, and the Risk Factors section in any applicable prospectus supplement, for a discussion of the factors you should consider carefully before deciding to purchase these securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities being offered by this prospectus, or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2013
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this process, the selling shareholders referred to in this prospectus may offer and sell our ordinary shares under this prospectus.
Under this shelf process, the selling shareholders may sell up to 10,291,250 ordinary shares in one or more offerings. The offer and sale of securities under this prospectus may be made from time to time, in one or more offerings in any manner described under the section in this prospectus entitled Plan of Distribution.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities the selling shareholders may offer. Each time the selling shareholders sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus, and may also contain information about any material federal income tax considerations relating to the securities covered by the prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information under the headings Where You Can Find More Information and Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
This summary may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read this entire prospectus, including the financial data and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. This summary contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include those discussed in Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Statements.
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus include data, forecasts and information obtained from industry publications and surveys and other information available to us. Some data is also based on our good faith estimates, which are derived from managements knowledge of the industry and independent sources. Forecasts and other metrics included in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus to describe the countertop industry are inherently uncertain and speculative in nature and actual results for any period may materially differ. We have not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources, nor have we ascertained the underlying assumptions relied upon therein. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the industry data presented herein or in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, estimates and forecasts involve uncertainties and risks and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the headings Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors in this prospectus and Risk Factors in ITEM 3: Key Information Risk Factors of our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Unless otherwise noted in this prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, Freedonia Custom Research, Inc. (Freedonia) is the source for third-party industry data and forecasts. The Freedonia Report, dated March 13, 2013, that we commissioned represents data, research opinion or viewpoints developed on our behalf and does not constitute a specific guide to action. In preparing the report, Freedonia used various sources, including publically available third-party financial statements; government statistical reports; press releases; industry magazines; and interviews with manufacturers of related products (including us), manufacturers of competitive products, distributors of related products, and government and trade associations. Growth rates in the Freedonia Report are based on many variables, such as currency exchange rates, raw material costs and pricing of competitive products, and such variables are subject to wide fluctuations over time. The Freedonia Report speaks as of its final publication date (and not as of the date of this filing), and the opinions and forecasts expressed in the Freedonia Report are subject to change by Freedonia without notice. We have inquired of Freedonia, and been informed that as of the date of this filing, there has been no change in the Freedonia Report.
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Our legal and commercial name is Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd. We were founded in 1987 and incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel in 1989. We conducted an initial public offering and listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market in March 2012.
We are a leading manufacturer of high quality engineered quartz surfaces sold under our premium Caesarstone® brand. The substantial majority of our quartz surfaces are used as countertops in residential kitchens and sold primarily into new residential construction as well as the renovation and remodeling end markets. Other applications for our products include vanity tops, wall panels, back splashes, floor tiles, stairs and other interior surfaces that are used in a variety of residential and commercial applications.
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel. Our principal executive offices are located at Kibbutz Sdot-Yam, MP Menashe, 3780400, Israel, and our telephone number is +972 (4) 636-4555. Our web site address is www.caesarstone.com. The information on our web site does not constitute part of this prospectus. Our agent in the United States is our subsidiary, Caesarstone USA, Inc. The address of Caesarstone USA, Inc. is 6840 Hayvenhurst Ave., Suite 100, Van Nuys, California 91406, United States.
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected by any of these risks. If any of these risks occur, the value our ordinary shares and our other securities may decline. You should carefully consider the risk factors discussed under the caption ITEM 3: Key Information Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2012, in any other filing we make with the SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and in any supplement to this prospectus, before making your investment decision.
This prospectus and the documents incorporated in it by reference contain forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. We include this notice for the express purpose of permitting us to obtain the protections of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to all such forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include: projections of capital expenditures, competitive pressures, revenues, growth prospects, product development, financial resources and other financial matters. You can identify these and other forward-looking statements by the use of words such as may, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, intends, potential or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology.
Our ability to predict the results of our operations or the effects of various events on our operating results is inherently uncertain. Therefore, we caution you to consider carefully the matters described under the caption Risk Factors and certain other matters discussed in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and other publicly available sources. Such factors and many other factors beyond the control of our management could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Unless we are required to do so under U.S. federal securities laws or other applicable laws, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
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The table below sets forth our total capitalization as of December 31, 2012 on an actual basis:
As of December 31, 2012 | ||||
(in thousands) | ||||
Total debt | $ | 22,936 | ||
Redeemable non-controlling interest(1) | 7,106 | |||
Ordinary shares, par value NIS 0.04 per share; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 34,365,250 shares issued and outstanding |
360 | |||
Additional paid-in capital | 135,437 | |||
Accumulated other comprehensive income | 8,517 | |||
Retained earnings | 79,603 | |||
Total shareholders equity | 223,917 | |||
Total capitalization | $ | 253,959 |
(1) | Redeemable non-controlling interest consists of 45% of the common stock of our Canadian joint venture, Caesarstone Canada Inc., in which we own a 55% interest. The 45% interest that we do not own is subject to a put option exercisable by the holder to us. Following the formation of our joint venture in October 2010, we measured all of the assets contributed to Caesarstone Canada Inc. by our former distributor in Eastern Canada, Canadian Quartz Holdings Inc., at their fair value to determine the redeemable non-controlling interest due to the put option granted to Canadian Quartz Holdings Inc. to sell its 45% ownership interest in Caesarstone Canada Inc. to us. |
Our ordinary shares began trading publicly on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on March 22, 2012. Prior to that date, there was no public market for our ordinary shares. The following table lists the high and low sales prices for our ordinary shares for the periods indicated as reported by the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
Year | High | Low | ||||||
2013 (through April 4, 2013) | $ | 27.86 | $ | 16.15 | ||||
2012 (beginning on March 22, 2012) | $ | 17.39 | $ | 10.08 |
Quarter | High | Low | ||||||
2013 |
||||||||
Second quarter 2013 (through April 4, 2013) | $ | 27.49 | $ | 22.57 | ||||
First quarter 2013 | $ | 27.86 | $ | 21.25 | ||||
2012 |
||||||||
Fourth quarter 2012 | $ | 17.39 | $ | 14.01 | ||||
Third quarter 2012 | $ | 14.52 | $ | 10.08 | ||||
Second quarter 2012 | $ | 13.88 | $ | 10.75 | ||||
First quarter 2012 (beginning on March 22, 2012) | $ | 12.33 | $ | 10.70 |
Most Recent Six Months | High | Low | ||||||
April 2013 (through April 4, 2013) | $ | 27.49 | $ | 22.57 | ||||
March 2013 | $ | 27.86 | $ | 21.25 | ||||
February 2013 | $ | 25.25 | $ | 18.71 | ||||
January 2013 | $ | 20.02 | $ | 16.15 | ||||
December 2012 | $ | 17.39 | $ | 15.41 | ||||
November 2012 | $ | 16.17 | $ | 14.59 | ||||
October 2012 | $ | 16.24 | $ | 14.01 |
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We will not receive any proceeds from the sales of shares by the selling shareholders.
This prospectus relates to the possible offering and sale, from time to time, of up to 10,291,250 ordinary shares by the selling shareholders.
The following table sets forth: (1) the number and percentage of our ordinary shares that the selling shareholders beneficially owned prior to the offering of the shares; (2) the number of our ordinary shares offered by the selling shareholders from time to time; and (3) the number and percentage of our ordinary shares to be beneficially owned by the selling shareholders assuming the sale of all of the ordinary shares offered by the selling shareholders. The applicable percentages of beneficial ownership are based on an aggregate of 34,593,529 ordinary shares issued and outstanding on March 31, 2013 and are calculated pursuant to rules promulgated by the SEC.
Shares Beneficially Owned Prior to Offering |
Number of Shares to be Offered |
Shares Beneficially Owned After Offering |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Selling Shareholders | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | ||||||||||||||||||
Kibbutz Sdot-Yam(1) | 18,715,000 | 54.1 | % | 2,300,000 | 6.6 | % | 16,415,000 | 47.5 | % | |||||||||||||||
Tene Investment Funds(2) | 7,991,250 | 23.1 | % | 7,991,250 | 23.1 | % | | |
(1) | Consists of 18,715,000 ordinary shares held by Mifalei Sdot-Yam Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam. The Economic Council elected by the members of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam manages the economic activities and strategy of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam and its subsidiaries, and makes the voting decisions of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam with regard to our shares, subject to the approval of the general assembly of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam with regard to material issues including dilution of the holdings of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam in our company or disposition of any of our shares. The Economic Council takes its decisions by majority vote and has nine members: Amir Rotem (Chairman), Eitan Shachar, Itai Amir, Yoram Rozenblat, Marchella Shani, Reuben Cohen, Amit Ben Zvi, Amos Ben Horin and Doron Horev. Maxim Ohana, the former Chairman of the Economic Council and the Chairman of our Board of Directors, also participates in its meetings until the end of 2013 as an observer without voting rights. Amihai Beer is the secretary of the Economic Council and also participates in meetings without voting rights. The address of Kibbutz Sdot-Yam is MP Menashe 3780400, Israel. |
(2) | Consists of 6,480,250 ordinary shares held by Tene Investments in Quartz Surfaces L.P. and 1,511,000 ordinary shares held by Tene Investments in Quartz Surfaces B (Parallel) L.P. The general partner of each of these entities is Tene Management Investments in Kibbutzim Ltd. The major shareholder of the general partner is Tenram Funds Management Ltd. and its major shareholder is Tenram Ltd., which is wholly owned by Ariel Halperin. The address of Tene Investment Funds is 4 Berkovich Street, Tel Aviv, Israel. |
Our authorized share capital consists of 200,000,000 ordinary shares, par value NIS 0.04 per share, of which 34,487,385 were issued and outstanding as of February 28, 2013.
Our ordinary shares are not redeemable and do not have preemptive rights. The ownership or voting of ordinary shares by non-residents of Israel is not restricted in any way by our articles of association or the laws of the State of Israel, except for anti-terror legislation and except that citizens of countries which are in a state of war with Israel may not be recognized as owners of ordinary shares.
The description below is a summary of the material provisions of our articles of association and of the Israeli Companies Law, 5759-1999 (the Companies Law).
Holders of our ordinary shares have one vote for each ordinary share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders at a shareholder meeting. Shareholders may vote at shareholder meetings either in person, by proxy or, with respect to certain resolutions, by a voting instrument.
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Israeli law does not allow public companies to adopt shareholder resolutions by means of written consent in lieu of a shareholder meeting. Shareholder voting rights may be affected by the grant of any special voting rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized in the future.
In addition, pursuant to a voting agreement, Kibbutz Sdot-Yam and Tene have agreed to the following:
| Kibbutz Sdot-Yam and Tene will vote together for six nominees to our board of directors nominated by Kibbutz Sdot-Yam, and, for so long as Tene holds more than 8.25% of our outstanding share capital, one nominee to our board of directors nominated by Tene; |
| Kibbutz Sdot-Yam has currently nominated five directors to our board of directors and has the right to propose for nomination one additional director for whom Tene must vote to be a member of our board of directors pursuant to the voting agreement; |
| the remaining four members of our board of directors will be external/independent directors in accordance with any applicable law. Tene will vote at any meeting of our shareholders for such nominees as nominated by Kibbutz Sdot-Yam for these four positions, provided they are qualified in accordance with any applicable law; and |
| Kibbutz Sdot-Yam and Tene will vote at any meeting of our shareholders for a resolution approving monthly compensation in the amount of $1,750 plus out-of-pocket expenses for each of our directors (excluding the chairman of our board and any external or independent directors). |
This voting arrangement between Kibbutz Sdot-Yam and Tene will terminate if Tenes holdings in our company decrease below 8.25%. Tene will notify Kibbutz Sdot-Yam no later than seven days following the occurrence of such an event.
Fully paid ordinary shares are issued in registered form and may be freely transferred under our articles of association unless the transfer is restricted or prohibited by another instrument, Israeli law or the rules of a stock exchange on which the shares are traded.
Our ordinary shares do not have cumulative voting rights for the election of directors. Rather, under our articles of association our directors are elected by the holders of a simple majority of our ordinary shares at a general shareholder meeting (excluding abstentions). As a result, the holders of our ordinary shares that represent more than 50% of the voting power represented at a shareholder meeting and voting thereon (excluding abstentions) have the power to elect any or all of our directors whose positions are being filled at that meeting, provided that either:
| the majority of the shares that are voted at the meeting in favor of the election of the external director, excluding abstentions, include at least a majority of the votes of shareholders who are not controlling shareholders and do not have a personal interest in the appointment (excluding a personal interest that did not result from the shareholders relationship with the controlling shareholder); or |
| the total number of shares held by non-controlling shareholders or any one on their behalf that are voted against the election of the external director does not exceed two percent of the aggregate voting rights in the company. |
See Voting for a description of the voting agreement between Kibbutz Sdot-Yam and Tene Investment Funds.
Under Israeli law, we may declare and pay dividends only if, upon the determination of our board of directors, there is no reasonable concern that the distribution will not prevent us from being able to meet the terms of our existing and foreseeable obligations as they become due. Under the Companies Law, the distribution amount is further limited to the greater of retained earnings or earnings generated over the two most recent years legally available for distribution. In the event that we do not have retained earnings or
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earnings generated over the two most recent years legally available for distribution, we may seek the approval of the court in order to distribute a dividend. The court may approve our request if it is convinced that there is no reasonable concern that the payment of a dividend will prevent us from satisfying our existing and foreseeable obligations as they become due.
In the event of our liquidation, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors, our assets will be distributed to the holders of ordinary shares on a pro-rata basis. Dividend and liquidation rights may be affected by the grant of preferential dividend or distribution rights to the holders of a class of shares with preferential rights that may be authorized in the future.
We are required to convene an annual general meeting of our shareholders once every calendar year within a period of not more than 15 months following the preceding annual general meeting. Our board of directors may convene a special general meeting of our shareholders and is required to do so at the request of two directors or one quarter of the members of our board of directors, or at the request of one or more holders of 5% or more of our share capital and 1% of our voting power, or the holder or holders of 5% or more of our voting power. All shareholder meetings require prior notice of at least 14 days and, in certain cases, 35 days. The chairman of our board of directors presides over our general meetings. However, if there is no such chairman or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within 15 minutes after the appointed time, or is unwilling to act as chairman, then the board members present at the meeting shall choose one of the board members as chairman of the meeting and if they shall not do so then the shareholders present shall choose a board member, or if no board member is present or if all the board members present decline to take the chair, they shall choose any other person present to be chairman of the meeting. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder, shareholders entitled to participate and vote at general meetings are the shareholders of record on a date to be decided by the board of directors, which may be between four and 40 days prior to the date of the meeting, depending on the type of meeting and whether written proxies are being used.
Pursuant to our articles of association, the quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least two shareholders present in person, by proxy or by a voting instrument, who hold at least 25% of our voting power. A meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum generally is adjourned one week thereafter at the same time and place, or to such other day, time and place, as our board of directors may indicate in the invitation to the meeting or in the notice of the meeting to the shareholders. At an adjourned meeting, any number of shareholders constitutes a quorum.
Under the Companies Law, unless otherwise provided in the articles of association or applicable law, all resolutions of the shareholders require a simple majority of the voting rights represented at the meeting, in person, by proxy or, with respect to certain resolutions, by a voting instrument, and voting on the resolution (excluding abstentions). A resolution for the voluntary winding up of the company requires the approval by the holders of 75% of the voting rights represented at the meeting, in person, by proxy and voting on the resolution (excluding abstentions).
Under the Companies Law, all shareholders generally have the right to review minutes of our general meetings, our shareholder register and register of significant shareholders (as defined in the Companies Law), our articles of association, our financial statements, other documents as provided in the Companies Law, and any document we are required by law to file publicly with the Israeli Companies Registrar or with the Israel Securities Authority. Any shareholder who specifies the purpose of its request may request to review any document in our possession that relates to any action or transaction with a related party or an action in which an office holder has a personal interest that requires shareholder approval under the Companies Law. We may deny a request to review a document if we determine that the request was not made in good faith, that the document contains a commercial secret or a patent or that the documents disclosure may otherwise impair our interests.
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A person wishing to acquire shares of an Israeli public company and who would as a result hold over 90% of the target companys issued and outstanding share capital is required by the Companies Law to make a tender offer to all of the companys shareholders for the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the company.
A person wishing to acquire shares of an Israeli public company and who would as a result hold over 90% of the issued and outstanding share capital of a certain class of shares is required to make a tender offer to all of the shareholders who hold shares of the same class for the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the same class.
If the shareholders who do not respond to or accept the offer hold less than 5% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the company or of the applicable class of the shares, and more than half of the shareholders who do not have a personal interest in the offer accept the offer, all of the shares that the acquirer offered to purchase will be transferred to the acquirer by operation of law. However, a tender offer will be accepted if the shareholders who do not accept it hold less than 2% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the company or of the applicable class of the shares.
Upon a successful completion of such a full tender offer, any shareholder that was an offeree in such tender offer, whether such shareholder accepted the tender offer or not, may, within six months from the date of acceptance of the tender offer, petition the Israeli court to determine whether the tender offer was for less than fair value and that the fair value should be paid as determined by the court. However, under certain conditions, the offeror may determine in the terms of the tender offer that an offeree who accepted the offer will not be entitled to petition the Israeli court as described above.
If the shareholders who did not respond or accept the tender offer hold at least 5% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the company or of the applicable class, the acquirer may not acquire shares of the company that will increase its holdings to more than 90% of the companys issued and outstanding share capital or of the applicable class from shareholders who accepted the tender offer.
The description above regarding a full tender offer shall also apply, with necessary changes, when a full tender offer is accepted and the offeror has also offered to acquire all of the companys securities.
The Companies Law provides that an acquisition of shares of an Israeli public company must be made by means of a special tender offer if as a result of the acquisition the purchaser would become a holder of at least 25% of the voting rights in the company. This rule does not apply if there is already another holder of at least 25% of the voting rights in the company.
Similarly, the Companies Law provides that an acquisition of shares in a public company must be made by means of a special tender offer if as a result of the acquisition the purchaser would become a holder of more than 45% of the voting rights in the company, if there is no other shareholder of the company who holds more than 45% of the voting rights in the company.
These requirements do not apply if the acquisition (i) occurs in the context of a private offering, on the condition that the shareholders meeting approved the acquisition as a private offering whose purpose is to give the acquirer at least 25% of the voting rights in the company if there is no person who holds at least 25% of the voting rights in the company, or as a private offering whose purpose is to give the acquirer 45% of the voting rights in the company, if there is no person who holds 45% of the voting rights in the company; (ii) was from a shareholder holding at least 25% of the voting rights in the company and resulted in the acquirer becoming a holder of at least 25% of the voting rights in the company or (iii) was from a holder of more than 45% of the voting rights in the company and resulted in the acquirer becoming a holder of more than 45% of the voting rights in the company.
The special tender offer may be consummated only if (i) at least 5% of the voting power attached to the companys outstanding shares will be acquired by the offeror and (ii) the special tender offer is accepted by a
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majority of the votes of those offerees who gave notice of their position in respect of the offer; in counting the votes of offerees, the votes of a holder of control in the offeror, a person who has personal interest in acceptance of the special tender offer, a holder of at least 25% of the voting rights in the company, or any person acting on their or on the offerors behalf, including their relatives or companies under their control, are not taken into account. In the event that a special tender offer is made, a companys board of directors is required to express its opinion on the advisability of the offer or shall abstain from expressing any opinion if it is unable to do so, provided that it gives the reasons for its abstention.
An office holder in a target company who, in his or her capacity as an office holder, performs an action the purpose of which is to cause the failure of an existing or foreseeable special tender offer or is to impair the chances of its acceptance, is liable to the potential purchaser and shareholders for damages resulting from his acts, unless such office holder acted in good faith and had reasonable grounds to believe he or she was acting for the benefit of the company. However, office holders of the target company may negotiate with the potential purchaser in order to improve the terms of the special tender offer, and may further negotiate with third parties in order to obtain a competing offer.
If a special tender offer was accepted by a majority of the shareholders who announced their stand on such offer, then shareholders who did not respond to the special offer or had objected to the special tender offer may accept the offer within four days of the last day set for the acceptance of the offer.
In the event that a special tender offer is accepted, then the purchaser or any person or entity controlling it and any corporation controlled by them shall refrain from making a subsequent tender offer for the purchase of shares of the target company and may not execute a merger with the target company for a period of one year from the date of the offer, unless the purchaser or such person or entity undertook to effect such an offer or merger in the initial special tender offer.
The Companies Law permits merger transactions if approved by each partys board of directors and, unless certain requirements described under the Companies Law are met, a majority of each partys shareholders, by a majority of each partys shares that are voted on the proposed merger at a shareholders meeting.
The board of directors of a merging company is required pursuant to the Companies Law to discuss and determine whether in its opinion there exists a reasonable concern that as a result of a proposed merger, the surviving company will not be able to satisfy its obligations towards its creditors, taking into account the financial condition of the merging companies. If the board of directors has determined that such a concern exists, it may not approve a proposed merger. Following the approval of the board of directors of each of the merging companies, the boards of directors must jointly prepare a merger proposal for submission to the Israeli Registrar of Companies.
For purposes of the shareholder vote, unless a court rules otherwise, the merger will not be deemed approved if a majority of the shares voting at the shareholders meeting (excluding abstentions) that are held by parties other than the other party to the merger, any person who holds 25% or more of the means of control of the other party to the merger or any one on their behalf including their relatives or corporations controlled by any of them, vote against the merger. In addition, if the non-surviving entity of the merger has more than one class of shares, the merger must be approved by each class of shareholders.
The term means of control is defined as (1) the right to vote at a general meeting of a company or a corresponding body of another corporation; or (2) the right to appoint directors of the corporation.
The term relative is defined as a spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, descendant, spouses descendant, sibling and parent and the spouse of each of the foregoing.
If the transaction would have been approved but for the separate approval of each class of shares or the exclusion of the votes of certain shareholders as provided above, a court may still rule that the company has approved the merger upon the request of holders of at least 25% of the voting rights of a company, if the court holds that the merger is fair and reasonable, taking into account the appraisal of the merging companies value and the consideration offered to the shareholders.
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Under the Companies Law, each merging company must send a copy of the proposed merger plan to its secured creditors. Unsecured creditors are entitled to receive notice of the merger, as provided by the regulations promulgated under the Companies Law. Upon the request of a creditor of either party to the proposed merger, the court may delay or prevent the merger if it concludes that there exists a reasonable concern that, as a result of the merger, the surviving company will be unable to satisfy the obligations of the target company. The court may also give instructions in order to secure the rights of creditors.
In addition, a merger may not be completed unless at least 50 days have passed from the date that a proposal for approval of the merger was filed with the Israeli Registrar of Companies and 30 days from the date that shareholder approval of both merging companies was obtained.
The Companies Law allows us to create and issue shares having rights different from those attached to our ordinary shares, including shares providing certain preferred or additional rights to voting, distributions or other matters and shares having preemptive rights. We do not have any authorized or issued shares other than ordinary shares. In the future, if we do create and issue a class of shares other than ordinary shares, such class of shares, depending on the specific rights that may be attached to them, may delay or prevent a takeover or otherwise prevent our shareholders from realizing a potential premium over the market value of their ordinary shares. The authorization of a new class of shares will require an amendment to our articles of association which requires the prior approval of a majority of our shares represented and voting at a general meeting. Shareholders voting at such a meeting will be subject to the restrictions under the Companies Law described in Voting.
Our articles of association enable us to increase or reduce our share capital. Any such changes are subject to the provisions of the Companies Law and must be approved by a resolution duly passed by our shareholders at a general or special meeting by voting on such change.
We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel on December 31, 1989. Our predecessor commenced operations in 1987. We are registered with the Israeli Registrar of Companies in Jerusalem. Our registration number is 51-143950-7. Our purpose as set forth in our articles of association is to engage in any lawful business.
The transfer agent and registrar for our ordinary shares is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company. Its address is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219, and its telephone number is (800) 937-5449.
Our ordinary shares are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CSTE.
The securities being offered by this prospectus may be sold:
| through agents; |
| to or through one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or agency basis; |
| through put or call option transactions relating to the securities; |
| through broker-dealers (acting as agent or principal); |
| directly to purchasers, through a specific bidding or auction process, on a negotiated basis or otherwise; |
| through any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law; or |
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| through a combination of any such methods of sale. |
At any time a particular offer of the securities covered by this prospectus is made, a revised prospectus or prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed which will set forth the aggregate amount of securities covered by this prospectus being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, brokers or agents, any discounts, commissions, concessions and other items constituting compensation from us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers. Such prospectus supplement, and, if necessary, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, will be filed with the SEC to reflect the disclosure of additional information with respect to the distribution of the securities covered by this prospectus. In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities sold under this prospectus may only be sold through registered or licensed broker-dealers. In addition, in some states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
The distribution of securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including block transactions and transactions on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or any other organized market where the securities may be traded. The securities may be sold at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents, underwriters or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions to be received from the selling shareholders or the purchasers of the securities. Any dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts. If any such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters, they may be subject to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act.
Agents may from time to time solicit offers to purchase the securities. If required, we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and set forth any compensation payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent selling the securities covered by this prospectus may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities.
If underwriters are used in a sale, securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or other contractual commitments. Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. If an underwriter or underwriters are used in the sale of securities, an underwriting agreement will be executed with the underwriter or underwriters, as well as any other underwriter or underwriters, with respect to a particular underwritten offering of securities, and will set forth the terms of the transactions, including compensation of the underwriters and dealers and the public offering price, if applicable. The prospectus and prospectus supplement will be used by the underwriters to resell the securities.
If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities, the selling shareholders or an underwriter will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. To the extent required, we will set forth in the prospectus supplement the name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions.
The selling shareholders may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities and may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, if used.
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Agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under agreements which may be entered into with us or the selling shareholders to indemnification by us and the selling shareholders against specified liabilities, including liabilities incurred under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us or the selling shareholders to payments they may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. If required, the prospectus supplement will describe the terms and conditions of the indemnification or contribution. Some of the agents, underwriters or dealers, or their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our subsidiaries.
Any person participating in the distribution of securities registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and the applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our securities by that person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our securities to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our securities and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities.
Certain persons participating in an offering may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the offered securities. These activities may maintain the price of the offered securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids, each of which is described below.
| A stabilizing bid means the placing of any bid, or the effecting of any purchase, for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of a security. |
| A syndicate covering transaction means the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering. |
| A penalty bid means an arrangement that permits the managing underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member in connection with the offering when offered securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions. |
These transactions may be effected on an exchange, if the securities are listed on that exchange, or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Any underwriters to whom offered securities are sold for public offering and sale may make a market in such offered securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice.
Any securities that qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 or Regulation S under the Securities Act, may be sold under Rule 144 or Regulation S rather than pursuant to this prospectus.
To the extent that the selling shareholders make sales to or through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, the selling shareholders will do so pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement among us, the selling shareholders and the underwriters or agents. If the selling shareholders engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to a distribution agreement, the selling shareholders will sell our ordinary shares to or through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, the selling shareholders may sell ordinary shares on a daily basis in exchange transactions or otherwise as the selling shareholders agree with the underwriters or agents. The distribution agreement will provide that any ordinary shares sold will be sold at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our ordinary shares. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time and will be described in a prospectus supplement. Pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement, the selling shareholders also may agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our ordinary shares. The terms of each such distribution agreement will be set forth in more detail in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus.
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In the event that any underwriter or agent acts as principal, or broker-dealer acts as underwriter, it may engage in certain transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our securities. We will describe any such activities in the prospectus supplement relating to the transaction.
The selling shareholders may enter into derivative transactions with third parties or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may use securities pledged by the selling shareholders or borrowed from the selling shareholders or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of shares, and may use securities received from the selling shareholders in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of shares. The third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).
The selling shareholders may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus.
Certain legal matters with respect to Israeli law and with respect to the validity of the offered securities under Israeli law will be passed upon for us by Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co., Tel-Aviv, Israel.
The consolidated financial statements of Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd. appearing in Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd.s Annual Report (Form 20-F) for the year ended December 31, 2012 have been audited by Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of Ernst & Young Global, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein and incorporated herein by reference, which as to the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 are based in part on the report of Grant Thornton Audit Pty Ltd, an independent registered public accounting firm. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firms as experts in accounting and auditing.
Freedonia Custom Research, Inc. is a source for third-party industry data and forecasts incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The Freedonia Report, dated March 13, 2013, which we commissioned for this offering, represents data, research opinion or viewpoints developed on our behalf and have been included herein.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3 under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. However, as is permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC, this prospectus, which is part of our registration statement on Form F-3, omits certain non-material information, exhibits, schedules and undertakings set forth in the registration statement. For further information about us, and the securities offered by this prospectus, please refer to the registration statement.
We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act that are applicable to a foreign private issuer. In accordance with the Exchange Act, we file reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F by April 30 of each year. We also furnish to the SEC under cover of Form 6-K material information required to be made public in Israel, filed with and made public by any stock exchange or distributed by us to our shareholders.
The registration statement on Form F-3 of which this prospectus forms a part, including the exhibits and schedules thereto, and reports and other information filed by us with the SEC may be inspected without charge and copied at prescribed rates at the SECs Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of this material are also available by mail from the Public Reference Section of the SEC,
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at 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, such as us, that file electronically with the SEC (http://www.sec.gov).
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders and our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the short-swing profits reporting and liability provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act and related Exchange Act rules. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
We file annual and special reports and other information with the SEC (File Number 001-35464). These filings contain important information which does not appear in this prospectus. The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents which we have filed or will file with the SEC. We are incorporating by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below and all amendments or supplements we may file to such documents, as well as any future filings we may make with the SEC on Form 20-F under the Exchange Act before the time that all of the securities offered by this prospectus have been sold or de-registered:
| our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012; and |
| the description of our ordinary shares found in Form 8-A as filed with the SEC on March 20, 2012 (Commission File No. 001-35464), under the heading Description of Registrants Securities to be Registered including any subsequent amendment or any report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
In addition, any reports on Form 6-K submitted to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement that we specifically identify in such forms as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and all subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F filed after the effective date of this registration statement and prior to the termination of this offering and any reports on Form 6-K subsequently submitted to the SEC or portions thereof that we specifically identify in such forms as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, shall be considered to be incorporated into this prospectus by reference and shall be considered a part of this prospectus from the date of filing or submission of such documents.
Certain statements in and portions of this prospectus update and replace information in the above listed documents incorporated by reference. Likewise, statements in or portions of a future document incorporated by reference in this prospectus may update and replace statements in and portions of this prospectus or the above listed documents.
We will provide you without charge, upon your written or oral request, a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to such documents which are not specifically incorporated by reference into such documents. Please direct your written or telephone requests to Caesarstone Sdot-Yam Ltd., MP Menashe, 3780400, Israel, Attn: Michal Baumwald Oron, Adv, telephone number +972 (4) 636-4555. You may also obtain information about us by visiting our website at www.caesarstone.com. Information contained in our website is not part of this prospectus.
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel. Service of process upon us and upon our directors and officers and the Israeli experts named in this prospectus, substantially all of whom reside outside the United States, may be difficult to obtain within the United States. Furthermore, because substantially all of
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our assets and substantially all of our directors and officers are located outside the United States, any judgment obtained in the United States against us or any of our directors and officers may not be collectible within the United States.
We have irrevocably appointed Caesarstone USA, Inc. as our agent to receive service of process in any action against us in any United States federal or state court arising out of this offering or any purchase or sale of securities in connection with this offering. The address of Caesarstone USA, Inc. is 6840 Hayvenhurst Ave. Suite 100, Van Nuys, California 91406.
We have been informed by our legal counsel in Israel, Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co., that it may be difficult to initiate an action with respect to United States securities law in Israel. Israeli courts may refuse to hear a claim based on an alleged violation of United States securities laws reasoning that Israel is not the most appropriate forum to hear such a claim. In addition, even if an Israeli court agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that Israeli law and not United States law is applicable to the claim. If United States law is found to be applicable, the content of applicable United States law must be proved as a fact by expert witnesses which can be a time-consuming and costly process. Certain matters of procedure may also be governed by Israeli law.
Subject to certain time limitations and legal procedures, Israeli courts may enforce a United States judgment in a civil matter which, subject to certain exceptions, is non-appealable, including judgments based upon the civil liability provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and including a monetary or compensatory judgment in a non-civil matter, provided that:
| the judgment was rendered by a court which was, according to the laws of the state of the court, competent to render the judgment; |
| the judgment may no longer be appealed; |
| the obligation imposed by the judgment is enforceable according to the rules relating to the enforceability of judgments in Israel and the substance of the judgment is not contrary to public policy; and |
| the judgment is executory in the state in which it was given. |
Even if these conditions are met, an Israeli court will not declare a foreign civil judgment enforceable if:
| the judgment was given in a state whose laws do not provide for the enforcement of judgments of Israeli courts (subject to exceptional cases); |
| the enforcement of the judgment is likely to prejudice the sovereignty or security of the State of Israel; |
| the judgment was obtained by fraud; |
| the opportunity given to the defendant to bring its arguments and evidence before the court was not reasonable in the opinion of the Israeli court; |
| the judgment was rendered by a court not competent to render it according to the laws of private international law as they apply in Israel; |
| the judgment is contradictory to another judgment that was given in the same matter between the same parties and that is still valid; or |
| at the time the action was brought in the foreign court, a lawsuit in the same matter and between the same parties was pending before a court or tribunal in Israel. |
If a foreign judgment is enforced by an Israeli court, it generally will be payable in Israeli currency, which can then be converted into non-Israeli currency and transferred out of Israel. The usual practice in an action before an Israeli court to recover an amount in a non-Israeli currency is for the Israeli court to issue a judgment for the equivalent amount in Israeli currency at the rate of exchange in force on the date of the judgment, but the judgment debtor may make payment in foreign currency. Pending collection, the amount of the judgment of an Israeli court stated in Israeli currency ordinarily will be linked to the Israeli consumer price index plus interest at the annual statutory rate set by Israeli regulations prevailing at the time. Judgment creditors must bear the risk of unfavorable exchange rates.
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Under the Israeli Companies Law, 5759-1999 (the Companies Law), a company may not exculpate an office holder from liability for a breach of a fiduciary duty. An Israeli company may exculpate an office holder in advance from liability to the company, in whole or in part, for damages caused to the company as a result of a breach of duty of care but only if a provision authorizing such exculpation is included in its articles of association. Our articles of association include such a provision. The company may not exculpate in advance a director from liability arising out of a prohibited dividend or distribution to shareholders.
Under the Companies Law and the Securities Law, 5738 1968 (the Securities Law) a company may indemnify an office holder in respect of the following liabilities, payments and expenses incurred for acts performed by him as an office holder, either in advance of an event or following an event, provided its articles of association include a provision authorizing such indemnification:
| a monetary liability incurred by or imposed on him or her in favor of another person pursuant to a judgment, including a settlement or arbitrators award approved by a court. However, if an undertaking to indemnify an office holder with respect to such liability is provided in advance, then such an undertaking must be limited to events which, in the opinion of the board of directors, can be foreseen based on the companys activities when the undertaking to indemnify is given, and to an amount or according to criteria determined by the board of directors as reasonable under the circumstances, and such undertaking shall detail the abovementioned foreseen events and amount or criteria; |
| reasonable litigation expenses, including reasonable attorneys fees, incurred by the office holder as a result of an investigation or proceeding instituted against him or her by an authority authorized to conduct such investigation or proceeding, provided that (i) no indictment was filed against such office holder as a result of such investigation or proceeding; and (ii) no financial liability, was imposed upon him or her as a substitute for the criminal proceeding as a result of such investigation or proceeding or, if such financial liability was imposed, it was imposed with respect to an offense that does not require proof of criminal intent or in connection with a monetary sanction; |
| a monetary liability imposed on him or her in favor of an injured party at an Administrative Procedure (as defined below) pursuant to Section 52(54)(a)(1)(a) of the Securities Law; |
| expenses incurred by the office holder in connection with an Administrative Procedure under the Securities Law, including reasonable litigation expenses and reasonable attorneys fees; and |
| reasonable litigation expenses, including attorneys fees, incurred by the office holder or imposed by a court in proceedings instituted against him or her by the company, on its behalf, or by a third party, or in connection with criminal proceedings in which the office holder was acquitted, or as a result of a conviction for an offense that does not require proof of criminal intent. |
An Administrative Procedure is defined as a procedure pursuant to chapters H3 (Monetary Sanction by the Israeli Securities Authority), H4 (Administrative Enforcement Procedures of the Administrative Enforcement Committee) or I1 (Arrangement to prevent Procedures or Interruption of procedures subject to conditions) to the Securities Law.
Under the Companies Law and the Securities Law, a company may insure an office holder against the following liabilities incurred for acts performed by him or her as an office holder if and to the extent provided in the companys articles of association:
| a breach of a fiduciary duty to the company, provided that the office holder acted in good faith and had a reasonable basis to believe that the act would not harm the company; |
| a breach of duty of care to the company or to a third party, to the extent such a breach arises out of the negligent conduct of the office holder; |
| a monetary liability imposed on the office holder in favor of a third party; |
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| a monetary liability imposed on the office holder in favor of an injured party at an Administrative Procedure pursuant to Section 52(54)(a)(1)(a) of the Securities Law; and |
| expenses incurred by the office holder in connection with an Administrative Procedure, including reasonable litigation expenses and reasonable attorneys fees. |
Under the Companies Law, a company may not indemnify, exculpate or insure an office holder against any of the following:
| a breach of fiduciary duty, except for indemnification and insurance for a breach of the fiduciary duty to the company to the extent that the office holder acted in good faith and had a reasonable basis to believe that the act would not prejudice the company; |
| a breach of duty of care committed intentionally or recklessly, excluding a breach arising out of the negligent conduct of the office holder; |
| an act or omission committed with intent to derive illegal personal benefit; or |
| a fine or forfeit levied against the office holder. |
Under the Companies Law, exculpation, indemnification and insurance of office holders must be approved by the compensation committee and the board of directors and, with respect to directors or controlling shareholders, their relatives and third parties in which such controlling shareholders have a personal interest, also by the shareholders.
Our articles of association permit us to exculpate, indemnify and insure our office holders to the fullest extent permitted or to be permitted by law. Our office holders are currently covered by a directors and officers liability insurance policy. As of February 28, 2013, no claims for directors and officers liability insurance have been filed under this policy and we are not aware of any pending or threatened litigation or proceeding involving any of our office holders, including our directors, in which indemnification is sought.
We have entered into new agreements with each of our current office holders exculpating them from a breach of their duty of care to us to the fullest extent permitted by law, subject to limited exceptions, and undertaking to indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by law, subject to limited exceptions, including with respect to liabilities resulting from our IPO to the extent that these liabilities are not covered by insurance. This indemnification is limited to events determined as foreseeable by the board of directors based on our activities, and to an amount or according to criteria determined by the board of directors as reasonable under the circumstances. As of March 2013, the maximum aggregate amount of indemnification that we may pay to our office holders based on such new indemnification agreement is the greater of (1) with respect to indemnification in connection with a public offering of our securities, the gross proceeds raised by us and any selling shareholder in such public offering, and (2) with respect to all permitted indemnification, including in connection with a public offering of our securities, an amount equal to the greater of 50% of our shareholders equity on a consolidated basis, based on our most recent financial statements made publicly available before the date on which the indemnification payment was made, and $30 million. Such indemnification amounts are in addition to any insurance amounts. Each office holder who agrees to receive this letter of indemnification also gives his approval to the termination of all previous letters of indemnification that we have provided to him or her in the past, if any. In the opinion of the SEC, indemnification of office holders for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, however, is against public policy and therefore unenforceable.
We previously entered into letters of indemnification with some former office holders that currently remain in effect, and pursuant to which we undertook to indemnify them with respect to certain liabilities and expenses then permitted under the Companies Law, which are similar to those described above. These letters of indemnification are limited to foreseeable events that were determined by the board of directors and indemnity payments are limited to a maximum amount of $2.0 million for one series of related events for each office holder.
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The index to exhibits appears below on the page immediately following the signature pages of this Registration Statement.
(1) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
(a) | to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement: |
(i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act; |
(ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration statement; and |
(iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the Registration Statement.
(b) | that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(c) | to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
(d) | to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act need not be furnished, provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (1)(d) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 3-19 of this chapter if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3. |
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(e) | that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser: |
(i) | each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be a part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
(ii) | each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
(f) | that, for the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
(i) | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
(ii) | any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by an undersigned registrant; |
(iii) | the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
(iv) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
(2) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(3) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the |
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registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
(4) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
(5) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it complies with all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in MP Menashe, Israel on April 5, 2013.
By: /s/ Yosef Shiran
Name: Yosef Shiran
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on the dates and in the capacities indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Yosef Shiran Yosef Shiran |
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
April 5, 2013 | ||
/s/ Yair Averbuch Yair Averbuch |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
April 5, 2013 | ||
* Maxim Ohana |
Chairman of the Board | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Yonathan Melamed |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Moshe Ronen |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Ariel Halperin |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Eitan Shachar |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Boaz Shani |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Shachar Degani |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Gal Cohen |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Irit Ben-Dov |
Director | April 5, 2013 | ||
* Ofer Borovsky |
Director | April 5, 2013 |
Caesarstone USA, Inc. | Authorized Representative in the United States | |||
By: /s/ Yosef Shiran Name: Yosef Shiran Title: Authorized Signatory |
April 5, 2013 | |||
By: /s/ Yair Averbuch Name: Yair Averbuch Title: Authorized Signatory |
April 5, 2013 | |||
*By: /s/ Yosef Shiran Name: Yosef Shiran Title: Attorney-in-fact |
April 5, 2013 |
Exhibit No. | Document | |
4.1 | Memorandum of Association of the Registrant.(1)∞ | |
4.2 | Articles of Association of the Registrant.(2) | |
4.3 | Form of specimen share certificate.(2) | |
5.1 | Opinion of Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co., Israeli counsel to the Registrant, as to the validity of the ordinary shares (including consent).* | |
23.1 | Consent of Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer (a member of Ernst & Young Global). | |
23.2 | Consent of Grant Thornton Audit Pty Ltd. | |
23.3 | Consent of Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co., Israeli counsel to the Registrant (included in Exhibit 5.1).* | |
23.4 | Consent of Freedonia Custom Research, Inc.* | |
24.1 | Powers of Attorney (included in signature page to Registration Statement).* |
* | Previously filed. |
(1) | Previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2012 pursuant to a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-179556) and incorporated by reference herein. |
(2) | Previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2012 pursuant to a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-179556) and incorporated by reference herein. |
∞ | English translation of original Hebrew document. |