FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
[X] Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2002.
[ ] Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the transition period from __________to__________
Commission File Number: 0-19889
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM FUND, LTD.
| Colorado | 84-1145140 | |
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| State of organization | I.R.S. employer I.D.# | |
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NTL House, Bartley Wood Business Park, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 9UP, England
Address of principal executive office
011 44 1256 752000
Registrants telephone number
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
| Yes [X] | No [ ] |
The number of limited partnership units of the registrant outstanding as of September 30, 2002 was 56,935.
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM FUND,LTD
(A Limited Partnership)
QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | |||||||
| Number | |||||||
| PART I. | FINANCIAL INFORMATION | ||||||
| Item 1. | Financial Statements | ||||||
| Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2002 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2001 | 3 | ||||||
| Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Nine and Three Months Ended September 30, 2002 and 2001 (Unaudited) | 4 | ||||||
| Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss for the Nine and Three Months Ended September 30, 2002 and 2001 (Unaudited) | 4 | ||||||
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2002 and 2001 (Unaudited) | 5 | ||||||
| Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) | 6 | ||||||
| Item 2. | Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 23 | |||||
| Item 3. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | 44 | |||||
| Item 4. | Controls and Procedures | 44 | |||||
| RISK FACTORS | 46 | ||||||
| PART II. | OTHER INFORMATION | 51 | |||||
| Item 6. | Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K | 51 | |||||
| SIGNATURES | 52 | ||||||
IN REVIEWING THIS DOCUMENT, YOU ARE
CAUTIONED TO READ THE SECTION ENTITLED
RISK FACTORS WHICH
FORMS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS REPORT.
2
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM FUND, LTD.
(A Limited Partnership)
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
| September 30, | December 31 | |||||||||
| 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||
| (Unaudited) | (see note) | |||||||||
ASSETS |
||||||||||
Plant, property and equipment, net |
$ | 58,967,552 | $ | 58,962,082 | ||||||
Other assets |
117,750 | 205,766 | ||||||||
TOTAL ASSETS |
$ | 59,085,302 | $ | 59,167,848 | ||||||
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS DEFICIT |
||||||||||
Current Liabilities
|
||||||||||
Accounts payable to affiliates and related parties |
$ | 60,950,781 | $ | 58,145,703 | ||||||
Accrued
expenses |
207,481 | 453,662 | ||||||||
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES |
61,158,262 | 58,599,365 | ||||||||
MINORITY INTERESTS |
170,486 | 739,160 | ||||||||
PARTNERS DEFICIT |
||||||||||
General
Partner |
||||||||||
Contributed capital |
1,000 | 1,000 | ||||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(511,621 | ) | (490,488 | ) | ||||||
| (510,621 | ) | (489,488 | ) | |||||||
Limited
Partners |
||||||||||
Net contributed capital (56,935 units outstanding
at September 30, 2002 and December 31, 2001) |
48,817,997 | 48,817,997 | ||||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(50,369,253 | ) | (48,277,123 | ) | ||||||
| (1,551,256 | ) | 540,874 | ||||||||
Accumulated comprehensive loss |
(181,569 | ) | (222,063 | ) | ||||||
TOTAL PARTNERS DEFICIT |
(2,243,446 | ) | (170,677 | ) | ||||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS DEFICIT |
$ | 59,085,302 | $ | 59,167,848 | ||||||
Note: The balance sheet at December 31, 2001 has been derived from audited
financial statements at that date
See accompanying notes
3
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM FUND, LTD.
(A Limited Partnership)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| For the three months ended | For the nine months ended | |||||||||||||||
| September 30, | September 30, | |||||||||||||||
| 2002 | 2001 | 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||||||
REVENUES |
$ | 7,516,867 | $ | 6,912,705 | $ | 21,940,923 | $ | 20,969,184 | ||||||||
COSTS AND EXPENSES |
||||||||||||||||
Cost of goods sold (exclusive of items shown separately below) |
(2,547,657 | ) | (2,830,388 | ) | (8,173,367 | ) | (8,940,703 | ) | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(85,300 | ) | (33,069 | ) | (271,591 | ) | (197,886 | ) | ||||||||
Management fees and allocated overhead from the General
Partner |
(2,944,320 | ) | (3,016,889 | ) | (8,925,873 | ) | (9,637,401 | ) | ||||||||
Other expenses |
(514,700 | ) | | (514,700 | ) | | ||||||||||
Depreciation |
(2,064,893 | ) | (1,915,526 | ) | (5,602,926 | ) | (12,856,869 | ) | ||||||||
OPERATING LOSS |
(640,003 | ) | (883,167 | ) | (1,547,534 | ) | (10,663,675 | ) | ||||||||
OTHER EXPENSE |
||||||||||||||||
Interest expense |
(403,879 | ) | (311,896 | ) | (1,095,563 | ) | (1,161,405 | ) | ||||||||
Other |
(23,255 | ) | (21,616 | ) | (66,578 | ) | (64,992 | ) | ||||||||
NET LOSS BEFORE MINORITY INTERESTS |
(1,067,137 | ) | (1,216,679 | ) | (2,709,675 | ) | (11,890,072 | ) | ||||||||
Minority interests |
140,113 | 414,460 | 596,409 | 3,855,739 | ||||||||||||
NET LOSS |
$ | (927,024 | ) | $ | (802,219 | ) | $ | (2,113,266 | ) | $ | (8,034,333 | ) | ||||
ALLOCATION OF NET LOSS
General Partner |
$ | (9,270 | ) | $ | (8,022 | ) | $ | (21,133 | ) | $ | (80,343 | ) | ||||
Limited Partners |
$ | (917,754 | ) | $ | (794,197 | ) | $ | (2,092,133 | ) | $ | (7,953,990 | ) | ||||
NET LOSS |
$ | (927,024 | ) | $ | (802,219 | ) | $ | (2,113,266 | ) | $ | (8,034,333 | ) | ||||
NET LOSS PER LIMITED PARTNERSHIP UNIT |
$ | (16.12 | ) | $ | (13.95 | ) | $ | (36.75 | ) | $ | (139.70 | ) | ||||
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP UNITS OUTSTANDING |
56,935 | 56,935 | 56,935 | 56,935 | ||||||||||||
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
| For the three months ended | For the nine months ended | ||||||||||||||||
| September 30, | September 30, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | 2001 | 2002 | 2001 | ||||||||||||||
NET LOSS |
$ | (927,024 | ) | $ | (802,219 | ) | $ | (2,113,266 | ) | $ | (8,034,333 | ) | |||||
Foreign currency translation
adjustments |
23,964 | 259,262 | 40,493 | (270,239 | ) | ||||||||||||
COMPREHENSIVE LOSS |
$ | (903,060 | ) | $ | (542,957 | ) | $ | (2,072,773 | ) | $ | (8,304,572 | ) | |||||
See accompanying notes
4
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM FUND, LTD.
(A Limited Partnership)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
| For the nine months ended | ||||||||||
| September 30, | ||||||||||
| 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
||||||||||
Net loss |
$ | (2,113,266 | ) | $ | (8,039,515 | ) | ||||
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash
provided by operating activities |
||||||||||
Minority interests |
(596,409 | ) | (3,855,739 | ) | ||||||
Depreciation |
5,602,926 | 12,856,869 | ||||||||
Change in operating assets and liabilities |
||||||||||
Decrease in other assets |
97,828 | 33,742 | ||||||||
(Decrease)/increase in accounts payable to affiliates and
related parties |
(1,336,656 | ) | 23,820,303 | |||||||
(Decrease) / increase in accrued liabilities |
(246,181 | ) | 164,000 | |||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
1,408,242 | 24,979,660 | ||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES |
||||||||||
Construction payments for cable television/telephony system |
(1,408,242 | ) | (4,073,852 | ) | ||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(1,408,242 | ) | (4,073,852 | ) | ||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES |
||||||||||
Repayment
of loans |
| (20,905,808 | ) | |||||||
Net cash used in financing activities |
| (20,905,808 | ||||||||
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents |
| | ||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
| | ||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
$ | | $ | | ||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW DISCLOSURES |
||||||||||
Interest paid |
$ | | $ | | ||||||
See accompanying notes
5
SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE UNITED KINGDOM FUND, LTD.
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1 Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the South Hertfordshire United Kingdom Fund, Ltd, a Colorado limited partnership, (the Partnership), have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2002 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2002. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001.
As a result of the Partnerships ownership of 66.7 percent of the shares of ntl (South Hertfordshire) Limited (NTL South Herts or the Company), for accounting purposes the Company has been consolidated with the Partnerships operations.
As indicated below, substantial doubt exists about the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability of assets or classification of assets or the amounts and classification of liabilities that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.
2 Recapitalization Process and Ability to Continue Operations
Throughout this report, NTL Incorporated together with its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to as NTL. In this Note 2, the Partnership, the Company, we, us and our refer to South Hertfordshire United Kingdom Fund, Ltd. and its consolidated subsidiary, NTL (South Herts) Limited, except where the context otherwise requires.
On May 8, 2002, NTL Incorporated, the ultimate parent of Fawnspring Limited, the general partner of the Partnership, NTL (Delaware), Inc., NTL Communications Corp., Diamond Cable Communications Limited, Diamond Holdings Limited and Communications Cable Funding Corp. (collectively, the Debtors) filed a pre-arranged joint reorganization plan under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the Plan). NTLs operating subsidiaries were not included in the Chapter 11 filing. On September 5, 2002, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Bankruptcy Court) confirmed the Plan. The consummation of the Plan is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions set forth in the Plan. Among other things, the most substantial conditions include obtaining exit financing for NTL and obtaining the consent of NTLs UK bank lenders to such financing and to modifications to the terms of the UK bank facilities acceptable to both NTL and NTLs official creditors committee. Although NTL is currently finalizing negotiations with a group of potential lenders for such an exit facility, there can be no assurance that it will be able to reach final agreement on terms. If no agreement can be reached and an alternate source of exit financing cannot be secured, NTL may not be able to consummate the Plan. Moreover, NTL is currently in discussions with the UK lenders regarding the above matters, but cannot be certain that they will be resolved successfully. If NTL fails to meet either condition, the Debtors would be unable to consummate the Plan and continue to remain in Chapter 11, and there can be no assurance that an alternative plan of reorganization could be reached in a timely manner or at all.
The Partnership has required significant amounts of capital to finance construction of its networks, connection of customers to the networks, other capital expenditures and for working capital needs. The Partnership historically met these liquidity requirements through cash flow from operations, issuances of limited partnership units and borrowing from commercial banks and NTL. Both the equity and debt capital markets have experienced periods of significant volatility, particularly for securities issued by telecommunications and technology companies. The ability of telecommunications companies to access those markets as well as their ability to obtain financing provided by bank lenders and equipment suppliers
6
has become more restricted and financing costs have increased. During some recent periods, the capital markets have been largely unavailable to new issues of securities by telecommunications companies. NTL Incorporateds public equity is no longer trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and NTLs debt securities are trading at or near all time lows. These factors, together with NTLs substantial leverage, means the Partnership does not currently have access to its historic sources of capital.
In addition, there are no further funds available under NTLs UK credit facilities and NTLs Swiss subsidiaries are currently unable to draw the remaining undrawn amounts under the Cablecom credit facility. NTL missed interest payments totaling $495.5 million between April 1, 2002 and November 13, 2002, all of which related to notes issued by NTL Incorporated and certain of its subsidiaries. Upon emerging from Chapter 11, NTL intends to make any required interest payments on the notes of Diamond Holdings Limited. In accordance with the Plan, NTL will not make future interest payments on its currently outstanding publicly traded notes except notes issued by NTL (Triangle) LLC and, upon emergence from Chapter 11, Diamond Holdings Limited.
Pursuant to the Plan, if consummated, NTL will be split into two separate companies, one which will take the name NTL Incorporated, holding NTLs main UK and Ireland assets (which we refer to as New NTL), and one which will be called NTL Europe, Inc., holding NTLs continental European and certain other assets (which we refer to as NTL Euroco). Upon consummation of the Plan, NTL Euroco will hold Cablecom, NTLs cable business in Switzerland, and Premium TV Limited, NTLs sports TV content and internet business in the UK, and will retain NTLs investment interests in cable networks in Scandinavia and Germany (B2 and iesy, respectively). Its interests will also include NTLs equity investments in the cable channel content providers of the ITN News Channel and The Studio Channel, as well as certain other assets. New NTL will become the ultimate parent of Fawnspring Limited, the general partner of the Partnership.
Assuming the Plan is consummated, New NTLs and NTL Eurocos ability to meet their respective funding requirements following consummation of the Plan are dependent upon a number of factors, including the revenue generated by their operating subsidiaries, their existing cash balances, and their ability to draw upon an exit facility (in the case of New NTL) or any other financing. NTL will be required to replace the DIP facility with an exit facility for New NTL and its subsidiaries upon emergence from Chapter 11, in part because the DIP facility will mature concurrently with NTLs emergence from Chapter 11, or on December 1, 2002, whichever is earlier (unless such maturity is extended by the DIP lenders). There can be no assurance that these sources of financing will be or will remain available. Assuming consummation, each of New NTL and NTL Euroco will require substantial funds for general corporate and other expenses and may require additional funds for working capital fluctuations. Failure to achieve profitability or maintain or achieve various other financial performance levels could in the future diminish New NTLs and Eurocos respective ability to sustain operations, meet financial covenants, obtain additional funds required for capital expenditures or other purposes, and make required payments on any indebtedness they have incurred, may incur or that may then, as a result, become due. There can be no assurance that New NTL and/or NTL Euroco will be successful in raising additional financing if required, or if successful, that the terms of such financing will be favorable. In the event that NTL fails to consummate the Plan, the foregoing description will continue to apply to NTL.
NTL expects that it will require approximately $650 million to fund its working capital and capital expenditures, net of cash from operations, and certain payments required upon consummation of the Plan (namely the settlement of recapitalization costs with NTL Euroco, the repayment or purchase of the £90 million loan from NTL (Delaware), Inc. to NTL (UK) Group Inc. and the UK credit facilities amendment fee) in the twelve months from October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2003. NTL believes that cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities on hand of $475.7 million at September 30, 2002, and the cash available from the DIP facility and subsequently the planned exit facility will be sufficient for New NTLs cash requirements during the twelve months from October 1, 2002 to September 30, 2003 (assuming consummation of the Plan). If the exit facility is not obtained and the Plan is not consummated, NTL will need to seek an extension of the DIP facility maturity or identify alternative sources of financing. Moreover, the planned exit facility will not be available to NTL Euroco. It is anticipated that NTL Euroco and its subsidiaries will require substantial financing to continue operations because, among other things, the Cablecom bank facility becomes repayable on April 30, 2003, unless otherwise refinanced. There can be no assurance that NTL Euroco will be able to raise sufficient funds to meet its liquidity requirements following consummation.
Over the long term, NTL will continue to require cash to fund operations, service its remaining debt and implement its strategy. In order to fund these requirements, NTL anticipates that it will use cash flow from operations and may also need to issue additional debt or equity securities or may need to secure additional bank financing. Given NTLs current financial condition and the restrictions on incurring additional debt that are expected to be contained in the exit facility currently being negotiated, there can be no assurance that these sources of funds will be available to NTL.
7
During the recapitalization process, NTL has maintained normal and regular trade terms with its suppliers and customers. There can be no assurance that the Partnerships suppliers will continue to provide normal trade credit or credit on acceptable terms, if at all, or that customers will continue to do business or enter into new business with NTL. See also Risk Factors for a summary of risks related to NTLs business in general and the recapitalization process in particular.
Events Leading to the Proposed Recapitalization and Chapter 11 Filings
Beginning in January 2002, NTL was contacted by an unofficial committee of bondholders regarding the commencement of a comprehensive and consensual restructuring process. NTL was informed at that time that the members of the unofficial steering committee of bondholders owned, in the aggregate, more than 50% of the outstanding principal amount of NTLs notes. In connection with the restructuring process, the steering committee of the unofficial committee of bondholders retained advisors to facilitate the negotiations.
On January 31, 2002, NTL announced that it had appointed Credit Suisse First Boston, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley to advise on strategic and recapitalization alternatives to strengthen its balance sheet and reduce debt and put an appropriate capital structure in place for its business. Subsequently, NTL evaluated various recapitalization alternatives, and met with a number of strategic investors, to effect a comprehensive consensual reorganization in a timely manner to minimize negative effects on its business operations. Discussions with such strategic investors did not result in a proposal which NTLs board of directors believed was comparable or superior to the value provided to its stakeholders by the proposed plan of reorganization.
Promptly upon obtaining the requisite waivers from the lenders under its credit facilities, in March 2002, NTL commenced negotiations with the steering committee of the unofficial committee of bondholders and its legal and financial advisors. On April 16, 2002, NTL announced that it had reached a comprehensive agreement in principle with the unofficial committee and France Telecom, a significant holder of NTL Incorporateds preferred stock, on implementing a recapitalization plan.
To implement the proposed recapitalization, on May 8, 2002, the Debtors filed cases and a pre-arranged joint reorganization plan under Chapter 11. The Partnership and NTLs operating subsidiaries, including NTL South Harts, were not included in the Chapter 11 filing. On June 21, 2002, the United States Trustee appointed an official unsecured creditors committee. The creditors committee is comprised of the three indenture trustees for the debt securities of NTL and the members of the steering committee of NTLs bondholders. The members of the creditors committee are: The Bank of New York; Wilmington Trust Company; Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, National Association; Angelo Gordon & Co. LP; Capital Research & Management Company; Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC; Oaktree Capital Management LLC; Salomon Brothers Asset Management; Appaloosa Management, LP; Fidelity Management & Research Co.; SAB Capital Management, L.P.; and W.R. Huff Asset Management Co., LLC.
The Plan was confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court on September 5, 2002. Consummation remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described above.
Assuming the Plan is consummated, the Plan will result in the cancellation of all of NTL Incorporateds outstanding shares of common stock, preferred stock and redeemable preferred stock, and the cancellation of all of the publicly held notes of NTL Incorporated, NTL (Delaware), Inc. and NTL Communications Corp. and the transfer of the publicly held notes of Diamond Cable Communications Limited to New NTL. In addition, when the Plan is implemented, NTL will be discharged from its obligation to pay dividends accruing on the canceled preferred stock and interest accruing on the canceled notes. The Plan contemplates that the UK bank debt and the notes issued by NTL (Triangle) LLC and Diamond Holdings Limited will remain in place. NTL will be split into New NTL and NTL Euroco. The Partnership is not a Debtor and the limited partnership units of the Partnership will not be cancelled in connection with the Plan.
The filing of the petitions seeking relief filed under Chapter 11 constituted an event of default under the indentures of each of the Debtors and amounts outstanding under these indentures became immediately due and payable. No action has been taken to date in respect of those defaults and any such action likely would be barred by the automatic stay that exists by virtue of the Chapter 11 filings. The filing of the Debtors Chapter 11 petitions also constituted an event of default under NTLs UK credit facilities and the Cablecom credit facility, allowing the lenders thereunder to declare amounts outstanding to be immediately payable. Those lenders have not taken any action to date in respect of those defaults.
8
DIP Facility
In connection with the Plan, some members of the official unsecured creditors committee of bondholders committed to provide up to $500 million of new debt financing to enable the business operations of NTL Incorporated and some of its subsidiaries to have access to sufficient liquidity to continue ordinary operations during the Chapter 11 process. The Bankruptcy Court approved a DIP facility in the principal amount of $630 million (including a $130 million commitment from NTL (Delaware), Inc. and the $500 million from certain members of the creditors committee) in an order entered on July 3, 2002. On July 15, 2002, the various lenders under the DIP facility and NTL (Delaware), Inc. entered into the DIP facility agreement with Communications Cable Funding Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTL Communications Corp., to provide $630 million in financing to Communications Cable Funding Corp.
Under the DIP facility agreement, the loan structure contains three tranches that rank equally with each other. All amounts owed under the DIP facility agreement are required to be paid in full no later than the earlier of (i) the consummation of the Plan, (ii) December 1, 2002, and (iii) the date on which all of the term loans become due and payable in full under the DIP facility agreement, whether by acceleration or otherwise (unless maturity is extended by the DIP lenders).
On July 17, 2002, NTL drew the first tranche available under the facility in the amount of $229.0 million. As of September 30, 2002, the total amount outstanding under the DIP facility was $229.0 million.
In connection with the commitment, NTL Incorporated and its debtor subsidiaries paid a commitment fee to the bondholder DIP lenders equal to 2% of the $500 million commitment (i.e., $10 million) in May 2002. In connection with the closing of the DIP facility, NTL Incorporated and its debtor subsidiaries paid a closing fee to the DIP lenders equal to 2% of the $630 million commitment (i.e., $12.6 million) in July 2002.
Each term loan under the DIP facility bears interest on the unpaid principal amount for three months from July 15, 2002 at the rate of 11% per annum. With respect to each successive three month period following that date, the rate per annum will increase incrementally by 1% over the immediately preceding three month period but will not exceed 18% per annum for any three month
9
period. Interest is payable in cash at least monthly. The DIP facility also includes an unutilized commitment fee of 1/2% per annum on the aggregate principal amount of unutilized commitments which is payable in cash each month.
NTL (Delaware), Inc. is also a lender under the DIP facility in the amount of up to $130 million. NTL (Delaware), Inc. has cash on hand and NTL Incorporated and its debtor subsidiaries and the steering committee of bondholders concluded that the cash at NTL (Delaware), Inc. was to be used to partially fund the reorganization of all of the debtors. Pursuant to the terms of the DIP facility, NTL (Delaware), Inc. receives fees, will receive interest if and when it makes any loans, and is entitled to the same protections as the other bondholder DIP lenders.
Under the DIP facility agreement, Communications Cable Funding Corp. is the borrower, NTL Incorporated, NTL (Delaware), Inc. and NTL Communications Corp. are guarantors. NTL Communications Corp. is also a co-obligor of the loans from NTL (Delaware), Inc. Under the DIP facility agreement, with certain exceptions, the cash (except for the DIP facility proceeds) of the borrower and the guarantors is cash collateral for the DIP facility and will not be used or transferred for any purpose whatsoever without the consent of the bondholder DIP lenders. All funding needs of the Debtors will be funded through the proceeds of the DIP facility, in accordance with a budget and the terms of the DIP facility agreement.
A copy of the DIP facility agreement was attached as an exhibit to NTL Incorporateds Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 19, 2002.
Exit Facility
Because of the short maturity of the DIP facility and the longer term liquidity needs of NTL, as well as the requirements under the Bankruptcy Code for confirmation of and the conditions to consummation of the Plan, NTL requires an exit financing facility for New NTL. The exit financing or any alternative financing would refinance (at least in part) the DIP facility and be used as consideration for the refinancing or repurchase of a £90 million note payable to NTL (Delaware), Inc. from NTL (UK) Group Inc. NTL is currently finalizing discussions with a group of lenders regarding the exit facility, although given the unfavorable present market conditions for telecommunications companies generally, there can be no assurance an agreement for an exit facility with acceptable terms will be reached. If acceptable exit financing is not obtained, the Plan could not be consummated and NTL could not emerge from Chapter 11 in accordance with the Plan. NTL expects that the exit facility will be secured by various assets of New NTL, including those which secure the DIP facility, will rank senior to all current and future subordinated debt of New NTL, and will be guaranteed by certain subsidiaries of New NTL.
NTL also expects that the exit facility will impose operating and financial restrictions on New NTL and its subsidiaries. These restrictions will significantly limit or prohibit, among other things, New NTLs ability and the ability of its subsidiaries to incur additional indebtedness, pay dividends, or make distributions in respect of capital stock, make other restricted payments, enter into sale and leaseback transactions, create liens upon assets, enter into transactions with affiliates or related persons, sell assets, or consolidate, merge, or sell all or substantially all of their assets. NTL anticipates that these restrictive covenants could materially impact New NTLs ability to finance future operations or capital needs through debt or equity financing or to engage in other business activities.
The terms, covenants, and conditions of an exit facility have not been finalized and remain subject to negotiation and final documentation, as well as approval by NTLs UK bank lenders to its terms.
The exit facility for New NTL and its subsidiaries will not be available to NTL Euroco. It is anticipated that NTL Euroco and its subsidiaries will require substantial financing to continue operations because, among other things, the Cablecom bank facilities become repayable on April 30, 2003, unless otherwise refinanced. There can be no assurance that NTL Euroco (or any subsidiary thereof) will be able to raise sufficient funds to meet its liquidity requirements following consummation.
The Plan
In addition to the split into New NTL and NTL Euroco, the following are the details of the Plan:
| | Holders of notes of NTL Incorporated (other than France Telecom), NTL (Delaware), Inc. (other than France Telecom), NTL Communications Corp. and Diamond Cable Communications Limited will in the aggregate receive 100% of the initial |
10
| common stock of New NTL (excluding shares issuable in the rights offerings and upon the exercise of warrants (discussed below) and upon the exercise of options which will be granted to certain employees of New NTL). | ||
| | Holders of notes of NTL Incorporated (other than France Telecom), NTL (Delaware), Inc. (other than France Telecom) and NTL Communications Corp. will in the aggregate receive (i) 100% of the preferred stock of NTL Euroco and (ii) a certain amount of cash as specified in the Plan. Holders of the subordinated notes of NTL Incorporated (other than France Telecom), NTL (Delaware), Inc. (other than France Telecom) and NTL Communications Corp. will in the aggregate receive 86.5% of the initial common stock of NTL Euroco (excluding shares issuable upon the exercise of options which will be granted to certain employees of NTL Euroco). | |
| | Holders of senior notes of NTL Communications Corp. will receive the value of a specified number of shares of common stock of NTL Euroco pursuant to the amended joint reorganization plan. Notes of NTL Communications Corp.s subsidiaries Diamond Holdings Limited and NTL (Triangle) LLC will remain outstanding and interest payments will be made on the notes of NTL (Triangle) LLC and, upon emergence from Chapter 11, the notes of Diamond Holdings Limited. | |
| | In addition to the above, holders of several series of NTLs outstanding convertible subordinated notes were granted an option to elect to purchase additional shares of New NTL common stock (and accompanying Series A Warrants) not subscribed for in the equity rights offering as described below. | |
| | Current preferred and common stockholders of NTL Incorporated, including France Telecom, will receive Series A warrants to purchase common stock of New NTL and have received equity rights entitling them to purchase common stock of New NTL. For each share of common stock purchased upon exercise of equity rights, the person exercising such equity rights will receive a Series A warrant to purchase one share of common stock of New NTL. The Series A warrants will be exercisable for a period of eight years at an exercise price of $77.47 per share. The exercise price and the number of shares to be received upon exercise of the Series A warrants is subject to customary adjustments for stock splits, stock recapitalizations and distributions of property (other than cash) to holders of New NTL common stock. The exercise price per share of New NTL common stock under the equity rights offering and the noteholder election option was $25.28, which NTL expects will substantially exceed the likely initial market price for a share of New NTL common stock upon consummation, and which is also subject to adjustment consistent with the Series A warrants. | |
| | The equity rights offering and the noteholder election option expired on October 3, 2002. Since the expiration of the equity rights offering and the noteholder election option, NTL has allowed equity holders who have exercised equity rights and noteholders who have exercised their noteholder election option to revoke such exercises. As of November 12, 2002, there were a total of 2,654 exercises of equity rights (including oversubscriptions) and 1,861 exercises of the noteholder election option which had not been revoked. Prior to consummation of the Plan, NTL will continue to permit persons who have exercised equity rights and the noteholder election option to revoke their exercise so the final number of exercises may be lower. | |
| | Current preferred stockholders, other than France Telecom, will receive approximately 3.2% and current common stockholders, other than France Telecom, will receive approximately 10.3% of the primary equity of NTL Euroco. France Telecom will also receive NTL Incorporateds 27% interest in Noos, pursuant to a pledge of such interest to France Telecom given at the time of its acquisition. |
NTL has received a conditional approval to have the shares of common stock and Series A warrants of New NTL quoted on the Nasdaq National Market upon consummation of the Plan. However, this approval is conditioned upon, among other things, New NTLs ability to meet the $5.00 minimum bid requirement of the Nasdaq National Market listing requirements on the first day of trading. There can be no assurance that this requirement will be met, or that in the future New NTL will be able to meet other continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq National Market. NTL currently expects that the NTL Euroco common stock and preferred stock will not be quoted on any market or listed on any securities exchange. There may be no trading market for the common stock and the preferred stock of NTL Euroco.
On November 12, 2002, NTL filed a motion with the Bankruptcy Court to allow it, after consultation with the Committee, to reduce by one-third the number of authorized shares of New NTL common stock and to reduce by three-fourths the number of shares of New NTL common stock issued and reserved for is