TE CONNECTIVITY LTD. (NYSE:TEL) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive AgreementITEM 1.01. ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT
On December5, 2018, Tyco Electronics Group S.A. (“TEGSA”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TE Connectivity Ltd. (“TE Connectivity”), issued $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Senior Floating Rate Notes due June 2020 (the “Notes”). The Notes were offered and sold by TEGSA to a registration statement on FormS-3 (Registration No.333-212771) (the “Registration Statement”). The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes were $349.3 million after deducting the underwriters’ discount but before other expenses, and will be used for general corporate purposes.
The Notes are governed by an indenture, dated as of September25, 2007 (the “Indenture”), among TEGSA, as issuer, TE Connectivity, as guarantor, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the Fifteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December5, 2018 (the “Fifteenth Supplemental Indenture”), among TEGSA, as issuer, TE Connectivity, as guarantor, and the Trustee. The Trustee will receive customary fees in connection therewith. The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed as to payment on an unsecured senior basis by TE Connectivity (the “Guarantee”). The Notes are TEGSA’s unsecured senior obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of its existing and future senior debt, and senior to any subordinated indebtedness that TEGSA may incur.
The Notes are not redeemable prior to maturity except in the event of certain tax changes affecting the Notes.
The Indenture limits TEGSA’s ability to create liens to secure certain indebtedness without also securing the Notes and limits its ability to enter into sale and lease-back transactions. The Indenture also limits TEGSA’s and TE Connectivity’s ability to consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of their assets. These covenants are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions.
If TE Connectivity experiences a change of control and, as a result of that change of control, the Notes are rated below investment grade by at least two of Standard& Poor’s Financial Services LLC, Moody’s Investors Service,Inc. and Fitch Ratings,Ltd. (or the equivalent under any successor rating categories of Standard& Poor’s, Moody’s or Fitch’s, respectively), and TEGSA has not redeemed the Notes, TEGSA will offer to repurchase all of the Notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date.
The following are events of default under the Indenture with respect to the Notes:
· default in the payment of any installment of interest upon the Notes, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
· default in the payment of all or any part of the principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes; or
· default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of TE Connectivity or TEGSA in respect of the Notes and the Guarantee (other than the failure to comply with any covenant or agreement to file with the trustee the information filed or required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or a default or breach specifically dealt with elsewhere), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days; or
· the Guarantee of the Notes shall for any reason cease to be, or shall for any reason be asserted in writing by TE Connectivity or TEGSA not to be, in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms except to the extent contemplated by the Indenture and the Guarantee; or
· a court shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of TEGSA or TE Connectivity in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or
· TEGSA or TE Connectivity shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law; or
· an event of default shall happen and be continuing with respect to TEGSA’s or TE Connectivity’s indebtedness for borrowed money under any indenture or other instrument evidencing or under which TEGSA or TE Connectivity shall have a principal amount outstanding in excess of $100,000,000 and such event of default shall involve the failure to pay the principal of such indebtedness on the final maturity date thereof after expiration of any grace period or in certain circumstances involving acceleration of the indebtedness such that the principal shall become due and payable prior to the date on which it otherwise would be due and payable.
