ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. (NASDAQ:AHGP) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive AgreementITEM 1.01 ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.
On July28, 2017, Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. (the “Partnership”) entered into a Contribution Agreement (the “Contribution Agreement”) by and among the Partnership, Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“ARLP”), Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, subsidiary of the Partnership and the managing general partner ARLP (“ARLP Managing GP”), Alliance Resource GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ARLP Special GP”), ARM GP Holdings,Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ARMH,Inc.”), and MGP II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“MGP II”), whereby (i)ARLP Managing GP contributed to ARLP all of its incentive distribution rights representing non-voting limited partner interests in ARLP (the “IDRs”) together with its 0.99% general partner interest in ARLP in exchange for a non-economic general partner interest in ARLP and 56,100,000 common units representing limited partner interests in ARLP (the “ARLP Managing GP Common Units”) and (ii)ARLP Special GP contributed to ARLP its 0.01% general partner interest in ARLP and its 0.01% general partner interest in Alliance Resource Operating Partners, L.P. (“AROP”) in exchange for 7,181 common units representing limited partner interests in ARLP (the “ARLP Special GP Common Units” and, together with the ARLP Managing GP Common Units, the “Exchange Units,” and, the transactions described in (i)and (ii), the “Exchange Transactions”). The general partner interests in ARLP that were contributed to ARLP were cancelled by ARLP, and the only remaining general partner interest in ARLP is the non-economic general partner interest issued to ARLP Managing GP as described above. In addition, ARLP cancelled the IDRs following their contribution by ARLP Managing GP and ARLP. Following the transaction, ARLP will maintain the 0.01% special general partner interest in AROP contributed to it by ARLP Special GP as noted above.
As a result of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement, the ARLP Managing GP Units will be held by MGP II, a subsidiary of the Partnership that will own ARLP Managing GP as a result of the transactions. ARLP Managing GP will continue to serve as the general partner of ARLP following the transactions, and no control, management or governance changes will otherwise occur, including with respect to ARLP’s subsidiaries. MGP II adopted the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of ARLP Managing GP, dated as of July28, 2017, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit3.3 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference to reflect its ownership of ARLP Managing GP. In addition, the Partnership and ARMH,Inc. adopted the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of MGP II, dated as of July28, 2017, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit3.4 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference to reflect their ownership of MGP II.
On July28, 2017, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC delivered a fairness opinion to the board of directors of Alliance GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of AHGP (“AGP”) in connection with the transaction. The terms of the Contribution Agreement were unanimously approved by board of directors of AGP.
The foregoing description of the Contribution Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of such agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit10.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.
On July28, 2017, the Partnership announced, via press release, the Exchange Transactions and the Contribution Agreement and the declaration by the board of directors of AGP of a distribution for the quarter ended June30, 2017. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit99.1.
The information furnished in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit99.1 hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except to the extent specifically referenced in any such filings.