239.38—Form F-8, for registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of securities of certain Canadian issuers to be issued in exchange offers or a business combination.
(a)
Form F-8 may be used for registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) of securities to be issued in an exchange offer or in connection with a statutory amalgamation, merger, arrangement or other reorganization requiring the vote of shareholders of the participating companies (a “business combination”). Securities may be registered on this Form whether they constitute the sole consideration for such exchange offer or business combination, or are offered in conjunction with cash.
(b)
This Form shall not be used for registration of securities if no takeover bid circular or issuer bid circular (in the case of an exchange offer) or information circular (in the case of a business combination) is prepared pursuant to the requirements of any Canadian jurisdiction due to the availability of an exemption from such requirements.
(1)
Warrants, options and rights, provided that such securities and the underlying securities to which they relate are issued by the registrant, its parent or an affiliate of either; and
(2)
Convertible securities, provided that such securities are convertible only into securities of the registrant, its parent or an affiliate of either.
Instruction: For purposes of this Form, an “affiliate” of a person is anyone who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, or exercises control or direction over, more than 10 percent of the outstanding equity shares of such person. The determination of a person's affiliates shall be made as of the end of such person's most recently completed fiscal year.
(3)
Has had a class of its securities listed on The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange or the Senior Board of the Vancouver Stock Exchange for the 12 calendar months immediately preceding the filing of this Form, has been subject to the continuous disclosure requirements of any securities commission or equivalent regulatory authority in Canada for a period of at least 36 calendar months immediately preceding the filing of this Form, and is currently in compliance with obligations arising from such listing and reporting; and
(4)
Has an aggregate market value of the public float of its outstanding equity shares of (CN) $75 million or more; provided, however, that such public float requirement need not be satisfied if the issuer of the securities to be exchanged is also the registrant on this Form.
Instructions: 1. For purposes of this Form, “foreign private issuer” shall be construed in accordance with rule 405 under the Securities Act.
2. For purposes of this Form, “equity shares” shall mean common shares, non-voting equity shares and subordinate or restricted voting equity shares, but shall not include preferred shares.
3. For purposes of this Form, the “public float” of specified securities shall mean only such securities held by persons other than affiliates of the issuer.
4. For purposes of this Form, the market value of the public float of outstanding equity shares shall be computed by use of the price at which such shares were last sold, or the average of the bid and asked prices of such shares, in the principal market for such shares as of a date within 60 days prior to the date of filing. If there is no market for any of such securities, the book value of such securities computed as of the latest practicable date prior to the filing of this Form shall be used for purposes of calculating the market value, unless the issuer of such securities is in bankruptcy or receivership or has an accumulated capital deficit, in which case one-third of the principal amount, par value or stated value of such securities shall be used.
(e)
In the case of an exchange offer, the securities to be registered on this Form shall be offered to U. S. holders upon terms and conditions not less favorable than those offered to any other holder of the same class of the securities to be exchanged (the “subject securities”) for the securities of the registrant.
(f)
In the case of an exchange offer, if the registrant is a successor registrant subsisting after a business combination, the registrant shall be deemed to meet the 36-month reporting requirement and the 12-month listing requirement of paragraph (d)(3) of this section if:
(1)
The time the successor registrant has been subject to the continuous disclosure requirements of any securities commission or equivalent regulatory authority in Canada, when added separately to the time each predecessor had been subject to such requirements at the time of the business combination, in each case equals at least 36 calendar months, provided, however, that any predecessor need not be considered for purposes of the reporting history calculation if the reporting histories of predecessors whose assets and gross revenues, respectively, would contribute at least 80 percent of the total assets and gross revenues from continuing operations of the successor registrant, as measured based on pro forma combination of such participating companies' most recently completed fiscal years immediately prior to the business combination, when combined with the reporting history of the successor registrant in each case satisfy such 36-month reporting requirement;
(2)
The time the successor registrant has been subject to the listing requirements of the specified exchanges, when added separately to the time each predecessor had been subject to such requirements at the time of the business combination, in each case equals at least 12 calendar months, provided, however, that any predecessor need not be considered for purposes of the listing history calculation if the listing histories of predecessors whose assets and gross revenues, respectively, would contribute at least 80 percent of the total assets and gross revenues from continuing operations of the successor registrant, as measured based on pro forma combination of such participating companies' most recently completed fiscal years immediately prior to the business combination, when combined with the listing history of the successor registrant in each case satisfy such 12-month listing requirement; and
(3)
The successor registrant has been subject to such continuous disclosure requirements and listing requirements since the business combination, and is currently in compliance with its obligations thereunder.
(g)
In the case of an exchange offer, the issuer of the subject securities shall be incorporated or organized under the laws of Canada or any Canadian province or territory and be a foreign private issuer, and less than 25 percent of the class of subject securities outstanding shall be held by U. S. holders.
Instructions: 1. For purposes of exchange offers, the term “U. S. holder” shall mean any person whose address appears on the records of the issuer of the subject securities, any voting trustee, any depositary, any share transfer agent or any person acting in a similar capacity on behalf of the issuer of the subject securities as being located in the United States.
2. With respect to any tender offer, including any exchange offer, otherwise eligible to proceed in accordance with rule 14d-1(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), the issuer of the subject securities will be presumed to be a foreign private issuer and U. S. holders will be presumed to hold less than 25 percent of such outstanding securities, unless (a) the aggregate trading volume of that class on national securities exchanges in the United States and on NASDAQ exceeded its aggregate trading volume on securities exchanges in Canada and on the Canadian Dealing Network, Inc. (“CDN”) over the 12 calendar month period prior to commencement of this offer, or if commenced in response to a prior offer, over the 12 calendar month period prior to commencement of the initial offer (based on volume figures published by such exchanges and NASDAQ and CDN) ; (b) the most recent annual report or annual information form filed or submitted by the issuer with securities regulators of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia or Alberta (or, if the issuer of the subject securities is not a reporting issuer in any of such provinces, with any other Canadian securities regulator) or with the Commission indicates that U. S. holders hold 25 percent or more of the outstanding subject class of securities; or (c) the offeror has actual knowledge that the level of U. S. ownership equals or exceeds 25 percent of such securities.
3. For purposes of this Form, if this Form is filed during the pendency of one or more ongoing cash tender or exchange offers for securities of the class subject to the offer that was commenced or was eligible to be commenced on Schedule 13E-4F, Schedule 14D-1F, and/or Form F-8 or Form F-80, the date for calculation of U.S. ownership shall be the same as that date used by the initial bidder or issuer.
4. For purposes of this Form, the class of subject securities shall not include any securities that may be converted into or are exchangeable for the subject securities.
5. For purposes of exchange offers, the calculation of U. S. holders shall be made as of the end of the subject issuer's last quarter or, if such quarter terminated within 60 days of the filing date, as of the end of such issuer's preceding quarter.
(1)
Each company participating in the business combination, including the successor registrant, is incorporated or organized under the laws of Canada or any Canadian province or territory and is a foreign private issuer;
(2)
Each company participating in the business combination other than the successor registrant has had a class of its securities listed on The Montreal Exchange, The Toronto Stock Exchange or the Senior Board of the Vancouver Stock Exchange for the 12 calendar months immediately preceding the filing of this Form, has been subject to the continuous disclosure requirements of any securities commission or equivalent regulatory authority in Canada for a period of at least 36 calendar months immediately preceding the filing of this Form, and is currently in compliance with obligations arising from such listing and reporting; provided, however, that any such participating company shall not be required to meet such 36-month reporting requirement or 12-month listing requirement if other participating companies whose assets and gross revenues, respectively, would contribute at least 80 percent of the total assets and gross revenues from continuing operations of the successor registrant, as measured based on pro forma combination of the participating companies' most recently completed fiscal years, each meet such reporting and listing requirements; and
(3)
The aggregate market value of the public float of the outstanding equity shares of each company participating in the business combination other than the successor registrant is (CN) $75 million or more; provided, however, that any such participating company shall not be required to meet such public float requirement if other participating companies whose assets and gross revenues, respectively, would contribute at least 80 percent of the total assets and gross revenues from continuing operations of the successor registrant, as measured based on pro forma combination of the participating companies' most recently completed fiscal years, each meet such public float requirement; and, provided further, that such public float requirement shall be deemed satisfied in the case of a participating company whose equity shares were the subject of an exchange offer that was registered or would have been eligible for registration on Form F-8, Form F-9, Form F-10 or Form F-80, or a tender offer in connection with which Schedule 13E-4F or 14D-1F was filed or could have been filed, that terminated within the last twelve months, if the participating company would have satisfied such public float requirement immediately prior to commencement of such exchange or tender offer.
(i)
In the case of a business combination, less than 25 percent of the class of securities to be offered by the successor registrant shall be held by U.S. holders as if measured immediately after completion of the business combination.
Instructions: 1. For purposes of business combinations, the term “U.S. holder” shall mean any person whose address appears on the records of a participating company, any voting trustee, any depositary, any share transfer agent or any person acting in a similar capacity on behalf of a participating company as being located in the United States.
2. For purposes of business combinations, the calculation of U.S. holders shall be made by a participant as of the end of such participant's last quarter or, if such quarter terminated within 60 days of the filing date, as of the end of such participant's preceding quarter.
(j)
In the case of a business combination, the securities to be registered on this Form shall be offered to U.S. holders upon terms and conditions not less favorable than those offered to any other holder of the same class of such securities of the participating company.
(k)
This Form shall not be used if the registrant or, in the case of an exchange offer, the issuer of the subject securities, is an investment company registered or required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(l)
Registrants and any non-U.S. person acting as trustee with respect to the securities being registered shall each file a Form F-X ( § 239.42 of this chapter) with the Commission at the time of filing this Form.