S-3ASR

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2015

Registration No. 333-                

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Wisconsin 39-1382325

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

3700 West Juneau Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208

(414) 342-4680

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Paul J. Jones

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

3700 West Juneau Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208

(414) 342-4680

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

with a copy to:

Patrick G. Quick

Jessica S. Lochmann

Foley & Lardner LLP

777 East Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

(414) 297-5678

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:   ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, 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:   ¨

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:   ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. 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:   x

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box:   ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

  Large accelerated filer    x   Accelerated filer   ¨
  Non-accelerated filer    ¨    (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)   Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of

securities to be registered

Amount to be registered/

Proposed maximum offering price per

unit/Proposed maximum offering price

Amount of

registration fee

Common Stock, $0.01 par value

(1) (1)

Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value

Depositary Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

Stock Purchase Contracts

Equity Units (2)

 

 

(1) An indeterminate aggregate initial offering price or number of the securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities or that are issued in units. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee. This registration statement also covers delayed delivery contracts that may be issued by Harley-Davidson, Inc. under which the party purchasing such contracts may be required to purchase debt securities, common stock or preferred stock. Such contracts may be issued together with the specific securities to which they relate. In addition, securities registered hereunder may be sold either separately or as units comprised of more than one type of security registered hereunder.
(2) Each equity unit consists of (a) a stock purchase contract under which the holder, upon settlement, will purchase or sell an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares and (b) common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, debt securities, other stock purchase contracts or debt obligations of third parties securing the holder’s obligation to purchase or sell the securities subject to the stock purchase contract. No separate consideration will be received for the stock purchase contract or the related pledged securities.

 

 

 


PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Depositary Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

Stock Purchase Contracts

Equity Units

 

 

We may offer these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of offering.

In addition, selling shareholders to be named in a prospectus supplement may offer and sell from time to time shares of our common stock in such amounts as set forth in a prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement, we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by any selling shareholders.

Each time securities are sold using this prospectus, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus and possibly other offering material containing specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities being sold, including the offering price. The supplement or other offering material may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HOG.”

We may offer and sell these securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to investors, on a continued or a delayed basis. The supplements to this prospectus will provide the specific terms of the plan of distribution.

You should read this prospectus, any supplement and any other offering material carefully before you invest.

See “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus supplement or in such other document we refer you to in the accompanying prospectus supplement for a discussion of certain risks that prospective investors should consider before investing in our securities.

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is March 4, 2015.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1   

THE COMPANY

     1   

SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

     2   

USE OF PROCEEDS

     2   

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     2   

SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED

     2   

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     3   

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

     6   

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     7   

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     20   

DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND EQUITY UNITS

     22   

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     23   

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     26   

LEGAL MATTERS

     27   

EXPERTS

     27   

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

Unless the context otherwise requires or as otherwise specifically stated, in this prospectus, “we,” “us,” “our” or “ours” refer to Harley-Davidson, Inc.

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 shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell the securities or combinations of the securities described in this prospectus, and one or more of our shareholders may sell our common stock, in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of those securities. Each time we offer 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. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making offers to sell or solicitations to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we file or previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

THE COMPANY

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the groups of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS). HDMC produces cruiser and touring motorcycles. HDMC manufactures six platforms of motorcycles: Touring, Dyna®, Softail®, Sportster®, V-Rod® and Street. HDFS provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance programs primarily to Harley-Davidson dealers and customers.


Our headquarters are located at 3700 West Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208, and our telephone number is (414) 342-4680.

SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

We may register shares of common stock covered by this prospectus for re-offers and resales by any selling shareholders to be named in a prospectus supplement. We may register these shares to permit selling shareholders to resell their shares when they deem appropriate. A selling shareholder may resell all, a portion or none of such shareholder’s shares at any time and from time to time. Selling shareholders may also sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of some or all of their shares of our common stock in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. We do not know when or in what amounts the selling shareholders may offer shares for sale under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of shares by a selling shareholder under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We may pay all expenses incurred with respect to the registration of the shares of common stock owned by the selling shareholders, other than underwriting fees, discounts or commissions which will be borne by the selling shareholders. We will provide you with a prospectus supplement naming the selling shareholders, the amount of shares to be registered and sold and any other terms of the shares of common stock being sold by each selling shareholder.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes, including repaying, repurchasing or redeeming existing debt, expanding existing businesses, acquiring businesses and investing in other business opportunities. Pending such use, we may temporarily invest the net proceeds in short-term investments.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

     Years Ended December 31,  
     2014      2013      2012      2011      2010  

Ratios of earnings to fixed charges

     8.5x         6.3x         4.9x         3.9x         2.1x   

For purposes of computing the ratios of earnings to fixed charges, earnings consist of earnings from continuing operations before income taxes, fixed charges and amortization of capitalized interest, less capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest expensed and capitalized, amortization of debt issuance costs and the interest component of rent expense.

We did not have any preferred stock outstanding and we did not pay or accrue any preferred stock dividends during the periods presented above.

SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED

We may offer shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock, depositary shares, debt securities, warrants, stock purchase contracts and equity units. We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of the securities that may be offered under this prospectus. The terms of the offering of securities, the initial offering price and the net proceeds to us will be contained in the prospectus supplement and other offering material relating to such offering.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our capital stock summarizes general terms and provisions that apply to our capital stock. Because this is only a summary it does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. The summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our articles of incorporation and by-laws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 800,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $1.00 par value per share. We will disclose in an applicable prospectus supplement and/or offering material the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding. As of the date of this prospectus, no shares of our preferred stock were outstanding.

Common Stock

Subject to Section 180.1150 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (described below under “Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Statutory Provisions”), holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held by them on all matters properly presented to shareholders. Subject to the prior rights of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock that are outstanding, our board of directors may at its discretion declare and pay dividends on our common stock out of our earnings or assets legally available for the payment of dividends. Subject to the prior rights of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock that are outstanding, if we are liquidated, any amounts remaining after the discharge of outstanding indebtedness will be paid pro rata to the holders of our common stock. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

Our board of directors is authorized to issue our preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the voting rights; the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of any series with respect to the rate of dividend, the price, the terms and conditions of redemption; the amounts payable in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation; sinking fund provisions for redemption or purchase of a series; and the terms and conditions on which a series may be converted.

If we offer preferred stock, we will file the terms of the preferred stock with the SEC and the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to that offering will include a description of the specific terms of the offering, including the following specific terms:

 

    the series, the number of shares offered and the liquidation value of the preferred stock;

 

    whether the shares will be issued as fractional shares;

 

    the price at which the preferred stock will be issued;

 

    the dividend rate, the dates on which the dividends will be payable and other terms relating to the payment of dividends on the preferred stock;

 

    the liquidation preference of the preferred stock;

 

    the voting rights of the preferred stock;

 

    whether the preferred stock is redeemable or subject to a sinking fund, and the terms of any such redemption or sinking fund;

 

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    whether the preferred stock is convertible or exchangeable for any other securities, and the terms of any such conversion; and

 

    any additional rights, preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the preferred stock.

It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock upon the rights of holders of our common stock until our board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of the preferred stock. However, these effects might include:

 

    restricting dividends on the common stock;

 

    diluting the voting power of the common stock;

 

    impairing the liquidation rights of the common stock; and

 

    delaying or preventing a change in control of our company.

Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Statutory Provisions

Provisions of our articles of incorporation and bylaws might discourage some types of transactions that involve an actual or threatened change of control of our company. Our articles of incorporation provide that our board of directors will be composed of not less than six or more than fifteen directors. A director may be removed from office by shareholders prior to the expiration of his or her term, but only for cause and by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes then entitled to be cast in an election of directors.

Our by-laws provide that a special meeting of shareholders may be called only by a majority of our board of directors and will be called by our board of directors upon the demand of shareholders representing at least 10% of all of the votes entitled to be cast at the special meeting. In addition, shareholders demanding a special meeting must deliver to us a written agreement to pay the costs that we incur in holding a special meeting, including the costs of preparing and mailing the proxy materials for our solicitation of proxies for use at the meeting, in the event such shareholders are unsuccessful in their proxy solicitation.

Our articles of incorporation provide that shareholders may not take action without a meeting by less than unanimous consent. Our articles of incorporation provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of at least eighty percent of all of our capital stock then entitled to vote in an election of directors, considered as one class, is required to amend, alter, change or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with:

 

    the provisions of our by-laws relating to special meetings of shareholders;

 

    the provisions of our by-laws relating to the record date and notice requirements for annual and special meetings of shareholders;

 

    the provisions of our articles of incorporation relating to shareholder action without a meeting; or

 

    the provisions of our articles of incorporation requiring at least an eighty percent vote.

Provisions of Wisconsin law might also discourage some types of transactions that involve an actual or threatened change of control of our company. Sections 180.1140 to 180.1144 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law contain some limitations and special voting provisions applicable to specified business combinations involving Wisconsin corporations such as us and a significant shareholder, unless the board of directors of the corporation approves the business combination or the shareholder’s acquisition of shares before these shares are acquired.

Similarly, Sections 180.1130 to 180.1133 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law contain special voting provisions applicable to some business combinations, unless specified minimum price and procedural requirements are met. Following commencement of a takeover offer, Section 180.1134 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law imposes special voting requirements on share repurchases effected at a premium to

 

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the market and on asset sales by the corporation, unless, as it relates to the potential sale of assets, the corporation has at least three independent directors and a majority of the independent directors vote not to have the provision apply to the corporation.

Section 180.1150 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law provides that the voting power of public Wisconsin corporations such as us held by any person or persons acting as a group in excess of 20% of our voting power is limited to 10% of the full voting power of those shares, unless full voting power of those shares has been restored pursuant to a vote of shareholders.

 

5


DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

We may, at our option, elect to offer fractional interests in shares of preferred stock rather than a full share of preferred stock. In that event, depositary receipts will be issued for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fraction of a share of a particular class or series of preferred stock, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Any series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and the depositary. The prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to a series of depositary shares will set forth the name and address of the depositary for the depositary shares and summarize the material provisions of the deposit agreement. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by such depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by such depositary share, including dividend and liquidation rights and any right to convert or exchange the preferred stock into other securities.

We will describe the particular terms of any depositary shares we offer in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. You should review the documents pursuant to which the depositary shares will be issued, which will be described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

 

6


DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description of the debt securities sets forth the material terms and provisions of the debt securities to which any prospectus supplement may relate. The particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which the provisions described in this prospectus may apply to the debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the debt securities. As used in the following description, the terms “Harley-Davidson, Inc.,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Harley-Davidson, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation, and not any of its subsidiaries, unless the context requires.

Senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, a form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The indenture relating to the senior debt securities, as amended or otherwise supplemented by any supplemental indentures, is referred to in this prospectus as the indenture.

The following summaries of the material provisions of the indenture and the debt securities do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture, including the definitions of specified terms used in the indenture, and the debt securities. Wherever particular articles, sections or defined terms of an indenture are referred to, it is intended that those articles, sections or defined terms will be incorporated herein by reference, and the statement in connection with which reference is made is qualified in its entirety by the article, section or defined term in the indenture.

General

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued under the indenture and does not limit the amount of other unsecured debt that we may issue or incur. The debt securities may be issued in one or more series with the same or various maturities and may be sold at par, a premium or an original issue discount. Some of the debt securities may be issued under the indenture as original issue discount securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. Federal income tax and other considerations applicable to any original issue discount securities will be described in the related prospectus supplement. We have the right to “reopen” a previous issue of a series of debt by issuing additional debt securities of such series. The debt securities will constitute part of our senior indebtedness and will rank equally with all of our outstanding unsecured senior debt.

We conduct a substantial amount of our operations through subsidiaries and expect that we will continue to do so. Our right to participate as a shareholder in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon its liquidation or reorganization or otherwise and the ability of a holder of debt securities to benefit as our creditor from any distribution are subject to prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary. The debt securities will also effectively rank junior in right of payment to any of our secured debt.

The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities offered thereby will describe the following terms of those debt securities:

 

    the title of the debt securities;

 

    any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

    the date or dates (or the manner of calculating the date or dates) on which the principal of the debt securities is payable;

 

    the rate or rates (or the manner of calculating the rate or rates) at which the debt securities shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable and the regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

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    the place or places where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable;

 

    the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency or currency units in which, and the terms and conditions upon which the debt securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option;

 

    our obligation, if any, to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices in the currency at which, the currency or currency units in which, and the terms and conditions upon which the debt securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

    the denominations in which the debt securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

 

    if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currencies in which payments of interest or principal of (and premium, if any, with respect to) the debt securities are to be made;

 

    if the interest on or principal of (or premium, if any, with respect to) the debt securities are to be payable, at our election or at the election of a holder thereof or otherwise, in a currency other than that in which such debt securities are payable, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the currency in such debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency in which such debt securities or any of them are to be so payable;

 

    whether the amount of payments of interest on or principal of (or premium, if any, with respect to) the debt securities of such series may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method or method may be based, without limitation, on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

 

    the extent to which any debt securities will be issuable in permanent global form, the manner in which any payments on a permanent global debt security will be made, and the appointment of any depository relating thereto;

 

    any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or covenants with respect to the debt securities of such series, whether or not such events of default or covenants are consistent with the events of default or covenants set forth herein;

 

    if any of the debt securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and, if so, the time, manner and place for such debt securities to be authenticated and delivered;

 

    the terms of any right to convert the debt securities of such series into, or exchange the debt securities for, our common stock or other securities or property or cash in lieu of our common stock or other securities or property, or any combination thereof; and

 

    any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture).

Payments

Unless otherwise indicated in any prospectus supplement, principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable, and transfers of the debt securities will be registerable, at the corporate trust office of the trustee. Alternatively, at our option, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the debt security register.

 

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Denominations, Registration and Transfer

Unless otherwise indicated in any prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000, or the equivalent in foreign currency. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with any transfer or exchange.

If the purchase price of any of the debt securities is denominated in a foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units or if the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units, the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to the issue of debt securities and the foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units will be described in the related prospectus supplement.

We will not be required to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange debt securities of any series during the period from 15 days next preceding a notice of redemption of debt securities of that series and ending at the close of business on the day of the notice of redemption of debt securities of such series so selected for redemption. We will also not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any debt security so selected for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

The indenture provides that we may, without the consent of the holders of debt securities, consolidate or merge with or into, or sell, convey or lease all or substantially all of our property to, any other person (whether or not affiliated with us), provided that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance (excluding any pledge) or lease shall be on the condition that:

 

    immediately after such transaction the entity formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger, or to which such sale, conveyance or lease shall have been made, shall not be in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, covenants and conditions of the indenture to be kept or performed by us;

 

    the person (if other than us) formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger, or to which such sale, conveyance or lease shall have been made, shall be a person organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof; and

 

    the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all of the debt securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of the indenture to be performed or observed by us, shall be expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture satisfactory in form to the trustee, executed and delivered to the trustee by the person (if other than us) formed by such consolidation, or into which we shall have been merged, or by the person which shall have acquired or leased such property.

In addition, we must provide to the trustee an opinion of legal counsel that any such transaction and any assumption by a successor person complies with the applicable provisions of the indenture and that we have complied with all conditions precedent provided in the indenture relating to such transaction.

Other than the covenants described above or as set forth in any accompanying prospectus supplement, the indenture contains no covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or a highly leveraged transaction involving us.

Modification of the Indenture

With the consent of the holders of more than 50% in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities then outstanding under the indenture, waivers, modifications and alterations of the terms of the

 

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indenture may be made which affect the rights of the holders of the series of debt securities. However, no modification or alteration may, without the consent of all holders of any series of debt securities then outstanding affected thereby:

 

    extend the fixed maturity of any debt security of that series;

 

    reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon;

 

    reduce the principal amount thereof or any premium thereon;

 

    make the principal thereof or interest or premium thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the debt securities; or

 

    reduce the percentage of debt securities of that series, the holders of which are required to consent to:

 

    any supplemental indenture;

 

    rescind and annul a declaration that the debt securities of that series are due and payable as a result of the occurrence of an event of default;

 

    waive any past event of default under the indenture and its consequences; and

 

    waive compliance with other specified provisions of the indenture.

In addition, as described in the description of “Events of Default” set forth below, holders of more than 50% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series then outstanding may waive past events of default in specified circumstances and may direct the trustee in enforcement of remedies.

We and the trustee may, without the consent of any holders, modify and supplement the indenture:

 

    to evidence the succession of another person to us under the indenture, or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor person of the covenants, agreements and obligations of us pursuant to the indenture;

 

    to add to the covenants applicable to us such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as our board of directors shall consider to be for the protection of the holders of debt securities of any or all series, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any of such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions a default or event of default with respect to such series permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in the indenture; provided, however, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction or condition, such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the trustee upon such default;

 

    to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained in the indenture or in any supplemental indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained in the indenture or in any supplemental indenture or to make any changes to the indenture required by law;

 

    to secure the debt securities of all series in accordance with the provisions of the indenture;

 

    to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to or with the trustee;

 

    to make other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under the indenture as shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders;

 

    to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by another person as a successor trustee under the indenture with respect to one or more series of debt securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the indenture by more than one trustee;

 

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    to modify, amend or supplement the indenture in such a manner as to permit the qualification of any supplemental indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as then in effect, except that nothing contained in the indenture shall permit or authorize the inclusion in any supplemental indenture of the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939;

 

    to provide for the issuance under the indenture of debt securities in coupon form (including debt securities registrable as to principal only) and to provide for exchangeability of such debt securities with debt securities of the same series issued under the indenture in fully registered form and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose;

 

    to change or eliminate any of the provisions of the indenture, provided, however, that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no debt security outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; and

 

    to establish any additional form of debt security and to provide for the issuance of any additional series of debt securities, in each case as permitted by the indenture.

Certain Restrictive Covenants

The indenture requires us to comply with certain restrictive covenants.

Restrictions on Secured Debt

We may not, and may not permit our restricted subsidiaries to, create, assume, or guarantee any indebtedness for money borrowed that is secured by a security interest in any principal property or any shares of capital stock or indebtedness of any restricted subsidiary that owns a principal property, in each case without making effective provision for securing the debt securities offered under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement equally and ratably with the secured debt. Notwithstanding this limitation on secured debt, we and our restricted subsidiaries may have debt secured by:

 

    any security interest on any property hereafter acquired or constructed by us or a restricted subsidiary to secure or provide for the payment of all or any part of the purchase price or construction cost of such property, including, but not limited to, any indebtedness incurred by us or a restricted subsidiary prior to, at the time of, or within 180 days after the later of the acquisition, the completion of construction (including any improvements on an existing property) or the commencement of commercial operation of such property, which indebtedness is incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price thereof or construction or improvements thereon; or (b) the acquisition of property subject to any security interest upon such property existing at the time of acquisition thereof, whether or not assumed by us or such restricted subsidiary; or (c) any security interest existing on the property or on the outstanding shares of capital stock or indebtedness of a person at the time such person shall become a restricted subsidiary; or (d) a security interest on property or shares of capital stock or indebtedness of a person existing at the time such person is merged into or consolidated with us or a restricted subsidiary or at the time of a sale, lease or other disposition of the properties of a person or firm as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to us or a restricted subsidiary, provided, however, that no such security interest shall extend to any other principal property of ours or such restricted subsidiary prior to such acquisition or to any other principal property thereafter acquired other than additions to such acquired property;

 

   

security interests in property of ours or a restricted subsidiary in favor of the United States of America or any State thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United States of America or any State thereof, or in favor of any other country, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof (including, without limitation, security interests to secure indebtedness of the pollution control or industrial revenue bond type), in order to permit us or a restricted subsidiary to perform any contract or subcontract made by it with or at the request of any of

 

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the foregoing, or to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any indebtedness incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or the cost of constructing or improving the property subject to such security interests;

 

    any security interest on any property or assets of any restricted subsidiary to secure indebtedness owing by it to us or to a restricted subsidiary;

 

    mechanics’, materialmen’s, carriers’ or other like liens arising in the ordinary course of business (including construction of facilities) in respect of obligations which are not due or which are being contested in good faith;

 

    any security interest arising by reason of deposits with, or the giving of any form of security to, any governmental agency or any body created or approved by law or governmental regulations, which is required by law or governmental regulation as a condition to the transaction of any business, or the exercise of any privilege, franchise or license and any security interest to secure public or statutory obligations;

 

    security interests for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet delinquent, or the security interests for taxes, assessments or government charges or levies already delinquent but the validity of which is being contested in good faith;

 

    security interests (including judgment liens) arising in connection with legal proceedings so long as such proceedings are being contested in good faith and, in the case of judgment liens, execution thereon is stayed;

 

    landlords’ liens on fixtures located on premises leased by us or a restricted subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

    security interests in connection with certain permitted receivables financings;

 

    any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in part of any security interest permitted by the indenture; or

 

    any security interest on assets of a foreign subsidiary that only secures obligations of one or more foreign subsidiaries.

In addition to these exceptions, we or a restricted subsidiary may issue, assume or guarantee other secured debt without securing the debt securities if the total amount of secured debt outstanding and value of sale and leaseback transactions calculated in accordance with the indenture at the time does not exceed 10% of our consolidated total assets, determined as of a date not more than 90 days prior thereto.

Restrictions on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

We and our restricted subsidiaries may not engage in sale and leaseback transactions (excluding such transactions between us and our restricted subsidiaries or between our restricted subsidiaries) whereby a principal property that is owned by us or one of our restricted subsidiaries and that has been in full operation for more than 180 days is sold or transferred with the intention of taking back a lease of such property (except a lease for a term of no more than three years entered into with the intent that the use by us or such restricted subsidiary of such property will be discontinued on or before the expiration of such term).

The sale and leaseback of a principal property is not prohibited, however, if we and the applicable restricted subsidiary would be permitted under the indenture to incur secured debt equal in amount to the amount realized or to be realized upon the sale or transfer secured by a lien on the principal property to be leased without equally and ratably securing the debt securities. We and our restricted subsidiaries may also engage in an otherwise prohibited sale and leaseback transaction if an amount equal to the value of the principal property so leased is

 

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applied, subject to credits for delivery by us to the trustee of debt securities we have previously purchased or otherwise acquired and specified voluntary redemptions of the debt securities, to the retirement (other than mandatory retirement), within 120 days of the effective date of the arrangement, of specified indebtedness for borrowed money incurred or assumed by us or a restricted subsidiary, as shown on our most recent consolidated balance sheet and, in the case of our indebtedness, the indebtedness is not subordinated to the debt securities.

Restrictions on Transfer of Principal Properties to Some Subsidiaries

We will not, and will not cause or permit any of our restricted subsidiaries to, transfer (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise) any principal property to any unrestricted subsidiary, unless such subsidiary shall apply within 180 days after the effective date of the transaction, or shall have committed within 180 days of the effective date to apply, an amount equal to the fair value of the principal property at the time of transfer:

 

    to the acquisition, construction, development or improvement of properties or facilities which are, or upon the acquisition, construction, development or improvement will be, a principal property or properties or a part thereof;

 

    to the redemption of debt securities;

 

    to the repayment of certain indebtedness for borrowed money of us or any of our restricted subsidiaries, other than any indebtedness owed to any restricted subsidiary or our subordinated indebtedness; or

 

    in part to an acquisition, construction, development or improvement and in part to redemption and/or repayment, in each case as described above.

The fair value of any principal property for purposes of this paragraph will be as determined by our board of directors. In lieu of applying all or any part of any amount to redemption of debt securities, we may, within 180 days of the transfer, deliver to the trustee under the indenture debt securities of any series, other than debt securities made the basis of a reduction in a mandatory sinking fund payment, for cancellation and thereby reduce the amount to be applied to the redemption of debt securities of that series by an amount equivalent to the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities so delivered.

Certain Definitions

The following are the meanings of terms that are important in understanding the covenants previously described:

 

    “foreign subsidiary” means any subsidiary of ours that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

    “principal property” means any manufacturing plant or similar facility (including associated fixtures but excluding leases and other contract rights which might otherwise be deemed real property) owned by us or any restricted subsidiary, whether owned on the date hereof or thereafter, provided each such plant or similar facility has a gross book value (without deduction for any depreciation reserves) at the date as of which the determination is being made of in excess of one percent of our consolidated total assets and is located in the United States of America, Canada or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, other than any such plant or similar facility or portion thereof which, in the opinion of our board of directors (evidenced by a certified board resolution thereof delivered to the Trustee), is not of material importance to the business conducted by us and our consolidated subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

    “restricted subsidiary” means any subsidiary of ours that is not an unrestricted subsidiary.

 

    “secured debt” means indebtedness for money borrowed which is secured by a security interest in (a) any principal property or (b) any shares of capital stock or indebtedness of any restricted subsidiary that owns a principal property.

 

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    “security interest” means any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, conditional sale agreement, title retention agreement (excluding an operating lease) or other security interest which secures payment or performance of an obligation.

 

    “subsidiary” means any person of which we, or we and one or more of our subsidiaries, or any one or more subsidiaries, directly or indirectly own more than 50% of the voting stock of such person.

 

    “unrestricted subsidiary” means (a) any subsidiary of ours that at the time of determination shall be designated an unrestricted subsidiary by our board of directors (provided, however, that any subsidiary of ours having, as of the end of our most recently completed fiscal year, (i) assets with a gross book value in excess of 10% of the total gross book value of the assets of us and our subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) gross revenue in excess of 10% of our total gross revenue and of our subsidiaries taken as a whole, may not be designated as an unrestricted subsidiary under the indenture); and (b) any subsidiary of an unrestricted subsidiary.

Covenant Defeasance and Satisfaction and Discharge of a Series

Covenant Defeasance of any Series

If we deposit with the trustee, in trust, at or before maturity or redemption:

 

    lawful money;

 

    direct obligations of the government which issued the currency in which the debt securities of a series are denominated, or obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government and which obligations are guaranteed by such government (which direct or guaranteed obligations are full faith and credit obligations of such government, are denominated in the currency in which the debt securities of such are denominated and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof) in an amount and with a maturity so that the proceeds therefrom will provide funds; or

 

    a combination thereof,

in each case in an amount sufficient, after payment of all federal, state and local taxes in respect thereof payable by the trustee, in the opinion of a nationally-recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the trustee, to pay when due the principal, premium, if any, and interest to maturity or to the redemption date, as the case may be, with respect to any series of debt securities then outstanding, and any mandatory sinking fund payments or similar payments or payment pursuant to any call for redemption applicable to such debt securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the indenture and such debt securities, then the provisions of the indenture would no longer be effective as to the debt securities to which such deposit relates, including the restrictive covenants described in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities, except as to:

 

    our obligation to duly and punctually pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the series of debt securities if the debt securities are not paid from the money or securities held by the trustee;

 

    certain of the events of default described under “Default—Events of Default” below; and

 

    other specified provisions of the indenture including, among others, those relating to registration, transfer and exchange, lost or stolen securities, maintenance of place of payment and, to the extent applicable to the series, the redemption and sinking fund provisions of the indenture.

Defeasance of debt securities of any series is subject to the satisfaction of specified conditions, including, among others, the absence of an event of default at the date of the deposit and the perfection of the holders’ security interest in the deposit.

 

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Satisfaction and Discharge of any Series

Upon the deposit of money or securities contemplated above and the satisfaction of specified conditions, the provisions of the indenture (excluding the exceptions discussed above under the heading “Covenant Defeasance of any Series”) would no longer be effective as to the related debt securities, we may cease to comply with our obligation to pay duly and punctually the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on a particular series of debt securities, the events of default in the indenture no longer would be effective as to such debt securities and thereafter the holders of the series of debt securities will be entitled only to payment out of the money or securities deposited with the trustee.

The specified conditions include, among others, except in limited circumstances involving a deposit made within one year of maturity or redemption:

 

    the absence of an event of default at the date of deposit or on the 91st day thereafter;

 

    our delivery to the trustee of an opinion of nationally-recognized tax counsel, or our receipt or publication of a ruling by the Internal Revenue Service, to the effect that holders of the debt securities of the series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and discharge, and the holders will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and discharge had not occurred; and

 

    that we receive an opinion of counsel to the effect that the satisfaction, discharge and defeasance will not result in the delisting of the debt securities of that series from any nationally-recognized exchange on which they are listed.

Default

Events of Default

As to any series of debt securities, an event of default is defined in the indenture as being:

 

    failure to pay any interest on the debt securities of that series when due, which failure continues for 30 days;

 

    failure to pay principal or premium, if any, with respect to the debt securities of that series when due;

 

    failure to pay or satisfy any sinking fund payment or similar obligation with respect to debt securities of that series when due, which failure continues for 30 days;

 

    failure to observe or perform any other covenant, warranty or agreement in the indenture or debt securities of that series, other than a covenant, warranty or agreement, a default in whose performance or whose breach is specifically dealt with in this section, if the failure continues for 60 days after written notice by the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding;

 

    uncured or unwaived failure to pay principal of or interest on any of our other obligations for borrowed money, including any other series of debt securities, beyond any period of grace with respect thereto if the aggregate principal amount of the obligation is in excess of $125,000,000;

 

    specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or reorganization; or

 

    any other event of default provided with respect to debt securities of that series.

Notice and Declaration of Defaults

So long as the debt securities of any series remain outstanding, we will be required to furnish annually to the trustee a certificate of one of our officers stating whether, to the best of such officer’s knowledge, we are in default under any of the provisions of the indenture, and specifying all defaults, and the nature thereof, of which

 

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such officer has knowledge. In addition, we will notify the trustee of any event of default or any event which, with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute an event of default, promptly after and in any case within five business days after one or more of our specified officers becomes aware of such event. We will also be required to furnish to the trustee copies of specified reports filed by us with the SEC.

The indenture provides that the trustee will, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to any series for which there are debt securities outstanding which is continuing, give to the holders of those debt securities notice of all uncured defaults known to it, including events specified above without grace periods. Except in the case of default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on any of the debt securities of any series or the payment of any sinking fund installment on the debt securities of any series, the trustee may withhold notice to the holders if the trustee in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of the debt securities.

The trustee or the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may declare the debt securities of that series immediately due and payable upon the occurrence of any event of default after expiration of any applicable grace period. In some cases, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of any series then outstanding may waive any past default and its consequences, except a default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, including sinking fund payments.

If a specified event of bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, or reorganization occurs and is continuing, then the principal amount of (or, if the debt securities of that series are original issue discount debt securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in their terms as due and payable upon acceleration) and any accrued and unpaid interest on that series will immediately become due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder.

Actions upon Default

Subject to the provisions of the indenture relating to the duties of the trustee in case an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the indenture provides that the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the holders of debt securities outstanding of any series unless the holders have offered to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to the trustee. The right of a holder to institute a proceeding with respect to the indenture is subject to conditions precedent including notice and indemnity to the trustee, but the holder has a right to receipt of principal, premium, if any, and interest on their due dates or to institute suit for the enforcement thereof, subject to specified limitations with respect to defaulted interest.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities outstanding of the series in default will have the right to direct the time, method and place for conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any power or trust conferred on the trustee. Any direction by the holders will be in accordance with law and the provisions of the indenture, provided that the trustee may decline to follow any such direction if the trustee determines, among other things, on the advice of counsel that the proceeding may not be lawfully taken or would be materially or unjustly prejudicial to holders not joining in the direction. The trustee will be under no obligation to act in accordance with the direction unless the holders offer the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred thereby.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

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Book-Entry Delivery and Settlement

We will issue the debt securities in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates, which we refer to as global securities. We will deposit the global securities with or on behalf of The Depository Trust Company, which we refer to as DTC, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests in the global securities may be held through the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking, S.A. (“Clearstream”) (as indirect participants in DTC).

We have provided the following descriptions of the operations and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream and are subject to change by them from time to time. Neither we, any underwriter nor the trustee take any responsibility for these operations or procedures, and you are urged to contact DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream directly to discuss these matters.

DTC has advised us that:

 

    DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

 

    DTC holds securities that its direct participants deposit with DTC and facilitates the settlement among direct participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in direct participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates;

 

    Direct participants include securities brokers and dealers, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations;

 

    DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, which is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries;

 

    Access to the DTC system is also available to indirect participants such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, either directly or indirectly; and

 

    The rules applicable to DTC and its direct and indirect participants are on file with the SEC.

We expect that under procedures established by DTC:

 

    Upon deposit of the global securities with DTC or its custodian, DTC will credit on its internal system the accounts of direct participants designated by the underwriters with portions of the principal amounts of the global securities; and

 

    Ownership of the debt securities will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of the debt securities will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee, with respect to interests of direct participants, and the records of direct and indirect participants, with respect to interests of persons other than participants.

Investors in the global securities who are participants in DTC’s system may hold their interests therein directly through DTC. Investors in the global notes who are not participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations (including Euroclear and Clearstream) which are participants in such system. Euroclear and Clearstream may hold interests in the global securities on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in their respective names on the books of their respective depositories, which are Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear, and Citibank, N.A., as depository of Clearstream. All interests in a securities, including those held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Those interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such systems.

 

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The laws of some jurisdictions require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in the form of a certificate. For that reason, it may not be possible to transfer interests in a global security to those persons. In addition, because DTC can act only on behalf of its participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through participants, the ability of a person having an interest in a global security to pledge or transfer that interest to persons or entities that do not participate in DTC’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of that interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of that interest.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a global security, DTC or that nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by that global security for all purposes under the indenture and under the debt securities. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have debt securities represented by that global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive the debt securities in the form of a physical certificate and will not be considered the owners or holders of the debt securities under the indenture or under the debt securities, and may not be entitled to give the trustee directions, instructions or approvals. For that reason, each holder owning a beneficial interest in a global security must rely on DTC’s procedures and, if that holder is not a direct or indirect participant in DTC, on the procedures of the DTC participant through which that holder owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder of debt securities under the indenture or the global security.

Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of DTC’s records relating to the debt securities or relating to payments made by DTC on account of the debt securities, or any responsibility to maintain, supervise or review any of DTC’s records relating to the debt securities.

We will make payments on the debt securities represented by the global securities to DTC or its nominee, as the registered owner of the debt securities. We expect that when DTC or its nominee receives any payment on the debt securities represented by a global security, DTC will credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their beneficial interests in the global security as shown in DTC’s records. We also expect that payments by DTC’s participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global security held through those participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practice as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. DTC’s participants will be responsible for those payments.

Payments on the debt securities represented by the global securities will be made in immediately available funds. Transfers between participants in DTC will be made in accordance with DTC’s rules and will be settled in immediately available funds.

Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected in accordance with DTC’s procedures, and will be settled in same-day funds, and transfers between participants in Euroclear and Clearstream will be effected in accordance with their respective rules and operating procedures.

Cross-market transfers between the participants in DTC, on the one hand, and Euroclear or Clearstream participants, on the other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC’s rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by its depository; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (European time) of such system. Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its respective depository to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant global security in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear participants and Clearstream participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositories for Euroclear or Clearstream.

DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account DTC has credited the interests in the global securities and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which such participant or

 

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participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an event of default under the notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the global securities for certificated notes, and to distribute such notes to its participants.

Although DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the global securities among participants in DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, they are under no obligation to perform or to continue to perform such procedures, and may discontinue such procedures at any time. None of the trustee, us or any of their or our respective agents will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective direct or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

Exchange of Global Securities for Certificated Securities

We will issue certificated debt securities to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of debt securities represented by the global securities upon surrender by DTC of the global securities only if:

 

    DTC notifies us that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depository for the global securities, and we have not appointed a successor depository within 90 days of that notice;

 

    An event of default with respect to the debt securities has occurred and is continuing; or

 

    We decide not to have the debt securities represented by a global security.

Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the related debt securities. We and the trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from DTC or its nominee, including instructions about the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the debt securities to be issued.

Same Day Settlement and Payment

We will make payments in respect of the notes represented by the global securities (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the global securities holder. We will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to certificated notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the holders of the certificated notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such holder’s registered address. The notes represented by the global securities are expected to be eligible to trade in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. We expect that secondary trading in any certificated notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.

Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream participant purchasing an interest in a global security from a participant in DTC will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear and Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. DTC has advised us that cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of interests in a global securities by or through a Euroclear or Clearstream participant to a participant in DTC will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTC’s settlement date.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares or other securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares offered by any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants.

The following summary of certain provisions of the warrants does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all provisions of the warrant agreements.

Reference is made to the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the particular issue of warrants offered pursuant to such prospectus supplement and/or other offering material for the terms of and information relating to such warrants, including, where applicable:

 

    the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of warrants to purchase debt securities and the price at which such debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

    the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase common stock and the price at which such number of shares of common stock may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

    the number of shares and series of preferred stock or depositary shares purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase preferred stock or depositary shares and the price at which such number of shares of such series of preferred stock or depositary shares may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

    the designation and number of units of other securities purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase other securities and the price at which such number of units of such other securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

    the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;

 

    U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to such warrants;

 

    the number of warrants outstanding as of the most recent practicable date; and

 

    any other terms of such warrants.

Warrants will be issued in registered form only. The exercise price for warrants will be subject to adjustment in accordance with provisions described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase such principal amount of debt securities or such number of shares of preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares or other securities at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the warrants, which exercise price may be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events as set forth in such prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. After the close of business on the expiration date, or such later date to which such expiration date may be extended by us, unexercised warrants will become void. The place or places where, and the manner in which, warrants may be exercised shall be specified in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to such warrants.

 

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Prior to the exercise of any warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares or other securities, holders of such warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares or other securities, as the case may be, purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities purchasable upon such exercise or to enforce covenants in the indenture, or to receive payments of dividends, if any, on the preferred stock, or common stock purchasable upon such exercise, or to exercise any applicable right to vote.

 

21


DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND EQUITY UNITS

We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock or other securities at a future date or dates, which we refer to in this prospectus as “stock purchase contracts.” The price per share of the securities and the number of shares of the securities may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a stock purchase contract and debt securities, preferred securities, warrants, other securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the securities under the stock purchase contracts, which we refer to herein as “equity units.” The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the stock purchase contracts in a specified manner. The stock purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the equity units or vice versa, and those payments may be unsecured or refunded on some basis.

The stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts or equity units, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of stock purchase contracts or equity units. The prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to a particular issue of stock purchase contracts or equity units will describe the terms of those stock purchase contracts or equity units, including the following:

 

    if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

    any other information we think is important about the stock purchase contracts or the equity units.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell our securities, and any selling shareholder may sell shares of our common stock, in any one or more of the following ways from time to time: (i) through agents; (ii) to or through underwriters; (iii) through brokers or dealers; (iv) directly by us or any selling shareholders to purchasers, including through a specific bidding, auction or other process; or (v) through a combination of any of these methods of sale. The applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering materials will contain the terms of the transaction, name or names of any underwriters, dealers, agents and the respective amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by them, the initial public offering price of the securities, and the applicable agent’s commission, dealer’s purchase price or underwriter’s discount. Any selling shareholders, 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. Additionally, because selling shareholders may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act, selling shareholders may be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

Any initial offering price, dealer purchase price, discount or commission may be changed from time to time.

The securities may be distributed from time to time in one or more transactions, at negotiated prices, at a fixed price or fixed prices (that may be subject to change), at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at various prices determined at the time of sale or at prices related to prevailing market prices.

Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us or any selling shareholder or by agents designated by us from time to time. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities so offered and sold.

If underwriters are utilized in the sale of any securities in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, such 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 fixed public offering prices or at varying prices determined by the underwriters at the time of sale. Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or directly by one or more underwriters. If any underwriter or underwriters are utilized in the sale of securities, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, the obligations of the underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all such securities if they purchase any of them.

If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell such securities, and any selling shareholder will sell shares of our common stock to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale. Transactions through brokers or dealers may include block trades in which brokers or dealers will attempt to sell shares as agent but may position and resell as principal to facilitate the transaction or in cross trades, in which the same broker or dealer acts as agent on both sides of the trade. Any such dealer may be deemed to be an underwriter, as such term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities so offered and sold. In addition, any selling shareholder may sell shares of our common stock in ordinary brokerage transactions or in transactions in which a broker solicits purchases.

Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us or any selling shareholder and the sale thereof may be made by us or any selling shareholder directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale thereof.

Any selling shareholders may also resell all or a portion of their shares of our common stock in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act provided they meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of that rule, Section 4(1) of the Securities Act or other applicable exemptions, regardless of whether the securities are covered by the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

 

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If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, we or any selling shareholder may authorize agents and underwriters to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us or any selling shareholder at the public offering price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. Such delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under relevant agreements with us or any selling shareholder to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which such agents, underwriters and dealers may be required to make in respect thereof. The terms and conditions of any indemnification or contribution will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. We may pay all expenses incurred with respect to the registration of the shares of common stock owned by any selling shareholders, other than underwriting fees, discounts or commissions, which will be borne by the selling shareholders.

We or any selling shareholder may also sell shares of our common stock through various arrangements involving mandatorily or optionally exchangeable securities, and this prospectus may be delivered in connection with those sales.

We or any selling shareholder may enter into derivative, sale or forward sale transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material indicates, in connection with those transactions, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, including in short sale transactions and by issuing securities not covered by this prospectus but convertible into, exchangeable for or representing beneficial interests in securities covered by this prospectus, or the return of which is derived in whole or in part from the value of such securities. The third parties may use securities received under derivative, sale or forward sale transactions or securities pledged by us or any selling shareholder or borrowed from us, any selling shareholder or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us or any selling shareholder in settlement of those transactions to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment) and/or other offering material.

Additionally, any selling shareholder may engage in hedging transactions with broker-dealers in connection with distributions of shares or otherwise. In those transactions, broker-dealers may engage in short sales of shares in the course of hedging the positions they assume with such selling shareholder. Any selling shareholder also may sell shares short and redeliver shares to close out such short positions. Any selling shareholder may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers which require the delivery of shares to the broker-dealer. The broker-dealer may then resell or otherwise transfer such shares pursuant to this prospectus. Any selling shareholder also may loan or pledge shares, and the borrower or pledgee may sell or otherwise transfer the shares so loaned or pledged pursuant to this prospectus. Such borrower or pledgee also may transfer those shares to investors in our securities or the selling shareholder’s securities or in connection with the offering of other securities not covered by this prospectus.

Underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts or concessions from us or any selling shareholder. Underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may also receive compensation from the purchasers of shares for whom they act as agents or to whom they sell as principals, or both. Compensation as to a particular underwriter, broker-dealer or agent will be in amounts to be negotiated in connection with transactions involving shares and might be in excess of customary commissions. In effecting sales, broker-dealers engaged by us or any selling shareholder may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in the resales.

 

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Any securities offered other than common stock will be a new issue and, other than the common stock, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of securities on an exchange, and in the case of the common stock, on any additional exchange, but, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, we shall not be obligated to do so. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the securities.

Agents, underwriters and dealers may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our subsidiaries or any selling shareholder in the ordinary course of business.

Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time. An underwriter may carry out these transactions on the New York Stock Exchange, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

The place and time of delivery for securities will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement and/or other offering material for such securities.

 

25


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC (File No. 001-09183). We also filed a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of that registration statement, but does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement or the exhibits to the registration statement. You may read and copy the registration statement and any other document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov or on our website located at http://www.harley-davidson.com.

We are “incorporating by reference” specified documents that we file with the SEC, which means:

 

    incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus;

 

    we are disclosing important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

 

    information we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of this prospectus and before the end of the offering of the securities pursuant to this prospectus:

 

    our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014; and

 

    the description of our common stock contained in Item 4 of our Registration Statement of Certain Successor Issuers on Form 8-B, dated June 21, 1991, including any amendment or report updating that description.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, documents or portions of documents containing information furnished under Items 2.02 and 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits under Item 9.01, are not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at our principal executive offices:

Harley-Davidson, Inc.

Attn: Secretary

3700 West Juneau Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208

(414) 342-4680

You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as the information we file or previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Foley & Lardner LLP. The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement. The opinions of Foley & Lardner LLP and counsel for any underwriters or agents may be conditioned upon and may be subject to assumptions regarding future action required to be taken by us and any underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the issuance of any securities. The opinions of Foley & Lardner LLP and counsel for any underwriters or agents may be subject to other conditions and assumptions, as indicated in the prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Harley-Davidson, Inc. appearing in Harley-Davidson, Inc.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2014 (including the schedule appearing therein) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are, and audited financial statements to be included in subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the respective dates (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

27


PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the registrant in connection with the offering of the securities being registered.

 

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee

$ (1

Printing expenses

  (2

Accounting fees and expenses

  (2

Legal fees and expenses

  (2

Blue sky filing and counsel fees

  (2

Miscellaneous (including any applicable listing fees, rating agency fees,

trustee and transfer agent fees and expenses)

  (2
  

 

 

 

Total

$                    
  

 

 

 

 

(1) Deferred in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933.
(2) The amount of securities and number of offerings are indeterminable, and the expenses cannot be estimated at this time.

 

Item 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Article V of our by-laws, as amended, requires that we must, to the fullest extent permitted or required by Sections 180.0850 to 180.0859 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law, or WBCL, including any amendments to the WBCL (but only to the extent an amendment permits or requires us to provide broader indemnification rights than prior to the amendment), indemnify our directors and officers against any and all liabilities, and pay or reimburse any and all properly documented reasonable expenses, incurred in any proceedings to which any director or officer is a party because he or she is or was a director or officer. We must also indemnify an employee who is not a director or officer, to the extent that the employee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of a proceeding, for all expenses incurred in the proceeding if the employee was a party because he or she is or was an employee. We may, but are not required to, supplement the rights to indemnification against liabilities and allowance of expenses under this paragraph by the purchase of insurance on behalf of any one or more of the directors, officers or employees, whether or not we would be required or permitted to indemnify or allow expenses to a director, officer or employee.

The indemnification provided by the WBCL and our by-laws, as amended, is not exclusive of any other rights to which a director or officer may be entitled. The general effect of the indemnification provisions may be to reduce the circumstances in which an officer or director may be required to bear the economic burden of the liabilities and expense.

We maintain a liability insurance policy for our directors and officers as permitted by Wisconsin law which may extend to, among other things, liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Item 16. EXHIBITS

The exhibits listed in the accompanying exhibit index are filed or incorporated by reference as part of this registration statement.

 

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Item 17. UNDERTAKINGS

a. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) 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;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the 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 the 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 (the “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 the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in 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 registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement;

(2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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 the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

(3) 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;

(4) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be 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 of 1933 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 that 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;

 

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(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of a registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 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 relating 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 the 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.

b. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes, that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement 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. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 of 1933 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 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 of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

d. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on February 28, 2015.

 

Harley-Davidson, Inc.

By:

/s/ Keith E. Wandell

Keith E. Wandell
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on February 28, 2015. Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Keith E. Wandell, John A. Olin and Paul J. Jones, and each of them individually, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and revocation, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Name Capacity

/s/ Keith E. Wandell

Keith E. Wandell

Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ John A. Olin

John A. Olin

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

/s/ Mark R. Kornetzke

Mark R. Kornetzke

Chief Accounting Officer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/ Barry K. Allen

Barry K. Allen

Director

/s/ R. John Anderson

R. John Anderson

Director

 

S-1


Name

Capacity

 

Richard I. Beattie

Director

/s/ Michael J. Cave

Michael J. Cave

Director

/s/ George H. Conrades

George H. Conrades

Director

 

Donald A. James

Director

/s/ Matthew S. Levatich

Matthew S. Levatich

Director

/s/ Sara L. Levinson

Sara L. Levinson

Director

 

N. Thomas Linebarger

Director

/s/ George L. Miles, Jr.

George L. Miles, Jr.

Director

/s/ James A. Norling

James A. Norling

Director

/s/ Jochen Zeitz

Jochen Zeitz

Director

 

S-2


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Document Description

  1.1    Form of Equity Underwriting Agreement.1
  1.2    Form of Debt Underwriting Agreement.1
  4.1    Restated Articles of Incorporation (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 8, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.2    By-laws, as amended through December 4, 2012 (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (File No. 1-9183) and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.3    Form of Indenture by and between Harley-Davidson, Inc. and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee.
  4.4    Form of Debt Securities.1
  4.5    Form of Deposit Agreement.1
  4.6    Form of Depositary Receipt.1
  4.7    Form of Warrant.1
  4.8    Form of Warrant Agreement.1
  4.9    Form of Stock Purchase Contract.1
  5    Opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP (including consent of counsel).
12    Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
23.2    Consent of Foley & Lardner LLP (included in Exhibit 5).
24    Power of Attorney (included on signature page).
25    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee.

 

1  To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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