e424b3
The information in
this preliminary remarketing prospectus supplement is not
complete and may be changed. This preliminary remarketing
prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell these securities
and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in
any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration Nos. 333-101122
333-101779
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED
NOVEMBER 9, 2005
Preliminary Remarketing Prospectus Supplement
November , 2005
(To Prospectus dated June 14, 2005)
$
Baxter International Inc.
% Senior Notes due 2008
In December 2002, we issued senior notes with an aggregate
principal amount of $1,250,000,000 bearing interest at
3.60% per annum due 2008, referred to in this remarketing
prospectus supplement as the senior notes, in connection with
our issuance of 25,000,000 Equity Units. The senior notes were
issued as a component of Equity Units that initially consisted
of (1) a purchase contract to purchase from us on
February 16, 2006, at a purchase price of $50, a number of
newly issued shares of our common stock and (2) a senior
note in the principal amount of $50.
This remarketing prospectus supplement relates to a remarketing
of up to $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the senior
notes on behalf of the holders of Equity Units and holders of
senior notes held separately from Equity Units, if any, who
elect to participate in the remarketing. In the remarketing, we
intend to submit an order to purchase up to $1,000,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the senior notes. If our order is
accepted, we will retire all of the senior notes we purchase.
The senior notes will mature on February 16, 2008. Interest
on the senior notes is payable quarterly in arrears on
February 16, May 16, August 16 and November 16 of each
year. The interest rate on the senior notes will be reset
to % per annum, effective from
November 16, 2005. The first interest payment on the senior
notes following the closing of the remarketing will be made on
February 16, 2006. For U.S. federal income tax
purposes, we have treated and will continue to treat the senior
notes as contingent payment debt instruments.
The senior notes are senior unsecured obligations of ours and
rank equally with all of our other existing and future senior
unsecured indebtedness. The senior notes were issued and are
being remarketed in denominations of $50 and integral multiples
of $50 in excess thereof.
Prior to this remarketing, there has been no public market for
the senior notes. The senior notes will not be listed on any
national securities exchange or any automated dealer quotation
system.
Investing in the senior notes involves risks. See Risk
Factors beginning on page S-4 of this remarketing
prospectus supplement.
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Total | |
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Price to the public (1)
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Remarketing fee to remarketing agents (2)
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Net proceeds to participating noteholders (3)
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(1) |
Plus accrued interest from November 16, 2005, if settlement
occurs after that date. |
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(2) |
Equals 0.25% of the sum of the treasury portfolio purchase price
and the separate senior notes purchase price. |
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(3) |
We will not receive any proceeds from the remarketing of the
senior notes. See Use of Proceeds in this
remarketing prospectus supplement. |
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this remarketing prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The senior notes will be ready for delivery in book-entry form
only through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company on
or about November 16, 2005.
Global Coordinator and Joint Lead Remarketing Agent
Banc of America Securities LLC
Joint Lead Remarketing Agents
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JPMorgan |
UBS Investment Bank |
Co-Remarketing Agents
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Citigroup |
Credit Suisse First Boston |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Remarketing Prospectus Supplement
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i
ABOUT THIS REMARKETING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This document is in two parts. The first part is this
remarketing prospectus supplement, which describes the
remarketed senior notes and the specific terms of this
remarketing. The second part is the accompanying prospectus,
which gives more general information about the types of
securities that we may offer, including the senior notes, some
of which does not apply to this remarketing.
If the information contained or incorporated by reference in
this remarketing prospectus supplement is different from the
information contained or incorporated by reference in the
accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information
contained or incorporated by reference in this remarketing
prospectus supplement, which supersedes such inconsistent
information.
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this remarketing prospectus
supplement and, except as stated above, in the accompanying
prospectus. We and the remarketing agents have not authorized
any other person to provide you with different or additional
information. If anyone provides you with different or additional
information, you should not rely on it. We and the remarketing
agents are not making an offer to sell these securities in any
jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You
should not assume that the information contained in this
remarketing prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus,
or the documents incorporated by reference in this remarketing
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is
accurate as of any date other than, as applicable, the date of
this remarketing prospectus supplement, the accompanying
prospectus, or those documents incorporated by reference.
Unless we have indicated otherwise, or the context otherwise
requires, references in this remarketing prospectus supplement
and the accompanying prospectus to Baxter,
we, us, and our or similar
terms are to Baxter International Inc. and its subsidiaries.
S-1
REMARKETING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information contained or
incorporated by reference in this remarketing prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus. As a result, it is
not complete and does not contain all of the information that
may be important to you or that you should consider when making
an investment decision with respect to the senior notes.
You should carefully read this entire remarketing prospectus
supplement, including the section entitled Risk
Factors, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we
have incorporated by reference, before making a decision to
invest in the senior notes.
Baxter International Inc.
Baxter International Inc. was incorporated under Delaware law in
1931. Our principal executive offices are located at One Baxter
Parkway, Deerfield, Illinois 60015 and our telephone number is
(847) 948-2000. We operate as a global diversified medical
products and services company with expertise in medical devices,
pharmaceuticals and biotechnology that assist healthcare
professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex
medical conditions, including hemophilia, immune disorders,
infectious diseases, cancer, kidney disease, trauma and other
conditions. Our products are used by hospitals, clinical and
medical research laboratories, blood and plasma collection
centers, kidney dialysis centers, rehabilitation centers,
nursing homes, doctors offices and by patients at home
under physician supervision. We manufacture products in
28 countries and sell them in over 100 countries.
We operate as a global leader in critical therapies for
life-threatening conditions. Continuing operations are comprised
of three segments: Medication Delivery, which provides a range
of intravenous solutions and specialty products that are used in
combination for fluid replenishment, general anesthesia,
nutrition therapy, pain management, antibiotic therapy and
chemotherapy; BioScience, which develops biopharmaceuticals,
biosurgery products, vaccines and blood collection, processing
and storage products and technologies for transfusion therapies;
and Renal, which develops products and provides services to
treat end-stage kidney disease. These businesses enjoy leading
positions in the medical products and services fields.
The Remarketing
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Issuer |
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Baxter International Inc., a Delaware corporation. |
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Remarketed Senior Notes |
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Up to $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of % Senior Notes due 2008 on
behalf of holders of Equity Units and holders of senior notes
held separately from Equity Units, if any, who elect to
participate in the remarketing. |
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Maturity |
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The senior notes will mature on February 16, 2008. |
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Interest |
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The interest rate on the senior notes will be reset
to % per annum effective from
November 16, 2005. Interest on the senior notes is payable
quarterly in arrears on February 16, May 16, August 16
and November 16 of each year. The first interest payment on the
senior notes following the closing of the remarketing will be
made on February 16, 2006. |
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Ranking |
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The senior notes are senior unsecured obligations of ours and
rank equally with all of our other existing and future senior
unsecured indebtedness. See the section of this remarketing
prospectus supplement entitled Description of the
Remarketed Senior Notes Ranking. |
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Certain Covenants |
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The indenture governing the senior notes contains certain
covenants that, among other things, limit our ability and the
ability of |
S-2
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certain of our subsidiaries to create liens on our assets, enter
into sale and leaseback transactions and transfer principal
facilities. These covenants are subject to a number of important
limitations and exceptions. See the section of the accompanying
prospectus entitled Debt Securities
Restrictive Covenants. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We will not receive any proceeds from the remarketing of the
senior notes. See the section of this remarketing prospectus
supplement entitled Use of Proceeds. |
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Our Participation in the Remarketing |
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In the remarketing, we intend to submit an order to purchase up
to $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the senior notes
available to be remarketed. If our order is accepted, we will
retire all of the senior notes we purchase. |
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United States Federal Income Taxation |
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We have treated and will continue to treat the senior notes for
United States federal income tax purposes as indebtedness
that is subject to the Treasury regulations governing contingent
payment debt instruments. These regulations are complex, and
their application to the senior notes following the remarketing
is uncertain in some respects. Generally, assuming that you
report your income in a manner consistent with the method
described in this remarketing prospectus supplement, the amount
of income that you will recognize in respect of the senior notes
should correspond over time to the economic accrual of income on
the senior notes to you and the amount of income you would have
recognized on an accrual basis if the senior notes were not
subject to the contingent payment debt regulations. However, no
assurance can be given that the United States Internal Revenue
Service, or IRS, will agree with our position. For a detailed
discussion, please see the section of this remarketing
prospectus supplement entitled Certain United States
Federal Income Tax Consequences. |
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Listing |
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The senior notes will not be listed on any national securities
exchange or automated dealer quotation system. |
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Trustee, Registrar and Paying Agent |
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J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association (successor
in interest to Bank One Trust Company, N.A.). |
S-3
RISK FACTORS
Before purchasing any of the senior notes, you should
carefully consider the following risk factors as well as the
other information contained or incorporated by reference in this
remarketing prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus in order to evaluate an investment in the senior
notes.
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The senior notes are our obligations and not obligations
of our subsidiaries and will be effectively subordinated to the
claims of our subsidiaries creditors. |
The senior notes are exclusively our obligations and not
obligations of our subsidiaries. We are a holding company and,
accordingly, we conduct substantially all of our operations
through our subsidiaries. As a result, our cash flow and our
ability to service our debt, including the senior notes, depends
upon the earnings and operating capital requirements of our
subsidiaries. We depend on the distribution of earnings, loans
or other payments by our subsidiaries to us. Our subsidiaries
are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation,
contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due pursuant to the
senior notes or to make any funds available to us for such
payment, whether by dividends, distributions, loans or other
payments. The ability of our subsidiaries to make any payments
to us will depend on our subsidiaries earnings, business
and tax considerations and any legal restrictions.
As a result of our structure, the senior notes will effectively
rank junior to all existing and future debt, trade payables and
other liabilities of our subsidiaries. Our right to receive any
assets of any of our subsidiaries upon their liquidation or
reorganization, and therefore the right of holders of the senior
notes to participate in those assets, will be subject to the
prior claims of that subsidiarys creditors, including
trade creditors. In addition, even if we were a creditor of any
of our subsidiaries, our rights as a creditor would be
subordinate to any security interest in the assets of our
subsidiaries and any indebtedness of our subsidiaries senior to
that held by us.
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The United States federal income tax consequences of the
purchase, ownership and disposition of the senior notes are
unclear. |
Because the manner in which the interest rate on the senior
notes is reset, we have treated and will continue to treat the
senior notes as indebtedness subject to Treasury regulations
governing contingent payment debt instruments, which we refer to
as the contingent payment debt regulations. Under the contingent
payment debt regulations, regardless of your method of
accounting for United States federal income taxes, you are
generally required to accrue interest income on the senior notes
on a constant yield basis at an assumed yield that was
determined at the time of issuance of the senior notes. Assuming
that you report your income in a manner consistent with our
discussion in the section of this remarketing prospectus
supplement entitled Certain United States Federal Income
Tax Consequences, the amount of income that you will
recognize for United States federal income tax purposes in
respect of the senior notes generally will correspond over time
to the economic accrual of income on the senior notes to you and
the amount of income you would have recognized on an accrual
basis for United States federal income tax purposes if the
senior notes were not subject to the contingent payment debt
regulations. However, the proper application of the contingent
payment debt regulations to the senior notes following the
remarketing is uncertain in a number of respects, and we cannot
assure you that the IRS will not successfully assert a different
treatment of the senior notes that could materially affect the
timing and character of income, gain or loss with respect to an
investment in the senior notes.
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An active trading market for the senior notes may not
develop. |
There is currently no public market for the senior notes. We do
not plan to list the senior notes on any national securities
exchange or automated dealer quotation system and, consequently,
an active trading market for the senior notes may not develop.
In addition, because we intend to purchase up to $1,000,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the senior notes to be remarketed,
there may be only approximately $250,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of senior notes outstanding after the remarketing. If a
sufficiently large number of senior notes do not remain
outstanding, the trading market for the remaining senior notes
sold in the remarketing may not be liquid and
S-4
market prices may fluctuate significantly depending on the
volume of trading in the senior notes. A security with a smaller
float may command a lower price and trade with
greater volatility or much less frequently than would a
comparable security with a greater float. The liquidity of any
trading market in the senior notes, and the market price quoted
for the senior notes, also may be adversely affected by changes
in the overall market for these securities and by changes in our
financial performance or prospects. Moreover, we may determine
from time to time in the future, to purchase additional senior
notes through open market purchases, privately negotiated
transactions, tender offers, exchange offers or otherwise, which
would further create a limited market for the senior notes.
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We could enter into various transactions that could
increase the amount of our outstanding indebtedness, or
adversely affect our capital structure or credit ratings, or
otherwise adversely affect holders of the senior notes. |
The indenture governing the senior notes does not generally
prevent us from entering into a variety of acquisition, change
of control, refinancing, recapitalization or other highly
leveraged transactions. As a result, we could enter into any
transaction even though the transaction could increase the total
amount of our outstanding indebtedness, adversely affect our
capital structure or credit ratings or otherwise adversely
affect the holders of the senior notes.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The matters discussed in this remarketing prospectus supplement
that are not historical facts include forward-looking
statements. The statements are based on assumptions about many
important factors, including the following, that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements:
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timely realization of the anticipated benefits of our
restructuring initiatives; |
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the impact of geographic and product mix on our sales; |
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actions of regulatory bodies and other governmental authorities,
including the Food and Drug Administration and foreign
counterparts, that could delay, limit or suspend product sales
or result in seizures, injunctions and monetary sanctions,
including with respect to the COLLEAGUE infusion pump; |
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product quality or patient safety concerns, leading to product
recalls, withdrawals, launch delays, litigation or declining
sales; |
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product development risks; |
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demand for and market acceptance risks for new and existing
products, such as ADVATE, and other technologies; |
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the impact of competitive products and pricing, including
generic competition, drug reimportation and disruptive
technologies; |
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inventory reductions or fluctuations in buying patterns by
wholesalers or distributors; |
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foreign currency fluctuations; |
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the availability of acceptable raw materials and component
supply; |
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global regulatory, trade and tax policies; |
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the ability to enforce patents; |
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patents of third parties preventing or restricting our
manufacture, sales or use of affected products or technology; |
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reimbursement policies of government agencies and private payors; |
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internal and external factors that could impact
commercialization; |
S-5
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results of product testing; and |
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other factors identified in our most recent filing on
Form 10-Q and other SEC filings, all of which are available
on our web site. |
We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed
charges for the periods indicated:
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Nine Months |
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Ended |
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For the Years Ended December 31, |
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September 30, |
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2005 |
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2004 |
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2003 |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)
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(1) |
For purposes of computing the ratios,
(i) earnings consist of income from continuing
operations before income taxes and cumulative effect of
accounting changes, plus fixed charges; less capitalized
interest costs, and less net gains of less than majority-owned
affiliates, net of dividends and (ii) fixed
charges consist of interest costs and estimated interest
in rentals.
Income from continuing operations includes certain
significant items as follows: |
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2005:
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$77 million infusion pump charge, $28 million
hemodialysis instruments charge and $109 million benefit
relating to adjustments to prior restructuring charges. |
2004:
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$543 million charge for restructuring, $289 million
charge for impairments and $115 million for other special
charges. |
2003:
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$337 million charge for restructuring. |
2002:
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$163 million charge for in-process research and development
and $26 million charge for restructuring. |
2001:
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$280 million charge for in-process research and development
and other special charges and $189 million charge relating
to discontinuing the A, AF and AX series dialyzers. |
2000:
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$286 million charge for in-process research and development
and other special charges. |
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Please refer to the financial
statements and financial information incorporated by reference
in this remarketing prospectus supplement for more information
relating to the foregoing. See the section of this remarketing
prospectus supplement entitled Where You Can Find More
Information.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We are remarketing up to $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of senior notes to investors on behalf of holders of
Equity Units and holders of senior notes held separately from
Equity Units, if any, who elect to participate in the
remarketing. Each Equity Unit consists of a corporate unit
comprised of a senior note in the principal amount of $50 and a
forward purchase contract under which each holder of Equity
Units agrees to purchase shares of our common stock on
February 16, 2006 (or earlier under some circumstances).
We will not receive any proceeds from the remarketing of the
senior notes. Instead, the proceeds of the remarketing will be
used as follows:
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$ of
the proceeds (which is equal to the treasury portfolio purchase
price described under the section of this remarketing prospectus
supplement entitled Remarketing) will be used to
purchase the treasury portfolio that will then be pledged to us,
on behalf of holders of Equity Units, to secure the stock
purchase contract obligations of such holders; |
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$ of
the proceeds (which is equal to the separate senior notes
purchase price described under the section of this remarketing
prospectus supplement entitled Remarketing) will be
remitted to J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National
Association, as the custodial agent, for payment to the holders |
S-6
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of senior notes held separately from Equity Units, if any, who
have elected to participate in the remarketing; |
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$ of
the proceeds (which equals the lesser of (i) 25 basis
points (0.25%) of the sum of the treasury portfolio purchase
price and the separate senior notes purchase price, if any, and
(ii) the amount of the proceeds, if any, in excess of the
sum of the treasury portfolio purchase price and the separate
notes purchase price, if any) will be deducted and retained by
the remarketing agents as a remarketing fee; |
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any proceeds from the remarketing of senior notes that are
components of the Equity Units remaining after deducting the
treasury portfolio purchase price and the remarketing fee
attributable to such senior notes will be remitted to
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association, as the
purchase contract agent, for payment to the holders of Equity
Units; and |
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any proceeds from the remarketing of senior notes held
separately from the Equity Units remaining after deducting the
separate senior notes purchase price and the remarketing fee
attributable to such senior notes will be remitted to
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association, as the
custodial agent, for payment to the holders of such remarketed
senior notes. |
S-7
DESCRIPTION OF THE REMARKETED SENIOR NOTES
The following description is a summary of the terms of the
senior notes being offered in this remarketing. The descriptions
in this remarketing prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus contain a description of certain terms of the senior
notes and the indenture under which the senior notes were issued
but do not purport to be complete. The descriptions are
qualified in their entirety by reference to the indenture, dated
as of April 26, 2002, as amended and supplemented by
supplemental indenture No. 1, dated as of December 17,
2002. This summary supplements the description of the senior
debt securities in the accompanying prospectus and, to the
extent it is inconsistent, replaces the description in the
accompanying prospectus.
General
The senior notes were initially issued under an indenture, dated
as of April 26, 2002, between us and J.P. Morgan Trust
Company, National Association (successor in interest to Bank One
Trust Company, N.A.), as trustee, as amended and supplemented by
supplemental indenture No. 1, dated as of December 17,
2002, between us and the trustee (as so amended and
supplemented, the indenture). The indenture has been
qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.
The terms of the indenture are those provided in the indenture
and those made a part of the indenture by the Trust Indenture
Act. You should read the indenture and supplemental indenture
No. 1, each of which has been filed with the SEC and is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement of which
this remarketing prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus forms a part.
The aggregate principal amount of the senior notes to be
remarketed pursuant to this remarketing prospectus supplement is
up to $1,250,000,000. The senior notes will mature on
February 16, 2008. The senior notes will constitute senior
debt securities as described in the accompanying prospectus. In
addition to the senior notes, we may issue, from time to time,
other series of senior debt securities under the indenture. Such
other series will be separate from and independent of the senior
notes.
The senior notes will not be subject to a sinking fund provision
and will not be subject to defeasance. Following a successful
remarketing, the senior notes may not be redeemed prior to their
stated maturity.
The remarketed senior notes will be issued in the form of one or
more global certificates, which we refer to as global
securities, registered in the name of The Depository Trust
Company, or DTC (which we may refer to along with its successors
in such capacity as the depositary), or its nominee. Payments on
senior notes issued as a global security will be made to the
depositary, the nominee of the depositary or, in the event that
no depositary is used, to a paying agent for the senior notes.
Principal and interest with respect to certificated senior notes
will be payable, the transfer of the senior notes will be
registrable and senior notes will be exchangeable for senior
notes of a like aggregate principal amount in denominations of
$50 and integral multiples of $50, at the office or agency
maintained by us for this purpose in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York. However, at our option, payment of
interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the
holder entitled to payment or by wire transfer to an account
appropriately designated by the holder entitled to payment.
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association is the
initial paying agent, transfer agent, and registrar for the
senior notes.
The indenture does not contain provisions that afford holders of
the senior notes protection in the event we are involved in a
highly leveraged transaction or other similar transaction that
may adversely affect such holders.
Interest
Each senior note will bear interest at the reset rate
of % per annum from
November 16, 2005, the date of the closing of the
remarketing, payable quarterly in arrears on February 16,
May 16, August 16 and November 16 of each year, commencing
February 16, 2006, to the person in whose name the senior
note is registered at the close of business on the first
business day of the month in which the interest payment date
falls.
S-8
The amount of interest payable on the senior notes for any
period will be computed (1) for any full quarterly period,
on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months,
(2) for any period shorter than a full quarterly period, on
the basis of a 30-day month, and (3) for any period less
than a month, on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed
per 30-day month. In the event that any date on which interest
is payable on the senior notes is not a business day, then
payment of the interest payable on such date will be made on the
next day that is a business day (and without any interest or
other payment in respect of any such delay), except that, if
such business day is in the next calendar year, then such
payment will be made on the preceding business day.
Ranking
The senior notes are our direct, unsecured and unsubordinated
obligations and will rank equal in priority of payment with all
of our other existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness,
and senior in right of payment to any future subordinated
indebtedness. At September 30, 2005, we had approximately
$3.340 billion of senior unsecured indebtedness
outstanding. The indenture does not limit the amount of
additional unsecured indebtedness that we or any of our
subsidiaries may incur.
The senior notes will be our exclusive obligations. Since our
operations are conducted through our subsidiaries, our cash flow
and our consequent ability to service debt, including our
obligations under the senior notes, are primarily dependent upon
the earnings of our subsidiaries and the distribution of those
earnings to, or upon other payments of funds by those
subsidiaries to, us. The subsidiaries are separate and distinct
legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise,
to pay any amounts due on the senior notes or to make funds
available to us for such payments, whether by dividends,
distributions, loans or other payments. In addition, any payment
of dividends, distributions, loans or other payments by our
subsidiaries could be subject to statutory or contractual
restrictions.
Book-Entry and Settlement
The Depository Trust Company will act as securities depositary
for the senior notes. The senior notes initially will be
represented by one or more global securities, which will be
deposited with the trustee, as custodian for DTC, and registered
in the name of Cede & Co., the depositarys
nominee. The global securities may not be transferred except by
the depositary to a nominee of the depositary or by a nominee of
the depositary to the depositary or another nominee of the
depositary or to a successor depositary or its nominee.
The laws of some jurisdictions may require that some purchasers
of securities take physical delivery of the securities in
certificated form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer
beneficial interests in such a global security.
Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in such
a global security will not be entitled to receive physical
delivery of senior notes in certificated form and will not be
considered the holders (as defined in the indenture) of the
senior notes for any purpose under the indenture, and no global
security representing senior notes shall be exchangeable, except
for another global security of like denomination and tenor to be
registered in the name of the depositary or its nominee or a
successor depositary or its nominee. Accordingly, each
beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of the depositary
or if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the
participant through which such person owns its interest to
exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture.
The descriptions of the operations and procedures set forth
below are provided solely as a matter of convenience. These
operations and procedures are solely within the control of the
respective settlements systems and are subject to change from
time to time. Neither we nor the remarketing agents are
responsible for these operations or procedures, and investors
are urged to contact the relevant system or its participants
directly to discuss these matters.
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We have been advised that DTC is:
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a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York
Banking Law; |
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a banking organization under the New York Banking
Law; |
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a member of the Federal Reserve System; |
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a clearing corporation within the meaning of the New
York Uniform Commercial Code; and |
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a clearing agency registered pursuant to the
provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. |
DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC and
facilitates the settlement of transactions among its
participants in such securities, through electronic computerized
book-entry changes in participants accounts, thereby
eliminating the need for physical movement of securities
certificates. DTCs participants include securities brokers
and dealers (including the remarketing agents), banks, trust
companies, clearing corporations, and certain other
organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own
DTC. Access to the DTC system is also available to others, such
as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear
through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant,
either directly or indirectly.
Purchases of senior notes under the DTC system must be made by
or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for
the senior notes on the records maintained by DTC or its
nominee. The ownership of interest of each actual purchaser of
senior notes (a beneficial owner) is in turn to be
recorded on the direct and indirect participants records.
Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC
of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive
written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as
well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct
and indirect participant through which the beneficial owner
entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests
in the senior notes are to be accomplished by entries made on
the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners.
Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing
their ownership interests in the senior notes, except in the
event that use of the book-entry system for the senior notes is
discontinued.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, all senior notes deposited
by direct participants with DTC are registered in the name of
DTCs partnership nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit
of senior notes with DTC and their registration in the name of
Cede & Co. effect no change in beneficial ownership.
DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the
senior notes; records maintained by DTC or its nominee reflect
only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts
such senior notes are credited, which may or may not be the
beneficial owners. The participants will remain responsible for
keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
So long as DTC, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a
global note, DTC or the nominee, as the case may be, will be
considered the sole owner or holder of the senior notes
represented by that global note for all purposes under the
applicable indenture. As a result, each investor who owns a
beneficial interest in a global note must rely on the procedures
of DTC to exercise any rights of a holder of senior notes under
the applicable indenture (and, if the investor is not a
participant or an indirect participant in DTC, on the procedures
of the DTC participant through which the investor owns its
interest).
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct
participants, by direct participants to indirect participants,
and by direct participants and indirect participants to
beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them,
subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in
effect from time to time.
Neither DTC nor its nominee will consent or vote with respect to
the global notes. Under its usual procedures DTC mails an
omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date.
The omnibus proxy assigns DTC or its nominees consenting
or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts
interests in the global notes are credited on the record date
(identified in the listing attached to the omnibus proxy).
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Principal and interest payments on the global notes will be made
to DTC. We expect that DTC, upon receipt of any payment of
principal or interest in respect of a global note, will credit
immediately participants accounts with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the
principal amount of such global note as shown on the records
maintained by DTC or its nominee. We also expect that payments
by participants to beneficial owners will be governed by
standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case
with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer
form or registered in street name, and will be the
responsibility of such participant and not of DTC, Baxter or the
trustee, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as
may be in effect from time to time.
Neither we nor the remarketing agents will have any
responsibility or obligation to participants, or the persons for
whom they act as nominees, with respect to the accuracy of the
records of DTC, its nominee or any direct or indirect
participant with respect to any ownership interest in the senior
notes, or payments to, or the providing of notice to
participants or beneficial owners.
In a few special situations described in the next paragraph, the
global notes will terminate and interests in them will be
exchanged for physical certificates representing senior notes.
After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the senior
notes directly or in street name will be up to the investor.
Investors must consult their own banks, brokers or other
financial institutions to find out how to have their interests
in the senior notes transferred to their own name, so that they
will be a direct holder.
The special situations for termination of the global notes are:
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when DTC notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer
qualified to continue as depositary; |
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when we notify the trustee that we wish (subject to DTCs
procedures) to terminate the global notes; and |
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when certain events of default on the senior notes have occurred
and have not been cured. |
Any global note that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding
sentence shall be exchangeable for senior note certificates
registered in the names directed by the depositary. We expect
that these instructions will be based upon directions received
by the depositary from its participants with respect to
ownership of beneficial interests in the global security
certificates.
Trustee
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association (successor
in interest to Bank One Trust Company, N.A.) is the trustee
under the indenture. The trustee is one of a number of banks
with which we and our subsidiaries maintain ordinary banking
relationships.
CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following is a summary of certain of the material United
States federal income tax consequences of the purchase,
ownership and disposition of the senior notes. This summary
deals only with senior notes that are held as capital assets and
that are purchased in the remarketing. This summary does not
describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to you
in light of your particular circumstances or if you are subject
to special tax treatment, including banks, insurance companies,
broker-dealers, tax-exempt organizations, dealers or certain
traders in securities, persons holding the senior notes as part
of a straddle, hedge, integrated, conversion or similar
transaction, and holders whose functional currency is not the
U.S. dollar. In addition, this summary does not address any
aspects of state, local, or foreign tax law. This summary is
based on the United States federal income tax laws, regulations,
rulings, and decisions in effect as of the date hereof, all of
which are subject to change or differing interpretations,
possibly on a retroactive basis.
No statutory, administrative, or judicial authority directly
addresses the treatment of the senior notes or instruments
similar to the senior notes for United States federal income tax
purposes. As a result, no assurance can be given that the United
States Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) will agree
with the tax
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consequences described herein. You are urged to consult your tax
advisor as to the particular tax consequences of purchasing,
owning, and disposing of the senior notes, including the
application and effect of United States federal, state, local,
and foreign tax laws.
Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders
The following summary is addressed to U.S. holders. For
purposes of this summary, U.S. holder means
(1) a person who is a citizen or resident of the United
States; (2) a corporation, or other entity classified as a
corporation for United States federal income tax purposes,
created or organized in or under the laws of the United States
or any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (3) an
estate the income of which is subject to United States federal
income taxation regardless of its source; or (4) a trust if
(a) a court within the United States is able to exercise
primary supervision over the administration of such trust and
one or more United States persons have the authority to control
all substantial decisions of such trust or (b) the trust
has in effect a valid election to be treated as a domestic trust
for United States federal income tax purposes. If a partnership
or other entity classified as a partnership for United States
federal income tax purposes holds senior notes, the tax
treatment of the partnership and each partner generally will
depend on the activities of the partnership and the activities
of the partner. Partnerships acquiring senior notes, and
partners in such partnerships, are urged to consult their tax
advisors.
Classification of the Senior Notes
In connection with the issuance of the senior notes, Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP delivered an opinion
that, under then-current law, and based on certain
representations, facts, and assumptions set forth in such
opinion, the senior notes would be classified as indebtedness
for United States federal income tax purposes. We have treated
and will continue to treat the senior notes as indebtedness for
United States federal income tax purposes. By acquiring senior
notes in the remarketing, you will be deemed to have agreed to
treat the senior notes as indebtedness for United States federal
income tax purposes.
Because of the manner in which the interest rate on the senior
notes is reset, the senior notes should be classified as
contingent payment debt instruments subject to the
noncontingent bond method for accruing original
issue discount, as set forth in the applicable Treasury
regulations. We have treated and will continue to treat the
senior notes as such. It is possible that the IRS will
successfully assert that the senior notes do not constitute
indebtedness prior to the remarketing, in which case the
contingent payment debt regulations may not apply to the senior
notes you purchased in the remarketing (i.e., because the
interest payments on the senior notes are fixed following the
remarketing). In that case, your tax consequences from the
ownership and disposition of the senior notes may differ from
those described below. The remainder of this discussion assumes
that the senior notes will be treated as indebtedness subject to
the contingent payment debt regulations as described above.
The proper application of the contingent payment debt
regulations to the senior notes following the remarketing is
uncertain in a number of respects, and it is possible that the
IRS will assert that the senior notes should be treated in a
different manner than as described below. A different treatment
of the senior notes could affect the amount, timing and
character of income, gain or loss with respect to an investment
in the senior notes. Accordingly, you are urged to consult your
tax advisor regarding the United States federal income tax
consequences of owning and disposing of the senior notes.
Interest Accruals Based on Comparable Yield and Projected
Payment Schedule
Under the contingent payment debt regulations (subject to the
discussion below), regardless of your method of accounting for
United States federal income tax purposes, you are required to
accrue interest income on the senior notes on a constant-yield
basis at an assumed yield, the comparable yield,
that was determined at the time of issuance of the senior notes.
Solely for purposes of determining the amount of interest income
that accrues on the senior notes, we were required, at the time
of issuance of the senior notes, to construct a projected
payment schedule in respect of the senior notes
representing a series of payments
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the amount and timing of which would produce a yield to maturity
on the senior notes equal to the comparable yield.
For United States federal income tax purposes, you generally are
required under the contingent payment debt regulations to use
the comparable yield and the projected payment schedule that was
determined at the time of issuance of the senior notes in
determining interest accruals and adjustments in respect of a
senior note, unless you timely disclose and justify the use of a
different comparable yield and projected payment schedule to the
IRS. However, there is uncertainty regarding the manner in which
the contingent payment debt regulations apply to the
remarketing, including whether there should be a change in the
projected payment schedule and the precise mechanics for
determining the total amount and timing of the adjustments to
the interest accruals. For our own reporting purposes, we intend
not to change the original projected payment schedule created at
the time of the issuance of the senior notes. The following
discussion assumes that you will use this original projected
payment schedule as well.
Furthermore, assuming that you report your income in a manner
consistent with our position described below, the amount of
income that you will recognize over time in respect of the
senior notes generally should correspond to the economic accrual
of income on the senior notes to you and the amount of income
you would have recognized on an accrual basis if the senior
notes were not subject to the contingent payment debt
regulations. No assurance can be given that the IRS will agree
with the application of the contingent payment debt regulations
to the remarketing in the manner described below.
The amount of interest on a senior note that accrues in an
accrual period is the product of the comparable yield on the
senior note (adjusted to reflect the length of the accrual
period) and the adjusted issue price of the senior note. The
daily portions of interest in respect of a senior note are
determined by allocating to each day in an accrual period the
ratable portion of interest on the senior note that accrues in
the accrual period. The initial adjusted issue price of a senior
note acquired by you in the remarketing will equal
$51.24 per $50 principal amount as of the date of the
remarketing (the initial adjusted issue price). For
any accrual period thereafter, the adjusted issue price will be
(x) the sum of the initial adjusted issue price of the
senior note and all interest previously accrued on such senior
note starting from the remarketing date (disregarding any
positive or negative adjustments described below, including the
adjustments reflecting the actual reset rate and additional
potential adjustments) minus (y) the total amount of the
projected payments on the senior note for all previous accrual
periods starting from the remarketing date.
At the time of the issuance of the senior notes, we determined
that the comparable yield was 4.40% and the projected payment
schedule for the senior notes, per $50 principal amount, was
$0.69 for each quarterly payment date ending after
November 16, 2005. We also determined that the projected
payment for the senior notes, per $50 principal amount, at the
maturity date was $50.69 (which included the stated principal
amount of the senior notes as well as the final projected
interest payment). Based on the comparable yield of 4.40% and
the initial adjusted issue price of $51.24 per $50
principal amount, you will be required (regardless of your
accounting method) to accrue interest as the sum of the daily
portions of interest on the senior note for each day in the
taxable year on which you hold the senior note, adjusted as set
forth below.
Adjustments Reflecting the Actual Reset Rate
Based on the reset rate of %,
actual interest payments on the senior notes, per $50 principal
amount, will be approximately
$ for
each quarterly payment date ending after November 16, 2005.
Because these payments will be less than the projected quarterly
payments of $0.69, you and we will be required to account for
these differences as negative adjustments to interest accrued
based on the comparable yield of 4.40% in a reasonable manner
over the period to which they relate. For our own reporting
purposes, we intend to treat the difference of
$ between
the projected payment of $0.69 and the actual payment of
approximately
$ on
the senior note as a negative adjustment to the interest accrued
(based on the 4.40% comparable yield) during each quarter. You
are not required to use the same method to account for the
differences between the actual payments and the projected
payment schedule so long as you make these adjustments in a
reasonable manner.
S-13
Adjusted Tax Basis of the Senior Notes; Additional
Potential Adjustments
Your initial adjusted tax basis in a senior note acquired by you
in the remarketing will equal the amount that you pay for the
senior note. Your adjusted tax basis in the senior note for any
accrual period after the remarketing will equal (x) the sum
of your initial adjusted tax basis in the senior note and any
interest previously accrued on such senior note starting from
the date of the remarketing (disregarding any positive or
negative adjustments, other than those described in the next
paragraph) minus (y) the total amount of the projected
payments on the senior note for all previous accrual periods
starting from the date of the remarketing.
If your initial adjusted tax basis in a senior note acquired in
the remarketing differs from the adjusted issue price of such
senior note on the date of your purchase, you will be required
to make additional negative or positive adjustments to interest
accrued in each period. You will take into account any
difference between your initial adjusted tax basis in the senior
note and the adjusted issue price of such senior note on the
date of your purchase by reasonably allocating this difference
to daily portions of interest or to projected payments over the
remaining term of the senior note. If your initial adjusted tax
basis in a senior note is greater than its adjusted issue price
on the date of your purchase, you will take the difference into
account as a negative adjustment to interest. If your initial
adjusted tax basis in a senior note is less than its adjusted
issue price on the date of your purchase, you will take the
difference into account as a positive adjustment to interest.
The adjusted tax basis of a senior note will be decreased by any
such negative adjustments and increased by any such positive
adjustments.
Upon accruing interest income based on the comparable yield of
4.40% and making positive and negative adjustments that reflect
the actual reset rate as described in the immediately preceding
subsection and the possible difference between your initial
adjusted tax basis in the senior note and its adjusted issue
price on the date of your purchase as described in this
subsection, the amount of income that you will recognize in
respect of the senior notes generally should correspond over
time to the economic accrual of income on the notes to you and
the amount of income you would have recognized if the senior
notes were not subject to the contingent payment debt
regulations.
Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Dispositions of the
Senior Notes
You generally will recognize gain or loss on a disposition of a
senior note (including a redemption) in an amount equal to the
difference between the amount realized by you on the disposition
of the senior note and your adjusted tax basis in such senior
note. Selling expenses you incur will reduce the amount of gain
or increase the amount of loss recognized by such holder upon a
disposition of a senior note. Gain recognized on the disposition
of a senior note on or prior to February 16, 2006 will
generally be treated as ordinary interest income. Loss
recognized on the disposition of a senior note on or prior to
February 16, 2006 will generally be treated as ordinary
loss to the extent of such holders prior inclusions of
original issue discount on the senior note and as capital loss
thereafter. In general, gain recognized on the disposition of a
senior note after February 16, 2006 will be ordinary
interest income to the extent attributable to the excess, if
any, of the total remaining principal and interest payments due
on the senior note over the total remaining payments set forth
on the projected payment schedule for the senior note. Any gain
recognized in excess of such amount and any loss recognized on
such a disposition will generally be treated as a capital gain
or loss. Long-term capital gains of individuals are eligible for
reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital losses
is subject to limitation.
Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders
The following summary is addressed to you if you are a
non-U.S. holder. A non-U.S. holder is a holder that is
not a partnership or a U.S. holder as defined under
U.S. Holders. Special rules may
apply to you if you are a controlled foreign
corporation, passive foreign investment
company or foreign personal holding company. A
non-U.S. holder that falls within any of the foregoing
categories should consult its tax advisor to determine the
United States federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences
that may be relevant to it.
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United States Federal Withholding Tax
United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any
payment of principal or interest (including original issue
discount and acquisition discount) on the senior notes, or to
any gain or income you realize on the sale, exchange or other
disposition of the senior notes, provided that:
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you do not actually (or constructively) own 10% or more of the
total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock
within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury
regulations; |
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you are not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to
us through stock ownership; and |
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(a) you provide your name, address and certain other
information on an IRS Form W-8BEN (or a suitable substitute
form), and certify, under penalties of perjury, that you are not
a United States person or (b) you hold your senior notes
through certain foreign intermediaries or certain foreign
partnerships and certain certification requirements are
satisfied. |
United States Federal Income Tax
If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States
(and, if a tax treaty applies, if you maintain a permanent
establishment within the United States) and interest (including
original issue discount and acquisition discount) on the senior
notes is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or
business (and, if a tax treaty applies, that permanent
establishment), you will be subject to United States federal
income tax (but not withholding tax), on the interest, original
issue discount, and acquisition discount on a net income basis
in the same manner as if you were a U.S. holder. In
addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may be subject
to a 30% (or, if a tax treaty applies, such lower rate as the
treaty may provide) branch profits tax.
Any gain or income you realize on the disposition of a senior
note generally will not be subject to United States federal
income tax unless:
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that gain or income is effectively connected with your conduct
of a trade or business in the United States; or |
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you are an individual who is present in the United States for
183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition and
certain other conditions are met. |
Backup Withholding Tax and Information Reporting
Unless you are an exempt recipient, such as a corporation,
payments we make with respect to the senior notes and the
proceeds received from a sale of senior notes may be subject to
information reporting and may also be subject to United States
federal backup withholding tax at the applicable rate if you
fail to supply an accurate taxpayer identification number or
otherwise fail to comply with applicable United States
information reporting or certification requirements. Any amounts
so withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as
a credit against your United States federal income tax liability
provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
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REMARKETING
Under the terms and conditions contained in a remarketing
agreement, dated as of December 17, 2002, among us, Bank
One Trust Company, N.A., as purchase contract agent, Banc of
America Securities LLC, Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
(now known as Credit Suisse First Boston LLC) and UBS Warburg
LLC (now known as UBS Securities LLC), as supplemented by a
supplemental remarketing agreement, to be entered into among us
and J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association
(successor in interest to Bank One Trust Company, N.A.), as
purchase contract agent, and Banc of America Securities LLC,
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., UBS Securities LLC, Citigroup
Global Markets Inc. and Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, as
remarketing agents, the remarketing agents have agreed to use
their reasonable efforts to remarket the senior notes on
November 10, 2005 at an aggregate price of approximately
100.25% of the sum of the treasury portfolio purchase price (as
defined below) and separate senior notes purchase price. The
treasury portfolio purchase price is the price paid
to purchase a portfolio of Treasury securities consisting of:
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U.S. Treasury securities (or principal or interest strips
thereof) that mature on or prior to February 15, 2006 in an
aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the
senior notes included in Equity Units, and |
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with respect to the scheduled interest payment date on the
senior notes that occurs on February 16, 2006,
U.S. Treasury securities (or principal or interest strips
thereof) that mature on or prior to February 15, 2006 in an
aggregate amount equal to the aggregate interest payment that
would be due on that date on the aggregate principal amount of
the senior notes included in Equity Units if the interest rate
on the senior notes were not reset on the senior notes. |
The separate senior notes purchase price is equal to
the product of (A) the total number of separately held
senior notes, if any, that are remarketed multiplied by
(B) the quotient of (1) the treasury portfolio
purchase price divided by (2) the number of senior notes
that are components of Equity Units.
In connection with the remarketing, the remarketing agents have
reset the rate of interest payable on the senior notes to
equal % per annum, which will
be effective upon the closing of the remarketing on
November 16, 2005.
In this remarketing, we intend to submit an order to purchase up
to $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the senior
notes. If our order is accepted, we will retire all of the
senior notes we purchase.
The remarketing agreement provides that the remarketing is
subject to customary conditions precedent, including the
delivery of legal opinions and accountants comfort
letters. The net proceeds of the remarketing of senior notes
comprising a part of Equity Units will be used to purchase the
treasury portfolio described above, which will be pledged to
secure the obligations of holders of Equity Units to purchase
shares of our common stock under the purchase contracts that are
a part of the Equity Units.
Pursuant to the remarketing agreement, the remarketing agents
will deduct as a remarketing fee an amount equal to
25 basis points (0.25%) of the sum of the treasury
portfolio purchase price and separate senior notes purchase
price. Neither we nor the holders of senior notes participating
in this remarketing will otherwise be responsible for any
remarketing fee or commission in connection with this
remarketing.
The senior notes have no established trading market. The
remarketing agents have advised us that they intend to make a
market in the senior notes, but they have no obligation to do so
and may discontinue market making at any time without providing
any notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of any
trading market for the senior notes.
In order to facilitate the remarketing of the senior notes, the
remarketing agents may engage in transactions that stabilize,
maintain, or otherwise affect the price of the senior notes.
These transactions consist of bids or purchases for the purpose
of pegging, fixing, or maintaining the price of the senior
notes. In general, purchases of a security for the purpose of
stabilization could cause the price of the security to be higher
than it might be in the absence of these purchases. We and the
remarketing agents make no representation or prediction as to
the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions
described above may have on the price of the senior notes. In
addition, we and the remarketing agents make no
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representation that the remarketing agents will engage in these
transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will
not be discontinued without notice.
We have agreed to indemnify the remarketing agents against or to
contribute to payments that the remarketing agents may be
required to make in respect of, certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.
The remarketing agents have in the past provided, and may in the
future provide, investment banking and underwriter services to
us and our affiliates for which they have received, or will
receive, customary compensation.
Certain of the remarketing agents will make the senior notes
available for distribution on the Internet through a proprietary
Web site and/or a third-party system operated by Market Axess
Corporation, an Internet-based communications technology
provider. Market Axess Corporation is providing the system as a
conduit for communications between those remarketing agents and
their customers and is not a party to any transactions. Market
Axess Corporation, a registered broker-dealer, will receive
compensation from those remarketing agents based on transactions
those remarketing agents conduct through the system. Those
remarketing agents will make the senior notes available to their
customers through Internet distributions, whether made through a
proprietary or third-party system, on the same terms as
distributions made through other channels.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters with respect to the remarketing of the
senior notes will be passed on for us by Susan R. Lichtenstein,
our Corporate Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate
Secretary, and by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom,
LLP, Washington, D.C. Ms. Lichtenstein owns shares of,
and options on, Baxters common stock, both directly, and
as a participant in various stock and employee benefit plans.
Certain legal matters with respect to the remarketing of the
senior notes will be passed on for the remarketing agents by
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, Chicago, Illinois.
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP has rendered, and may from
time to time render, legal services to Baxter.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The financial statements, financial statement schedule and
managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting (which is included in
Managements Report on Internal Control Over Financial
Reporting), incorporated in this remarketing prospectus
supplement by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K
of Baxter International Inc. for the year ended
December 31, 2004, have been so incorporated in reliance on
the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of
said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
With respect to the unaudited consolidated financial information
of Baxter International Inc. for the quarterly periods ended
March 31, 2005, June 30, 2005 and September 30,
2005, incorporated by reference in this remarketing prospectus
supplement, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP reported that they have
applied limited procedures in accordance with professional
standards for a review of such information. However their
separate reports dated (i) May 3, 2005 with respect to
the quarter ended March 31, 2005, (ii) August 1,
2005 with respect to the quarter ended June 30, 2005 and
(iii) October 31, 2005 with respect to the quarter
ended September 30, 2005, each of which is incorporated by
reference herein, state that they did not audit and they do not
express an opinion on that unaudited financial information.
Accordingly, the degree of reliance on their reports on such
information should be restricted in light of the limited nature
of the review procedures applied. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is
not subject to the liability provisions of Section 11 of
the Securities Act of 1933 for their reports on the unaudited
financial information because those reports are not
reports
S-17
or parts of the registration statement prepared or
certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP within the meaning of
Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, as well as proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or SEC. You may read and copy any document
that we file with the SEC, including the registration statement,
at the SECs Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street,
N.E., Washington D.C. 20549. You may obtain further information
about the operation of the Public Reference Room, or arrange to
receive copies of filed documents upon payment of a duplicating
fee, by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Our SEC filings are
also available to the public over the Internet at the SECs
web site at www.sec.gov and at our web site at
www.baxter.com. We do not intend for information on our
web site to be part of this remarketing prospectus supplement.
In addition, our common stock is listed and traded on the New
York Stock Exchange. Accordingly, you may inspect the
information we file with the SEC at the New York Stock Exchange,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.
This remarketing prospectus supplement is part of a registration
statement on Form S-3 filed by us with the SEC under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As permitted by SEC rules,
this remarketing prospectus supplement does not contain all of
the information included in the registration statement and the
accompanying exhibits filed with the SEC. You may refer to the
registration statement and its exhibits for more information.
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference into
this remarketing prospectus supplement the information we file
with the SEC. This means we can disclose important information
to you by referring you to those documents. The information
incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this
remarketing prospectus supplement. If we subsequently file
updating or superseding information in a document that is
incorporated by reference in this remarketing prospectus
supplement, the subsequent information will also become part of
this remarketing prospectus supplement and will supersede the
earlier information.
We are incorporating by reference the following documents that
we have filed with the SEC:
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Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2004; |
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Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
March 31, 2005, June 30, 2005 and September 30,
2005; and |
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Current Reports on Form 8-K filed January 10, 2005;
February 25, 2005; March 14, 2005 (Item 4.02
only); March 21, 2005; and March 31, 2005; and Current
Report on Form 8-K/ A filed July 27, 2005. |
The preceding list supersedes and replaces the documents listed
in the accompanying prospectus under the heading Where You
Can Find More Information.
We are also incorporating by reference into this remarketing
prospectus supplement each of the documents that we file with
the SEC (excluding those filings made under Items 2.02 or
7.01 of Form 8-K) under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the date of
this remarketing prospectus supplement until the remarketing has
been completed. The file number for the documents we file, or
have filed, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is
001-04448.
You may obtain a copy of any of our SEC filings that are
incorporated by reference, excluding exhibits, at no cost, by
contacting us at:
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Corporate Secretary |
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Baxter International Inc. |
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One Baxter Parkway |
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Deerfield, Illinois 60015 |
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Telephone: (847) 948-2000 |
S-18
PROSPECTUS
Baxter International Inc.
Up to $3,000,000,000 of
Common Stock, $1 Par Value
Preferred Stock
Convertible Preferred Stock
Warrants to Purchase Common Stock or Debt Securities
Convertible Debt Securities
Equity Purchase Contracts
Equity Purchase Units
Debt Securities
Baxter International Inc. may offer from time to time up to
$3,000,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in
this prospectus. The terms of each such offering will be
determined when an agreement to sell is made. Securities we may
sell include:
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common stock |
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preferred stock |
convertible debt securities |
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convertible preferred stock |
stock or debt warrants |
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debt securities |
equity purchase contracts |
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equity purchase units |
Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms
Company, we, us, and
our in this prospectus refer to Baxter International
Inc., a Delaware corporation, together with its subsidiaries.
Unless the context otherwise indicates, common stock
refers to the common stock, $1 par value per share, of
Baxter International Inc. and the associated Series B
junior participating preferred stock purchase rights (currently
traded with our common stock). Any or all of the above
securities are referred to as offered securities in
this prospectus.
We will provide specific terms of the offered securities to be
sold in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this
prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest. A
supplement may also change or update information contained in
this prospectus. We will not use this prospectus to confirm
sales of any of our securities unless it is attached to a
prospectus supplement. Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus
supplement, we will not list any of these securities on any
securities exchange.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has determined whether this prospectus is
truthful or complete. They have not made, nor will they make,
any determination as to whether anyone should buy these
securities. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is June 14, 2005
NOTICE TO INVESTORS
You should rely only on the information contained, or
incorporated by reference, in this prospectus. We have not
authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional
information. you should not assume that the information
contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other
than the date on the front of this prospectus.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
SEC) utilizing a universal shelf
registration process for a delayed, or continuous, or
intermittent offering process. Under this shelf registration
process, we may issue and sell, from time to time, the offered
securities in one or more offerings.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the
securities which may be offered by us. Each time we sell
securities, we are required to provide you with a prospectus and
a prospectus supplement containing specific information about us
and the terms of that particular offering. That prospectus
supplement may include additional risk factors or other special
considerations applicable to those offered securities. Any
prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information
in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the
information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus
supplement, you should rely on the information in that
prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and
the applicable prospectus supplement together with additional
information described under Where You Can Find More
Information.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements
and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any
document we file with the SEC at the SECs Public Reference
Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549. You may obtain further information on the operation of
the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
Our SEC filings are also available to the public over the
Internet at the SECs Web site at http://www.sec.gov. Our
SEC filings are also available at the offices of the New York
Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.
We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the following
documents filed by us with the SEC:
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our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2004, filed with the SEC on
March 16, 2005; |
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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q/ A for the quarters
ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and
September 30, 2004, filed with the SEC on March 31,
2005; and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2005, filed with the SEC on May 6,
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our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on
January 10, 2005; February 25, 2005; March 14,
2005 (Item 4.02 only); March 21, 2005; and
March 31, 2005; |
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the description of our common stock, which is registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, contained in our
Registration Statement on Form 8, filed with the SEC on
June 26, 1986, including any subsequent amendment or any
report filed for the purpose of updating such description; |
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the description of our series B junior participating
preferred stock purchase rights, which is registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act, contained in our
Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on
February 23, 1999; and |
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the amended description of our series B junior
participating preferred stock purchase rights contained in our
Registration Statement on Form 8-A/ A, filed with the SEC
on May 30, 2001, including any subsequent amendment or any
report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
Any statement made in a document incorporated by reference or
deemed incorporated herein by reference is deemed to be modified
or superseded for purposes of this prospectus if a statement
contained
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in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document
which also is incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference
herein modifies or supersedes that statement. Any such statement
so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so
modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We also incorporate by reference all documents filed pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus until we or the
underwriters sell all of the offered securities.
Statements made in this prospectus or in any document
incorporated by reference in this prospectus as to the contents
of any contract or other document referred to herein or therein
are not necessarily complete, and in each instance reference is
made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an
exhibit to the documents incorporated by reference, each such
statement being qualified in all material respects by such
reference.
You may request a copy of these filings at no cost, by writing
or calling us at the following address: Corporate Secretary,
Baxter International Inc., One Baxter Parkway, Deerfield,
Illinois 60015, (847) 948-2000.
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements throughout this prospectus that are not historical
facts, (including material incorporated herein by reference) are
forward-looking statements. These statements are based on our
current expectations and involve numerous risks and
uncertainties. Some of these risks and uncertainties are factors
that affect all international businesses, while some are
specific to us and the health care arenas in which we operate.
Many factors could affect our actual results, causing results to
differ, and possibly differ materially, from those expressed in
any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but
are not limited to, interest rates; technological advances in
the medical field; economic conditions; demand and market
acceptance risks for new and existing products, technologies and
health-care services; the impact of competitive products and
pricing; manufacturing capacity; new plant start-ups; global
regulatory, trade and tax policies; regulatory, legal or other
developments relating to the companys Series A, AF
and AX dialyzers; continued price competition; product
development risks, including technological difficulties; ability
to enforce patents; actions of regulatory bodies and other
government authorities; reimbursement policies of government
agencies; commercialization factors; results of product testing;
and other factors described in this prospectus and in our other
filings with the SEC.
Additionally, as discussed in the Legal Proceedings
section of our most recently filed Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q, upon the resolution of certain legal matters, we
may incur charges in excess of presently established reserves.
Any such charge could have a material adverse effect on our
results of operations or cash flows in the period in which it is
recorded or paid.
Currency fluctuations are also a significant variable for global
companies, especially fluctuations in local currencies where
hedging opportunities are unreasonably expensive or unavailable.
If the United States dollar strengthens against most foreign
currencies, growth rates in our sales and net earnings could be
negatively impacted. We believe that our expectations with
respect to forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable
assumptions within the bounds of our knowledge of our business
and operations, but there can be no assurance that the actual
results or performance of the company will conform to any future
results or performance expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Baxter International Inc. and our Subsidiaries
We were incorporated under Delaware law in 1931. Throughout the
rest of this section, except as otherwise indicated in
information incorporated by reference, we or
our means Baxter International Inc., taken together
with its subsidiaries as a consolidated enterprise. We engage in
the worldwide
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development, manufacture and distribution of a diversified line
of products, systems and services used primarily in the
healthcare field. We manufacture products in 28 countries and
sell them in over 100 countries. Healthcare is concerned with
the preservation of health and with the diagnosis, cure,
mitigation and treatment of disease and body defects and
deficiencies. Our products are used by hospitals, clinical and
medical research laboratories, blood and blood dialysis centers,
rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, doctors offices and
by patients, at home, under physician supervision.
We operate as a global leader in critical therapies for
life-threatening conditions. Our continuing operations are
comprised of three segments: Medication Delivery, which provides
a range of intravenous solutions and specialty products that are
used in combination for fluid replenishment, nutrition therapy,
pain management, antibiotic therapy and chemotherapy;
BioScience, which develops biopharmaceuticals, biosurgery
products, vaccines and blood collection, processing and storage
products and technologies; and Renal, which develops products
and provides services to treat end-stage kidney disease. Our
three businesses enjoy leading positions in the medical products
and services fields.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Except as otherwise set forth in any Prospectus Supplement
relating to the Offered Securities, we will use the net proceeds
from the sale of the Offered Securities for working capital, to
repay our existing debt, to fund acquisitions, for our capital
expenditures and for general corporate purposes.
We will include a more detailed description of the use of
proceeds from any specific offering of securities in the
prospectus supplement relating to the offering.
COMMON STOCK
In General
This description of our common stock is a summary. You should
keep in mind, however, that it is our certificate of
incorporation and our bylaws, and not this summary, which
defines any rights you may acquire as a securityholder. There
may be other provisions in these documents which are also
important to you. You should read these documents for a full
description of the terms of our capital stock. Our certificate
of incorporation and our bylaws are incorporated by reference as
exhibits to the registration statement that includes this
prospectus. See Where You Can Find More Information
for information on how to obtain copies of these documents.
Subject to any preferential rights of any preferred stock
created by our board of directors, as a holder of our common
stock you are entitled to such dividends as our board of
directors may declare from time to time out of funds that we can
legally use to pay dividends. The holders of common stock
possess exclusive voting rights, except to the extent our board
of directors specifies voting power for any preferred stock
that, in the future, may be issued.
As a holder of our common stock, you are entitled to one vote
for each share of common stock and do not have any right to
cumulate votes in the election of directors. In the event of our
liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, you will be entitled to
receive on a proportionate basis any assets remaining after
provision for payment of creditors and after payment of any
liquidation preferences to holders of preferred stock. Our
common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol BAX.
Rights Plan
In November 1998, our board of directors declared a dividend
distribution of one right for each outstanding share of common
stock. In February 2001, our board of directors declared a
two-for-one stock split in the form of a 100% stock distribution
to holders of our common stock.
As a result of the stock split, our rights plan was adjusted as
of the end of May 2001, so that each share of our common stock
is now accompanied by one-half of one right. Each full right
entitles the
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holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share
of series B junior participating preferred stock at a price
of $275 per one one-hundredth of a share, subject to
adjustment. Initially, the rights are attached to all
certificates representing our common stock and no separate
rights certificates have been issued. The rights will separate
from our common stock upon the earlier of:
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ten business days following the public announcement that a
person or group has acquired or obtained the right to acquire
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of
our common stock; or |
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ten business days following the commencement of a tender or an
exchange offer that would result in a person or group owning 15%
or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock; |
unless the person or group has offered to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of our common stock and our independent
directors have determined that such offer is in the best
interests of the Company and its stockholders. The rights are
not exercisable until one of the two events listed above has
occurred and will expire on March 23, 2009.
Upon the happening of one of the events listed above, each right
(other than rights held by the acquiring person) will be
exercisable for our common stock having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the right. If the Company is
acquired or sells 50% or more of its assets, then each right
will be exercisable for common stock in the surviving or
transferee corporation having a value equal to two times the
exercise price of the right.
At any time up to ten days after the happening of one of the
events listed above, Baxter may redeem the rights at a price of
$.01 per right.
Other Charter and Bylaw Provisions
In addition, our restated certificate of incorporation (the
charter) may have anti-takeover effects. Our charter
provides, among other things, for a classified board of
directors divided into three classes and stockholder action only
at a stockholders meeting and not by written consent. In
addition, our bylaws provide, among other things, that
stockholders wishing to nominate a director at an annual meeting
or at a special meeting called for the purpose of electing
directors must comply with strict advance written notice
provisions. Our bylaws also provide that special meetings of
stockholders may be called only by the chairman of our board of
directors, or certain of our officers, or by resolution of our
directors.
PREFERRED STOCK
We will describe the particular terms of any series of preferred
stock in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of
any such offered securities.
We will fix or designate the rights, preferences, privileges and
restrictions, including any dividend rights, voting rights (if
any), terms of redemption, retirement and sinking fund
provisions (if any) and liquidation preferences (if any), of any
series of preferred stock through a certificate of designation
adopted by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee
of our board of directors. We will describe the terms, if any,
on which shares of any series of preferred stock are redeemable,
convertible or exchangeable into common stock in the prospectus
supplement relating to the offering. The redemption, conversion
or exchange may be mandatory, at your option, or at our option.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the manner in
which the shares of common stock that you will receive as a
holder of preferred stock would be converted or exchanged or
redeemed.
CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK
We will describe the particular terms of any series of
convertible preferred stock in the prospectus supplement
relating to the offering of any such offered securities.
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We will fix or designate the conversion rights, preferences,
privileges and restrictions, including any dividend rights,
voting rights (if any), terms of redemption, retirement and
sinking fund provisions (if any) and liquidation preferences (if
any), of any series of convertible preferred stock through a
certificate of designation adopted by our board of directors or
a duly authorized committee of our board of directors. We will
describe the terms, if any, on which shares of any series of
preferred stock are convertible or exchangeable into our debt
securities or common stock in the prospectus supplement relating
to the offering. The conversion, redemption or exchange may be
mandatory, at your option, or at our option. The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe the manner in which the
shares of common stock that you will receive as a holder of
convertible preferred stock would be converted or exchanged or
redeemed.
STOCK AND DEBT WARRANTS
We may issue warrants, including warrants to purchase debt
securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities
issued by us. We may issue warrants independently or together
with any other securities, and they may be attached to or
separate from those securities. We will issue the warrants under
warrant agreements between us and a bank or trust company, as
warrant agent, that we will describe in the prospectus
supplement relating to any warrants that we offer.
We will also describe in the applicable prospectus supplement
the amount of securities called for by the warrants, any amount
of warrants outstanding, and any provisions for a change in the
exercise price or the expiration date of the warrants and the
kind, frequency and timing of any notice to be given. Prior to
the exercise of your warrants, you will not have any of the
rights of holders of the preferred stock or common stock
purchasable upon any such exercise and will not be entitled to
dividend payments, if any, or voting rights of the preferred
stock or common stock purchasable upon the exercise.
Exercise of Warrants
We will describe in the prospectus supplement relating to the
warrants the principal amount or the number of shares of our
securities that you may purchase for cash upon exercise of a
warrant, and the exercise price. Exercise a warrant may occur,
as described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to
the warrants, at any time up to the close of business on the
expiration date stated in the prospectus supplement. Unexercised
warrants will become void after the close of business on the
expiration date, or any later expiration date that we determine.
We will forward the securities deliverable upon the exercise of
any warrant reasonably promptly after receipt of payment and the
properly completed and executed warrant certificate at the
corporate trust office of the warrant agent or other office
stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. If you exercise
less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant
certificate, we will issue you a new warrant certificate for the
remaining warrants.
CONVERTIBLE DEBT SECURITIES
We will describe the particular terms of any series of
convertible debentures or other convertible debt issuable by us,
in the prospectus supplement relating to any such offered
securities.
We will fix or designate the rights, preferences, privileges and
restrictions, including conversion rights, interest rate and
other rights, including terms of redemption, retirement and
sinking fund provisions (if any) and liquidation preferences, if
any, of any series of convertible debt through an instrument
adopted by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee
of our board of directors. We will describe the terms, if any,
on which such instruments are convertible or exchangeable into
common stock in the prospectus supplement relating to the
applicable offering. The conversion or exchange may be
mandatory, at your option, or at our option. The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe the manner in which the
shares of common stock that you will receive as a holder of the
convertible debt would be converted or exchanged or redeemed.
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EQUITY PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND EQUITY PURCHASE UNITS
We may issue any form of equity purchase contracts, including
contracts obligating you to purchase from us, and for us to sell
to you, a specific number of shares of common stock or preferred
stock, or other equity, at a future date or dates. The price per
share of preferred stock or common stock or other equity may be
fixed at the time the equity purchase contracts are issued or
may be determined by reference to a specific formula described
in the equity purchase contracts. We may issue the equity
purchase contract separately or as a part of units consisting of
an equity purchase contract and debt securities, trust preferred
securities or debt obligations of third parties, including
U.S. Treasury securities, securing your obligations to
purchase the preferred stock or the common stock or other equity
under the purchase contracts. The equity purchase contracts may
require us to make periodic payments to you or vice versa and
the payments may be unsecured or pre-funded on some basis. The
equity purchase contracts may require you to secure your
obligations in a specified manner. We will describe in the
applicable prospectus supplement the terms of any equity
purchase contracts or equity purchase units.
DEBT SECURITIES
The debt securities will be our unsecured and unsubordinated
obligations issued in one or more series and will rank equally
with each other and with all of our other unsecured and
unsubordinated indebtedness. The debt securities will be issued
under an indenture to be entered into between us and Bank One
Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. The terms of any series of debt
securities will be those specified in the indenture, as amended
or supplemented from time to time, and in the certificates
evidencing that series of debt securities.
The following summary of selected provisions of the indenture
and the debt securities is not complete, and the summary of
selected terms of a particular series of debt securities
included in the applicable prospectus supplement also will not
be complete. You should review the indenture and the form of
certificate evidencing the applicable debt securities, each of
which have been or will be filed as exhibits to the registration
statement of which this prospectus is a part or as exhibits to
documents which have been or will be incorporated by reference
in this prospectus. To obtain a copy of the indenture or the
form of certificate for the debt securities, see Where You
Can Find More Information in this prospectus. The
following summary and the summary in the applicable prospectus
supplement are qualified in their entirety by reference to all
of the provisions of the indenture and the certificates
evidencing the debt securities. The provisions of the indenture
and the debt certificates, including defined terms, are
incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Terms used in this
section have the meanings assigned to those terms in the
indenture. When we refer to we, us or
our in this section or when we otherwise refer to
ourselves in this section, we mean Baxter International Inc.,
excluding, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context
otherwise requires, our subsidiaries.
The following description of debt securities describes general
terms and provisions of the series of debt securities to which
any prospectus supplement may relate. When we offer to sell a
series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms
of the series in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any
particular terms of the debt securities described in a
prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described in
this prospectus, the terms described in the applicable
prospectus supplement will supersede the terms described in this
prospectus.
General
The debt securities may be issued from time to time in one or
more series. We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities
under the indenture. The indenture provides that we may issue
debt securities of any series in an amount up to the aggregate
principal amount which is authorized from time to time by us.
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Please read the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the
series of debt securities being offered for specific terms
including, where applicable:
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the title of the series of debt securities; |
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of debt securities
of the series; |
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the price or prices at which we will issue debt securities of
the series; |
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the date or dates on which we will pay the principal of and
premium, if any, on debt securities of the series, or the method
or methods, if any, that will used to determine those dates; |
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the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which debt
securities of the series will bear interest, if any, or the
method or methods, if any, that will be used to determine those
rates; |
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the basis used to calculate interest, if any, on the debt
securities of the series if other than a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months; |
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the date or dates, if any, from which interest on the debt
securities of the series will accrue, or the method or methods,
if any, that will be used to determine those dates; |
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the dates on which the interest, if any, on the debt securities
of the series will commence accruing and will be payable and the
record dates for the payment of interest; |
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the place or places where amounts due on the debt securities of
the series will be payable and where the debt securities of the
series may be surrendered for registration of transfer and
exchange; |
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the terms and conditions, if any, upon which we may, at our
option, redeem debt securities of the series; |
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the terms and conditions, if any, upon which we will repurchase
debt securities of the series at the option of the holders of
debt securities of the series; |
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the terms of any sinking fund or analogous provision; |
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if other than United States dollars, the currency to be used to
purchase the debt securities of the series and the currency to
be used for payments on debt securities of the series, and the
ability or the ability of the holders of debt securities of the
series, if any, to have payments made in any other currency; |
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any addition to, or modification or deletion of, any covenant or
event of default with respect to debt securities of the series; |
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whether the debt securities of the series are to be issuable in
registered or bearer form or both and, if in bearer form,
whether we will issue any debt securities of the series in
temporary or permanent global form and, if so, the identity of
the depositary for the global debt security; |
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whether and under what circumstances we will pay any additional
amounts in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other
governmental charges imposed on holders of the series of debt
securities who are United States Aliens (additional
amounts) and, if so, whether we will have the option to
redeem the series of debt securities rather than pay any
additional amounts; |
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the person to whom any interest on any registered securities of
the series of debt securities will be payable, if different than
the person in whose name a registered security is registered at
the close of business on the regular record date for that
payment; |
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the manner in which, or the person to whom, any interest on any
bearer security of the series of debt securities will be
payable, if different than upon presentation and surrender of
the coupons relating to the bearer security; |
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the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest
payable on a temporary global debt security will be paid, if
other than in the manner provided in the indenture; |
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the portion of the principal amount of the series of debt
securities which will be payable upon acceleration if other than
the full principal amount; |
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the authorized denominations in which the series of debt
securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000
and any integral multiple of $1,000, in the case of registered
securities, or $5,000, in the case of bearer securities; |
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if the amount of payments on the series of debt securities may
be determined with reference to an index, formula or other
method or methods (indexed securities) and the
manner used to determine those amounts; and |
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any other terms of debt securities of the series. |
As used in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement
relating to the offering of debt securities, references to the
principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the
series of debt securities include the payment of additional
amounts, if any, required by the series of debt securities in
that context.
Debt securities may be issued as original issue discount
securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their
principal amount. In the event of an acceleration of the
maturity of any original issue discount security, the amount
payable to the holder upon acceleration will be determined in
the manner described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Material federal income tax and other considerations applicable
to original issue discount securities will be described in the
applicable prospectus supplement.
If the purchase price of any debt securities is payable in a
foreign currency or currency unit or if the principal of, or
premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the debt
securities is payable in a foreign currency or currency unit,
the specific terms of those debt securities and the applicable
foreign currency or currency unit will be specified in the
prospectus supplement relating to those debt securities.
The terms of the debt securities of any series may differ from
the terms of the debt securities of any other series, and the
terms of particular debt securities within any series may differ
from each other. If expressly provided in the applicable
prospectus supplement, we may, without the consent of the
holders of the debt securities of any series, reopen an existing
series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities
of that series or establish additional or different terms of
that series.
Registration, transfer, payment and paying agent
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus
supplement, each series of debt securities will be issued in
registered form only, without coupons. The indenture, however,
provides that we may also issue debt securities in bearer form
only, or in both registered and bearer form. Bearer securities
may not be offered, sold, resold or delivered in connection with
their original issuance in the United States or to any United
States person, as defined below, other than offices located
outside the United States of specified United States financial
institutions. United States person means any citizen
or resident of the United States, any corporation, partnership
or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the
United States, any estate the income of which is subject to
United States federal income taxation regardless of its source,
or any trust whose administration is subject to the primary
supervision of a United States court and which has one or more
United States fiduciaries who have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust. United States
means the United States of America, including the states thereof
and the District of Columbia, its territories, its possessions
and other areas subject to its jurisdiction. Purchasers of
bearer securities will be subject to certification procedures
and may be affected by limitations under United States tax laws.
The applicable procedures and limitations will be described in
the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of the bearer
securities.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus
supplement, the debt securities will be payable and may be
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and, if
applicable, for conversion into or exchange for other types of
securities, at an office or agency maintained by the trustee in
the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. However, we, at
our option, may make payments of interest on any registered
security by check mailed to the address of the person entitled
to receive that payment or by wire
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transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank
located in the United States. No service charge will be made for
any registration of transfer or exchange, redemption or
repayment of debt securities, or for any conversion or exchange
of debt securities for other types of securities, but we may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with that
transaction.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus
supplement, payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest,
if any, on bearer securities will be made, subject to any
applicable laws and regulations, at an office or agency outside
the United States. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
prospectus supplement, payment of interest due on bearer
securities on any interest payment date will be made only
against surrender of the coupon relating to that interest
payment date. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
prospectus supplement, no payment of principal, premium, if any,
or interest, if any, with respect to any bearer security will be
made at any office or agency in the United States or by check
mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer
to an account maintained with a bank located in the United
States. However, if any bearer securities are payable in United
States dollars, payments on those bearer securities may be made
at the corporate trust office of the trustee or at any office or
agency designated by us in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, if, but only if, payment of the full amount due on the
bearer securities for principal, premium, if any, or interest,
if any, at all offices outside of the United States maintained
for that purpose by us is illegal or effectively precluded by
exchange controls or similar restrictions.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we will not be required to:
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issue, register the transfer of or exchange debt securities of
any series during a period beginning at the opening of business
15 days before any selection of debt securities of that
series having the same terms to be redeemed and ending at the
close of business on the day of that selection; |
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register the transfer of or exchange any registered security, or
portion of any registered security, selected for redemption,
except the unredeemed portion of any registered security being
redeemed in part; |
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exchange any bearer security selected for redemption, except to
exchange a bearer security for a registered security of that
series having the same terms that is simultaneously surrendered
for redemption; or |
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issue, register the transfer of or exchange a debt security
which has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the
holder, except the portion, if any, of the debt security not to
be repaid. |
Book-entry debt securities
The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in
part in the form of one or more global debt securities. Global
debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a
depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement
relating to the series. Global debt securities may be issued in
either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or
permanent form. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in
part for individual certificates evidencing debt securities, a
global debt security may not be transferred except as a whole by
the depositary to its nominee or by the nominee to the
depositary, or by the depositary or its nominee to a successor
depositary or to a nominee of the successor depositary.
We anticipate that global debt securities will be deposited
with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company
(DTC), New York, New York, and that global debt
securities will be registered in the name of DTCs nominee,
Cede & Co. We also anticipate that the following
provisions will apply to the depository arrangements with
respect to global debt securities. Additional or differing terms
of the depository arrangements will be described in the
applicable prospectus supplement.
DTC has advised us that it is:
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a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York
Banking Law; |
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a banking organization within the meaning of the New
York Banking Law; |
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a member of the Federal Reserve System; |
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a clearing corporation within the meaning of the New
York Uniform Commercial Code; and |
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a clearing agency registered pursuant to the
provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act. |
DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC
also facilitates the settlement among its participants of
securities transactions, including transfers and pledges, in
deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry
changes in participants accounts, which eliminates the
need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct
participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks,
trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations.
DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants and by the
New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, LLC.
and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Access
to the DTC system is also available to others, sometimes
referred to in this prospectus as indirect participants, that
clear transactions through or maintain a custodial relationship
with a direct participant either directly or indirectly.
Indirect participants include securities brokers and dealers,
banks and trust companies. The rules applicable to DTC and its
participants are on file with the SEC.
Purchases of debt securities within the DTC system must be made
by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit
for the debt securities on DTCs records. The ownership
interest of the actual purchaser or beneficial owner of a debt
security is, in turn, recorded on the direct and indirect
participants records. Beneficial owners will not receive
written confirmation from DTC of their purchases, but beneficial
owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing
details of the transactions, as well as periodic statements of
their holdings, from the direct or indirect participants through
which they purchased the debt securities. Transfers of ownership
interests in debt securities are to be accomplished by entries
made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial
owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates
representing their ownership interests in the debt securities,
except under the limited circumstances described below.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, all debt securities
deposited by direct participants with DTC will be registered in
the name of DTCs nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit
of debt securities with DTC and their registration in the name
of Cede & Co. will not change the beneficial ownership
of the debt securities. DTC has no knowledge of the actual
beneficial owners of the debt securities. DTCs records
reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose
accounts the debt securities are credited. Those participants
may or may not be the beneficial owners. The direct and indirect
participants are responsible for keeping account of their
holdings on behalf of their customers.
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct
participants, by direct participants to indirect participants
and by direct and indirect participants to beneficial owners
will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any
legal requirements in effect from time to time.
Redemption notices will be sent to DTC or its nominee. If less
than all of the debt securities of a series are being redeemed,
DTCs practice is to determine by lot the amount of the
interest of each direct participant in the debt securities to be
redeemed.
In any case where a vote may be required with respect to the
debt securities of any series, neither DTC nor Cede &
Co. will give consents for or vote the global debt securities.
Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us
as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy
assigns the consenting or voting rights of Cede & Co.
to those direct participants to whose accounts the debt
securities are credited on the record date identified in a
listing attached to the omnibus proxy.
Principal and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the
global debt securities will be paid to Cede & Co., as
nominee of DTC. DTCs practice is to credit direct
participants accounts on the relevant payment date unless
DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payments on
the payment date. Payments by direct and indirect participants
to beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions
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and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for
the account of customers in bearer form or registered in
street name. Those payments will be the
responsibility of participants and not of DTC or us, subject to
any legal requirements in effect from time to time. Payment of
principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, to
Cede & Co. is our responsibility, disbursement of
payments to direct participants is the responsibility of DTC,
and disbursement of payments to the beneficial owners is the
responsibility of direct and indirect participants.
Except under the limited circumstances described in this
prospectus, beneficial owners of interests in a global debt
security will not be entitled to have debt securities registered
in their names and will not receive physical delivery of debt
securities. Accordingly, each beneficial owner must rely on the
procedures of DTC to exercise any rights under the debt
securities and the indenture.
The laws of some jurisdictions may require that some purchasers
of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive
form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer or pledge
beneficial interests in global debt securities.
DTC is under no obligation to provide its services as depositary
for the debt securities of any series and may discontinue
providing its services at any time by giving reasonable notice
to use or the trustee. Neither we nor the trustee will have any
responsibility for the performance by DTC or its participants or
indirect participants under the rules and procedures governing
DTC. As noted above, beneficial owners of debt securities
generally will not receive certificates representing their
ownership interests in the debt securities. However, if
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DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a
depositary for the global debt securities of any series or if
DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the
Securities Exchange Act and a successor depositary for the debt
securities of the series is not appointed within 90 days of
the notification or of our becoming aware of DTCs ceasing
to be so registered, as the case may be, |
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we determine, in our sole discretion, not to have the debt
securities of any series represented by one or more global debt
securities, or |
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an event of default under the indenture has occurred and is
continuing with respect to the debt securities of any series, |
we will prepare and deliver to the trustee certificates for the
debt securities of that series, which will deliver the
certificates in exchange for beneficial interests in the global
debt securities. Any beneficial interest in a global debt
security that is exchangeable under the circumstances described
in the preceding sentence will be exchangeable for debt
securities in definitive certificated form registered in the
names that DTC will direct. It is expected that these directions
will be based upon directions received by DTC from its
participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests
in the global debt securities.
We obtained the information in this section and elsewhere in
this prospectus concerning DTC and DTCs book-entry system
from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no
responsibility for the accuracy of this information.
Outstanding debt securities
In determining whether the holders of the requisite principal
amount of outstanding debt securities have given any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver
under the indenture:
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the principal amount of an original issue discount security that
will be deemed to be outstanding for these purposes will be that
portion of the principal amount of the original issue discount
security that could be declared to be due and payable upon a
declaration of acceleration of the original issue discount
security as of the date of the determination; |
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the principal amount of any indexed security that will be deemed
to be outstanding for these purposes will be the principal face
amount of the indexed security determined on the date of its
original issuance; |
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the principal amount of a debt security denominated in a foreign
currency that will be deemed to be outstanding for these
purposes will be the United States dollar equivalent, determined
on the date of original issue of the debt security, of the
principal amount of the debt security; and |
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a debt security owned by us or any obligor on the debt security
or any affiliate of ours or the other obligor will not be deemed
to be outstanding. |
Redemption and repurchase
The debt securities of any series may be redeemable at our
option or may be subject to mandatory redemption by us as
required by a sinking fund or otherwise. In addition, the debt
securities of any series may be subject to repurchase by us at
the option of the holders. The applicable prospectus supplement
will describe the terms, the times and the prices regarding any
optional or mandatory redemption or option to repurchase any
series of debt securities.
Restrictive Covenants
Restrictions on the creation of secured debt. The indenture
provides that we will not, and will not cause or permit a
restricted subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or guarantee any
indebtedness borrowed by us or our restricted subsidiaries that
is secured by a security interest in any of our principal
facilities or shares of stock owned directly or indirectly by us
or a restricted subsidiary or by indebtedness borrowed by one of
our restricted subsidiaries from us or another of our restricted
subsidiaries (secured debt) unless the debt
securities will be secured equally and ratably with or prior to
the secured debt, with exceptions as listed in the indenture.
These restrictions do not apply to indebtedness secured by:
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security interests on any property, which is a parcel of real
property at a manufacturing plant, a warehouse or an office
building and which is acquired, constructed, developed or
improved by us or a restricted subsidiary, which secures or
provides for the payment of all or any part of the acquisition
cost of the property or the cost of the construction,
development or improvement of the property and which is created
prior to, at the same time or within 120 days after the
completion of the acquisition of the property or the later to
occur of the completion, development or improvement or the
commencement or operation, use or commercial production of the
property; |
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security interests on property at the time of its acquisition by
us or a restricted subsidiary which secure obligations assumed
by us or a restricted subsidiary; |
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security interests arising from conditional sales agreements or
title retention agreements with respect to property acquired by
us or any of our restricted subsidiaries; |
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security interests existing on the property or on the
outstanding shares or indebtedness of a corporation or firm at
the time the corporation or firm becomes a restricted subsidiary
or is merged or consolidated with us or a restricted subsidiary
or or sells, leases or otherwise disposes of substantially all
of its property to us or one of our restricted subsidiaries; |
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security interests securing indebtedness of a restricted
subsidiary owed to us or to another restricted subsidiary; |
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mechanics and other statutory liens in respect of
obligations not due or being contested; |
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security interests for taxes, assessments or governmental
changes or levies not yet delinquent or security interests for
taxes, assessments or governmental changes or levies already
delinquent but which are being contested; |
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security interests arising in connection with legal proceedings,
including judgment liens, so long as the proceedings are being
contested and, in the case of judgment liens, the execution has
been stayed; |
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landlords liens on fixtures; |
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security interests arising in connection with contracts and
subcontracts with or made at the request of the United States,
any state, or any department, agency or instrumentality of the
Unites States or any state; |
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security interests that secure an obligation issued by the
United States of America or any state, territory or possession
of the United States or any of their political subdivisions or
the District of Columbia, in connection with the financing of
the cost of construction or acquisition of a principal facility
or a part of a principal facility; |
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security interests by reason of deposits to qualify us or a
restricted subsidiary to conduct business, to maintain
self-insurance, or to comply with law; |
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the extension of any security interest existing on the date of
the indenture on a principal facility to additions, extensions
or improvements to the principal facility and not as a result of
borrowing money or the securing of indebtedness incurred after
the date of the indenture; and |
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any extension, renewal or refunding, or successive extensions,
renewals or refundings, in whole or in part of by secured debt
secured by any security interest listed to above, provided that
the principal amount of the secured debt does not exceed the
principal amount outstanding immediately prior to the extension,
renewal or refunding and that the security interest securing the
secured debt is limited to the property which, immediately prior
to the extension, renewal or reducing, secured the secured debt
and additions to the property. |
For purposes of the indenture, our principal
facilities are our manufacturing plants, warehouses,
office buildings or parcels of real property owned by us or any
of our restricted subsidiaries, provided each plant, warehouse,
office building or parcel of real property has a gross book
value, without deduction for any depreciation reserves, in
excess of 2% of consolidated net tangible assets other than any
facility which is determined by our board of directors to not be
of material importance. For purposes of the indenture, our
consolidated net tangible assets are the total amount of assets
which would be included on our consolidated balance sheet under
generally accepted accounting principles after deducting all
short-term liabilities and liability items, except for
indebtedness payable more than one year from the date of
incurrence and all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents,
unamortized debt discount, unamortized expense incurred in the
issuance of debt and other like intangibles except for prepaid
royalties.
In addition to the foregoing, we and our restricted subsidiaries
may create, incur, assume or guarantee secured debt, without
equally and ratably securing the debt securities, if and only to
the extent that, the sum of
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the amount of secured debt entered into after the date of the
indenture, other than secured debt permitted as listed in the
preceding paragraph, plus |
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the aggregate value of sale and leaseback transactions entered
into after the date of the indenture, other than sale and
leaseback transactions permitted under the second bullet point
under Restrictions on sale and leaseback
transactions, |
does not exceed 5% of our consolidated net tangible assets.
For purposes of the indenture, our restricted
subsidiaries are those corporations in which we own voting
securities entitling us to elect a majority of the directors and
which are either designated as restricted subsidiaries in
accordance with the indenture or:
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existed as such on the date of the indenture or is the successor
to, or owns, any equity interest in, a corporation which so
existed; |
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has its principal business and assets in the United States; |
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the business is other than the obtaining of financing in capital
markets outside the United States or the financing of the
acquisition or disposition of real or personal property or
dealing in real property for residential or office building
purposes; and |
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does not have assets substantially all of which consist of
securities of one or more corporations which are not restricted
subsidiaries. |
Restrictions on sale and leaseback transactions. The indenture
provides that we will not, and will not permit any restricted
subsidiary to, enter into any sale or transfer of any principal
facility which has been in operation, use or commercial
production for more than 120 days prior to the sale or
transfer, or which, in the case of a principal facility which is
a parcel of real property other than a manufacturing plant,
warehouse or office building, has been owned by us or one of our
restricted subsidiaries for more than 120 days prior to the
sale or transfer, if the sale or transfer is made with the
intention of leasing, or as part of an arrangement involving the
lease, of the principal facility to us or one of our restricted
subsidiaries, except a lease for a period not exceeding
36 months or that secures or relates to obligations issued
by the United States, or any state, in connection with the
financing of the cost of construction or acquisition of the
principal facility (sale and leaseback transaction),
unless:
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we or our restricted subsidiary would be entitled to incur
secured debt permitted by the indenture only by reason of the
provision described in the second paragraph under the
sub-heading Restrictions on the creation of secured
debt equal in amount to the value of the sale and
leaseback transaction without equally and ratably securing the
debt securities; or |
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we or our restricted subsidiary apply within one year, or commit
to apply within one year, an amount equal to the net proceeds of
the property sold pursuant to the sale and leaseback transaction
to: |
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the acquisition, construction or improvement of properties which
are or will be a principal facility, or |
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the optional redemption of debt securities or to the repayment
of other superior indebtedness of us or of any restricted
subsidiary. |
For purposes of the indenture, superior indebtedness
means any of our obligations, or the obligations of any of our
restricted subsidiaries, which:
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when created, are payable at least one year later; |
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should be shown on our consolidated balance sheet in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles; and |
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are not subordinate and junior in right of payment to the prior
payment of our debt securities. |
Instead of applying all or any part of the proceeds of a sale
and leaseback transaction to the redemption of debt securities,
we may deliver to the trustee, within one year of the transfer,
debt securities for cancellation and thereby reduce the amount
to be applied to the redemption of debt securities by an amount
equivalent to the aggregate principal amount of the debt
securities delivered. Debt securities so redeemed or delivered
will not be used as credits against any mandatory sinking fund
payments.
Restrictions on transfers of principal facilities. The indenture
provides that we will not, nor will we permit any restricted
subsidiary to, transfer any principal facility to any of our
subsidiaries which is not a restricted subsidiary unless we or
it apply within one year, or commit to apply within one year, an
amount equal to the fair value of the principal facility at the
time of the transfer:
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to the acquisition, construction, development or improvement of
a principal facility or part of a principal facility; or |
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to the optional redemption of debt securities or to the
repayment of our superior indebtedness or the superior
indebtedness of any of our restricted subsidiaries. |
In lieu of applying all or any part of the amount to the
redemption of securities, we may deliver to the trustee
securities for cancellation and thereby reduce the amount to be
applied to the redemption of securities by the principal amount
of the securities so delivered. Securities so redeemed or
delivered will not be used as credits against any mandatory
sinking fund payments.
Restrictions on mergers, consolidations and transfers of
assets
The indenture provides that we will not consolidate or merge
into or transfer or lease all or substantially all of our assets
to another person unless:
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in the case of a merger, we are the surviving corporation in the
merger; or |
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the person into which we are merged or which acquires all or
substantially all of our assets is a corporation organized under
the laws of the United States, any state or the District of
Columbia, and assumes all of our obligations relating to the
securities and the indenture, and immediately after the
transaction no default exists. |
Upon any the consolidation, merger or transfer, the successor
corporation will be substituted for us under the indenture. The
successor corporation may then exercise all of our powers and
rights under the indenture, and we will be released from all of
our liabilities and obligations in respect of the securities and
the indenture. In the event we lease all or substantially all of
our assets, the lessee corporation will be our successor and may
exercise all of our powers and rights under the indenture but we
will not be released from our obligations to pay the principal
of and interest on the securities.
Events of default
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, an event of default with respect to the
debt securities of any series is defined in the indenture as
being:
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default in payment of any interest on, or any additional amounts
payable with respect to any interest on, any of the debt
securities of that series or any coupon relating to the debt
securities when due, and continuance of the default for a period
of 30 days; |
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default in payment of any principal of or premium, if any, on,
or any additional amounts payable with respect to any principal
of or premium, if any, on, any of the debt securities of that
series when due, whether at maturity, upon redemption, upon
repayment or repurchase at the option of the holder or otherwise; |
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default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment or payment
under any analogous provision when due with respect to any of
the debt securities of that series; |
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default by us in the performance, or breach, of any other
covenant or warranty in the indenture or in any debt security of
that series, other than a covenant or warranty included in the
indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities
other than that series, and continuance of that default or
breach, without that default or breach having been cured or
waived, for a period of 60 days after the trustee or the
holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of
the debt securities of that series then outstanding give notice
to us, or in the case of notice by the holders, to us and the
trustee, specifying the default or breach; |
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our failure to make any payment when due, including any
applicable grace period, relating to our indebtedness which is
in an amount in excess of $50,000,000, or our default with
respect to any of our indebtedness that results in acceleration
of indebtedness which is in an amount in excess of $50,000,000; |
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specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization
with respect to us or any of our restricted subsidiaries; or |
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any other event of default established for the debt securities
of that series. |
No event of default with respect to any particular series of
debt securities necessarily constitutes an event of default with
respect to any other series of debt securities. The indenture
provides that, within 90 days after the occurrence of any
default with respect to the debt securities of any series, the
trustee will mail to all holders of the debt securities of that
series notice of that default, unless that default has been
cured or waived. However, the indenture provides that the
trustee may withhold notice of a default with respect to the
debt securities of that series, except a default in payment of
principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, additional
amounts, if any, or sinking fund payments, if any, if the
trustee considers it in the best interest of the holders to do
so. In the case of a default in the performance or the breach of
any covenant or warranty in the indenture with respect to debt
securities or that series, no notice will be given until at
least 30 days after the occurrence of the default or
breach. As used in this paragraph, the term default
means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or
both would become, an event of default with respect to the debt
securities of any series.
The indenture provides that if an event of default, other than
an event of default relating to events of bankruptcy, insolvency
or reorganization with respect to any series of debt securities
occurs and is continuing, either the trustee or the holders of
at least 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of that
series then outstanding may declare the principal of, or if debt
securities of that series are original issue discount
securities, the lesser amount as may be specified in the terms
of that series of debt securities, and accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, on all the debt securities of that series to
be due and payable immediately. The indenture also provides that
if an event of default relating to events of bankruptcy,
insolvency or reorganization with respect to any series of debt
securities occurs, the principal of, or if debt securities of
that series are original issue discount securities, the lesser
amount as may be specified in the terms of that series of debt
securities, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the
debt securities of that series will automatically become and be
immediately due and payable without any declaration or other
action on the part of the trustee or any holder of the debt
securities of that series. However, upon specified conditions,
the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt
securities of a series then outstanding may rescind and annul an
acceleration of the debt securities of that series and its
consequences.
Subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act requiring
the trustee, during the continuance of an event of default under
the indenture, to act with the requisite standard of care, the
trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or
powers under the indenture at the request or direction of any of
the holders of debt securities of any series unless those
holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity.
Subject to this requirement, holders of a majority in principal
amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series issued
under the indenture have the right to direct the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available
to the trustee under the indenture with respect to that series.
The indenture requires the annual filing by us with the trustee
of a certificate which states whether we are in default under
the terms of the indenture.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the indenture, the holder
of a debt security will have the right, which is absolute and
unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, on that debt security on
the respective due dates for those payments and to institute
suit for the enforcement of those payments, and this right will
not be impaired without the consent of the holder.
Modification and waivers
The indenture permits us and the trustee, with the consent of
the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of each series issued under the indenture and
affected by a modification or amendment, to modify or amend any
of the provisions of the indenture or of the debt securities of
the applicable series or the rights of the holders of the debt
securities of that series under the indenture. However, no
modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder
of each
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outstanding debt security issued under the indenture affected by
the modification or amendment, among other things:
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change the stated maturity of the principal of, or premium, if
any, or any installment of interest, if any, on or any
additional amounts, if any, with respect to any debt securities
issued under the indenture; |
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reduce the principal of or any premium on any debt securities or
reduce the rate of interest on or the redemption or repurchase
price of any debt security, or any additional amounts with
respect to any debt securities, or change our obligation to pay
additional amounts; |
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reduce the amount of principal of any original issue discount
securities that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of
the maturity of the debt security; |
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adversely affect any right of repayment or repurchase at the
option of any holder; |
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change any place where or the currency in which the principal of
to, any debt securities are payable; |
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impair the holders right to institute suit to enforce the
payment of any debt securities on or after their stated maturity
or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption
date; or |
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reduce the percentage of debt securities of any series issued
under the indenture whose holders must consent to any
modification or amendment or any waiver of compliance with
specific provisions of the indenture or specified defaults under
the indenture and their consequences. |
The indenture also contains provisions permitting us and the
trustee, without the consent of the holders of any debt
securities issued under the indenture, to modify or amend the
indenture, among other things:
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to evidence the succession of another person to us under the
indenture and the assumption of our obligations contained in the
indenture and the debt securities; |
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to add to our covenants for the benefit of the holders of all or
any series of debt securities issued under the indenture or to
surrender any right or power conferred upon us in the indenture
with respect to all or any series of debt securities issued
under the indenture; |
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to add to or change any provisions of the indenture to
facilitate the issuance of bearer securities; |
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to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series
and any related coupons, including, deletions from or additions
or changes to the indenture in connection with the modification
or amendment, so long as those deletions, additions and changes
are not applicable to any other series of debt securities then
outstanding; |
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to cure any ambiguity or correct or supplement any provision in
the indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with other
provisions in the indenture, or to make any other provisions
with respect to matters or questions arising under the indenture
which will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of
the debt securities of any series then outstanding; |
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to add any additional events of default with respect to all or
any series of debt securities; or |
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to amend or supplement any provision contained in the indenture,
provided that the amendment or supplement does not apply to any
outstanding debt securities issued before the date of the
amendment or supplement that is entitled to the benefits of that
provision. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of any series may waive our
compliance with some of the restrictive provisions of the
indenture, which may include covenants, if any, which are
specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of any series may, on behalf of all holders of
debt securities of that series, waive any past default under the
indenture with respect to debt securities of that series and its
consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal
of, or
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premium, if any, or interest, if any, on debt securities of that
series or a default in respect of a covenant or provision which
cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder
of each outstanding debt security of the affected series.
Discharge, defeasance and covenant defeasance
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus
supplement, upon our direction, the indenture will cease to be
of further effect with respect to any series of debt securities
issued under the indenture specified by us, subject to the
survival of specified provisions of the indenture, when:
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all outstanding debt securities of that series and, in the case
of bearer securities, all related coupons, have been delivered
to the trustee for cancellation, subject to exceptions, or |
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all debt securities of that series and, if applicable, any
related coupons have become due and payable or will become due
and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to
be called for redemption within one year and we have deposited
with the trustee, in trust, funds in United States dollars, in
the foreign currency in which the debt securities of that series
are payable, or direct or indirect obligations of the United
States or the government which issued the applicable foreign
currency (government obligations) in an amount
sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness on the debt securities
of that series in respect of principal, premium, if any, and
interest, if any, and, to the extent that the debt securities of
that series provide for the payment of additional amounts and
the amount of any additional amounts which are or will be
payable is at the time of deposit reasonably determinable by us,
in the exercise of our sole discretion, those additional
amounts, to the date of the deposit, if the debt securities of
that series have become due and payable, or to the maturity or
redemption date of the debt securities of that series, as the
case may be; |
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we have paid all other sums payable under the indenture with
respect to the debt securities of that series; and |
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the trustee has received an officers certificate and an
opinion of counsel called for by the indenture. |
If the debt securities of any series provide for the payment of
additional amounts, we will remain obligated, following the
deposit described above, to pay additional amounts on those debt
securities to the extent that they exceed the amount deposited
in respect of those additional amounts as described above.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we may elect with respect to any series of debt
securities either
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to defease and be discharged from all of our obligations with
respect to that series of debt securities
(defeasance), except for, among other things, |
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the obligation to pay additional amounts with respect to
payments on that series of debt securities to the extent that
those additional amounts exceed the amount deposited in respect
of those amounts as provided below, |
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the obligation to register the transfer or exchange of those
debt securities, |
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the obligation to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed,
lost or stolen debt securities, |
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the obligation to maintain an office or agency in respect of
that series of debt securities, |
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the obligation to hold moneys for payment in trust, and |
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the obligation, if applicable, to repurchase or repay debt
securities of that series at the option of the holders in
accordance with their terms, or |
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to be released from our obligations with respect to the debt
securities of the series under specified covenants in the
indenture including those described under the heading
Restrict Covenants and, if applicable, other
covenants as may be specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, and any omission to comply with those obligations
will not constitute a default or an event of default with
respect to that series of debt securities (covenant
defeasance), |
in either case upon the irrevocable deposit with the trustee, or
other qualifying trustee, in trust for that purpose, of an
amount in United States dollars or in the foreign currency in
which those debt securities are payable at stated maturity or,
if applicable, upon redemption, and/or government obligations
which, through the payment of principal and interest in
accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount
sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and any
interest on, and, to the extent that the debt securities of that
series provide for the payment of additional amounts and the
amount of the additional amounts which are or will be payable is
at the time of deposit reasonably determinable by us, in the
exercise of our sole discretion, the additional amounts with
respect to, that series of debt securities, and any mandatory
sinking fund or analogous payments on that series of debt
securities, on the due dates for those payments.
The defeasance or covenant defeasance described above will only
be effective if, among other things:
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it will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a
default under, the indenture or any other material agreement or
instrument to which we are a party or are bound; |
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in the case of defeasance, we will have delivered to the trustee
an opinion of independent counsel confirming that |
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we have received from or there has been published by the
Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or |
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since the date of the indenture there has been a change in
applicable federal income tax law, |
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in either case to the effect that, and based on this ruling or
change the opinion of counsel will confirm that, the holders of
the debt securities of the applicable series will not recognize
income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result
of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on
the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as
would have been the case if the defeasance had not occurred; |
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in the case of covenant defeasance, we will have delivered to
the trustee an opinion of independent counsel to the effect that
the holders of the debt securities of that series will not
recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes
as a result of the covenant defeasance and will be subject to
federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and
at the same times as would have been the case if the covenant
defeasance had not occurred; |
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if the cash and/or government obligations deposited are
sufficient to pay the principal of, and premium, if any, and
interest and additional amounts, if any, with respect to the
debt securities of that series provided those debt securities
are redeemed on a particular redemption date, we will have given
the trustee irrevocable instructions to redeem those debt
securities on that date; and |
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no event of default or event which with notice or lapse of time
or both would become an event of default with respect to debt
securities of that series will have occurred and be continuing
on the date of the deposit into trust; and, solely in the case
of defeasance, no event of default arising from specified events
of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization with respect to us
or any restricted subsidiary or event which with notice or lapse
of time or both would become an event of default will have
occurred and be continuing during the period through and
including the 91st day after the date of the deposit into
trust. |
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus
supplement, if after we have deposited funds and/or government
obligations to effect defeasance or covenant defeasance with
respect to debt securities of any series,
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the holder of a debt security of that series is entitled to, and
does, elect under the indenture or the terms of that debt
security to receive payment in a currency other than the
currency in which the deposit has been made, or |
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a conversion event, as defined below, occurs in respect of the
foreign currency in which the deposit has been made, |
the indebtedness represented by that debt security will be
deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied
through the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on that debt security as it becomes due out of
the proceeds yielded by converting the amount deposited in
respect of that debt security into the currency in which that
debt security becomes payable as a result of the election or
conversion event based on, in the case of payments made under
the first bullet above, the applicable market exchange rate for
the foreign currency in effect on the second business day before
the payment date, or, with respect to a conversion event, the
applicable market exchange rate for the foreign currency in
effect, as nearly as feasible, at the time of the conversion
event.
For purposes of the indenture, a conversion event is
the cessation of the use of a foreign currency both by the
government of the country or the confederation which issued the
foreign currency and for the settlement of transactions by a
central bank or other public institutions of or within the
international banking community, or any currency unit or
composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.
In the event we effect covenant defeasance with respect to debt
securities of any series and those debt securities are declared
due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of
default other than an event of default with respect to the
covenants as to which covenant defeasance has been effected,
which would no longer be applicable to the debt securities of
that series after covenant defeasance, the amount of monies
and/or government obligations deposited with the trustee to
effect covenant defeasance may not be sufficient to pay amounts
due on the debt securities of that series at the time of any
acceleration resulting from that event of default. However, we
would remain liable to make payment of those amounts due at the
time of acceleration.
The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the
provisions, if any, permitting or restricting defeasance or
covenant defeasance with respect to the debt securities of a
particular series.
Regarding the trustee
We and our subsidiaries may maintain deposit accounts and
conduct other banking transactions with the trustee or its
affiliates in the ordinary course of business, and the trustee
and its affiliates may from time to time in the future provide
us with banking and financial services in the ordinary course of
their business.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell any or all of the offered securities through agents,
underwriters, dealers or directly to purchasers. Agents who we
designate may solicit offers to purchase the securities.
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We will name any agent involved in offering or selling
securities, and any commissions that we will pay to the agent,
in our prospectus supplement. |
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Unless we indicate otherwise in our prospectus supplement, our
agents will act on a best efforts basis for the period of their
appointment. |
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Our agents may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities
Act of 1933 of any of the securities that they offer or sell. |
We may use an underwriter or underwriters in the offer or sale
of our securities.
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If we use an underwriter or underwriters, we will execute an
underwriting agreement with the underwriter or underwriters at
the time that we reach an agreement for the sale of the
securities. |
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We will include the names of the specific managing underwriter
or underwriters, as well as any other underwriters, and the
terms of the transactions, including the compensation the
underwriters and dealers will receive, in our prospectus
supplement. |
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The underwriters will use our prospectus supplement to sell the
securities. |
We may use a dealer to sell the securities.
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If we use a dealer, we, as principal, will sell the securities
to the dealer. |
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The dealer will then sell the securities to the public at
varying prices that the dealer will determine at the time it
sells our securities. |
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We will include the name of the dealer and the terms of our
transactions with the dealer in our prospectus supplement. |
We may solicit directly offers to purchase the securities, and
we may directly sell the securities to institutional or other
investors. We will describe the terms of our direct sales in our
prospectus supplement.
We may indemnify agents, underwriters, and dealers against
certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities
Act. Our agents, underwriters, and dealers, or their affiliates,
may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform
services for us, in the ordinary course of business.
We may authorize our agents and underwriters to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase the securities at the public
offering price under delayed delivery contracts.
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If we use delayed delivery contracts, we will disclose that we
are using them in the prospectus supplement and will tell you
when we will demand payment and delivery of the securities under
the delayed delivery contracts. |
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These delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to the
conditions that we describe in the prospectus supplement. |
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We will describe in our prospectus supplement the commission
that underwriters and agents soliciting purchases of the
securities under delayed contracts will be entitled to receive. |
In addition, from time to time, underwriters may offer and sell
our common stock (or certain of the other offered securities) at
a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices
prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. We also may,
from time to time, authorize dealers or agents to offer and sell
these securities upon such terms and conditions as may be set
forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. In connection
with the sale of any of these securities, underwriters may also
receive commissions from purchasers of the securities for whom
they may act as agent.
Shares of our common stock may also be sold in one or more of
the following transactions:
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block transactions (which may involve crosses) in which a
broker-dealer may sell all or a portion of the shares as agent
but may position and resell all or a portion of the block as
principal to facilitate the transaction; |
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purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the
broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to a prospectus
supplement; |
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a special offering, an exchange distribution or a secondary
distribution in accordance with applicable stock exchange rules; |
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a
broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
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sales at the market to or through a market maker or
into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise,
for shares; and |
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sales in other ways not involving market makers or established
trading markets, including direct sales to purchasers. |
Broker-dealers may also receive compensation from purchasers of
the shares which is not expected to exceed that customary in the
types of transactions involved.
Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated
in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a
remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption
or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or
more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own
accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be
identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us, and
any related compensation arrangements contemplated thereby will
be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
In connection with the offering of the securities hereby,
certain underwriters, and selling group members and their
respective affiliates, may engage in transactions that
stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the
applicable securities. These transactions may include
stabilization transactions effected in accordance with
Rule 104 of Regulation M promulgated by the SEC
pursuant to which these persons may bid for or purchase
securities for the purpose of stabilizing their market price.
The underwriters in an offering of securities may also create a
short position for their account by selling more
securities in connection with the offering than they are
committed to purchase from us. In that case, the underwriters
could cover all or a portion of the short position by either
purchasing securities in the open market following completion of
the offering of these securities or by exercising any
over-allotment option granted to them by us. In addition, the
managing underwriter may impose penalty bids under
contractual arrangements with other underwriters, which means
that they can reclaim from an underwriter (or any selling group
member participating in the offering) for the account of the
other underwriters, the selling concession for the securities
that are distributed in the offering but subsequently purchased
for the account of the underwriters in the open market. Any of
the transactions described in this paragraph or comparable
transactions that are described in any accompanying prospectus
supplement may result in the maintenance of the price of the
securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail
in the open market. None of the transactions described in this
paragraph or in an accompanying prospectus supplement are
required to be taken by any underwriters and, if they are
undertaken, may be discontinued at any time.
Each series of securities, except for our common stock, will be
a new issue of securities and will have no established trading
market. Any underwriters to whom we sell securities for public
offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but such
underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue
any market making at any time without notice. The securities,
other than the common stock, may or may not be listed on a
national securities exchange.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities to be offered by this prospectus
was passed upon for us by Thomas J. Sabatino, Jr., our
Senior Vice President and General Counsel as of the date of his
opinion. As of such date, Mr. Sabatino owned shares of, and
options on, our common stock, both directly, and as a
participant in various stock and employee benefit plans.
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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The financial statements, financial statement schedule and
managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting (which is included in
Managements Report on Internal Control Over Financial
Reporting), incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Baxter International Inc. for
the year ended December 31, 2004, have been so incorporated
in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, given on the
authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
With respect to the unaudited consolidated financial information
of Baxter International Inc. for the quarterly periods ended
March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004, September 30, 2004
and March 31, 2005, incorporated by reference in this
prospectus, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP reported that they have
applied limited procedures in accordance with professional
standards for a review of such information. However their
separate reports dated (i) May 6, 2004 with respect to
the quarter ended March 31, 2004, except as to Note 1A
which is as of August 9, 2004 and Note 1B which is as
of March 28, 2005, (ii) August 9, 2004 with
respect to the quarter ended June 30, 2004, except as to
Note 2A which is as of March 28, 2005,
(iii) November 4, 2004 with respect to the quarter
ended September 30, 2004, except as to Note 1A which
is as of March 28, 2005, and (iv) May 3, 2005
with respect to the quarter ended March 31, 2005, each of
which is incorporated by reference herein, state that they did
not audit and they do not express an opinion on that unaudited
financial information. Accordingly, the degree of reliance on
their reports on such information should be restricted in light
of the limited nature of the review procedures applied.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is not subject to the liability
provisions of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 for
their reports on the unaudited financial information because
those reports are not reports or parts
of the registration statement prepared or certified by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP within the meaning of Sections 7
and 11 of the Act.
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$
Baxter International Inc.
% Senior Notes due 2008
PRELIMINARY REMARKETING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
November , 2005
Global Coordinator and Joint Lead Remarketing Agent
Banc of America Securities LLC
Joint Lead Remarketing Agents
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JPMorgan |
UBS Investment Bank |
Co-Remarketing Agents
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Citigroup |
Credit Suisse First Boston |