S-3ASR

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 31, 2018

Registration No. 333-    

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-38095
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

222 East Erie Street
Suite 500
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(414) 212-4700
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
registrant’s principal executive offices)

Andrew Schiesl, Esq.
General Counsel
222 East Erie Street, Suite 500
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Telephone: 414-212-4700
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

With a copy to:

Richard A. Fenyes, Esq.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
425 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017-3954
(212) 455-2000

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

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

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

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒

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

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

Large accelerated filer	☒	Accelerated filer	o
Non-accelerated filer	o	Smaller reporting company	o
		Emerging growth company	o

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered(1)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share(1)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)	Amount of Registration Fee(2)
Common Stock, $0.01 par value

(1) Omitted pursuant to General Instructions II.E of Form S-3. An indeterminate amount of shares of common stock is being registered as may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices.

(2) In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee. Registration fees will be paid subsequently on a “pay as you go” basis.

PROSPECTUS

 

Common Stock

Certain selling stockholders may offer and sell from time to time shares of our common stock.

The selling stockholders will determine when they sell shares of our common stock, which may be sold on a continuous or delayed basis directly, to or through agents, dealers or underwriters as designated from time to time, or through a combination of these methods. The selling stockholders reserve the sole right to accept, and they and any agents, dealers and underwriters reserve the right to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of shares of our common stock. If any agents, dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of any shares of our common stock, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth any applicable commissions or discounts payable to them. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.

Each time that any selling stockholders sell shares of our common stock using this prospectus, we or such selling stockholders will provide a prospectus supplement and attach it to this prospectus and may also provide you with a free writing prospectus. The prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus will contain more specific information about the offering and the shares of our common stock being offered, including the names of the selling stockholders and the prices at which the shares of our common stock are sold. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add, update, change or clarify information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to sell shares of our common stock unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering.

You should carefully read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and free writing prospectus, together with any documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in our common stock.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “GDI”.

Investing in our common stock involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors referred to on page 2 of this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus before investing in our common stock.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is October 31, 2018.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
About This Prospectus		1
Risk Factors		2
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements		3
Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.		6
Use Of Proceeds		7
Description Of Capital Stock		8
Selling Stockholders		15
Plan Of Distribution		16
Legal Matters		18
Experts		18
Incorporation By Reference		18
Where You Can Find More Information		19

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, certain selling stockholders may, from time to time, offer and/or sell shares of our common stock in one or more offerings or resales. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the shares of our common stock that such selling stockholders may offer. Each time selling stockholders sell shares of our common stock using this prospectus, we or such selling stockholders will provide a prospectus supplement and attach it to this prospectus and may also provide you with a free writing prospectus. The prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus will contain more specific information about the offering and the shares of our common stock being offered, including the names of the selling stockholders and the prices at which the shares of our common stock are sold. The prospectus supplement may also add, update, change or clarify information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the information in the prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

The rules of the SEC allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. This means that important information is contained in other documents that are considered to be a part of this prospectus. Additionally, information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. You should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement together with the additional information that is incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See “Incorporation by Reference” before making an investment in our common stock. This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of the documents referred to herein have been filed or will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The registration statement, including the exhibits and documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus, can be read on the SEC website or at the SEC offices mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO SELL ANY SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

Neither the delivery of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement nor any sale made using this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement implies that there has been no change in our affairs or that the information in this prospectus or in any applicable prospectus supplement is correct as of any date after their respective dates. You should not assume that the information included in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus prepared by us, is accurate as of any date other than the date(s) on the front covers of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to give you different information, and if you are given any information that is not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement, you must not rely on that information. We and any selling stockholders are not making an offer to sell securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of such securities is not permitted.

In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, references to “Gardner Denver,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries. References in this prospectus to the “Sponsor” or “KKR & Co.” are to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and certain of its affiliates.

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves risks. Before you make a decision to buy shares of our common stock, in addition to the risks and uncertainties discussed below under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” you should carefully read and consider the risks and uncertainties and the risk factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, or the 2017 Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and under the caption “Risk Factors” or any similar caption in the other documents and reports that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus as well as any risks described in any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus that we provide you in connection with an offering of common stock pursuant to this prospectus. Additionally, the risks and uncertainties discussed in this prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face, and our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations and the market price of any shares of common stock we may sell could be materially adversely affected by additional factors that apply to companies generally, as well as other risks that are not known to us or that we currently do not consider to be material.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus (including any prospectus supplement and the information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus) and any free writing prospectus that we may provide to you in connection with an offering of our common stock described in this prospectus contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). All statements, other than statements of historical facts included in this prospectus (including any prospectus supplement and the information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus), including statements concerning our plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, financing needs, plans or intentions relating to acquisitions, business trends and other information referred to are forward-looking statements. When used herein, the words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “should,” “targets,” “will” and the negative thereof and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon our current expectations, beliefs and projections, and various assumptions, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. Our expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis for them. However, there can be no assurance that management’s expectations, beliefs and projections will result or be achieved and actual results may vary materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements.

There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus (including any prospectus supplement and the information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus). Such risks, uncertainties and other important factors include, among others, the risks, uncertainties and factors set forth under “Part I—Item 1A Risk Factors” in our 2017 Annual Report and the following risks, uncertainties and factors:

• We have exposure to the risks associated with instability in the global economy and financial markets, which may negatively impact our revenues, liquidity, suppliers and customers.

• More than half of our sales and operations are in non-U.S. jurisdictions and we are subject to the economic, political, regulatory and other risks of international operations.

• Our revenues and operating results, especially in our Energy segment, depend on the level of activity in the energy industry, which is significantly affected by volatile oil and gas prices.

• Our results of operations are subject to exchange rate and other currency risks. A significant movement in exchange rates could adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows.

• Potential governmental regulations restricting the use, and increased public attention to and litigation regarding the impacts of hydraulic fracturing or other processes on which it relies could reduce demand for our products.

• We face competition in the markets we serve, which could materially and adversely affect our operating results.

• Large or rapid increases in the cost of raw materials and component parts, substantial decreases in their availability or our dependence on particular suppliers of raw materials and component parts could materially and adversely affect our operating results.

• Our operating results could be adversely affected by a loss or reduction of business with key customers or consolidation or the vertical integration of our customer base.

• The loss of, or disruption in, our distribution network could have a negative impact on our abilities to ship products, meet customer demand and otherwise operate our business.

• Our ongoing and expected restructuring plans and other cost savings initiatives may not be as effective as we anticipate, and we may fail to realize the cost savings and increased efficiencies that we expect to result from these actions. Our operating results could be negatively affected by our inability to effectively implement such restructuring plans and other cost savings initiatives.

• Our success depends on our executive management and other key personnel.

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• Credit and counterparty risks could harm our business.

• If we are unable to develop new products and technologies, our competitive position may be impaired, which could materially and adversely affect our sales and market share.

• Cost overruns, delays, penalties or liquidated damages could negatively impact our results, particularly with respect to fixed-price contracts for custom engineered products.

• The risk of non-compliance with U.S. and foreign laws and regulations applicable to our international operations could have a significant impact on our results of operations, financial condition or strategic objectives.

• U.S. Federal income tax reform could adversely affect us.

• A significant portion of our assets consists of goodwill and other intangible assets, the value of which may be reduced if we determine that those assets are impaired.

• Our business could suffer if we experience employee work stoppages, union and work council campaigns or other labor difficulties.

• We are a defendant in certain asbestos and silica-related personal injury lawsuits, which could adversely affect our financial condition.

• Acquisitions and integrating such acquisitions create certain risks and may affect our operating results.

• A natural disaster, catastrophe or other event could result in severe property damage, which could adversely affect our operations.

• Information systems failure may disrupt our business and result in financial loss and liability to our customers.

• The nature of our products creates the possibility of significant product liability and warranty claims, which could harm our business.

• Environmental compliance costs and liabilities could adversely affect our financial condition.

• Third parties may infringe upon our intellectual property or may claim we have infringed their intellectual property, and we may expend significant resources enforcing or defending our rights or suffer competitive injury.

• We face risks associated with our pension and other postretirement benefit obligations.

• Our substantial indebtedness could have important adverse consequences and adversely affect our financial condition.

• We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness, and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.

• Despite our level of indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may still be able to incur substantially more debt, including off-balance sheet financing, contractual obligations and general and commercial liabilities. This could further exacerbate the risks to our financial condition described above.

• The terms of the credit agreement governing the Senior Secured Credit Facilities may restrict our current and future operations, particularly our ability to respond to changes or to take certain actions.

• Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

• We utilize derivative financial instruments to reduce our exposure to market risks from changes in interest rates on our variable rate indebtedness and we will be exposed to risks related to counterparty credit worthiness or non-performance of these instruments.

• If the financial institutions that are part of the syndicate of our Revolving Credit Facility fail to extend credit under our facility or reduce the borrowing base under our Revolving Credit Facility, our liquidity and results of operations may be adversely affected.

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There may be other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including factors disclosed under the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our 2017 Annual Report and the other information contained in such report. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this prospectus in the context of these risks and uncertainties.

We caution you that the risks, uncertainties and other factors referenced above may not contain all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that are important to you. In addition, we cannot assure you that we will realize the results, benefits or developments that we expect or anticipate or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the consequences or affect us or our business in the way expected. All forward-looking statements in this prospectus apply only as of the date made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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GARDNER DENVER HOLDINGS, INC.

We are a leading global provider of mission-critical flow control and compression equipment and associated aftermarket parts, consumables and services, which we sell across multiple attractive end-markets within the industrial, energy and medical industries. We manufacture one of the broadest and most complete ranges of compressor, pump, vacuum and blower products in our markets, which, combined with our global geographic footprint and application expertise, allows us to provide differentiated product and service offerings to our customers. Our products are sold under a collection of premier, market-leading brands, including Gardner Denver, CompAir, Nash, Emco Wheaton, Robuschi, Elmo Rietschle and Thomas, which we believe are globally recognized in their respective end-markets and known for product quality, reliability, efficiency and superior customer service. These attributes, along with over 155 years of engineering heritage, generate strong brand loyalty for our products and foster long-standing customer relationships, which we believe have resulted in leading market positions within each of our operating segments. We have sales in more than 175 countries and our diverse customer base utilizes our products across a wide array of end-markets that have favorable near- and long-term growth prospects, including industrial manufacturing, energy (with particular exposure to the North American upstream land-based market), transportation, medical and laboratory sciences, food and beverage packaging and chemical processing.

Our products and services are critical to the processes and systems in which they are utilized, which are often complex and function in harsh conditions where the cost of failure or downtime is high. However, our products and services typically represent only a small portion of the costs of the overall system. As a result, our customers place a high value on our application expertise, product reliability and the responsiveness of our service. We support our customers globally with 39 key manufacturing facilities, more than 30 complementary service and repair centers across six continents and approximately 6,700 employees worldwide as of September 30, 2018.

The process-critical nature of our product applications, coupled with the standard wear and tear replacement cycles associated with the usage of our products, generates opportunities to support customers with our broad portfolio of aftermarket parts, consumables and services. Customers place a high value on minimizing any time their operations are offline. As a result, the availability of replacement parts and our repair and support services are key components of our value proposition, and our large installed base of products provides a recurring revenue stream through our aftermarket parts, consumables and services offerings. Our aftermarket revenue is significant, representing approximately 41% of total revenue and approximately 45% of our combined Industrials and Energy segments’ revenue in 2017.

Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware on March 1, 2013 by affiliates of the Sponsor. Our principal executive offices are located at 222 East Erie Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, Suite 500. The telephone number of our principal executive offices is (414) 212-4700. Our website address is www.gardnerdenver.com. Information on our web site is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute part of this prospectus.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any of the proceeds from a sale of shares of our common stock by any selling stockholders.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

The following is a description of the material terms of, and is qualified in its entirety by, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, copies of which are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Our purpose is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may now or hereafter be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”).

Authorized Capital

Our authorized capital stock consists of:

• 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 198,939,476 shares are issued and outstanding and 1,937,480 shares are issued and held in treasury, as of September 30, 2018; and

• 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which no shares are issued and outstanding.

As of September 30, 2018, there were 201 holders of record of our common stock.

Unless our board of directors determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form.

Common Stock

Voting Rights. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to which stockholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.

Dividends. The DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by the board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equals the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, capital is less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.

Declaration and payment of any dividend will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The time and amount of dividends will be dependent upon our financial condition, operations, cash requirements and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs and restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Delaware law affecting the payment of dividends to stockholders and any other factors our board of directors may consider relevant.

Liquidation. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution.

Rights and Preferences. Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. The common stock will not be subject to further calls or assessment by us. There will be no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All shares of our common stock that will be outstanding at the time of the completion of the offering will be fully paid and non-assessable. The rights, powers, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock will be subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock we may authorize and issue in the future.

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Preferred Stock

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock). Unless required by law or by the NYSE, the authorized shares of preferred stock will be available for issuance without further action by you. Our board of directors may determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative participations, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of that series, including, without limitation:

• the designation of the series;

• the number of shares of the series, which our board of directors may, except where otherwise provided in the preferred stock designation, increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares then outstanding);

• whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or non-cumulative and the dividend rate of the series;

• the dates at which dividends, if any, will be payable;

• the redemption rights and price or prices, if any, for shares of the series;

• the terms and amounts of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of shares of the series;

• the amounts payable on shares of the series in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of our Company;

• whether the shares of the series will be convertible into shares of any other class or series, or any other security, of our Company or any other corporation, and, if so, the specification of the other class or series or other security, the conversion price or prices or rate or rates, any rate adjustments, the date or dates as of which the shares will be convertible and all other terms and conditions upon which the conversion may be made;

• restrictions on the issuance of shares of the same series or of any other class or series; and

• the voting rights, if any, of the holders of the series.

We could issue a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of the series, impede or discourage an acquisition attempt or other transaction that some, or a majority, of you might believe to be in your best interests or in which you might receive a premium for your common stock over the market price of the common stock. Additionally, the issuance of preferred stock may adversely affect the holders of our common stock by restricting dividends on the common stock, diluting the voting power of the common stock or subordinating the liquidation rights of the common stock. As a result of these or other factors, the issuance of preferred stock could have an adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and Certain Provisions of Delaware Law

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws and the DGCL, which are summarized in the following paragraphs, contain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a merger or acquisition of our Company by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Authorized but Unissued Capital Stock

Delaware law does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the listing requirements of the NYSE, which would apply if and so long as our common stock remains listed on the NYSE, require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then outstanding

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voting power or then outstanding number of shares of common stock. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings, to raise additional capital or to facilitate acquisitions.

Our board of directors may generally issue preferred shares on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our Company or the removal of our management. Moreover, our authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock will be available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans.

One of the effects of the existence of unissued and unreserved common stock or preferred stock may be to enable our board of directors to issue shares to persons friendly to current management, which issuance could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of our Company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive our stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.

Classified Board of Directors

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible, and with the directors serving three-year terms. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors are elected each year. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors are fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors.

Business Combinations

We have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL; however, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

• prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;

• upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or

• at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66²∕3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of our voting stock. For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in Section 203 of the DGCL.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring our Company to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

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Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that our Sponsor and its affiliates and any of their respective direct or indirect transferees and any group as to which such persons are a party do not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.

Removal of Directors; Vacancies

Under the DGCL, unless otherwise provided in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, directors serving on a classified board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that directors may be removed with or without cause upon the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class; provided, however, at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, directors may only be removed for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66²∕3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also provides that, subject to the rights granted to one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding or the rights granted under the stockholders agreement with affiliates of our Sponsor, any vacancies on our board of directors are filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders; provided, however, at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the board of directors may only be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by stockholders).

No Cumulative Voting

Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors are able to elect all our directors.

Special Stockholder Meetings

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors; provided, however, so long as our Sponsor and its affiliates own, in the aggregate, less than 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, special meetings of our stockholders shall also be called by the board of directors or the chairman of the board of directors at the request of our Sponsor and its affiliates. Our amended and restated bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of our Company.

Requirements for Advance Notification of Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. Our amended and restated bylaws allow the chairman of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions do not apply to our Sponsor and its affiliates so long as the stockholders agreement with certain affiliates of our Sponsor remains in effect. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of our Company.

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Stockholder Action by Written Consent

Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation precludes stockholder action by written consent at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided, that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of preferred stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken by written consent to the extent provided by the applicable certificate of designation relating to such series.

Supermajority Provisions

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, amend, change, add to, rescind or repeal, in whole or in part, our bylaws without a stockholder vote in any matter not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. For as long as our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal of our bylaws by our stockholders requires the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of our stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal. At any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any amendment, alteration, rescission or repeal of our bylaws by our stockholders requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66²∕3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.

The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, unless the certificate of incorporation requires a greater percentage.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that at any time when our Sponsor and its affiliates beneficially own, in the aggregate, less than 40% in voting power of the stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, the following provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66²∕3% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Company entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class:

• the provision requiring a 66²∕3% supermajority vote for stockholders to amend our bylaws;

• the provisions providing for a classified board of directors (the election and term of our directors);

• the provisions regarding resignation and removal of directors;

• the provisions regarding competition and corporate opportunities;

• the provisions regarding entering into business combinations with interested stockholders;

• the provisions regarding stockholder action by written consent;

• the provisions regarding calling special meetings of stockholders;

• the provisions regarding filling vacancies on our board of directors and newly created directorships;

• the provisions eliminating monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty by a director; and

• the amendment provision requiring that the above provisions be amended only with a 66²∕3% supermajority vote.

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The combination of the classification of our board of directors, the lack of cumulative voting and the supermajority voting requirements make it more difficult for our existing stockholders to replace our board of directors as well as for another party to obtain control of us by replacing our board of directors. Because our board of directors has the power to retain and discharge our officers, these provisions could also make it more difficult for existing stockholders or another party to effect a change in management.

These provisions may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers, delaying, or preventing changes in control of our management or our Company, such as a merger, reorganization or tender offer. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continued stability in the composition of our board of directors and its policies and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened acquisition of us. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions are also intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in management.

Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment

Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of us. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Stockholders’ Derivative Actions

Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.

Exclusive Forum

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our Company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer of our Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (iii) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws or (iv) action asserting a claim against the Company or any director or officer of the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state court sitting in the State of Delaware. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of our Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. However, the enforceability of similar forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find these types of provisions to be unenforceable.

Conflicts of Interest

Delaware law permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy in certain opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors or stockholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounces any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors or stockholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, stockholders or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each of our Sponsor or any of its affiliates or any director who is not employed by us

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(including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates has no duty to refrain from (i) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (ii) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that our Sponsor or any of its affiliates or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself or himself or its or his affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not renounce our interest in any business opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted to undertake the opportunity under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any director if the director has acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends, repurchases or redemptions or derived an improper benefit from his or her actions as a director.

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that we must generally indemnify, and advance expenses to, our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GDI”.

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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

Information about selling stockholders will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment or in filings we will make with the SEC which are incorporated into this prospectus by reference.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

The selling stockholders may sell the shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus in any of the following ways (or in any combination):

• to or through underwriters or dealers;

• directly to one or more purchasers; or

• through agents.

Each time that the selling stockholders sell shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus, we or such selling stockholders will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the method of distribution and set forth the terms and conditions of the offering of such shares, including:

• the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents and the amounts of shares underwritten or purchased by each of them;

• the offering price of the shares and the proceeds to the selling stockholders, and any underwriting discounts, commissions, concessions or agency fees allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers;

• any options under which underwriters may purchase additional shares from the selling stockholders; and

• any securities exchange or market on which the shares may be listed or traded.

Any offering price and any discounts, commissions, concessions or agency fees allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time. The selling stockholders may determine the price or other terms of the shares of our common stock offered under this prospectus by use of an electronic auction. We or such selling stockholders will describe how any auction will determine the price or any other terms, how potential investors may participate in the auction and the nature of the obligations of the underwriter, dealer or agent in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The selling stockholders may distribute the shares from time to time in one or more transactions:

• at a fixed price or at prices that may be changed from time to time;

• at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

• at prices relating to such prevailing market prices; or

• at negotiated prices.

Underwriters, dealers or any other third parties described above may offer and sell the offered shares from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. If underwriters or dealers are used in the sale of any shares, the shares will be acquired by the underwriters or dealers for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The shares may be either offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters, or directly by underwriters. Generally, the underwriters’ obligations to purchase the shares will be subject to certain conditions precedent. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the shares if they purchase any of the shares (other than any shares purchased upon exercise of any over-allotment option), unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement. The selling stockholders may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of any such relationship in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter or underwriters.

The selling stockholders may sell the shares through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the shares and any commissions paid to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any underwriters, broker-dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” as defined in the Securities Act. Any commissions paid or any discounts or concessions allowed to any such persons, and any profits they receive on resale of the shares, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify any underwriters or agents and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement.

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Offered shares 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 marketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for the selling stockholders. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and/or the selling stockholders and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Underwriters or agents may purchase and sell the shares in the open market. These transactions may include over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids.

Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a short position. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the shares and are permitted so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering. The underwriters or agents also may impose a penalty bid, which permits them to reclaim selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or certain dealers if they repurchase the shares in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the shares, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. These activities, if begun, may be discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on any exchange on which the shares are traded, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “GDI”.

If at the time of any offering made under this prospectus a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, participating in the offering has a “conflict of interest” as defined in FINRA’s Rule 5121 (“Rule 5121”), that offering will be conducted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Rule 5121.

There can be no assurance that the selling stockholders will sell all or any of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus.

Agents, dealers and underwriters may be entitled to indemnification by us and the selling stockholders against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents, dealers or underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.

The specific terms of the lock-up provisions in respect of any given offering will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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LEGAL MATTERS

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the shares of common stock offered hereunder will be passed upon for us and the selling stockholders by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The rules of the SEC allow us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus. By incorporating by reference, we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document we have filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and information that we file in the future with the SEC will automatically update and supersede, as appropriate, this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and all documents that we subsequently file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of the offering of shares by means of this prospectus but excluding any documents furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus, from their respective filing dates:

• our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017;

• our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2018, June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2018;

• those portions of our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed on March 27, 2018, in connection with our 2018 annual meeting of shareholders that are incorporated by reference into our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017;

• our current reports on Form 8-K filed on January 8, 2018 (Item 5.02 only), February 13, 2018 (Item 5.02 only), May 7, 2018, May 15, 2018, August 3, 2018 (Item 8.01 only), September 14, 2018 and October 26, 2018 (Item 5.02 only); and

• the description of our common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on May 12, 2017, including any amendments or reports filed for the purposes of updating such description.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

You may request a copy of any or all of the documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus (excluding certain exhibits to the documents) at no cost, by writing or calling us at the following address or telephone number:

Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.,
222 East Erie Street, Suite 500,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202,
Attention: Investor Relations
Phone: (414) 212-4700

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, filed as part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules, portions of which have been omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about us, as well as our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement and to its exhibits and schedules.

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any of these reports, statements or other information at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 or at its regional offices. You can request copies of those documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s internet site at http://www.sec.gov.

We also make available, free of charge, through the investor relations portion of our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (and any amendments to those forms) as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our website address is www.gardnerdenver.com. Please note that our website address is provided in this prospectus as an inactive textual reference only. The information found on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and is therefore not incorporated by reference unless such information is otherwise specifically referenced elsewhere in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement.

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PROSPECTUS

October 31, 2018

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth the various expenses payable by the registrant in connection with the distribution of the shares of our common stock being registered hereby (other than underwriting discounts and commissions). All the amounts shown are estimates, except the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, fee. All of such expenses are being borne by the registrant.

SEC Registration Fee	$		*
FINRA Fee		225,000
Printing and Engraving Expenses			**
Legal Fees and Expenses			**
Accounting Fees and Expenses			**
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses			**
Listing Fees			**
Miscellaneous Expenses			**
Total	$		**

* Omitted because the registration fee is being deferred pursuant to Rule 456(b).

** Estimated expenses are not presently known. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the estimated amount of such expenses payable in respect of any offering of shares of our common stock.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL allows a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation will not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for this limitation of liability. We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors that provide for us to indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

Section 145 of the DGCL, or Section 145, provides, among other things, that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was, is or is threatened to be made, party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who were or are a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, provided further that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer, director, employee or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) which such officer or director has actually and reasonably incurred.

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Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify such person under Section 145.

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that we must indemnify, and advance expenses to, our directors and officers to the full extent authorized by the DGCL.

The indemnification rights set forth above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we shall not be obligated to indemnify a director or officer in respect of a proceeding (or part thereof) instituted by such director or officer, unless such proceeding (or part thereof) has been authorized by the board of directors pursuant to the applicable procedure outlined in the amended and restated bylaws.

Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director, who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, may be held jointly and severally liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.

We maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.

The underwriting agreement that we may enter into provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors, and by us of the underwriters, for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise in connection with this offering.

Item 16. Exhibits.

Please see the Exhibit Index included herewith immediately before the signature pages hereto, which is incorporated by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

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provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

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

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

II-3

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

II-4

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
1.1	Form of Underwriting Agreement for shares of common stock registered hereby*
3.1	Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 17, 2017 (No. 001-38095))
3.2	Amended and Restated Bylaws of Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 17, 2017 (No. 001-38095))
4.1	Stockholders Agreement among Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. and KKR Renaissance Aggregator L.P. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 17, 2017 (No. 001-38095))
4.2	Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement among KKR Renaissance Aggregator L.P., KKR Renaissance Aggregator GP LLC, Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. and each of the other parties thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 17, 2017 (No. 001-38095))
5.1	Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP**
23.1	Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**
23.2	Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1	Powers of Attorney***

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

** Filed herewith.

*** Included on the signature page of this registration statement.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, on October 31, 2018.

Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.
By:	/s/ Vicente Reynal
	Name:	Vicente Reynal
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer

POWERS OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned directors and officers of Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. hereby constitute and appoint Vicente Reynal, Philip T. Herndon and Andrew Schiesl and each of them, any of whom may act without joinder of the other, the individual’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for the person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement, and any or all amendments, including post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and all other documents in connection therewith to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact as agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on October 31, 2018.

Signature	Capacity
/s/ Vicente Reynal	Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
Vicente Reynal
/s/ Philip T. Herndon	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
Philip T. Herndon
/s/ Michael J. Scheske	Vice President and Corporate Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
Michael J. Scheske
/s/ Peter Stavros	Director
Peter Stavros
/s/ Brandon Brahm	Director
Brandon Brahm
/s/ William Donnelly	Director
William Donnelly
/s/ John Humphrey	Director
John Humphrey

Signature	Capacity
/s/ William Kassling	Director
William Kassling
/s/ Michael Marn	Director
Michael Marn
/s/ Vicente Reynal	Director
Vicente Reynal
/s/ Nickolas Vande Steeg	Director
Nickolas Vande Steeg
/s/ Joshua Weisenbeck	Director
Joshua Weisenbeck

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett llp
425 lexington avenue new york, ny 10017-3954
telephone: +1-212-455-2000 facsimile: +1-212-455-2502
Direct Dial Number	E-mail Address

October 31, 2018

Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.

222 East Erie Street, Suite 500

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the sale by certain selling stockholders of shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”). The Shares may be sold or delivered from time to time as set forth in the Registration Statement, any amendment thereto, the prospectus contained therein (the “Prospectus”) and supplements to the Prospectus and pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act.

We have examined the Registration Statement. In addition, we have examined, and have relied as to matters of fact upon, originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such records, agreements, documents and other instruments and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company and have made such other investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions hereinafter set forth.

BEIJING HONG KONG HOUSTON LONDON LOS ANGELES PALO ALTO SÃO PAULO TOKYO WASHINGTON, D.C.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. -2- October 31, 2018

In rendering the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the Delaware General Corporation Law.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

Very truly yours,

/s/ SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 16, 2018, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2017, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

October 31, 2018