0000893220-95-000505.txt : 19950809 0000893220-95-000505.hdr.sgml : 19950809 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000893220-95-000505 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: U-1/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 19950808 SROS: NONE FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: COLUMBIA GAS SYSTEM INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000022099 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION [4923] IRS NUMBER: 131594808 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: U-1/A SEC ACT: 1935 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 070-08627 FILM NUMBER: 95559502 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 20 MONTCHANIN RD CITY: WILMINGTON STATE: DE ZIP: 19807 BUSINESS PHONE: 3024295000 U-1/A 1 COLUMBIA GAS FORM U-1/A 1 File No. 70-8627 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Form U-1 AMENDMENT NO. 2 APPLICATION-DECLARATION UNDER THE PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT OF 1935 THE COLUMBIA GAS SYSTEM, INC. 20 Montchanin Road Wilmington, DE 19807 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Company or Companies Filing This Statement and Addresses of the Principal Executive Offices) THE COLUMBIA GAS SYSTEM, INC. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Top Registered Holding Company Parent of Each Applicant or Declarant) L. J. BAINTER, TREASURER The Columbia Gas System, Inc. 20 Montchanin Road Wilmington, DE 19807 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name and Address of Principal Agent for Service) 2 Page 2 The Application-Declaration, as previously filed and amended, is hereby further amended as follows: Item 1. Description of Proposed Transaction (a) Furnish a reasonably detailed and precise description of the proposed transaction, including a statement of the reasons why it is desired to consummate the transaction and the anticipated effect thereof. If the transaction is part of a general program, describe the program and its relation to the proposed transaction. I. The following changes are to reflect the Securities Litigation Settlement including a change in reference from "Securities Litigation Settlement Offer" to Securities Litigation Settlement: The third paragraph on page 16 is deleted and replaced in its entirety by the following: "Further, Columbia expects to repurchase from the leveraged employee stock ownership ("LESOP") portion of the Employees' Thrift Plan of Columbia Gas System (the "Thrift Plan") all shares (the "LESOP Shares") held in the common stock fund which have not been allocated to employees, to hold the LESOP Shares as treasury shares and to use the LESOP Shares for one or more of the following purposes as deemed appropriate by Columbia: (i) to sell all or a part of the LESOP Shares on the open market for cash, (ii) to reissue all or part of the LESOP Shares to fund additional requirements under the TCO Guarantee, (iii) to reissue all or part of the LESOP Shares to fund the Securities Litigation Settlement as described below, and (iv) to fund an employee benefit plan." 3 Page 3 The first full paragraph on page 17 is deleted and replaced in its entirety by the following: "Columbia proposes the possible issuance of Columbia Common Stock (in addition to any LESOP Shares) on behalf of Columbia Transmission in connection with the TCO Guarantee and, as described below, to fund the Securities Litigation Settlement. The Columbia Plan also proposes certain amendments to Columbia's Certificate of Incorporation and the assumption by the Debtors of the Tax Allocation Agreement which provides for the allocation of tax benefits and liabilities among System affiliates." The second paragraph on page 33 is deleted and replaced in its entirety by the following: "It is Columbia's intention to hold the LESOP Shares in its treasury and to use the LESOP Shares for one or more of the following purposes as Columbia deems appropriate: (i) to sell all or part of the LESOP Shares for cash in the open market, (ii) to use all or part of the LESOP Shares to fund the TCO Guarantee, (iii) to use all or part of the LESOP Shares to fund the Securities Litigation Settlement and (iv) to fund an employee benefit program." On page 33, Section III.E, "Potential Offering of Columbia Securities in Connection with Settlement of Securities Litigation" is replaced in its entirety by the following: "The Columbia Plan also seeks Bankruptcy Court approval of Columbia's participation in a settlement of securities class action litigation brought against 4 Page 4 Columbia, certain present and former officers and directors of Columbia and Columbia Transmission, the public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen, L.L.P. and certain underwriter's for Columbia's 1990 common stock offering, who are defendants in the litigation (the "Securities Litigation Settlement"). Pursuant to the Securities Litigation Settlement, Columbia and the various non-debtors will establish a settlement fund of $36.5 million (approximately $16.5 million of which will be contributed by Columbia) to settle the class action claims. The settlement fund will be applied to pay District Court-approved counsel fees and costs of administration, with the remainder of the fund distributed to holders of the claims based on acquisitions of Columbia Common Stock from January 19, 1990 to June 19, 1991. The Securities Litigation Settlement is conditioned upon the approval of the District Court and the Bankruptcy Court. Columbia, without admitting any wrongdoing or liability, has agreed to the proposed Securities Litigation Settlement primarily to avoid costly and time-consuming litigation and to facilitate the reorganization process. Holders of securities claims may elect, by submitting a form, to opt-out of the class action and not participate in or be bound by the Securities Litigation Settlement. In order to preserve any securities claims it may have against Columbia, an opt-out securities claimant must indicate on its opt-out form that it elects to pursue its claim against Columbia in the District Court sitting in 5 Page 5 bankruptcy. Columbia intends to object to and/or seek estimation of the claims of opt-out claimants. If and when such claims are allowed, they will be paid by Columbia in Columbia Common Stock valued at then current market prices or, at Columbia's option, in cash, or any combination of the two. Columbia seeks Commission authorization to issue Columbia Common Stock, valued at the then current market value, in an aggregate amount equal to all allowed amounts for opt-out claimants in excess of $1.5 million. Thus the authorization for the issuance of Columbia Common Stock commences when the combination of Columbia's contribution to the settlement fund and successful opt-out claimants exceeds $18 million. The Securities Litigation Settlement provides that it may be terminated by the defendants if the amount of securities as to which opt-out forms have been submitted exceeds an undisclosed specified amount." On page 37, item 8 under Section IV, "Summary of Approvals", is replaced in its entirety by the following: "8) Reissue all or a part of the LESOP Shares for one or more of the following purposes as Columbia deems appropriate: (i) to sell all of part of the LESOP Shares for cash in the open market, (ii) to fund the TCO Guarantee, (iii) to fund the Securities Litigation Settlement and (iv) to fund an employee benefit program." 6 Page 6 On page 38, item 10 under Section IV, "Summary of Approvals", is replaced in its entirety by the following: "10) Issue shares of Columbia Common Stock to effectuate payment of Columbia's portion of any payment to claimants opting out of the Securities Litigation Settlement which causes the aggregate of Columbia's payment to the settlement fund and payments to such opt-out claimants to exceed of $18 million." II. Delete the paragraph beginning on the fourth line on page 10 and ending with the seventh line on page 11 of Amendment No. 1 to the Application- Declaration and substitute the following: "The aggregate projected distribution to Producers under the TCO Plan totals approximately $1.2 billion. The Producer Agreement reflects agreements with Initial Accepting Producers representing approximately 80% of that value or approximately $960 million, while distributions on settlement values attributable to all other Producers aggregate approximately $240 million. Initial Accepting Producers agreed to a 5% holdback from the distributions due to them (approximately $48 million at the 80% acceptance level but subject to increase as additional Producers accept) and have agreed that, to the extent that claim values in excess of the settlement values contained in the TCO Plan are agreed to or allowed, the holdback will be applied with dollar for dollar matching by Columbia Transmission (and Columbia under the 7 Page 7 TCO Guarantee) to pay the ultimate distribution. On July 20, 1995, a motion was filed with the Bankruptcy Court for approval of settlement agreements with producers representing an additional 6% of the settlement values in the TCO Plan. The claims mediator requested that Producers either file their claims recalculation forms or notify Columbia Transmission of their acceptance of the proposed settlement amounts by June 30, 1995. Columbia Transmission is in the process of analyzing the filed recalculated claims and a discussion of the filed recalculated claims will be included in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarter Ended June 30, 1995 which will be incorporated into the Disclosure Statement (Exhibit D-2 to this Application-Declaration) as an exhibit and mailed with the solicitation materials. That Form10-Q will be incorporated into this Application-Declaration by reference upon filing." Item 2. Fees, Commissions and Expenses (a) State (1) the fees, commissions and expenses paid or incurred, or to be paid or incurred, directly or indirectly, in connection with the proposed transaction by the applicant or declarant or any associate company thereof, and (2) if the proposed transaction involves the sale of securities at competitive bidding, the fees and expenses to be paid to counsel selected by applicant or declarant to act for the successful bidder. There are set forth below the estimated fees and expenses expected to be incurred in connection with Columbia's bankruptcy and the proposed transactions described in this Application-Declaration other than those which are subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court. All payments for nonaffiliated professional services are subject to the approval of the 8 Page 8 Bankruptcy Court pursuant to the Bankruptcy Code and therefore, pursuant to Rule 63, need not be approved by this Commission. Securities and Exchange Commission Filing Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2,000 Services of Columbia Gas System Service Corporation since 7/31/91 and projected to emergence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,000,000* Printing, solicitation of votes and tabulation of votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,020,000* Miscellaneous and other incidental expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,000* -------------- Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 8,072,000 * estimated
Item 6. Exhibits and Financial Statements D-1 Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement (filed herewith by incorporation by reference to the Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement filed in File No. 1-1098 on August 4, 1995) D-2 The Columbia Gas System, Inc. Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement (filed herewith by incorporation by reference to the Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement filed in File No. 1-1098 on August 4, 1995) D-3 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1995. (to be filed by amendment) F Opinion of Counsel (to be filed by amendment) 9 Page 9 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, the undersigned company has duly caused this Application-Declaration to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. THE COLUMBIA GAS SYSTEM, INC. Date: August 8, 1995 By: /s/ L. J. BAINTER -------------------------- L. J. Bainter Treasurer 10 Page 1 EXHIBIT INDEX (a) Exhibits D-1 Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement (filed herewith by incorporation by reference to the Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement filed in File No. 1-1098 on August 4, 1995) D-2 The Columbia Gas System, Inc. Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement (filed herewith by incorporation by reference to the Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement filed in File No. 1-1098 on August 4, 1995) D-3 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1995 (to be filed by amendment) F Opinion of Counsel (to be filed by amendment)