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TABLE OF CONTENTS
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 12, 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
Global Partners LP*
GLP Finance Corp.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware Delaware (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
74-3140887 20-8324983 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
P.O. Box 9161
800 South St.
Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9161
(781) 894-8800
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
Edward J. Faneuil
P.O. Box 9161
800 South St.
Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9161
(781) 894-8800
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Brenda Lenahan
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
666 Fifth Avenue, 26th Floor
New York, New York 10103
(212) 237-0000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
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 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. ý
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) 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 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 426(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
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. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer o | Accelerated filer ý | 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 |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) |
Amount Of Registration Fee(1)(7) |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Common units representing limited partner interests |
||||||||
Preferred units representing limited partner interests |
||||||||
Other classes of units representing limited partner interests |
||||||||
Debt securities(2)(3) |
||||||||
Guarantees of debt securities(3) |
||||||||
Total |
$200,000,000.00(4)(5)(6) | $24,900.00 | ||||||
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The registrants hereby amend this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrants shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, may determine.
TABLE OF ADDITIONAL REGISTRANTS
Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter
|
State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization |
IRS Employer Identification Number |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Global Operating LLC |
Delaware | 74-3140890 | ||||
Global Companies LLC |
Delaware | 04-3443029 | ||||
Glen Hes Corp. |
Delaware | 04-3540423 | ||||
Global Montello Group Corp. |
Delaware | 04-3443028 | ||||
Chelsea Sandwich LLC |
Delaware | 04-3443027 | ||||
Global Energy Marketing LLC |
Delaware | 36-4652597 | ||||
Alliance Energy LLC |
Massachusetts | 04-3082096 | ||||
Bursaw Oil LLC |
Massachusetts | 04-1137410 | ||||
Global CNG LLC |
Delaware | 46-2328218 | ||||
Cascade Kelly Holdings LLC |
Oregon | 27-1455470 | ||||
Global Partners Energy Canada ULC |
Alberta, Canada | N.A. | ||||
Warren Equities, Inc. |
Delaware | 05-0352363 | ||||
Warex Terminals Corporation |
New York | 14-1470268 | ||||
Drake Petroleum Company, Inc. |
Massachusetts | 04-2236089 | ||||
Puritan Oil Company, Inc. |
New Jersey | 21-0647639 | ||||
Maryland Oil Company, Inc. |
Delaware | 52-2173087 |
The address for each additional registrant is P.O. Box 9161, 800 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9161, and the telephone number for each additional registrant is (781) 894-8800.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JANUARY 12, 2018
PROSPECTUS
$500,000,000
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP
Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Preferred Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Other Classes of Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP
GLP FINANCE CORP.
Debt Securities
We may offer, from time to time, in one or more series, the following securities under this prospectus:
Subsidiaries of Global Partners LP may guarantee the debt securities.
We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the securities.
You should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest. You should also read the documents we refer to in the "Information We Incorporate by Reference" and "Where You Can Find More Information" sections of this prospectus for information on us and our financial statements.
Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "GLP."
We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any other securities we may offer.
Investing in our securities involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider each of the factors referred to under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 8 of this prospectus and contained in the applicable prospectus supplement before you make an investment in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2018.
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are not an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a "shelf" registration process or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $500,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. Each time we offer securities with this prospectus, we will provide this prospectus and a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including, in the case of the preferred units representing limited partner interests in Global Partners LP, other classes of units representing limited partner interests in Global Partners LP and debt securities, the specific terms of the securities. The prospectus supplement may also add to, update, or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement.
The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. Therefore, before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."
Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus to "Global Partners LP," "we," "our," "us" or like terms refer to Global Partners LP and its subsidiaries.
INFORMATION WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE
We "incorporate by reference" into this prospectus information we have filed with the SEC, which means that we disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to another document filed with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference. Therefore, before you decide to invest in a particular offering under this prospectus, you should always check for reports we may have filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus.
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below:
In addition, we incorporate by reference in this prospectus any future filings made by Global Partners LP with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) after the date on which the registration statement that includes this prospectus was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) and until all offerings under this shelf registration statement are terminated.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC's public reference facilities at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of this material can also be obtained from the SEC's web site on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov; this website contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1 (800) SEC-0330 for further information on public reference rooms. Additionally, you can obtain information about us through the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, on which our common units are listed. We also make available free of charge on our website at http://www.globalp.com all materials that we file electronically with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.
You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or calling us at the following:
Global
Partners LP
Investor Relations
P.O. Box 9161
800 South St.
Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9161
(781) 894-8800
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INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may project, indicate or imply future results, events, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "may," "believe," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "continue," "will likely result" or other similar expressions. In addition, any statement made by our management concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible actions by us are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. Although we believe these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, statements made regarding future results are subject to a number of assumptions, uncertainties and risks, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause future results to be materially different from the results stated or implied in this document. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things:
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Additional information about risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" included elsewhere in this prospectus, in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Developments in any of these areas could cause our results to differ materially from results that have been or may be anticipated or projected.
All forward-looking statements included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference and all subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or, in the case of forward-looking statements contained in any document incorporated by reference, the date of such document, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update these statements to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.
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We are a midstream logistics and marketing master limited partnership engaged in the purchasing, selling, storing and logistics of transporting petroleum and related products, including gasoline and gasoline blendstocks (such as ethanol), distillates (such as home heating oil, diesel and kerosene), residual oil, renewable fuels, crude oil and propane. We own, control or have access to one of the largest terminal networks of refined petroleum products and renewable fuels in the Northeast. We are one of the largest distributors of gasoline, distillates, residual oil and renewable fuels to wholesalers, retailers and commercial customers in the New England states and New York. We are also one of the largest independent owners, suppliers and operators of gasoline stations and convenience stores in these areas. As of September 30, 2017, we had a portfolio of 1,435 owned, leased and/or supplied gasoline stations, including 234 directly operated convenience stores, in the Northeast, Maryland and Virginia. We also receive revenue from convenience store sales, rental income and sundries. In addition, we own transload and storage terminals in North Dakota and Oregon that extend our origin-to-destination capabilities from the mid-continent region of the United States and Canada.
We purchase refined petroleum products, renewable fuels, crude oil and propane primarily from domestic and foreign refiners and ethanol producers, crude oil producers, major and independent oil companies and trading companies. We operate our business under three segments: (i) Wholesale, (ii) Gasoline Distribution and Station Operations and (iii) Commercial.
Global GP LLC, our general partner, manages our operations and activities and employs our officers and substantially all of our personnel, except for most of our gasoline station and convenience store employees and certain union personnel who are employed by our wholly owned subsidiary, Global Montello Group Corp.
Our principal executive offices are located at P.O. Box 9161, 800 South Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9161, and our telephone number is (781) 894-8800. Our website is located at http://www.globalp.com. Information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.
For additional information as to our business, properties and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in "Information We Incorporate by Reference."
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GLP Finance Corp. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in January 2007, is wholly owned by Global Partners LP and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto.
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An investment in our securities involves a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, which are incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference in evaluating an investment in our securities.
If any of the risks discussed in the foregoing documents were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we may be unable to pay distributions to our unitholders, or pay interest on, or the principal of, any debt securities. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERENCE DIVIDENDS
The table below sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preference dividends for the periods presented. During the periods presented, we had no preference equity securities outstanding. Therefore, for each period, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges and the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference dividends is the same.
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Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 |
Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
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|
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(a) |
1.58x | (1.71x | ) | 1.55x | 3.40x | 1.94x | 2.12x |
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Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, including repayment of debt, acquisitions and capital expenditures.
The actual application of proceeds we receive from the sale of any particular offering of securities using this prospectus will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such offering.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS AND THE PREFERRED UNITS
The Common Units
The common units represent limited partner interests in us. The holders are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and are entitled to exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and "How We Make Cash Distributions." For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read "The Partnership Agreement."
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Duties
American Stock Transfer and Trust Company serves as registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units, except the following, which must be paid by unitholders:
There is no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
Resignation or Removal
The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.
Transfer of Common Units
The transfer of the common units to persons that purchase common units offered by this prospectus will be accomplished through the completion, execution and delivery of a transfer application by the investor. Any later transfers of a common unit will not be recorded by the transfer agent or recognized by us unless the transferee executes and delivers a properly executed transfer application. By executing and delivering a transfer application, the transferee of common units:
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An assignee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our general partner will cause any unrecorded transfers for which a properly completed and duly executed transfer application has been received to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
A transferee's broker, agent or nominee may complete, execute and deliver a transfer application. We are entitled to treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder's rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to request admission as a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units. A purchaser or transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a properly completed transfer application obtains only:
Thus, a purchaser or transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a properly completed transfer application:
unless the common units are held in a nominee or "street name" account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application and certification as to itself and any beneficial holders.
The transferor of common units has a duty to provide the transferee with all information that may be necessary to transfer the common units. The transferor does not have a duty to insure the execution of the transfer application by the transferee and has no liability or responsibility if the transferee neglects or chooses not to execute and forward the transfer application to the transfer agent. Please read "The Partnership AgreementStatus as Limited Partner or Assignee."
Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
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Number of Common Units
As of January 11, 2018, we had outstanding 33,995,563 common units. Our common units are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "GLP."
The Preferred Units
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue additional classes or series of equity interest in Global Partners LP for the consideration of and with the designations, preferences, rights, power and duties established by our general partner without the approval of any of our limited partners. In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may issue additional partnership interests that have special voting rights to which our common units are not entitled. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no preferred units outstanding.
Should we offer preferred units under this prospectus, a prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of preferred units offered will include the specific terms of those preferred units, including, among other things, the following:
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DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue additional classes or series of equity interest in Global Partners LP for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner without the approval of any limited partners.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we also may issue additional partnership interests that, if approved by our general partner, have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.
The following is a description of the general terms and provisions of our partnership securities. The particular terms of any series of partnership securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and the amendment to our partnership agreement, if necessary, relating to that series of partnership securities, which will be filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in this prospectus at or before the time of issuance of any such series of partnership securities. If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any such series may differ from the terms set forth below.
Our general partner is authorized to approve the issuance of one or more classes or series of partnership securities without further authorization of the limited partners and to fix the number of securities, the designations, rights, privileges, power and duties of any such class or series.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of securities, particular designation, relative rights and preferences and the limitations of any series of partnership securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered. The particular terms of any such series may include the following.
Partnership securities will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued upon full payment of the purchase price therefor. The prospectus supplement will contain, if applicable, a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase and ownership of the series of partnership securities offered by the prospectus supplement. The transfer agent, registrar and distributions disbursement agent for the partnership securities will be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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HOW WE MAKE CASH DISTRIBUTIONS
General
Our cash distribution policy reflects a basic judgment that our unitholders will be better served by our distributing our available cash rather than retaining it. Because we are not subject to an entity-level federal income tax, we have more cash to distribute to our unitholders than would be the case were we subject to tax.
Our cash distribution policy is consistent with the terms of our partnership agreement which requires us to distribute available cash to unitholders on a quarterly basis. Our determination of available cash takes into account the need to maintain certain cash reserves to preserve our distribution levels across seasonal and cyclical fluctuations in our business.
Because we intend to distribute the majority of the cash generated from our business to our unitholders, we will in large part rely upon external financing sources, including commercial borrowings and other debt and equity issuances, to fund our capital expenditures. To the extent we are unable to finance growth externally, our cash distribution policy could significantly impair our ability to grow.
There is no guarantee that unitholders will receive quarterly distributions from us. Our distribution policy is subject to certain restrictions and may be changed at any time, including:
Distributions of Available Cash
General
Within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.
Definition of Available Cash
Available cash generally means, for each fiscal quarter, all cash on hand at the end of the quarter less the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to:
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Intent to Distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution
We intend to distribute to the holders of common units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4625 per unit, or $1.85 per year, to the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner. However, there is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution on the units in any quarter. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement. We are prohibited from making any distributions to unitholders if it would cause an event of default, or an event of default is existing, under our credit agreement.
General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights
Our general partner is entitled to 0.67% of all quarterly distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. This general partner interest is represented by 230,303 general partner units. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its current general partner interest. The general partner's 0.67% interest in these distributions may be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 0.67% general partner interest. Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 48.67%, of the cash we distribute from distributable cash flow (as defined below) in excess of $0.4625 per unit. The maximum distribution of 48.67% includes distributions paid to our general partner on its 0.67% general partner interest, and assumes that our general partner maintains its general partner interest at 0.67%. The maximum distribution of approximately 48.67% does not include any distributions that our general partner may receive on units that it owns. Please read "Distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow" for additional information.
Distributable Cash Flow and Capital Surplus
General
All cash distributed to unitholders will be characterized as either "distributable cash flow" or "capital surplus." We distribute available cash from distributable cash flow differently than available cash from capital surplus.
Definition of Distributable Cash Flow
Distributable cash flow, for any period, means, on a cumulative basis since the closing date of our initial public offering and without duplication, the sum of net income plus depreciation and amortization, in each case calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, minus maintenance capital expenditures (as defined below), as adjusted to eliminate items approved by the audit committee of the board of directors of our general partner that are extraordinary or non-recurring in nature and that would otherwise increase distributable cash flow.
Maintenance capital expenditures represent capital expenditures to replace partially or fully depreciated assets to maintain the operating capacity of or sales and revenues generated by existing assets or to extend the useful lives of such assets. Maintenance capital expenditures include expenditures required to maintain equipment reliability, tankage and pipeline integrity and safety and
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to address environmental regulations. Repair and maintenance expenses associated with existing assets that are minor in nature and do not extend the useful life of existing assets are charged to operating expenses as incurred. The officers and directors of our general partner determine if an expenditure is a maintenance capital expenditure.
Characterization of Cash Distributions
We treat all available cash distributed as coming from distributable cash flow until the sum of all available cash distributed since we began operations equals the distributable cash flow as of the most recent date of determination of available cash. We treat any amount distributed in excess of distributable cash flow, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.
Distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow
We will make distributions of available cash from distributable cash flow for any quarter in the following manner:
The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 0.67% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from distributable cash flow after certain target distribution levels have been achieved. The percentages set forth above for our general partner include the incentive distribution rights. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its general partner interest, subject to restrictions in our partnership agreement.
Percentage Allocations of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow
The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of the additional available cash from distributable cash flow between the unitholders and our general partner up to the various target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under "Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions" are the percentage interests of our general partner and the unitholders in any available cash from distributable cash flow we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column "Total Quarterly Distribution," until available cash from distributable cash flow we distribute reaches the next target distribution level, if any. The percentage interests shown for the unitholders and the general partner for the first target distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the first target distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its
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0.67% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred its incentive distribution rights.
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Marginal Percentage Interest in Distribution |
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Total Quarterly Distribution Target Amount |
Unitholders | General Partner and IDRs |
||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution |
$0.4625 | 99.33 | % | 0.67 | % | ||||
First Target Distribution |
$0.4625 | 99.33 | % | 0.67 | % | ||||
Second Target Distribution |
above $0.4625 up to $0.5375 | 86.33 | % | 13.67 | % | ||||
Third Target Distribution |
above $0.5375 up to $0.6625 | 76.33 | % | 23.67 | % | ||||
Thereafter |
above $0.6625 | 51.33 | % | 48.67 | % |
Distributions from Capital Surplus
How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made
We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:
Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus
The partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from our initial public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the "unrecovered initial unit price." Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial unit price. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the target distributions, after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for the general partner to receive incentive distributions.
Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit in an amount equal to the initial unit price, we will reduce the target distribution levels to zero. We will then make all future distributions from distributable cash flow, with 51.33% being paid to the holders of units and 48.67% to the general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner include its 0.67% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.
Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
In addition to adjusting the target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units, we will proportionately adjust:
For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. We will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.
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In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental taxing authority, so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, we will reduce the target distribution levels for each quarter by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter plus the general partner's estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.
The amount of distributions paid under our cash distribution policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement.
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
General
If we dissolve in accordance with our partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and the general partner, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.
The allocations of gain and loss upon liquidation are intended, to the extent possible, to entitle the holders of outstanding common units to receive their unrecovered initial unit. However, there may not be sufficient gain upon our liquidation to enable the holders of common units to fully recover all of these amounts.
Manner of Adjustments for Gain
The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in our partnership agreement. If liquidation occurs, we will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:
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The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner include its 0.67% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.
Manner of Adjustments for Losses
If liquidation occurs, we will generally allocate any loss to the general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:
Adjustments to Capital Accounts
We will make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In doing so, we will allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, we will allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in the general partner's capital account balances equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.
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The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. Our partnership agreement is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to this registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of this agreement upon request at no charge.
We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:
Organization and Duration
We were organized on March 2, 2005 and have a perpetual existence.
Purpose
Our purpose under our partnership agreement is limited to any business activities that are approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided, that our general partner may not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that our general partner determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.
Although our general partner has the ability to cause us, our operating company or its subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the marketing, storage, terminalling, transportation and distribution of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels, crude oil and natural gas, our general partner has no current plans to do so but may elect to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.
Power of Attorney
Each limited partner and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder and executes and delivers a transfer application and certification, grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our general partner the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.
Capital Contributions
Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under "Limited Liability."
Voting Rights
The following matters require the limited partners vote specified below. Various matters require the approval of a "unit majority," which means the approval of a majority of the common units.
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In voting their common units, our general partner and its affiliates have no duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us and our limited partners.
The following is a summary of the vote requirements specified for certain matters under our partnership agreement:
Issuance of additional units |
No approval required. | |
Amendment of our partnership agreement |
Certain amendments may be made by our general partner without the approval of the limited partners. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read "Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement." |
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Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets |
Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read "Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets." |
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Dissolution of our partnership |
Unit majority. Please read "Termination and Dissolution." |
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Continuation of our partnership upon dissolution |
Unit majority. Please read "Termination and Dissolution." |
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Removal of our general partner |
Not less than 662/3% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates. Please read "Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner." |
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Transfer of our general partner interest |
Our general partner may transfer all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in us without a vote of our limited partners to an affiliate or to another person in connection with its merger or consolidation with or into, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, such person. Please read "Transfer of General Partner Interest." |
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Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner |
No approval required at any time. Please read "Transfer of Ownership Interests in Our General Partner." |
Limited Liability
Participation in the Control of Our Partnership
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:
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constituted "participation in the control" of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for such a claim in Delaware case law.
Unlawful Partnership Distribution
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, an assignee who becomes a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except the assignee is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.
Failure to Comply with the Limited Liability Provisions of Jurisdictions in Which We Do Business
We conduct business in a number of jurisdictions. Maintenance of our limited liability as a member of our operating company may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which our operating company conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.
Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partnership have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our membership interest in our operating company or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace our general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted "participation in the control" of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as the general partner under the circumstances. We operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.
Issuance of Additional Securities
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the limited partners.
It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.
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In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by our subsidiaries of equity securities, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.
Upon issuance of additional partnership securities, our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its 0.67% general partner interest in us. Our general partner's 0.67% interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 0.67% general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner has the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other partnership securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain its and its affiliates' percentage interest, including such interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units do not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.
Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement
General
Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner must seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.
Prohibited Amendments
No amendment may:
The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in the bullets above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates).
No Limited Partner Approval
Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee to reflect:
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In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee if our general partner determines that those amendments:
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Opinion of Counsel and Limited Partner Approval
Our general partner is not required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments described under "No Limited Partner Approval". No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement, each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction, the units to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding units immediately prior to the transaction and our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding certain limited liability and tax matters.
In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.
Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
A merger or consolidation of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of us or the limited partners.
In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without the prior approval of the holders of units representing a unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation, or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval.
If the conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey some or all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity. The limited partners are not entitled to dissenters' rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets, or any other transaction or event.
Termination and Dissolution
We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
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Upon a dissolution under the fourth bullet point above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in "How We Make Cash DistributionsDistributions of Cash Upon Liquidation". The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.
Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
Our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days' written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. In addition, our partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the limited partners. Please read "Transfer of General Partner Interest" and "Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights."
Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up, and liquidated, unless within a specified period of time after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read "Termination and Dissolution."
Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 662/3% of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units.
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The ownership of more than 331/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner's removal.
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and no units held by our general partner and its affiliates are voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests based on the fair market value of the interests at the time.
In the event of removal of our general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of our general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where the general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its incentive distribution rights for their fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.
If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner's general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units with a value equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.
In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.
Transfer of General Partner Interest
Our general partner and its affiliates may at any time transfer units to one or more persons, without limited partner approval.
Transfer of Ownership Interests in Our General Partner
At any time, the members of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their membership interests in our general partner without the approval of our unitholders.
Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights
Our general partner or its affiliates or a subsequent holder may transfer its incentive distribution rights to an affiliate of the holder (other than an individual) or another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of such holder with or into another entity, the sale of all of the ownership interest of the holder or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, that entity without the prior approval of the unitholders. The incentive distribution rights are freely transferable.
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Change of Management Provisions
Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Global GP LLC as our general partner or otherwise change management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner.
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed under circumstances where cause does not exist and no units held by our general partner and its affiliates are voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests.
Limited Call Right
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding partnership securities of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining partnership securities of the class held by unaffiliated persons. The purchase price in the event of such an acquisitions is the greater of:
As a result of our general partner's right to purchase outstanding partnership securities, a holder of partnership securities may have his partnership securities purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please read "Material Tax ConsequencesDisposition of Units."
Meetings; Voting
Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, unitholders or assignees who are record holders of units on the record date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited. Common units that are owned by an assignee who is a record holder, but who has not yet been admitted as a limited partner, will be voted by our general partner at the written direction of the record holder. Absent direction of this kind, the common units will not be voted, except that, in the case of common units held by our general partner on behalf of non-citizen assignees, our general partner will distribute the votes on those common units in the same ratios as the votes of limited partners on other units are cast.
Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders
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owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.
Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read "Issuance of Additional Securities." However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum, or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.
Any notice, demand, request, report, or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.
Status as Limited Partner or Assignee
Except as described above under "Limited Liability," the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.
An assignee of a common unit, after executing and delivering a transfer application, but pending its admission as a substituted limited partner, is entitled to an interest equivalent to that of a limited partner for the right to share in allocations and distributions from us, including liquidating distributions. Our general partner will vote and exercise other powers attributable to common units owned by an assignee that has not become a substituted limited partner at the written direction of the assignee. Please read "Meetings; Voting." Transferees who do not execute and deliver a transfer application and certification will not be treated as assignees or as record holders of common units, and will not receive cash distributions, federal income tax allocations, or reports furnished to holders of common units. Please read "Description of the Common UnitsTransfer of Common Units."
Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption
If we are or become subject to federal, state, or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship, or other related status of any limited partner or assignee, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner or assignee at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our general partner may require each limited partner or assignee to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship, or related status. If a limited partner or assignee fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship, or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner or assignee is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner or assignee may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. In addition to other limitations on the rights of an assignee that is not a substituted limited partner, a non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our liquidation.
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Indemnification
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, in most circumstances, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages, or similar events:
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. Our partnership agreement permits us to purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.
Reimbursement of Expenses
Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf on-site at our terminals and pipeline, and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. The general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
Books and Reports
Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books are maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and financial reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
We furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.
We furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders depends on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder receives information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.
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Right to Inspect Our Books and Records
Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, obtained:
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interests, could damage us or our business or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
Registration Rights
Under our partnership agreement, subject to certain limitations, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of Global GP LLC as our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
General
The debt securities will be:
Global Partners LP may issue debt securities in one or more series, and GLP Finance Corp. will be a co-issuer of each such series of debt securities. GLP Finance Corp. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in January 2007, is wholly owned by Global Partners LP and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. When used in this section "Description of Debt Securities," the terms "we," "us," "our" and "issuers" refer jointly to Global Partners LP and GLP Finance Corp., and the terms "Global LP" and "GLP Finance" refer strictly to Global Partners LP and GLP Finance Corp., respectively.
If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. If we issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a subordinated indenture. A form of each indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated either indenture in its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, will control your rights as holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indentures.
Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement
A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:
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We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.
Guarantees
If specified in the prospectus supplement respecting a series of debt securities, the subsidiaries of Global LP specified in the prospectus supplement will unconditionally guarantee to each holder and the trustee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same become due and payable, whether at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, such series will be guaranteed by substantially all of the domestic subsidiaries of Global LP. The prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the conditions under which guarantees may be released.
The guarantees will be general obligations of the guarantors. Guarantees of subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of the guarantors on the same basis as the subordinated debt securities are subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of Global LP.
Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale
Each indenture will, in general, allow us to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer's responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture, including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer's covenants in the indenture.
However, each indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer's assets, including:
The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.
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No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control
Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of us or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of us.
Modification of Indentures
We may supplement or amend an indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under the indenture affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be supplemented or amended without the consent of each holder affected. Without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:
We may supplement or amend an indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:
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Events of Default and Remedies
"Event of Default," when used in an indenture, will mean any of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:
An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.
If an Event of Default described in the fifth bullet point above occurs, the entire principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on, all debt securities then outstanding will be due and payable immediately, without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holders. If any other Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.
Other than its duties in case of a default, a trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer
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the trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the trustee, for that series of debt securities.
No Limit on Amount of Debt Securities
Neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. Each indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.
Registration of Notes
We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.
Minimum Denominations
Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.
No Personal Liability
The general partner of Global LP and its directors, officers, employees and members, as such, will have no liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantors under either indenture or the debt securities or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
Payment and Transfer
The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under each indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the debt securities will be made at the corporate trust office of the trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.
The trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.
Exchange, Registration and Transfer
Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms, but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the indenture. Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge
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a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.
We will not be required to:
Provisions Relating only to the Senior Debt Securities
The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.
Provisions Relating only to the Subordinated Debt Securities
Subordinated Debt Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness
The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of our Senior Indebtedness. "Senior Indebtedness" will be defined in a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions respecting any issuance of a series of subordinated debt securities, and the definition will be set forth in the prospectus supplement. If the subordinated debt securities are guaranteed by any of the subsidiaries of Global LP, then the guarantees will be subordinated on like terms.
Payment Blockages
The subordinated indenture will provide that no payment of principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities may be made in the event:
No Limitation on Amount of Senior Debt
The subordinated indenture will not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that we or any guarantor may incur, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.
Book Entry, Delivery and Form
The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York ("DTC"). This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder, except in the limited circumstances described below. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients
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who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.
Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.
DTC has provided us the following information: DTC, the world's largest securities depository, is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments (from over 100 countries) that DTC's participants ("Direct Participants") deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants' accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly ("Indirect Participants"). The DTC Rules applicable to its participants are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC's nominee. We and the trustee will treat DTC's nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.
It is DTC's current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants' accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC's records. In addition, it is DTC's current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in "street name." However, payments will be the responsibility of the participants and not of DTC, the trustee or us.
Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:
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Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance
Each indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:
The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.
Governing Law
Each indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
The Trustee
We will enter into the indentures with a trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act and with any other trustees chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities. We may maintain a banking relationship in the ordinary course of business with our trustee and one or more of its affiliates.
Resignation or Removal of Trustee
If the trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.
The trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.
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Limitations on Trustee if It Is Our Creditor
Each indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer or a guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.
Certificates and Opinions to Be Furnished to Trustee
Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of an indenture, every application by us for action by the trustee must be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
This section summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders and is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing and proposed Treasury regulations thereunder (the "Treasury Regulations"), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Changes in these authorities may cause the federal income tax consequences to a prospective unitholder to vary substantially from those described below, possibly on a retroactive basis. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to "we", "us" or "the partnership" are references to Global Partners LP and our operating company.
Legal conclusions contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. insofar as they relate to matters of U.S. federal income tax law and are based on the accuracy of representations made by us to them for this purpose. However, this section does not address all federal income tax matters that may affect us or our unitholders, such as the application of the alternative minimum tax that may be applicable to certain unitholders. This section also does not address local taxes, state taxes, non-U.S. taxes or other taxes that may be applicable, except to the limited extent that such tax considerations are addressed below under "State, Local and Other Tax Considerations." Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States (for federal income tax purposes), who have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, who use the calendar year as their taxable year, who purchase units in this offering, who do not materially participate in the conduct of our business activities and who hold such units as capital assets (typically, property that is held for investment). This section has limited applicability to corporations (including other entities treated as corporations for federal income tax purposes), partnerships (including other entities treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt entities, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts or mutual funds.
Accordingly, we encourage each prospective unitholder to consult the unitholder's own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences particular to that unitholder resulting from ownership or disposition of our units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.
No ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") regarding any matter affecting us. Instead, we are relying on the opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters described herein. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel's best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or a court. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any such contest of the matters described herein may materially and adversely impact the market for our units and the prices at which our units trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS will be borne indirectly by our unitholders because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution. Furthermore, the tax consequences of an investment in us may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions, which may be retroactively applied.
For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a unitholder whose units are the subject of a securities loan (e.g., a loan to a short seller to cover a short sale of units) (please read "Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership-Treatment of Securities Loans"); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read "Disposition of Units-Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees"); and (3) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read "Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership-Section 754 Election" and "Uniformity of Units").
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Taxation of the Partnership
Partnership Status
We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, subject to the discussion below under "Administrative MattersInformation Returns and Audit Procedures", generally will not be liable for entity-level federal income taxes. Instead, as described below, each of our unitholders will take into account its respective share of our items of income, gain, loss and deduction in computing its federal income tax liability as if the unitholder had earned such income directly, even if we make no cash distributions to the unitholder. Distributions we make to a unitholder will not give rise to income or gain taxable to such unitholder, unless the distributions of cash or marketable securities treated as cash exceeds the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units. Please read "Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipTreatment of Distributions" and "Disposition of Units").
Section 7704 of the Code generally provides that a publicly-traded partnership will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. However, if 90% or more of a partnership's gross income for every taxable year it is publicly-traded consists of "qualifying income," the partnership may continue to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the "Qualifying Income Exception"). Qualifying income includes, (i) income and gains derived from the refining, transportation, storage, processing and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof (including NGLs), (ii) interest (other than from a financial business), (iii) dividends, (iv) gains from the sale of real property (v) and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of qualifying income. We estimate that less than 2% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and each of our operating subsidiaries, other than those that have been identified as corporations to Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., will be treated as a partnership or will be disregarded as an entity separate from us. In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner, including, without limitation:
We believe that these representations are true and will be true in the future.
If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as transferring all of our assets, subject to all of our liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception in return for stock in that corporation and then as distributing that stock to our unitholders in liquidation
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of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should not result in the recognition of taxable income by our unitholders or us so long as the aggregate amount of our liabilities does not exceed the adjusted tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our units may be modified by administrative or legislative action or judicial interpretation at any time. From time to time, members of the U.S. Congress have proposed and considered substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that would affect publicly-traded partnerships. One such legislative proposal would have eliminated the Qualifying Income Exception upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
On January 24, 2017, final regulations regarding which activities give rise to qualifying income (the "Final Regulations") within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Code were published in the Federal Register. The Final Regulations are effective as of January 19, 2017, and apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 19, 2017. We do not believe the Final Regulations affect our ability to qualify as a publicly traded partnership.
It is possible that a change in law could affect us and may be applied retroactively. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our units. If for any reason we are taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be taken into account by us in determining the amount of our liability for federal income tax, rather than being passed through to our unitholders.
At the state level, several states have been evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise or other forms of taxation. Imposition of a similar tax on us in the jurisdictions in which we operate or in other jurisdictions to which we may expand could substantially reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Our taxation as a corporation would materially reduce our cash available for distribution to unitholders and thus would likely substantially reduce the value of our units. Any distribution made to a unitholder at a time when we are treated as a corporation would be (i) a taxable dividend to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, then (ii) a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units (determined separately for each unit), and thereafter (iii) taxable capital gain.
The remainder of this discussion is based on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Limited Partner Status
Unitholders who are admitted as limited partners of the partnership will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes, and unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their units will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes. In addition, a beneficial owner of units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose their status as a partner with respect to such units for federal income tax purposes. Please read "Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipTreatment of Securities Loans."
Income, gain, deductions or losses would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary
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income. A unitholder who is not treated as a partner in us as described above is urged to consult its own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences applicable to such unitholder under its particular circumstances.
Flow-Through of Taxable Income
Subject to the discussion below under "Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes" and "Administrative MattersInformation Returns and Audit Procedures", and assuming our general partner does not make an election for us to be taxed as a corporation as a result of a change in tax law, we will not pay any federal income tax. Rather, each unitholder will be required to report on its federal income tax return each year its share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year or years ending with or within its taxable year. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if that unitholder has not received a cash distribution.
Basis of Units
A unitholder's tax basis in its units initially will be the amount paid for those units increased by the unitholder's initial allocable share of our liabilities. That basis generally will be (i) increased by the unitholder's share of our income and any increases in such unitholder's share of our liabilities, and (ii) decreased, but not below zero, by the amount of all distributions to the unitholder, the unitholder's share of our losses, any decreases in its the unitholder's share of our liabilities, and the amount of any excess business interest allocated to the unitholder. The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all of those interests.
Treatment of Distributions
Distributions made by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder, unless such distributions are of cash or marketable securities that are treated as cash and exceed the unitholder's tax basis in its units, in which case the unitholder generally will recognize gain taxable in the manner described below under "Disposition of Units."
Any reduction in a unitholder's share of our "nonrecourse liabilities" (liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss) will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. A decrease in a unitholder's percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units may decrease such unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities. For purposes of the foregoing, a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities generally will be based upon such unitholder's share of the unrealized appreciation (or depreciation) in our assets, to the extent thereof, with any excess nonrecourse liabilities allocated based on the unitholder's share of our profits. Please read "Disposition of Units."
A non-pro rata distribution of money or property (including a deemed distribution as a result of the reallocation of our nonrecourse liabilities described above) may cause a unitholder to recognize ordinary income if the distribution reduces the unitholder's share of our "unrealized receivables," including depreciation recapture and substantially appreciated "inventory items," both as defined in Section 751 of the Code ("Section 751 Assets"). To the extent of such reduction, the unitholder would be deemed to receive its proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and exchange such assets with us in return for a portion of the non-pro rata distribution. This deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder's recognition of ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder's tax basis (typically zero) in the Section 751 Assets deemed to be relinquished in the exchange.
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Limitations on Deductibility of Losses
A unitholder may not be entitled to deduct the full amount of loss we allocate to it because its share of our losses will be limited to the lesser of (i) the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units, and (ii) in the case of a unitholder that is an individual, estate, trust or certain types of closely-held corporations, the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be "at risk" with respect to our activities. A unitholder will be at risk to the extent of its adjusted tax basis in its units, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, (2) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or similar arrangement, and (3) any amount of money the unitholder borrows to acquire or hold its units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to another unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder subject to the at risk limitation must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions (including distributions deemed to result from a reduction in a unitholder's share of nonrecourse liabilities) cause the unitholder's at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year.
Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of the basis or at risk limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction in a later year to the extent that the unitholder's adjusted tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon a taxable disposition of our units, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at risk limitation but not losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at risk limitation in excess of that gain can no longer be used, and will not be available to offset a unitholder's salary or active business income.
In addition to the basis and at risk limitations, a passive activity loss limitation limits the deductibility of losses incurred by individuals, estates, trusts, some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations from "passive activities" (such as, trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate). The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly-traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only passive income generated by us. Passive losses that exceed a unitholder's share of the passive income we generate may be deducted in full when a unitholder disposes of all of its units in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive activity loss rules are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk and basis limitations.
For taxpayers other than corporations in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2026, an "excess business loss" limitation further limits the deductibility of losses by such taxpayers. An excess business loss is the excess (if any) of a taxpayer's aggregate deductions for the taxable year that are attributable to the trades or businesses of such taxpayer (determined without regard to the excess business loss limitation) over the aggregate gross income or gain of such taxpayer for the taxable year that is attributable to such trades or businesses plus a threshold amount. The threshold amount is equal to $250,000 or $500,000 for taxpayers filing a joint return. Disallowed excess business losses are treated as a net operating loss carryover to the following tax year. Any losses we generate that are allocated to a unitholder and not otherwise limited by the basis, at risk or passive loss limitations will be included in the determination of such unitholder's aggregate trade or business deductions. Consequently, any losses we generate that are not otherwise limited will only be available to offset a unitholder's other trade or business income plus an amount of non-trade or business income equal to the applicable threshold amount. Thus, except to the extent of the threshold amount, our losses that are not otherwise limited may not offset a unitholder's non-trade or business income (such as salaries, fees, interest, dividends and capital gains). This excess business loss limitation will be applied after the passive activity loss limitation.
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Limitations on Interest Deductions
In general, we are entitled to a deduction for interest paid or accrued on indebtedness properly allocable to our trade or business during our taxable year. However, our deduction for this "business interest" is limited to the sum of our business interest income and 30% of our "adjusted taxable income." For the purposes of this limitation, our adjusted taxable income is computed without regard to any business interest or business interest income, and in the case of taxable years beginning before January 1, 2022, any deduction allowable for depreciation, amortization or depletion. This limitation is first applied at the partnership level and any deduction for business interest is taken into account in determining our non-separately stated taxable income or loss. Then, in applying this business interest limitation at the partner level, the adjusted taxable income of each of our unitholders is determined without regard to such unitholder's distributive share of any of our items of income, gain, deduction or loss and is increased by such unitholder's distributive share of our excess taxable income, which is generally equal to the excess of 30% of our adjusted taxable income over the amount of our deduction for business interest for a taxable year.
To the extent our deduction for business interest is not limited, we will allocate the full amount of our deduction for business interest among our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. To the extent our deduction for business interest is limited, the amount of any disallowed deduction for business interest will also be allocated to each unitholder in accordance with their percentage interest in us, but such amount of "excess business interest" will not be currently deductible. Subject to certain limitations and adjustments to a unitholder's basis in its units, this excess business interest may be carried forward and deducted by a unitholder in a future taxable year.
In addition to this limitation on the deductibility of a partnership's business interest, the deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer's "investment interest expense" generally is limited to the amount of that taxpayer's "net investment income." Investment interest expense includes:
The computation of a unitholder's investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income. Net investment income does not include qualified dividend income (if applicable) or gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment. A unitholder's share of a publicly traded partnership's portfolio income and, according to the IRS, net passive income will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest expense limitation.
Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes
If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax on behalf of any current or former unitholder, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the relevant unitholder. Where the tax is payable on behalf of all unitholders or we cannot determine the specific unitholder on whose behalf the tax is payable, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of a unitholder, in which event the unitholder may be entitled to claim a refund of the overpayment amount. Please read "Administrative MattersInformation
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Returns and Audit Procedures". Each unitholder is urged to consult its tax advisor to determine the consequences to them of any tax payment we make on its behalf.
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
Except as described below, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that incentive distributions are made to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Code (or the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code) to account for any difference between the adjusted tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time such assets are contributed to us and at the time of any subsequent offering of our units (a "Book-Tax Disparity"). As a result, the federal income tax burden associated with any Book-Tax Disparity immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to such offering. In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible (subject to the limitations described above) to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to that recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders.
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Code to eliminate a Book-Tax Disparity, will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a unitholder's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has "substantial economic effect." In any other case, a unitholder's share of an item will be determined on the basis of the unitholder's interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including (i) the partner's relative contributions to us, (ii) the interests of all the partners in profits and losses, (iii) the interest of all the partners in cash flow and (iv) the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in "Section 754 Election" and "Disposition of UnitsAllocations Between Transferors and Transferees," allocations of income, gain, loss or deduction under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes.
Treatment of Securities Loans
A unitholder whose units are the subject of a securities loan (for example, a loan to a "short seller" to cover a short sale of units) may be treated as having disposed of those units. If so, such unitholder would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss as a result of such deemed disposition. As a result, during this period (i) any of our income, gain, loss or deduction allocated to those units would not be reportable by the lending unitholder, and (ii) any cash distributions received by the lending unitholder as to those units may be treated as ordinary taxable income.
Due to a lack of controlling authority, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder that enters into a securities loan with respect to its units. A unitholder desiring to assure its status as a partner and avoid the risk of income recognition from a loan of its units is urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit its brokers from borrowing and lending its units. The IRS has announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please read "Disposition of UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss."
Tax Rates
Under current law, the highest marginal federal income tax rates for individuals applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains (generally, gains from the sale or exchange of certain
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investment assets held for more than one year) are 37% and 20%, respectively. These rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
In addition, a 3.8% net investment income tax applies to certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates, and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a unitholder's allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholder's net investment income from all investments, or (ii) the amount by which the unitholder's modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if married filing separately) or $200,000 (if the unitholder is unmarried or in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and ending on or before December 31, 2025, an individual unitholder is entitled to a deduction equal to 20% of his or her allocable share of our "qualified business income." For purposes of this deduction, our "qualified business income" is equal to the sum of:
Section 754 Election
We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code that permits us to adjust the tax basis in each of our assets as to specific purchasers of our units under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect the unit purchase price upon subsequent purchases of units. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The Section 743(b) adjustment separately applies to a unitholder who purchases units from or exchanges units with another unitholder based upon the values and adjusted tax basis of each of our assets at the time of the relevant purchase, and the adjustment will reflect the purchase price paid. The Section 743(b) adjustment does not apply to a person who purchases units directly from us. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder's basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) its share of the tax basis in our assets as to all unitholders and (2) its Section 743(b) adjustment to that tax basis (which may be positive or negative).
Under our partnership agreement, we are authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with applicable Treasury Regulations. A literal application of Treasury Regulations governing a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to properties depreciable under Section 167 of the Code may give rise to differences in the taxation of unitholders purchasing units from us and unitholders purchasing from other unitholders. If we have any such properties, we intend to adopt methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships to preserve the uniformity of units, even if inconsistent with existing Treasury Regulations, and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not opined on the validity of this approach. Please read "Uniformity of Units."
The IRS may challenge the positions we adopt with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of units due to lack of controlling authority. Because a unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units is reduced by its share of our items of deduction or loss, any position we take that understates deductions will overstate a unitholder's basis in
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its units and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "Disposition of Units-Recognition of Gain or Loss." If a challenge to such treatment were sustained, the gain from the sale of units may be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and are made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment we allocated to our depreciable assets to goodwill or nondepreciable assets. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than certain of our tangible assets. We cannot assure any unitholder that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS or that the resulting deductions will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different tax basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than it would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
Tax Treatment of Operations
Accounting Method and Taxable Year
We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in its tax return its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for each taxable year ending within or with its taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of its units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of its taxable year must include its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for its taxable year, with the result that it will be required to include in income for its taxable year its share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read "Disposition of Units-Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees."
Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization
The tax basis of each of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation and depletion deductions previously taken, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of its interest in us. Please read "Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership-Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction" and "Disposition of UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss."
The costs we incur in offering and selling our units (called "syndication expenses") must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. While there are uncertainties regarding the classification of certain costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us, the underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses. Please read "Disposition of UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss."
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Valuation and Tax Basis of Each of Our Properties
The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values and the tax basis of each of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of tax basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or tax basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by a unitholder could change, and such unitholder could be required to adjust its tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Disposition of Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss
A unitholder will be required to recognize gain or loss on a sale or exchange of a unit equal to the difference, if any, between the unitholder's amount realized and the adjusted tax basis in the unit sold. A unitholder's amount realized generally will equal the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property it receives plus its share of our nonrecourse liabilities with respect to the unit sold or exchanged. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale or exchange of a unit could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from such sale or exchange.
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year generally will be taxable as long-term capital gain or loss. However, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of units will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to Section 751 Assets, such as depreciation recapture and our "inventory items," regardless of whether such inventory item has substantially appreciated in value. Ordinary income attributable to Section 751 Assets may exceed net taxable gain realized on the sale or exchange of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale or exchange of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and capital gain or loss upon a sale or exchange of a unit. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and, in the case of individuals, up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year.
For purposes of calculating gain or loss on the sale or exchange of a unit, the unitholder's adjusted tax basis will be adjusted by its allocable share of our income or loss in respect of its unit for the year of the sale. Furthermore, as described above, the IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an "equitable apportionment" method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner's tax basis in its entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner's entire interest in the partnership.
Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed in the paragraph above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell or exchange as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, such unitholder may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of the units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of any unit transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of our units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or
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a sale or exchange of units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult its tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
Specific provisions of the Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an "appreciated" financial position, including a partnership interest with respect to which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, in the event the taxpayer or a related person enters into:
Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue Treasury Regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position. Please read "Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipTreatment of Securities Loans."
Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees
In general, our taxable income or loss will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month (the "Allocation Date"). Nevertheless, we allocate certain deductions for depreciation of capital additions based upon the date the underlying property is placed in service, and gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets or, in the discretion of the general partner, any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which such income, gain, loss or deduction is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, existing Treasury Regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferee and transferor unitholders. If the IRS determines that this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations our taxable income or losses could be reallocated among our unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferee and transferor unitholders, as well as among unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under the Treasury Regulations.
A unitholder who disposes of units prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive a cash distribution for that period.
Notification Requirements
A unitholder who sells or exchanges any of its units is generally required to notify us in writing of that transaction within 30 days after the transaction (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the transaction in the case of a seller). Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS
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of the transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a transfer of units may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
Uniformity of Units
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units and for other reasons, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. As a result of the need to preserve uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements. Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of our units. Please read "Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipSection 754 Election."
Our partnership agreement permits our general partner to take positions in filing our tax returns that preserve the uniformity of our units. These positions may include reducing the depreciation, amortization or loss deductions to which a unitholder would otherwise be entitled or reporting a slower amortization of Section 743(b) adjustments for some unitholders than that to which they would otherwise be entitled. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of such filing positions.
A unitholder's adjusted tax basis in units is reduced by its share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual income tax return) so that any position that we take that understates deductions will overstate the unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "Disposition of UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss" and "Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipSection 754 Election" above. The IRS may challenge one or more of any positions we take to preserve the uniformity of our units. If such a challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and, under some circumstances, the gain from any sale of our units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of our units by employee benefit plans and other tax-exempt organizations, as well as by non-resident alien individuals, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons (collectively, "Non-U.S. Unitholders") raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. Each prospective unitholder that is a tax-exempt entity or a Non-U.S. Unitholder should consult its tax advisors before investing in our units.
Employee benefit plans and most other tax-exempt organizations, including IRAs and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to a tax-exempt unitholder.
Non-U.S. Unitholders are taxed by the United States on income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business ("effectively connected income") and on certain types of U.S.-source non-effectively connected income (such as dividends), unless exempted or further limited by an income tax treaty. Each Non-U.S. Unitholder will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of its ownership of our units. Furthermore, Non-U.S. Unitholders will be deemed to conduct such activities through a permanent establishment in the United States within the meaning of an applicable tax treaty. Consequently, each Non-U.S. Unitholder will be required to file federal tax returns to report its share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax on its share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly-traded partnerships, distributions to Non-U.S. Unitholders are subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each Non-U.S. Unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that
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number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes.
In addition, if a Non-U.S. Unitholder is classified as a non-U.S. corporation, it will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business and may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular U.S. federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation's "U.S. net equity" to the extent reflected in the corporation's earnings and profits. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a "qualified resident." In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Code.
A Non-U.S. Unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Unitholder. Gain realized by a Non-U.S. Unitholder from the sale of its interest in a partnership that is engaged in a trade or business in the United States will be considered to be "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business to the extent that gain that would be recognized upon a sale by the partnership of all of its assets would be "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business. Thus, all of a Non-U.S. Unitholder's gain from the sale or other disposition of our units would be treated as effectively connected with a unitholder's indirect U.S. trade or business constituted by its investment in us and would be subject to U.S. federal income tax. As a result of the effectively connected income rules described above, the exclusion from U.S. taxation under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act for gain from the sale of partnership units regularly traded on an established securities market will not prevent a Non-U.S. Unitholder from being subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of its units.
Moreover, the transferee of an interest in a partnership that is engaged in a U.S. trade or business is generally required to withhold 10% of the amount realized by the transferor unless the transferor certifies that it is not a foreign person, and we are required to deduct and withhold from the transferee amounts that should have been withheld by the transferees but were not withheld. Because the "amount realized" includes a partner's share of the partnership's liabilities, 10% of the amount realized could exceed the total cash purchase price for the units. For this and other reasons, the IRS has suspended the application of this withholding rule to open market transfers of interest in publicly traded partnerships, pending promulgation of regulations that address the amount to be withheld, the reporting necessary to determine such amount and the appropriate party to withhold such amounts, but it is not clear if or when such regulations will be issued.
Administrative Matters
Information Returns and Audit Procedures
We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each taxable year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder's share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure our unitholders that those positions will yield a result that conforms to all of the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS.
The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully challenge the positions we adopt, and such a challenge could adversely affect the value of our units. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year's tax liability, and may
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result in an audit of the unitholder's own return. Any audit of a unitholder's return could result in adjustments unrelated to our returns.
Publicly-traded partnerships are treated as entities separate from their owners for purposes of federal income tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings for each of the partners. For taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2018, the Code requires that one partner be designated as the "Tax Matters Partner" for these purposes, and our partnership agreement designates our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.
The Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our tax returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review may go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate in that action.
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on its federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
Pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns, it may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us, unless we elect to have our general partner, unitholders and former unitholders take any audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit. Similarly, for such taxable years, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to income tax returns filed by an entity in which we are a member or partner, it may assess and collect any taxes (including penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from such entity.
Generally, we expect to elect to have our general partner, unitholders and former unitholders take any such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, but there can be no assurance that such election will be effective in all circumstances. With respect to audit adjustments as to an entity in which we are a member or partner, the Joint Committee of Taxation has stated that we would not be able to have our general partner, unitholders and former unitholders take such audit adjustment into account. If we are unable to have our general partner, unitholders and former unitholders take such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, our then current unitholders may bear some or all of the tax liability resulting from such audit adjustment, even if such unitholders did not own our units during the taxable year under audit. If, as a result of any such audit adjustment, we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties or interest, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced. These rules are not applicable for taxable years beginning on or prior to December 31, 2017. Congress has proposed changes to the Bipartisan Budget Act, and we anticipate that amendments may be made. Accordingly, the manner in which these rules may apply to us in the future is uncertain.
Additionally, pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, the Code will no longer require that we designate a Tax Matters Partner. Instead, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, we will be required to designate a partner, or other person, with a substantial presence in the United
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States as the partnership representative ("Partnership Representative"). The Partnership Representative will have the sole authority to act on our behalf for purposes of, among other things, federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS. If we do not make such a designation, the IRS can select any person as the Partnership Representative. We currently anticipate that we will designate our general partner as the Partnership Representative. Further, any actions taken by us or by the Partnership Representative on our behalf with respect to, among other things, federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS, will be binding on us and all of our unitholders.
Additional Withholding Requirements
Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to "foreign financial institutions" (as specially defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and other fixed or determinable annual or periodic gains, profits and income from sources within the United States ("FDAP Income"), or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of a type which can produce interest or dividends from sources within the United States ("Gross Proceeds") paid to a foreign financial institution or to a "non-financial foreign entity" (as specially defined in the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts and withhold 30% on payments to noncompliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing these requirements may be subject to different rules.
Generally these rules apply to current payments of FDAP Income and will apply to payments of relevant Gross Proceeds made on or after January 1, 2019. Thus, to the extent we have FDAP Income or we have Gross Proceeds on or after January 1, 2019 that are not treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (please read "Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors"), a unitholder that is a foreign financial institution or certain other non-U.S. entity, or a person that holds its units through such foreign entities, may be subject to withholding on distributions they receive from us, or its distributive share of our income, pursuant to the rules described above.
Each prospective unitholder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the potential application of these withholding provisions to its investment in our units.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
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Each broker and financial institution is required to furnish additional information, including whether such broker or financial institution is a U.S. person and specific information on any units such broker or financial institution acquires, holds or transfers for its own account. A penalty of $260 per failure, up to a maximum of $3,218,500 per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of our units with the information furnished to us.
Accuracy-Related Penalties
Certain penalties may be imposed as a result of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for the underpayment of that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding the underpayment of that portion. We do not anticipate that any accuracy-related penalties will be assessed against us.
State, Local and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, unitholders may be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future or in which the unitholder is a resident. We conduct business or own property in many states in the United States. Some of these states may impose an income tax on individuals, corporations and other entities. As we make acquisitions or expand our business, we may own property or conduct business in additional states that impose a personal income tax. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider the potential impact of such taxes on its investment in us.
A unitholder may be required to file income tax returns and pay income taxes in some or all of the jurisdictions in which we do business or own property, though such unitholder may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in certain jurisdictions because its income from such jurisdictions falls below the jurisdiction's filing and payment requirement. Further, a unitholder may be subject to penalties for a failure to comply with any filing or payment requirement applicable to such unitholder. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder's income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his, her or its investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend upon, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local, and non-U.S., as well as federal tax returns that may be required of it. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, alternative minimum tax or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us.
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Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities
A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt securities will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.
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INVESTMENT IN GLOBAL PARTNERS LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the acquisition and holding of our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities by employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of Code or employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA), non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plans that are not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, "Similar Laws"), and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include "plan assets" of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a "Plan").
This summary is based on the provisions of ERISA and the Code (and related regulations and administrative and judicial interpretations) as of the date of this prospectus. This summary does not purport to be complete, and no assurance can be given that future legislation, court decisions, regulations, rulings or pronouncements will not significantly modify the requirements summarized below. Any of these changes may be retroactive and may thereby apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment or release. This discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all inclusive, nor should it be construed as investment or legal advice.
General Fiduciary Matters
ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (an "ERISA Plan") and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of an ERISA Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of an ERISA Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of an ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to an ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan.
In considering an investment in our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities with a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should consider the Plan's particular circumstances and all of the facts and circumstances of the investment and determine whether the acquisition and holding of a common unit, preferred unit, other unit or debt security is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Similar Law relating to the fiduciary's duties to the Plan, including, without limitation:
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Prohibited Transaction Issues
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit ERISA Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are "parties in interest" within the meaning of ERISA or "disqualified persons" within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities by an ERISA Plan with respect to which the issuer, the initial purchaser or a guarantor is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption.
In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or "PTCEs," that may provide exemptive relief for direct or indirect prohibited transactions resulting from the sale, acquisition or holding of our debt securities. These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 75-1, respecting certain transactions involving ERISA Plans and broker-dealers, reporting dealers and banks; PTCE 84-14, as amended, respecting certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers; PTCE 90-1, respecting certain investments by insurance company pooled separate accounts; PTCE 91-38, respecting certain investments by bank collective investment funds; PTCE 95-60, respecting certain life insurance company general accounts; and PTCE 96-23, respecting certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers. In addition, Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code each provide relief from the prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code for certain transactions, provided that (i) neither the issuer of the debt securities nor any of its affiliates (directly or indirectly) has or exercises any discretionary authority or control or render any investment advice with respect to the assets of any ERISA Plan involved in the transaction and (ii) the ERISA Plan pays no more than adequate consideration in connection with the transaction. Each of these statutory exemptions and PTCEs contain conditions and limitations on their application and do not provide relief from the self-dealing prohibitions under ERISA and the Code. It should also be noted that even if the conditions specified in one or more of these exemptions are met, the scope of relief provided by these exemptions may not necessarily cover all acts that might be construed as prohibited transactions. Accordingly, the fiduciary of a Plan that is considering acquiring and/or holding the debt securities in reliance on any of these (or any other) exemptions should carefully review the exemption and consult with its counsel to confirm that it is applicable. There can be no, and we do not provide any, assurance that any of these exemptions or any other exemption will be available with respect to the acquisition or holding of the debt securities, or that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.
Because of the foregoing, no common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities should be acquired or held by any person investing "plan assets" of any Plan, unless such acquisition and holding will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or a similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.
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Plan Asset Issues
Additionally, a fiduciary of a Plan should consider whether the Plan will, by investing in our common units, preferred units or other classes of units, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that we would become a fiduciary of the Plan and our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.
The DOL regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which ERISA Plans acquire equity interests would be deemed "plan assets" under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity's assets generally would not be considered to be "plan assets" if, among other things:
(1) the equity interests acquired by ERISA Plans are "publicly offered securities" (as defined in the DOL regulations)i.e., the equity interests are part of a class of securities that is widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are freely transferable, and are either registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws or sold to the ERISA Plan as part of a public offering under certain conditions;
(2) the entity is an "operating company" (as defined in the DOL regulations)i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service, other than the investment of capital, either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or
(3) there is no significant investment by "benefit plan investors" (as defined in the DOL regulations)i.e. immediately after the most recent acquisition by an ERISA Plan of any equity interest in the entity, less than 25% of the total value of each class of equity interest (disregarding certain interests held by persons (other than benefit plan investors) with discretionary authority or control over the assets of the entity or who provide investment advice for a fee (direct or indirect) with respect to such assets, and any affiliates thereof) is held by ERISA Plans, IRAs and certain other Plans (but not including governmental plans, foreign plans and certain church plans), and entities whose underlying assets are deemed to include plan assets by reason of a Plan's investment in the entity.
Due to the complexity of these rules and the excise taxes, penalties and liabilities that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries, or other persons considering acquiring and/or holding our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the acquisition and holding of our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities. Purchasers of our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities have the exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their acquisition and holding of our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities complies with the fiduciary responsibility rules of ERISA and does not violate the prohibited transaction rules of ERISA, the Code or applicable Similar Laws. The sale of our common units, preferred units, other classes of units or debt securities to a Plan is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by any such Plan or that such investment is appropriate for any such Plan.
Representation
Accordingly, by its acquisition and acceptance of our debt securities (or any interest therein), each purchaser and subsequent transferee of a debt security will be deemed to have represented and warranted by its acquisition and holding thereof that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such
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purchaser or transferee to acquire or hold the debt securities (or any interest therein) constitutes assets of any Plan or (ii) the acquisition, holding and subsequent disposition of the debt securities (or any interest therein) by such purchaser or subsequent transferee will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.
Additionally, if any purchaser or subsequent transferee of the debt securities is using assets of any Plan to acquire and hold the debt securities, such purchaser or subsequent transferee will be deemed to represent that (i) neither the partnership, the initial purchasers, the guarantors nor any of their respective affiliates has acted as the Plan's fiduciary, or has been relied upon for any advice, with respect to the purchaser's or transferee's decision to acquire and hold the debt securities and neither the partnership, the initial purchasers, the guarantors nor any of their respective affiliates shall at any time be relied upon as the Plan's fiduciary with respect to any decision to acquire, continue to hold or transfer the debt securities and (ii) the decision to invest in the debt securities has been made at the recommendation or direction of an "independent fiduciary" ("Independent Fiduciary") within the meaning of U.S. Code of Federal Regulations 29 C.F.R. Section 2510.3-21(c), as amended from time to time (the "Fiduciary Rule") who (a) is independent of the partnership, the initial purchasers and the guarantors; (b) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with respect to particular transactions and investment strategies (within the meaning of the Fiduciary Rule); (c) is a fiduciary (under ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code) with respect to the purchaser or transferee's investment in the debt securities and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the investment in the debt securities; (d) is either (A) a bank as defined in Section 202 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act") or similar institution that is regulated and supervised and subject to periodic examination by a state or federal agency of the United States; (B) an insurance carrier which is qualified under the laws of more than one state of the United States to perform the services of managing, acquiring or disposing of assets of such a Plan; (C) an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act or, if not registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act by reason of paragraph (1) of Section 203A of the Advisers Act, is registered as an investment adviser under the laws of the state (referred to in such paragraph (1)) in which it maintains its principal office and place of business; (D) a broker dealer registered under the Exchange Act; and/or (E) an Independent Fiduciary (not described in clauses (A), (B), (C) or (D) above) that holds or has under management or control total assets of at least $50 million, and will at all times that such purchaser or transferee holds the debt securities hold or have under management or control, total assets of at least $50 million; and (e) is aware of and acknowledges that (A) neither the partnership, the initial purchasers, the guarantors nor any of their respective affiliates is undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the purchaser's or transferee's investment in the debt securities, and (B) the partnership, the initial purchasers, the guarantors and their respective affiliates have a financial interest in the purchaser's or transferee's investment in the debt securities on account of the fees and other remuneration they expect to receive in connection with transactions contemplated hereunder.
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We may sell securities described in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement through underwriters, through broker-dealers, through agents, directly to one or more investors or through a combination of any of the methods of sale.
We will prepare a prospectus supplement for each offering that will disclose the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale, any underwriting discounts and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers or agents.
We will fix a price or prices of our securities at:
We may change the price of the securities offered from time to time.
If we use underwriters or dealers in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account, and they may resell these securities 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 securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms. Unless otherwise disclosed in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement if any of the securities are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
We may sell the securities through agents designated by us from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of the securities for which this prospectus is delivered, and disclose any commissions payable by us to the agent or the method by which the commissions can be determined, in the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any resale thereof. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. We may use electronic media, including the Internet, to sell offered securities directly.
We may offer our common units into an existing trading market on the terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.
We may agree to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of securities against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the securities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933.
Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may be customers of, may engage in transactions with and may perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
A prospectus and accompanying prospectus supplement in electronic form may be made available on the web sites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of securities for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of securities for internet
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distributions will be made on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell securities to online brokerage account holders.
The aggregate maximum compensation the underwriters will receive in connection with the sale of any securities under this prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms a part will not exceed 10% of the gross proceeds from the sale.
Because FINRA views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will be made in compliance with FINRA Rule 2310.
To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
In connection with offerings of securities under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and in compliance with applicable law, underwriters, brokers or dealers may engage in transactions that stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market. Specifically, underwriters, brokers or dealers may over-allot in connection with offerings, creating a short position in the securities for their own accounts. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the securities, the underwriters, brokers or dealers may place bids for the securities or effect purchases of the securities in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution of the securities in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
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Certain legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York. Any underwriter or agent will be advised about other issues relating to any offering by its own legal counsel.
Members of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. involved in this offering beneficially own approximately 5,000 common units representing limited partner interests in us.
The consolidated financial statements of Global Partners LP appearing in Global Partners LP's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2016 (including the schedule appearing therein), and the effectiveness of Global Partners LP's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
Set forth below are the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) expected to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered hereby. With the exception of the SEC registration fee, the amounts set forth below are estimates:
SEC registration fee |
$ | 24,900.00 | ||
Legal fees and expenses |
* | |||
Accounting fees and expenses |
* | |||
Printing and engraving expenses |
* | |||
Trustee fees |
* | |||
Miscellaneous |
* | |||
| | | | |
Total |
$ | * | ||
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Global GP LLC
Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that, subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, a limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. The limited liability company agreement of Global GP LLC, the managing general partner of Global Partners LP (the "Company"), provides that the Company will, to the extent deemed advisable by the Company's board of directors, indemnify any person who is or was an officer or director of the Company, the record holder of the Company's voting shares, and any person who is or was an officer, director or affiliate of the record holder of the Company's voting shares, from liabilities arising by reason of such person's status, provided that the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which such indemnitee believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such indemnitee's conduct was unlawful. Such liabilities include any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses (including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements and other amounts. Officers and directors of the Company are also indemnified by Global Partners LP, as described below.
Global Partners LP
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages, or similar events:
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Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.
Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the partnership agreement, Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever.
GLP Finance Corp.
The bylaws of GLP Finance Corp. provide that each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any proceeding (as defined therein) by reason of the fact that such person or a person of whom such person is the legal representative, is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the corporation, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer in any other capacity while serving or having agreed to serve as a director or officer, will be indemnified by the corporation to the fullest extent authorized by law against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred. This indemnification would under certain circumstances include indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act. The corporation is authorized to indemnify any such person only if such proceeding was authorized by the board of directors. The corporation is authorized to purchase insurance to protect itself and any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation.
Delaware
Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that a limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.
The limited liability company agreements of each of Global Operating LLC, Global Companies LLC, Chelsea Sandwich LLC, Global Energy Marketing LLC and Global CNG LLC provide, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law, that the companies shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer or employee of the companies from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or and any other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, in which such indemnified person may be involved by reason of its status as a member or officer or employee of the companies.
Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with specified actions, suits and proceedings whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than a derivative action by or in the right of the corporation, if they acted in good faith and in a manner they
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reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification extends only to expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation's certificate of incorporation, bylaws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise.
The bylaws of Global Montello Group Corp. provide that each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any proceeding (as defined therein) by reason of the fact that such person or a person of whom such person is the legal representative, is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the corporations, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer in any other capacity while serving or having agreed to serve as a director or officer, will be indemnified by the corporations to the fullest extent authorized by law against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred. This indemnification would under certain circumstances include indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act. The corporations are authorized to indemnify any such person only if such proceeding was authorized by the board of directors. The corporations are authorized to purchase insurance to protect themselves and any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporations.
The bylaws of Glen Hes Corp., Warren Equities, Inc. and Maryland Oil Company, Inc. provide that the corporation has the power to indemnify any person to the fullest extent permitted under Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any successor provision or statute.
Massachusetts
Section 8 of the Massachusetts Limited Liability Company Act provides that a limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.
The limited liability company agreements of each of Alliance Energy LLC and Bursaw Oil LLC provide, to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law, that the companies shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer or employee of the companies from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or and any other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, in which such indemnified person may be involved by reason of its status as a member or officer or employee of the companies.
The bylaws of Drake Petroleum Company, Inc. provide that the corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Massachusetts law, indemnify any person who is a party to a proceeding against all liability and expense incurred by reason to the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the corporation.
New Jersey
Section 14A: 3-5 of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act provides that any corporation organized for any purpose under any general or special law of this State shall have the power to indemnify a corporate agent against his expenses and liabilities in connection with any proceeding involving the corporate agent by reason of his being or having been such a corporate agent, other than a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation, if: (a) such corporate agent acted in good faith and
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in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and (b) with respect to any criminal proceeding, such corporate agent had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Any corporation organized for any purpose under any general or special law of this New Jersey shall have the power to indemnify a corporate agent against his expenses in connection with any proceeding by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor which involves the corporate agent by reason of his being or having been such corporate agent, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.
The certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Puritan Oil Company, Inc. of New Jersey, Inc. are silent as to indemnification.
New York
The bylaws of Warex Terminals Corporation provide that each director or officer of the corporation, whether or not then in office, and any person whose testator or intestate was such a director or officer, shall be indemnified by the corporation for the defense of, or in connection with, any threatened, pending or completed actions or proceedings and appeals therein, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in accordance with and to the fullest extent permitted by the Business Corporation Law of the State of New York or other applicable law, against, without limitation, all judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlements, and all expenses, including attorneys' and other experts' fees, costs and disbursements, actually and reasonably incurred by such person as a result of such action or proceeding, or actually and reasonably incurred by such person (a) in making an application for payment of such expenses before any court or other government body, (b) in otherwise seeking to enforce the indemnification provisions of the corporation's bylaws or (c) in securing or enforcing such person's right under any policy or director or officer liability insurance provided by the corporation. This indemnification would under certain circumstances include indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act. The corporation is authorized to indemnify any such person only if such proceeding was authorized by the board of directors.
Oregon
Section 63.160 of the Oregon Limited Liability Company Act provides that the articles of organization or operating agreement may provide for indemnification of any person for any acts or omissions as a member, manager, employee or agent and may eliminate or limit liability of a member, manager, employee or agent for damages from such acts or omissions; provided, that indemnification is not permitted for any breach of the duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith which involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of the law, or any unlawful distribution or any transaction from which the member or manager derives an improper personal benefit.
The operating agreement of Cascade Kelly Holdings LLC provides, to the fullest extent permitted under Oregon law but subject to certain limitations expressly provided in the operating agreement, that the company shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer or employee of the company from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or and any other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, in which such indemnified person may be involved by reason of its status as a member or officer or employee of the company. The indemnification by the company that will only be made as authorized by a determination of the sole member of the company that indemnification is proper in the circumstances in accordance with the company's operating agreement.
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Alberta, Canada
Global Partners Energy Canada ULC is incorporated under the Alberta Business Corporations Act. Under the Alberta Business Corporations Act, Global Partners Energy Canada ULC may indemnify an individual who is or was a director or officer of such corporation, or who is or was a director or officer of another corporation, of which such corporation is or was a shareholder or creditor, at the corporations' request, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by the director or officer in respect of any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding, in which such eligible party is involved because of that association with such corporation or the other entity.
However, indemnification is prohibited under the Alberta Business Corporations Act if: (i) such eligible party did not act honestly and in good faith with a view to such corporation's respective best interests (or the best interests of the other entity, as the case may be); and (ii) in the case of a criminal or administrative proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, such eligible party did not have reasonable grounds for believing that such person's conduct was lawful.
Subject to the foregoing, Global Partners Energy Canada ULC may, with the approval of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, indemnify or pay the expenses of an eligible party in respect of an action brought against the eligible party by such corporation or on such corporation's behalf to which the eligible party is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or officer of such corporation (or the other entity as the case may be).
The Alberta Business Corporations Act provides that Global Partners Energy Canada ULC may purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of an eligible party (or their heirs and personal or other legal representatives of the eligible party) against any liability that may be incurred by reason of the eligible party being or having been a director or officer, or in an equivalent position of such corporation or that of an associated corporation, except when the liability relates to the person's failure to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of such corporations' or an associate corporation, as applicable.
The by-laws of Global Partners Energy Canada ULC provide that, subject to the limitations in the Alberta Business Corporations Act and except in respect of an action by or on behalf of such corporation or body corporate to procure a judgment in its favor, the corporation shall indemnify a director or officer of the corporation, a former director or officer of the corporation or a person who acts or acted at the corporation's request as a director or officer of a body corporate of which the corporation is or was a shareholder or creditor, and his heirs and legal representatives, against all costs, charges and expenses, including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by him in respect of any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or officer of the Corporation or body corporate, if: (i) he acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Corporation, and (ii) in the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, he had reasonable grounds for believing that his conduct was lawful.
The by-laws of Global Partners Energy Canada ULC provide that such corporation shall, subject to the approval of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, indemnify such officers and directors in respect of an action by or on behalf of such corporation or a body corporate to procure a judgment in its favor, to which he is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or an officer of the such corporation or body corporate, against all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action if he fulfills the above conditions.
The by-laws of Global Partners Energy Canada ULC further provide that such officers and directors shall be entitled to indemnity from such corporation in respect of all costs, charges and expenses reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense of any civil, criminal or
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administrative action or proceeding to which he is made a party by reason of being or having been a director or officer of such corporations or body corporate, if the person seeking indemnity: (i) was substantially successful on the merits of his defense of the action or proceeding; and (ii) fulfills the above conditions.
Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
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Exhibit Number |
Description | ||
---|---|---|---|
4.9 | Form of Subordinated Indenture (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed on June 22, 2016) | ||
5.1 | * | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered | |
8.1 | * | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to tax matters | |
12.1 | * | Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preference Dividends | |
23.1 | * | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP | |
23.4 | * | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1) | |
24.1 | * | Power of Attorney (included on signature pages of this registration statement) | |
25.1 | *** | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Senior Indenture | |
25.2 | *** | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture |
provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(a)(i), (1)(a)(ii) and (1)(a)(iii) above do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrants pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
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statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement;
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Waltham, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on January 12, 2018.
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP | ||||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL GP LLC Its General Partner |
|||||||||||
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. FANEUIL Edward J. Faneuil Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
|||||||||||
GLOBAL OPERATING LLC |
||||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP Its sole member |
|||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL GP LLC Its General Partner |
|||||||||||
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. FANEUIL Edward J. Faneuil Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
|||||||||||
GLOBAL COMPANIES LLC GLOBAL ENERGY MARKETING LLC CHELSEA SANDWICH LLC ALLIANCE ENERGY LLC CASCADE KELLY HOLDINGS LLC GLOBAL CNG LLC |
||||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL OPERATING LLC Its sole member |
|||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP Its sole member |
|||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL GP LLC Its General Partner |
|||||||||||
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. FANEUIL Edward J. Faneuil Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
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BURSAW OIL LLC |
||||||||||||
By: |
Alliance Energy LLC Its sole member |
|||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL OPERATING LLC Its sole member |
|||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL PARTNERS LP Its sole member |
|||||||||||
By: |
GLOBAL GP LLC Its General Partner |
|||||||||||
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. FANEUIL Edward J. Faneuil Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
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Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Faneuil as his or her lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this registration statement, or any registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with exhibits hereto and other documents in connection therewith or in connection with the registration of the securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitutes may 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 below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on January 12, 2018.
Signature
|
Title
|
|
---|---|---|
/s/ ERIC SLIFKA Eric Slifka |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
/s/ DAPHNE H. FOSTER Daphne H. Foster |
Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial Officer) |
|
/s/ MATTHEW SPENCER Matthew Spencer |
Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) |
|
/s/ RICHARD SLIFKA Richard Slifka |
Chairman |
|
/s/ ANDREW SLIFKA Andrew Slifka |
Executive Vice President and Director |
|
/s/ DAVID K. MCKOWN David K. McKown |
Director |
|
/s/ ROBERT J. MCCOOL Robert J. McCool |
Director |
|
/s/ KENNETH I. WATCHMAKER Kenneth I. Watchmaker |
Director |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Waltham, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on January 12, 2018.
GLP FINANCE CORP. GLOBAL MONTELLO GROUP CORP. GLEN HES CORP. GLOBAL PARTNERS ENERGY CANADA ULC WARREN EQUITIES, INC. WAREX TERMINALS CORPORATION DRAKE PETROLEUM COMPANY, INC. PURITAN OIL COMPANY, INC. MARYLAND OIL COMPANY, INC. |
||||
By: |
/s/ EDWARD J. FANEUIL Edward J. Faneuil Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
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Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Faneuil as his or her lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this registration statement, or any registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with exhibits hereto and other documents in connection therewith or in connection with the registration of the securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitutes may 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 below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on January 12, 2018.
Signature
|
Title
|
|
---|---|---|
/s/ ERIC SLIFKA Eric Slifka |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
/s/ DAPHNE H. FOSTER Daphne H. Foster |
Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial Officer) |
|
/s/ MATTHEW SPENCER Matthew Spencer |
Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) |
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