Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 38, September 20, 2024
A. As a condition
of registration of debt securities under A.R.S. Title 44, Chapter 12, Article
7, except pursuant to §
44-1901,
an issuer must demonstrate its ability to service its debt obligations as they
become due, including the obligations under the debt securities to be
offered.
B. An offering of
investment grade debt securities that have been rated BBB or higher by Standard
& Poor's or Fitch Investors Service, Inc., or Baa or higher by Moody's
Investors Service will be considered to have complied with the requirements of
this Section.
C. For purposes of
this Section, the following definitions shall apply.
1. "Fixed charges" means the sum of interest
expensed and capitalized; amortized premiums, discounts, and capitalized
expenses related to indebtedness; an estimate of the interest within rental
expense; and preference security dividend requirements of consolidated
subsidiaries.
2. "Earnings" is the
amount resulting from subtracting the sum of the items in subsection (C)(2)(b)
from the sum of the items in subsection (C)(2)(a).
a. Pretax income from continuing operations
before adjustment for minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries or income
or loss from equity investees, fixed charges; amortization of capitalized
interest, distributed income of equity investees, and the issuer's share of
pretax losses of equity investees for which charges arising from guarantees are
included in fixed charges.
b.
Interest capitalized, preference security dividend requirements of consolidated
subsidiaries, and the minority interest in pretax income of subsidiaries that
have not incurred fixed charges.
3. "Equity investees" means investments for
which the issuer accounts by using the equity method of accounting.
4. "Pro forma ratio" means a ratio that
reflects the application of proceeds from the proposed offering to repay any
outstanding debt or to retire other securities.
D. The issuer's demonstration of its ability
to service its debt obligations shall include all of the following.
1. Statement of the issuer's current cash
flow prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and
adjusted on a pro forma basis to reflect:
a.
The elimination of interest and fees on debt or debt securities and of cash
dividends on preferred stock that are to be retired with the proceeds of the
offering.
b. The effect of any
acquisitions or capital expenditures that were made by the issuer after its
last fiscal year, or that are proposed or required for the current fiscal year,
that materially affect the issuer's cash flow.
c. The effect of interest and fees on debt or
debt securities or cash dividends paid after the issuer's last fiscal
year.
d. The effect of any interest
and fees on debt or debt securities and of cash dividends on preferred stock or
common stock that were issued during the issuer's last fiscal year, but that
were outstanding for only a portion of such fiscal year, as if such debt, debt
securities, preferred stock, or common stock had been outstanding for entire
fiscal year.
e. The effect of
imputed or deferred charges of zero-coupon debt or debt securities for the
issuer's last fiscal year and any additional charges on such debt or debt
securities issued after the issuer's last fiscal year.
f. The effect of accrued dividends on
preferred stock for the issuer's last fiscal year and any additional dividends
on such preferred stock issued after the issuer's last fiscal year.
g. The effect of any other material changes
to the issuer's future cash flow.
2. Detailed explanation of the facts and
assumptions underlying the pro forma statement of cash flow.
3. A ratio of earnings to fixed charges for
each of the last five fiscal years and the latest interim period.
a. If a ratio indicates less than one-to-one
coverage, disclose the dollar amount of the deficiency.
b. If the proceeds from the proposed sale of
securities will be used to repay any of the issuer's outstanding debt or to
retire other securities and the change in the ratio would be 10 percent or
greater, include a pro forma ratio. Use the net change in interest or dividends
from the refinancing to calculate the pro forma ratio.
4. A calculation using the amounts and
captions used by the issuer to calculate the ratio of earnings to fixed
charges.
5. Copies of written
agreements, contracts, or other instruments material to the issuer's ability to
service its obligations under the debt securities to be offered.
6. Detailed information regarding all
guarantee obligations of or to the issuer in connection with any debt. Any
financial statements provided to the Commission to satisfy this subsections
shall be prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles.
7. Other material or
information the issuer desires to include to support its
demonstrations.
E. If
the Commission deems it necessary for investor protection, the Commission may
require that the issuer establish a sinking fund or redemption
requirements.