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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1)
Registration No. 333-180551
USA Compression Partners, LP
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
4,150,000 Common Units
With this prospectus, we are offering participation in our Distribution Reinvestment Plan (the "Plan") to owners of our common and subordinated units. We have appointed Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as the administrator of the Plan. The Plan provides a simple and convenient means of investing in our common units.
Plan Highlights:
- •
- You may participate in the Plan if you currently are a unitholder of record of our common or subordinated units or if you
own our common units through your broker (by having your broker participate on your behalf).
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- Through the Plan, you may purchase additional common units by reinvesting all or a portion of the cash distributions paid
on your common or subordinated units.
- •
- We have the sole discretion to determine whether common units purchased under the Plan will come from our newly issued
common units or from common units purchased on the open market.
- •
- The purchase price for newly issued common units will be the average high and low trading prices of the common units on
the NYSE for the five trading days immediately preceding the investment date. The purchase price for common units purchased on the open market will be the weighted average price of all common units
purchased for the Plan for the respective investment date. We will set a discount ranging from 0% to 5% (currently set at 0%) for units purchased pursuant to the Plan.
- •
- Plan participants may deposit their certificated units in the Plan for safekeeping and reinvestment of distributions.
Your participation in the Plan is voluntary, and you may terminate your account at any time.
You should read carefully this prospectus before deciding to participate in the Plan. You should read the documents we have referred you to in the "Where You Can Find More Information" section of this prospectus for information on us and for our financial statements.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "USAC".
Investing in our common units involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risk factors described under "Risk Factors" on page 3 of this prospectus before enrolling in the Plan.
We are an "emerging growth company" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are eligible for reduced reporting requirements.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is July 2, 2013.
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You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or any other information to which we have referred you in connection with this offering. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor the sale of common units means that information contained in this prospectus is correct after the date of this prospectus. This prospectus is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the common units in any circumstances under which the offer or solicitation is unlawful.
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This summary provides a brief overview of information contained elsewhere in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our common units. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the historical financial statements and the notes to those financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should read "Risk Factors" for more information about important risks that you should consider carefully before investing in the Plan. We include a glossary of some of the terms used in this prospectus as Appendix A.
References in this prospectus to "USA Compression," "we," "our," "us," "the Partnership" or like terms refer to USA Compression Partners, LP and its wholly owned subsidiaries, including USA Compression Partners, LLC ("USAC Operating"). References to "USA Compression Holdings" refer to USA Compression Holdings, LLC, the owner of USA Compression GP, LLC, our general partner. References to "Riverstone" refer to Riverstone/Carlyle Global Energy and Power Fund IV, L.P., and affiliated entities, including Riverstone Holdings LLC.
We are a growth-oriented Delaware limited partnership and, based on management's significant experience in the industry, we believe we are one of the largest independent providers of compression services in the U.S. in terms of total compression unit horsepower. We employ a customer-focused business philosophy in partnering with our diverse customer base, which is comprised of producers, processors, gatherers and transporters of natural gas. Natural gas compression, a mechanical process whereby natural gas is compressed to a smaller volume resulting in a higher pressure, is an essential part of the production and transportation of natural gas. As part of our services, we engineer, design, operate, service and repair our compression units and maintain related support inventory and equipment. The compression units in our modern fleet are designed to be easily adaptable to fit our customers' dynamic compression requirements. By focusing on the needs of our customers and by providing them with reliable and flexible compression services, we are able to develop long-term relationships, which lead to more stable cash flows for our unitholders. We have been providing compression services since 1998.
We focus primarily on large-horsepower infrastructure applications. We utilize a modern fleet, with an average age of our compression units of approximately five years. Our standard new-build compression unit is generally configured for multiple compression stages, allowing us to operate our units across a broad range of operating conditions. This flexibility allows us to enter into longer-term contracts and reduces the redeployment risk of our horsepower in the field. Our modern and standardized fleet, decentralized field-level operating structure and technical proficiency in predictive and preventive maintenance and overhaul operations have enabled us to achieve average service run times consistently above the levels required by our customers.
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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We are an "emerging growth company" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. For as long as we are an emerging growth company, we will not be required to:
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- provide an auditor's attestation report on management's assessment of the effectiveness of our system of internal control
over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
- •
- comply with any new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, requiring
mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report in which the auditor would be required to provide additional information about the audit and the financial statements of the
issuer,
- •
- provide certain disclosure regarding executive compensation required of larger public companies, or
- •
- hold shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation.
We will remain an emerging growth company for five years unless, prior to that time, we have more than $1.0 billion in annual revenues, have a market value for our common units held by non-affiliates of more than $700 million, or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced obligations. We have availed ourselves of the reduced reporting obligations with respect to executive compensation disclosure in this prospectus, and expect to continue to avail ourselves of the reduced reporting obligations available to emerging growth companies in future filings. For as long as we take advantage of the reduced reporting obligations, the information that we provide unitholders may be different than might be provided by other public companies in which you hold equity interests.
We have also chosen to "opt out" of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards available to emerging growth companies, and as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. Under federal securities laws, our decision to opt out of the extended transition period is irrevocable.
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Limited partner interests are inherently different from capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in the compression services business. You should consider carefully the following risk factors and the risk factors contained in Item 1.A. "Risk Factors", in our Annual Report in Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, together with all of the other information included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus in evaluating an investment in our common units.
You will not know the price of the common units you are purchasing under the Plan at the time you authorize the investment or elect to have your distributions reinvested. The price of our common units may fluctuate between the time you decide to purchase common units under the Plan and the time of actual purchase. As a result, you may purchase common units at a price higher than the price you anticipated.
If you instruct the administrator to sell common units under the Plan, you will not be able to direct the time or price at which your common units are sold. The price of our common units may decline between the time you decide to sell common units and the time of actual sale.
If you decide to withdraw from the Plan and you request a certificate for common units credited to you under the Plan from the administrator, the market price of our common units may decline between the time you decide to withdraw and the time you receive the certificate.
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The Plan offers a simple and convenient way for owners of our common and subordinated units to invest all or a portion of their cash distributions in our common units. The Plan is designed for long-term investors who wish to invest and build their common unit ownership over time. Unlike an individual brokerage account, the timing of purchases is subject to the provisions of the Plan. The principal terms and conditions of the Plan are summarized in this prospectus under "Commonly Asked Questions" below.
We have appointed Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., or "the Administrator," to administer the Plan, and certain administrative support will be provided to the Administrator by its designated affiliates. Together, the Administrator and its affiliates will purchase and hold common units for Plan participants, keep records, send statements and perform other duties required by the Plan.
Only registered holders of our common or subordinated units can participate directly in the Plan. If you are a beneficial owner of common units in a brokerage account and wish to reinvest your distributions, you can make arrangements with your broker or nominee to participate in the Plan on your behalf, or you can request that your common units become registered in your name.
Please read this entire prospectus for a more detailed description of the Plan. If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units and would like to participate in the Plan, you can enroll online by following the enrollment procedures specified on the Administrator's website at shareowneronline.com or by completing and signing an authorization form and returning it to the Administrator. Authorization forms may be obtained at any time by written request, by contacting the Administrator at the address and telephone number provided in Question 6, or via the Internet at the Administrator's website at shareowneronline.com.
1. How can I participate in the Plan?
If you are a current holder of record, or registered holder, of our common or subordinated units, you may participate directly in the Plan. If you own common units that are registered in someone else's name (for example, a bank, broker or trustee), the Plan allows you to participate through such person, should they elect to participate, without having to withdraw your common units from such bank, broker or trustee. If your broker or bank elects not to participate in the Plan on your behalf, you can participate by withdrawing your common units from such bank or broker and registering your common units in your name.
2. How do I get started?
If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units, once you have read this prospectus, you can get started by enrolling in the Plan online by following the enrollment procedures specified on the Administrator's website at shareowneronline.com or by completing and signing an authorization form (see Question 6) and returning it to the Administrator. Your participation will begin promptly after your authorization is received. Once you have enrolled, your participation continues automatically, as long as you wish. If you own common units that are registered in someone else's name (for example a bank, broker or trustee), then you should contact such person to arrange for them to participate in the Plan on your behalf.
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3. How are distributions reinvested?
By enrolling in the Plan, you direct the Administrator to apply distributions to the purchase of additional common units in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan. You may elect to reinvest all or a percentage of your distributions in additional common units. The Administrator will invest distributions in whole units and fractional interests in common units on the quarterly distribution payment date (the investment date). No interest will be paid on funds held by the Administrator pending investment.
Full distribution reinvestment—All cash distributions payable on common units held in the Plan, along with any common units held in physical certificate form or through book-entry Direct Registration Shares ("DRS"), will be used to purchase additional common units. The participant will not receive cash distributions from USA Compressions common units; instead, all distributions will be reinvested. Whole and fractional shares will be allocated to the Plan account and participants will hold their interests including fractional interests, through the Plan.
Partial distribution reinvestment by percentage—A participant may elect to reinvest a portion of the distribution and receive the remainder in cash. The percentage elected will be applied to the total shares held in the Plan, along with any common units held in physical certificate form or held through book-entry Direct Registration Shares (DRS). A participant may elect percentages from 10%-90%, in increments of 10%. The cash portion of distributions will be sent by check unless the participant has elected to have those distributions deposited directly to a designated bank account.
An example of partial reinvestment by percentage: A participant has a total of 150 common units; 120 common units are held in the Plan, 15 in physical certificate form and 15 common units in book entry Direct Registration Shares (DRS). The participant chooses to have 50% of the total distribution reinvested. This will equate to 75 common units having distributions reinvested and 75 common units having distributions paid in cash.
If the Administrator receives your authorization form on or before the record date for the payment of the next distribution, the amount of the distribution that you elect to be reinvested will be invested in additional common units for your Plan account. If the authorization form is received after any distribution record date, that distribution will be paid in cash and your initial distribution reinvestment will commence with the following distribution.
You may change your distribution reinvestment election at any time online via shareowneronline.com, by telephone or by notifying the Administrator in writing. To be effective with respect to a particular distribution, any such change must be received by the Administrator on or before the record date for that distribution.
4. When are distributions reinvested?
The investment date will be the distribution payment date for each quarter (generally, on or around the 15th calendar day of February, May, August and November). The record date for eligibility to receive distributions generally will be approximately one week before the date upon which distributions are paid. In the unlikely event that, due to unusual market conditions, the Administrator is unable to invest the funds within 30 days of the distribution payment date, the Administrator will distribute the funds to you by check or by automatic deposit to a bank account that you designate. No interest will be paid on funds held by the Administrator pending investment.
5. What is the source and price of common units purchased under the Plan?
We have the sole discretion to determine whether common units purchased under the Plan will come from new common units issued by us or from common units purchased on the open market by
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the Administrator. We currently intend to satisfy reinvestments under the Plan by issuing new common units.
The price for new common units purchased with reinvested distributions will be the average of the high and low trading prices of the common units on the New York Stock Exchange—Composite Transactions for the five trading days immediately preceding the investment date, less a discount ranging from 0% to 5%. The discount is initially set at 0%; therefore, the initial purchase price for authorized but unissued common units purchased with reinvested distributions will be 100% of such average trading price. (Note: If you participate in the Plan through your broker, you should consult with your broker to determine if your broker will charge you a service fee.)
The purchase price for common units purchased with reinvested distributions on the open market will be the weighted average price of all common units purchased for the Plan for the respective investment date, less a discount ranging from 0% to 5%. (Note: If you participate in the Plan through your broker, you should consult with your broker to determine if your broker will charge you a service fee.)
We will provide notice to you of any changes in the discount rate at least 30 days prior to the following record date.
6. Who is the Administrator of the Plan?
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., is the Administrator of the Plan. Certain administrative support will be provided to the Administrator by its designated affiliates.
Internet
shareowneronline.com
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for access to account information and answers to many common questions and general inquiries.
To enroll in the Plan:
If you are an existing registered shareholder:
- 1.
- Go
to shareowneronline.com
- 2.
- Select
Sign Up Now!
- 3.
- Enter
your Authentication ID* and Account Number
- *
- If you do not have your Authentication ID, select I do not have my Authentication ID. For security, this number is required for first time sign on.
Go to shareowneronline.com and select Contact Us.
Telephone
1-800-468-9716
Toll-Free
651-450-4064 outside the United States
Shareowner Relations Specialists are available Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time.
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You may also access your account information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using our automated voice response system.
- *
- If sending in a certificate for deposit, see Terms and Conditions for Certificate Deposit and Withdrawal information.
Written correspondence and deposit of certificated common units*:
Wells
Fargo Shareowner Services
P.O. Box 64856
St. Paul, MN 55164-0856
Certified and overnight delivery
Wells
Fargo Shareowner Services
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-4100
Please include a reference to USA Compression Partners, LP and this Plan in all correspondence.
7. What are the transaction costs of participating in the Plan?
Participants do not pay purchase commissions for common units purchased by the Plan, regardless of whether the units are purchased from us or are purchased on the open market.
If a participant requests to sell units through the Plan, the participant will pay any related administrative fees, brokerage commissions, and applicable taxes.
At the present time there is no service charge for participating in the Plan. However, we can change the fee structure for the Plan at any time. We will notify participants of any fee changes prior to the changes becoming effective.
We will pay many of the administrative costs of the Plan. The participant pays the following fees indicated below:
| Certificate Issuance | Company paid | ||
| Certificate Deposit | Company paid | ||
| Investment Fees | |||
| Distribution reinvestment service fee | Company paid | ||
| Purchase commission | Company paid | ||
| Sales Fees | |||
| Batch Order service fee | $15 per transaction | ||
| Market Order service fee | $25 per transaction | ||
| Limit Order per transaction (Day/GTD/GTC) service fee | $30 per transaction | ||
| Stop Order service fee | $30 per transaction | ||
| Fee for Returned Checks or Rejected Automatic Bank Withdrawals | $35 per item | ||
| Prior Year Duplicate Statements | $25 per year | ||
8. How many common units will be purchased for my account?
If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units and are directly participating in the Plan, the number of common units, including fractional common units, purchased under the Plan will depend on the amount of your cash distribution you elect to reinvest and the price of the common units determined as provided above. Common units purchased under the Plan, including fractional
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interests in common units, will be credited to your account. Only whole and fractional interests in common units will be purchased. Fractional interests in common units will be computed to three decimal places.
If you are a beneficial owner and are participating in the Plan through your broker, you should contact your broker for the details of how the number of common units you purchase will be determined.
This prospectus relates to 4,150,000 of our common units registered for sale under the Plan. We cannot assure you that there will be sufficient units subject to the Plan for all distributions you elect to have reinvested in the Plan. Any distributions received by the Administrator but not invested in our common units under the Plan will be paid to participants without interest.
9. What are the tax consequences of purchasing common units under the Plan?
For tax purposes, you will be treated as if you first received the full cash distribution on your common and subordinated units that participate in the Plan and then purchased additional common units with the portion of such cash distributions that is subject to the Plan. As a result, your adjusted basis for tax purposes in your common and subordinated units will be reduced by the full amount of the deemed cash distribution and then increased by the amount of the distributions reinvested in additional common units pursuant to the Plan. We intend to take the position that participants in the Plan do not recognize income upon the purchase of common units at a discounted purchase price under the Plan. There is a risk that the IRS could assert that you must recognize income in the amount of the discount if you purchase common units at a discounted purchase price under the Plan, or that we will determine in the future that it is necessary to allocate income to you in the amount of the discount in order to preserve the uniformity of our units.
Purchasing common units pursuant to the Plan will not affect the tax obligations associated with the common units you currently own. Participation in the Plan will reduce the amount of cash distributions available to you to satisfy any tax obligations associated with owning common or subordinated units. Please read "Material Federal Income Tax Consequences" for information relevant to holders of common units generally.
10. How can I withdraw from the Plan?
If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units, you may discontinue the reinvestment of your distributions at any time by providing notice to the Administrator. In addition, you may change your distribution election online under the Administrator's account management service, as described above. To be effective for a particular distribution payment, the Administrator must receive notice three days prior to the record date for that distribution to be paid out in cash. In addition, you may request that all or part of your common units be sold. When your common units are sold through the Administrator, you will receive the proceeds less a service fee, currently $15.00 per transaction, and any brokerage trading fees, currently $0.12 per unit.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan through your broker, you should direct your broker to discontinue participation in the Plan on your behalf.
Generally, an owner of common or subordinated units may again become a participant in the Plan. However, we reserve the right to reject the enrollment of a previous participant in the Plan on grounds of excessive joining and termination. This reservation is intended to minimize administrative expense and to encourage use of the Plan as a long-term investment service.
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11. How will my common units be held under the Plan?
If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units and you are directly participating in the Plan, the common units that you acquire under the Plan will be maintained in your Plan account in non-certificated form for safekeeping. Safekeeping protects your common units against physical loss, theft or accidental destruction and also provides a convenient way for you to keep track of your common units. Only common units held in safekeeping may be sold through the Plan.
If you own common units in certificated form, you may deposit your certificates for those common units that you own and that are registered in your name for safekeeping under the Plan with the Administrator at no cost. The Administrator will credit the common units represented by the certificates to your account in "book-entry" form and will combine the common units with any whole and fractional interests in units then held in your plan account. In addition to protecting against the loss, theft or destruction of your certificates, this service is convenient if and when you sell common units through the Plan. Because you bear the risk of loss in sending certificates to the Administrator, you should send certificates by registered mail, return receipt requested, and properly insured to the address specified in Question 6 above.
No certificates will be issued to you for common units in the Plan unless you submit a written request to the Administrator or until your participation in the Plan is terminated. At any time, you may request the Administrator to send a certificate for some or all of the whole common units credited to your account. This request should be mailed to the Administrator at the address set forth in the answer to Question 6 or made via shareowneronline.com. There is no fee for this service. Any remaining whole common units and any fractional interest in a common unit will remain credited to your plan account. Fractional interests in common units may only be held through the Plan and Certificates for fractional units will not be issued under any circumstances.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan through your broker, the common units that are purchased on your behalf under the Plan will be maintained in your account with your broker.
12. How do I sell common units held under the Plan?
Sales are usually made through an affiliated broker, who will receive brokerage commissions. Typically, the common units are sold through the exchange on which the common units of the Partnership are traded. Depending on the number of common units to be sold and current trading volume, sale transactions may be completed in multiple transactions and over the course of more than one day. All sales are subject to market conditions, system availability, restrictions and other factors. The actual sale date, time or price received for any common units sold through the Plan cannot be guaranteed.
Participants may instruct the Plan Administrator to sell common units under the Plan through a Batch Order, Market Order, Day Limit Order, Good-'Til-Date/Canceled Limit Order or Stop Order.
Batch Order (online, telephone, mail)—The Plan Administrator will combine each request to sell through the Plan with other Plan participant sale requests for a Batch Order. Common units are then periodically submitted in bulk to a broker for sale on the open market. Common units will be sold no later than five business days (except where deferral is necessary under state or federal regulations). Bulk sales may be executed in multiple transactions and over more than one day depending on the number of common units being sold and current trading volumes. Once entered, a Batch Order request cannot be canceled.
Market Order (online or telephone)—The participant's request to sell common units in a Market Order will be at the prevailing market price when the trade is executed. If such an order is placed during market hours, the Plan Administrator will promptly submit the common units to a broker for
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sale on the open market. Once entered, a Market Order request cannot be canceled. Sales requests submitted near the close of the market may be executed on the next trading day, along with other requests received after market close.
Day Limit Order (online or telephone)—The participant's request to sell common units in a Day Limit Order will be promptly submitted by the Plan Administrator to a broker. The broker will execute as a Market Order when and if the stock reaches, or exceeds the specified price on the day the order was placed (for orders placed outside of market hours, the next trading day). The order is automatically canceled if the price is not met by the end of that trading day. Depending on the number of common units being sold and current trading volumes, the order may only be partially filled and the remainder of the order canceled. Once entered, a Day Limit Order request cannot be canceled by the participant.
Good-'Til-Date/Canceled (GTD/GTC) Limit Order (online or telephone) —A GTD/GTC Limit Order request will be promptly submitted by the Plan Administrator to a broker. The broker will execute as a Market Order when and if the stock reaches, or exceeds the specified price at any time while the order remains open (up to the date requested or 90 days for GTC). Depending on the number of common units being sold and current trading volumes, sales may be executed in multiple transactions and may be traded on more than one day. The order or any unexecuted portion will be automatically canceled if the price is not met by the end of the order period. The order may also be canceled by the applicable stock exchange or the participant.
Stop Order (online or telephone)—The Plan Administrator will promptly submit a participant's request to sell common units in a Stop Order to a broker. A sale will be executed when the stock reaches a specified price, at which time the Stop Order becomes a Market Order and the sale will be at the prevailing market price when the trade is executed. The price specified in the order must be below the current market price (generally used to limit a market loss).
Sales proceeds will be net of any fees to be paid by the participant (Please read "—7. What are the transaction costs of participating in the Plan?" for details). The Plan Administrator will deduct any fees or applicable tax withholding from the sale proceeds. Sales processed on accounts without a valid Form W-9 for U.S. citizens or Form W-8BEN for non-U.S. citizens will be subject to Federal Backup Withholding. This tax can be avoided by furnishing the appropriate and valid form prior to the sale. Forms are available online at shareowneronline.com.
A check for the proceeds of the sale of common units (in U.S. dollars), less applicable taxes and fees, will generally be mailed by first class mail four business days after trade date. If a participant submits a request to sell all or part of the Plan common units, and the participant requests net proceeds to be automatically deposited to a checking or savings account, the participant must provide a voided blank check for a checking account or blank savings deposit slip for a savings account. If the participant is unable to provide a voided check or deposit slip, the participant's written request must have the participant's signature(s) medallion guaranteed by an eligible financial institution for direct deposit. Requests for automatic deposit of sale proceeds that do not provide the required documentation will not be processed and a check for the net proceeds will be issued.
A participant who wishes to sell common units currently held in certificate form may send them in for deposit to the Plan Administrator and then proceed with the sale. To sell common units through a broker of their choice, the participant may request the broker to transfer common units electronically from the Plan account to their brokerage account. Alternatively, a stock certificate can be requested that the participant can deliver to their broker.
The price of the Partnership's common units may fluctuate between the time the sale request is received and the time the sale is completed on the open market. The Plan Administrator shall not be liable for any claim arising out of failure to sell on a certain date or at a specific price. Neither the
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Plan Administrator nor any of its affiliates will provide any investment recommendations or investment advice with respect to transactions made through the Plan. This risk should be evaluated by the participant and is a risk that is borne solely by the participant.
A participant in possession of material, non-public information about the Partnership may not trade in the Partnership's common units. Unit sales by employees, affiliates and Section 16 officers must be made in compliance with the Partnership's Insider Trading Policy.
13. How will I keep track of my investments?
If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units and you are directly participating in the Plan, the Administrator will send you a transaction notice confirming the details of each transaction that you make and a quarterly statement of your account.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan through your broker, the details of the reinvestment transactions will be maintained by your broker. You should contact your broker to determine how this information will be provided to you.
14. Can the Plan be suspended, modified or terminated?
We reserve the right to suspend, modify or terminate the Plan at any time. Participants will be notified of any suspension, modification or termination of the Plan. If you are a registered holder of our common or subordinated units and you are directly participating in the Plan, upon our termination of the Plan, a certificate will be issued to you for the number of whole common units in your account. Any fractional interests in a common unit in your Plan account will be converted to cash and remitted to you by check.
The Plan Administrator reserves the right to terminate participation in the Plan if a participant does not have at least one whole unit in the Plan. Upon termination the participant may receive the cash proceeds from the sale of any fractional unit, less any transaction fee and brokerage commission.
15. What would be the effect of any unit splits, unit distributions or other distributions?
Any common units we distribute as a distribution on common units (including fractional common units) that are credited to your account under the Plan, or upon any split of such common units, will be fully credited to your account. In the event of a rights offering, your entitlement will be based upon your total holdings, including those credited to your account under the Plan. Rights applicable to common units credited to your account under the Plan will be sold by the Administrator and the proceeds will be credited to your account under the Plan and applied to the purchase of common units on the next investment date.
If you want to exercise, transfer or sell any portion of the rights applicable to the common units credited to your account under the Plan, you must request, at least two days prior to the record date for the issuance of any such rights, that a portion of the common units credited to your account be transferred from your account and registered in your name. Transaction processing may either be curtailed or suspended until the completion of any distribution, unit split or other corporate action.
Responsibilities Under the Plan
We, the Administrator and any agent will not be liable in administering the Plan for any act done in good faith, or for any omission to act in good faith with regards to purchasing and/or selling common units for participants and, including, without limitation, any claim of liability arising out of failure to terminate a participant's account upon that participant's death prior to the receipt of notice in writing of such death. Since we have delegated all responsibility for administering the Plan to the Administrator, we specifically disclaim any responsibility for any of its actions or inactions in connection with the administration of the Plan.
You should recognize that neither we, the Administrator, nor any agent can assure you of a profit or protect you against an economic loss on common units purchased under the Plan.
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We do not know either the number of common units that will be purchased under the Plan or the prices at which common units will be sold to participants. In connection with the issuance of new common units under the Plan, our general partner is entitled, but not obligated, to make a capital contribution in order to maintain its percentage general partner interest in us, which is currently 2.0%. The net proceeds we realize from sales of our common units pursuant to the Plan, including our general partner's proportionate capital contribution, if any, will be used for general partnership purposes, including the repayment of debt and the purchase and maintenance of compression units.
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OUR CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY AND RESTRICTIONS ON DISTRIBUTIONS
Rationale for our cash distribution policy. Our partnership agreement requires us to distribute all of our available cash quarterly. Our cash distribution policy reflects a judgment that our unitholders will be better served by our distributing rather than retaining our available cash. Generally, our available cash is our (i) cash on hand at the end of a quarter after the payment of our expenses and the establishment of cash reserves and (ii) cash on hand resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. 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 federal income tax.
Limitations on cash distributions and our ability to change our cash distribution policy. There is no guarantee that our unitholders will receive quarterly distributions from us. We do not have a legal obligation to pay the minimum quarterly distribution or any other distribution except as provided in our partnership agreement. Our cash distribution policy may be changed at any time and is subject to certain restrictions, including the following:
- •
- our cash distribution policy may be subject to restrictions on distributions under our revolving credit facility or other
debt agreements entered into in the future. Our revolving credit facility contains financial tests and covenants that we must satisfy. Should we be unable to satisfy these restrictions, we may be
prohibited from making cash distributions to you notwithstanding our stated cash distribution policy. See Item 7. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Description of Revolving Credit Facility in our Annual Report on Form 10-K;"
- •
- our general partner has the authority to establish reserves for the prudent conduct of our business and for future cash
distributions to our unitholders, and the establishment or increase of those reserves could result in a reduction in cash distributions to you from the levels we currently anticipate pursuant to our
stated distribution policy. Any determination to establish cash reserves made by our general partner in good faith will be binding on our unitholders;
- •
- although our partnership agreement requires us to distribute all of our available cash, our partnership agreement,
including the provisions requiring us to make cash distributions contained therein, may be amended. Our partnership agreement generally may not be amended during the subordination period without the
approval of our public common unitholders. However, our partnership agreement can be amended with the consent of our general partner and the approval of a majority of the outstanding common units
(including common units held by USA Compression Holdings) after the subordination period has ended. As of March 31, 2013, USA Compression Holdings owns our general partner and an
aggregate of approximately 62.2% of our outstanding common and subordinated units;
- •
- even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions we pay 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;
- •
- under Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, we may not make a distribution to you if the distribution
would cause our liabilities to exceed the fair value of our assets;
- •
- we may lack sufficient cash to pay distributions to our unitholders due to cash flow shortfalls attributable to a number of operational, commercial or other factors as well as increases in our operating or general and administrative expense, principal and interest payments on our debt, tax expenses, working capital requirements and anticipated cash needs. Our cash available for distribution to unitholders is directly impacted by our cash expenses necessary to run our
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- •
- if and to the extent our cash available for distribution materially declines, we may elect to reduce our quarterly
distribution in order to service or repay our debt or fund expansion capital expenditures; and
- •
- all available cash distributed by us on any date from any source will be treated as distributed from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of this offering equals the operating surplus from the closing of this offering through the end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. We anticipate that distributions from operating surplus will generally not represent a return of capital. However, operating surplus includes certain components, including a $36.6 million cash basket, that represent non-operating sources of cash. Accordingly, it is possible that return of capital distributions could be made from operating surplus. Any cash distributed by us in excess of operating surplus will be deemed to be capital surplus under our partnership agreement. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from this initial public offering, which is a return of capital. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.
business and will be reduced dollar-for-dollar to the extent such uses of cash increase. A subsidiary of our general partner is entitled to reimbursement of all direct and indirect expenses incurred on our behalf;
Our ability to grow is dependent on our ability to access external expansion capital. Our partnership agreement requires us to distribute all of our available cash to our unitholders. As a result, we expect that we will rely primarily upon external financing sources, including commercial bank borrowings and the issuance of debt and equity securities, to fund our acquisitions and expansion capital expenditures. To the extent we are unable to finance growth externally, our cash distribution policy will significantly impair our ability to grow. In addition, because we distribute all of our available cash, our growth may not be as fast as that of businesses that reinvest their available cash to expand ongoing operations. To the extent we issue additional units in connection with any acquisitions or expansion capital expenditures, the payment of distributions on those additional units may increase the risk that we will be unable to maintain or increase our per unit distribution level. There are no limitations in our partnership agreement or our revolving credit facility on our ability to issue additional units, including units ranking senior to the common units. The incurrence of additional commercial borrowings or other debt to finance our growth strategy would result in increased interest expense, which in turn may impact the available cash that we have to distribute to our unitholders.
Our Minimum Quarterly Distribution
The board of directors of our general partner has established a minimum quarterly distribution of $0.425 per unit per complete quarter, or $1.70 per unit per year, to be paid no later than 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter beginning with the quarter ending March 31, 2013. This equates to an aggregate cash distribution of approximately $12.6 million per quarter, or approximately $50.5 million per year, based on the number of common and subordinated units and the 2.0% general partner interest outstanding as of March 31, 2013. Our ability to make cash distributions equal to the minimum quarterly distribution pursuant to this policy will be subject to the factors described above under the caption "—General—Limitations on Cash Distributions and Our Ability to Change Our Distribution Policy."
Initially, our general partner will be entitled to 2.0% of all distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. In the future, our general partner's initial 2.0% interest in these distributions may be reduced if we issue additional units and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its initial 2.0% general partner interest.
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The subordination period generally will end if we have earned and paid at least $1.70 on each outstanding common unit and subordinated unit and the corresponding distribution on our general partner's 2.0% interest for each of three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter periods ending on or after December 31, 2015. If, in respect of any quarter, we have earned and paid at least $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) on each outstanding common unit and subordinated unit and the corresponding distribution on our general partner's 2.0% interest and the related distribution on the incentive distributions rights for the four-quarter period immediately preceding that date, the subordination period will terminate automatically and all of the subordinated units will convert into an equal number of common units. Please read the "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period."
If we do not pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common units, our common unitholders will not be entitled to receive such payments in the future except during the subordination period. To the extent we have available cash in any future quarter during the subordination period in excess of the amount necessary to pay the minimum quarterly distribution to holders of our common units, we will use this excess available cash to pay any distribution arrearages related to prior quarters before any cash distribution is made to holders of subordinated units. Our subordinated units will not accrue arrearages for unpaid quarterly distributions or quarterly distributions less than the minimum quarterly distribution. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period."
The requirement to distribute available cash quarterly, as provided in our partnership agreement, may not be modified or repealed without amending our partnership agreement. The actual amount of our cash distributions for any quarter is subject to fluctuations based on the amount of cash we generate from our business and the amount of reserves our general partner establishes in accordance with our partnership agreement as described above. We will pay our distributions on or about the 15th of each of February, May, August and November to holders of record on or about the 1st of each such month. If the distribution date does not fall on a business day, we will make the distribution on the business day immediately preceding the indicated distribution date.
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PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS
Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement that relate to cash distributions.
Distributions of Available Cash
General. Our partnership agreement requires that, 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. Our partnership agreement pro rates the minimum quarterly distribution for the period from January 18, 2013, the closing date of our initial public offering, through March 31, 2013.
Definition of available cash. Available cash, for any quarter, consists of all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:
- •
- less, the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner
to:
- •
- provide for the proper conduct of our business;
- •
- comply with applicable law, our revolving credit facility or other agreements; and
- •
- provide funds for distributions to our unitholders for any one or more of the next four quarters (provided that our
general partner may not establish cash reserves for subordinated units unless it determines that the establishment of reserves will not prevent us from distributing the minimum quarterly distribution
on all common units and any cumulative arrearages for the next four quarters);
- •
- plus, if our general partner so determines, all or a portion of cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter.
Working capital borrowings are borrowings that are made under a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement, and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners and with the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within twelve months from sources other than additional working capital borrowings.
Intent to distribute the minimum quarterly distribution. We intend to distribute to the holders of common and subordinated units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.425 per unit, or $1.70 on an annualized basis, 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 and its affiliates. 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.
General partner interest and incentive distribution rights. Initially, our general partner will be entitled to 2.0% of all quarterly distributions that we make after inception and prior to our liquidation. 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. Our general partner's initial 2.0% interest in our distributions may be reduced if we issue additional limited partner units in the future (other than the issuance of common units upon exercise by the underwriters of our initial public offering of their option to purchase additional common units, the issuance of common units upon conversion of outstanding subordinated units or the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest.
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Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 50.0%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus (as defined below) in excess of $0.4888 per unit per quarter. The maximum distribution of 50.0% includes distributions paid to our general partner on its 2.0% general partner interest and assumes that our general partner maintains its general partner interest at 2.0%. The maximum distribution of 50.0% does not include any distributions that our general partner may receive on limited partner units that it owns.
Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
General. All cash distributed will be characterized as either "operating surplus" or "capital surplus." Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus.
Operating surplus. Operating surplus for any period consists of:
- •
- $36.6 million (as described below); plus
- •
- all of our cash receipts beginning January 18, 2013, the closing date of our initial public offering, excluding
cash from interim capital transactions, which include the following:
- •
- borrowings (including sales of debt securities) that are not working capital borrowings;
- •
- sales of equity interests;
- •
- sales or other dispositions of assets outside the ordinary course of business; and
- •
- capital contributions received;
- •
- working capital borrowings made after the end of the period but on or before the date of determination of operating
surplus for the period; plus
- •
- cash distributions paid on equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to finance
all or a portion of the construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital improvement (such as equipment or facilities) in respect of the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding
obligation to commence the construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the capital improvement or capital asset commences
commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus
- •
- cash distributions paid on equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to pay the
construction period interest on debt incurred, or to pay construction period distributions on equity issued, to finance the capital improvements referred to above; less
- •
- all of our operating expenditures (as defined below) after the closing of our initial public offering; less
- •
- the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to provide funds for future operating expenditures; less
- •
- all working capital borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred; less
- •
- any loss realized on disposition of an investment capital expenditure.
provided that cash receipts from the termination of a commodity hedge or interest rate hedge prior to its specified termination date shall be included in operating surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such commodity hedge or interest rate hedge; plus
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As described above, operating surplus does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders and is not limited to cash generated by our operations. For example, it includes a basket of $36.6 million that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. In addition, the effect of including, as described above, certain cash distributions on equity interests in operating surplus will be to increase operating surplus by the amount of any such cash distributions. As a result, we may also distribute as operating surplus up to the amount of any such cash that we receive from non-operating sources.
The proceeds of working capital borrowings increase operating surplus and repayments of working capital borrowings are generally operating expenditures, as described below, and thus reduce operating surplus when made. However, if a working capital borrowing is not repaid during the twelve-month period following the borrowing, it will be deemed repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at such time. When such working capital borrowing is in fact repaid, it will be excluded from operating expenditures because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.
We define operating expenditures in the partnership agreement, and it generally means all of our cash expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursement of expenses to our general partner and its affiliates, payments made under interest rate hedge agreements or commodity hedge contracts (provided that (i) with respect to amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of an interest rate hedge contract or a commodity hedge contract, such amounts will be amortized over the life of the applicable interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract and (ii) payments made in connection with the termination of any interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract prior to the expiration of its stipulated settlement or termination date will be included in operating expenditures in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract), officer compensation, repayment of working capital borrowings, debt service payments and maintenance capital expenditures, provided that operating expenditures will not include:
- •
- repayment of working capital borrowings deducted from operating surplus pursuant to the penultimate bullet point of the
definition of operating surplus above when such repayment actually occurs;
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- payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties) of principal of and premium on indebtedness, other than working
capital borrowings;
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- expansion capital expenditures;
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- investment capital expenditures;
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- payment of transaction expenses relating to interim capital transactions;
- •
- distributions to our partners (including distributions in respect of our incentive distribution rights);
or
- •
- repurchases of equity interests except to fund obligations under employee benefit plans.
Capital surplus. Capital surplus is defined in our partnership agreement as any distribution of available cash in excess of our cumulative operating surplus. Accordingly, capital surplus would generally be generated by:
- •
- borrowings other than working capital borrowings;
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- •
- sales of our equity and debt securities; and
- •
- sales or other dispositions of assets for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets sold in the ordinary course of business or as part of normal retirement or replacement of assets.
Characterization of cash distributions. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of our initial public offering equals the operating surplus from January 18, 2013, the closing date of our initial public offering, through the end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.
Maintenance capital expenditures are those capital expenditures required to maintain our long-term operating capacity and/or operating income. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered maintenance capital expenditures.
Expansion capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that we expect will increase our operating capacity or operating income over the long term. Expansion capital expenditures will also include interest (and related fees) on debt incurred to finance all or any portion of the construction of such capital improvement in respect of the period that commences when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date any such capital improvement commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered expansion capital expenditures.
Investment capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that are neither maintenance capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures. Investment capital expenditures largely will consist of capital expenditures made for investment purposes. Examples of investment capital expenditures include traditional capital expenditures for investment purposes, such as purchases of securities, as well as other capital expenditures that might be made in lieu of such traditional investment capital expenditures, such as the acquisition of a capital asset for investment purposes or development of facilities that are in excess of the maintenance of our existing operating capacity or operating income, but which are not expected to expand, for more than the short term, our operating capacity or operating income.
As described above, neither investment capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures will be included in operating expenditures, and thus will not reduce operating surplus. Because expansion capital expenditures include interest payments (and related fees) on debt incurred to finance all or a portion of the construction or improvement of a capital asset (such as gathering compressors) in respect of the period that begins when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction of the capital asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the capital asset commences commercial service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of, such interest payments are also not subtracted from operating surplus. Losses on disposition of an investment capital expenditure will reduce operating surplus when realized and cash receipts from an investment capital expenditure will be treated as a cash receipt for purposes of calculating operating surplus only to the extent the cash receipt is a return on principal.
Capital expenditures that are made in part for maintenance capital purposes, investment capital purposes and/or expansion capital purposes will be allocated as maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditure by our general partner.
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General. Our partnership agreement provides that, during the subordination period (which we describe below), the common units will have the right to receive distributions of available cash from operating surplus each quarter in an amount equal to $0.425 per common unit, which amount is defined in our partnership agreement as the minimum quarterly distribution, plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units from prior quarters, before any distributions of available cash from operating surplus may be made on the subordinated units. These units are deemed "subordinated" because for a period of time, referred to as the subordination period, the subordinated units will not be entitled to receive any distributions until the common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages from prior quarters. Furthermore, no arrearages will be paid on the subordinated units. The practical effect of the subordinated units is to increase the likelihood that during the subordination period there will be available cash to be distributed on the common units.
Subordination period. The subordination period began on January 18, 2013, the closing date of our initial public offering, and, except as described below, will expire on the first business day after the distribution to unitholders in respect of any quarter, beginning with the quarter ending December 31, 2015, if each of the following has occurred:
- •
- distributions of available cash from operating surplus on each of the outstanding common and subordinated units and the
related distribution on the general partner interest equaled or exceeded the minimum quarterly distribution for each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter
periods immediately preceding that date;
- •
- the "adjusted operating surplus" (as defined below) generated during each of the three consecutive,
non-overlapping four-quarter periods immediately preceding that date equaled or exceeded the sum of the minimum quarterly distribution on all of the outstanding common and
subordinated units during those periods on a fully diluted weighted average basis and the related distribution on the general partner interest; and
- •
- there are no arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units.
Early termination of subordination period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subordination period will automatically terminate on the first business day after the distribution to unitholders in respect of any quarter, if each of the following has occurred:
- •
- distributions of available cash from operating surplus on each of the outstanding common and subordinated units and the
related distribution on the general partner interest equaled or exceeded $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) for the four-quarter period immediately preceding
that date;
- •
- the "adjusted operating surplus" (as defined below) generated during the four-quarter period immediately
preceding that date equaled or exceeded the sum of $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) on all of the outstanding common and subordinated units on a fully diluted weighted
average basis and the related distribution on the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights; and
- •
- there are no arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distributions on the common units.
Expiration upon removal of the general partner. In addition, if the unitholders remove our general partner other than for cause:
- •
- the subordinated units held by any person will immediately and automatically convert into common units on a one-for-one basis, provided (i) neither such person nor any of its affiliates
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- •
- if all of the subordinated units convert pursuant to the foregoing, all cumulative common unit arrearages on the common units will be extinguished and the subordination period will end.
voted any of its units in favor of the removal and (ii) such person is not an affiliate of the successor general partner; and
Expiration of the subordination period. When the subordination period ends, each outstanding subordinated unit will convert into one common unit and will then participate pro-rata with the other common units in distributions of available cash.
Adjusted operating surplus. Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net increases in working capital borrowings and net drawdowns of reserves of cash generated in prior periods. Adjusted operating surplus for any period consists of:
- •
- operating surplus generated with respect to that period (excluding any amounts attributable to the items described in the
first bullet point under "—Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus—Operating Surplus" above); less
- •
- any net increase in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; less
- •
- any net decrease in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period not relating to an operating
expenditure made with respect to that period; plus
- •
- any net decrease in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; plus
- •
- any net increase in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period required by any debt instrument
for the repayment of principal, interest or premium; plus
- •
- any net decrease made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for operating expenditures initially established with respect to such period to the extent such decrease results in a reduction of adjusted operating surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to the third bullet point above.
Distributions of Available Cash From Operating Surplus During the Subordination Period
Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter during the subordination period in the following manner:
- •
- first, 98.0% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until we distribute for each outstanding common unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;
- •
- second, 98.0% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until we distribute for each outstanding common unit an amount equal to any arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units for any prior quarters during the
subordination period;
- •
- third, 98.0% to the subordinated unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our
general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding subordinated unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and
- •
- thereafter, in the manner described in "—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights" below.
The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.
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Distributions of Available Cash From Operating Surplus After the Subordination Period
Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter after the subordination period in the following manner:
- •
- first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until we distribute for each outstanding unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and
- •
- thereafter, in the manner described in "—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights" below.
The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.
General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights
Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner initially will be entitled to 2.0% of all distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner's 2.0% interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled, will be proportionately reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than the issuance of common units upon exercise by the underwriters of our initial public offering of their option to purchase additional common units, the issuance of common units upon conversion of outstanding subordinated units or the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us in order to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest. Our partnership agreement does not require that the general partner fund its capital contribution with cash and our general partner may fund its capital contribution by the contribution to us of common units or other property.
Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage (13.0%, 23.0% and 48.0%) of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its percentage general partner interest, subject to restrictions in the partnership agreement.
The following discussion assumes that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest, that there are no arrearages on common units and that our general partner continues to own the incentive distribution rights.
If for any quarter:
- •
- we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the common and subordinated unitholders in an amount equal to
the minimum quarterly distribution; and
- •
- we have distributed available cash from operating surplus on outstanding common units in an amount necessary to eliminate any cumulative arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution;
then, our partnership agreement requires that we distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and the general partner in the following manner:
- •
- first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.4888 per unit for that quarter (the "first target distribution");
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- •
- second, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general
partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.5313 per unit for that quarter (the "second target distribution");
- •
- third, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general
partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.6375 per unit for that quarter (the "third target distribution"); and
- •
- thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.
Percentage Allocations of Available Cash From Operating Surplus
The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and our general partner based on the specified 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 operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column "Total quarterly distribution per unit." The percentage interests shown for our unitholders and our general partner for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its 2.0% general partner interest, assume our general partner has contributed any additional capital to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest and has not transferred its incentive distribution rights and there are no arrearages on common units.
| |
|
Marginal percentage interest in distributions |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Total quarterly distribution per unit |
Unitholders | General partner | ||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution |
$0.425 | 98.0 | % | 2.0 | % | ||||
First Target Distribution |
up to $0.4888 | 98.0 | % | 2.0 | % | ||||
Second Target Distribution |
above $0.4888 up to $0.5313 | 85.0 | % | 15.0 | % | ||||
Third Target Distribution |
above $0.5313 up to $0.6375 | 75.0 | % | 25.0 | % | ||||
Thereafter |
above $0.6375 | 50.0 | % | 50.0 | % | ||||
General Partner's Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels
Our general partner, as the holder of our incentive distribution rights, or IDRs, has the right under our partnership agreement to elect to relinquish the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on the initial cash target distribution levels and to reset, at higher levels, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and cash target distribution levels upon which the incentive distribution payments to our general partner would be set. Our general partner's right to reset the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distributions payable to our general partner are based may be exercised, without approval of our unitholders or the conflicts committee of our general partner, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and we have made cash distributions to the holders of the incentive distribution rights at the highest level of incentive distribution for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters. The reset minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels will be higher than the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels prior to the reset such that our general partner will not receive any incentive distributions under the reset target distribution levels until cash distributions per unit following this event are above the reset first target distribution described below. We anticipate that our general partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would otherwise not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit, taking into account the existing levels of incentive distribution payments being made to our general partner.
In connection with the resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels and the corresponding relinquishment by our general partner of incentive distribution
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payments based on the target cash distributions prior to the reset, our general partner will be entitled to receive a number of newly issued common units based on a predetermined formula described below that takes into account the "cash parity" value of the average cash distributions related to the incentive distribution rights received by our general partner for the two quarters prior to the reset event as compared to the average cash distributions per common unit during this period. Our general partner's general partner interest in us (currently 2.0%) will be maintained at the percentage immediately prior to the reset election.
The number of common units that our general partner would be entitled to receive from us in connection with a resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels then in effect would be equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the average amount of cash distributions received by our general partner in respect of its incentive distribution rights during the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately prior to the date of such reset election by (y) the average of the amount of cash distributed per common unit during each of these two quarters.
Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution amount will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution amount per unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (which amount we refer to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution") and the target distribution levels will be reset to be correspondingly higher such that we would distribute all of our available cash from operating surplus for each quarter thereafter as follows:
- •
- first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 115.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;
- •
- second, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general
partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 125.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter;
- •
- third, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general
partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 150.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter; and
- •
- thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.
The following table illustrates the percentage allocation of available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and our general partner at various cash distribution levels (i) pursuant to the cash distribution provisions of our partnership agreement in effect at the closing of our initial public offering, as well as (ii) following a hypothetical reset of the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels based on the assumption that the average quarterly cash distribution amount per common unit during the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election was $0.85.
| |
|
Marginal percentage interest in distribution |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Quarterly distribution |
|
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| |
Quarterly distribution per unit |
|||||||||
| |
per unit prior to reset | |
General partner | |||||||
| |
Unitholders | following hypothetical reset | ||||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution |
$0.425 | 98.0 | % | 2.0 | % | $0.85 | ||||
First Target Distribution |
up to $0.4888 | 98.0 | % | 2.0 | % | up to $0.9775(1) | ||||
Second Target Distribution |
above $0.4888 up to $0.5313 | 85.0 | % | 15.0 | % | above $0.9775(1) up to $1.0625(2) | ||||
Third Target Distribution |
above $0.5313 up to $0.6375 | 75.0 | % | 25.0 | % | above $1.0625(2) up to $1.275(3) | ||||
Thereafter |
above $0.6375 | 50.0 | % | 50.0 | % | above $1.275(3) | ||||
- (1)
- This
amount is 115.0% of the hypothetical reset minimum quarterly distribution.
- (2)
- This
amount is 125.0% of the hypothetical reset minimum quarterly distribution.
- (3)
- This amount is 150.0% of the hypothetical reset minimum quarterly distribution.
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The following table illustrates the total amount of available cash from operating surplus that would be distributed to the unitholders and our general partner, including in respect of IDRs, based on an average of the amounts distributed for a quarter for the two quarters immediately prior to the reset. The table assumes that immediately prior to the reset there would be 29,097,176 common units outstanding, our general partner has maintained its 2.0% general partner interest, and the average distribution to each common unit would be $0.85 for the two quarters prior to the reset.
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|
|
Cash distributions to general partner prior to reset |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Cash distributions to common unitholders prior to reset |
|
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| |
Quarterly distribution per unit prior to reset |
Common Units |
2.0% general partner interest |
Incentive distribution rights |
Total | Total distributions |
|||||||||||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution |
$0.425 | $ | 12,366,300 | $ | — | $ | 252,374 | $ | — | $ | 252,374 | 12,618,674 | |||||||||
First Target Distribution |
up to $0.4888 | 1,856,400 | — | 37,886 | — | 37,886 | 1,894,286 | ||||||||||||||
Second Target Distribution |
above $0.4888 up to $0.5313 | 1,236,630 | — | 29,097 | 189,132 | 218,229 | 1,454,859 | ||||||||||||||
Third Target Distribution |
above $0.5313 up to $0.6375 | 3,090,120 | — | 82,403 | 947,637 | 1,030,040 | 4,120,160 | ||||||||||||||
Thereafter |
above $0.6375 | 6,183,150 | — | 247,326 | 5,935,824 | 6,183,150 | 12,366,300 | ||||||||||||||
|
$ | 24,732,600 | $ | — | $ | 649,086 | $ | 7,072,593 | $ | 7,721,679 | $ | 32,454,279 | |||||||||
The following table illustrates the total amount of available cash from operating surplus that would be distributed to the unitholders and our general partner, including in respect of IDRs, with respect to the quarter in which the reset occurs. The table reflects that as a result of the reset there would be 37,417,873 common units outstanding, our general partner's 2.0% interest has been maintained, and the average distribution to each common unit would be $0.85. The number of common units to be issued to our general partner upon the reset was calculated by dividing (i) the average of the amounts received by our general partner in respect of its IDRs for the two quarters prior to the reset as shown in the table above, or $7,072,593, by (ii) the average available cash distributed on each common unit for the two quarters prior to the reset as shown in the table above, or $0.85.
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Cash distributions to general partner after reset |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Cash distributions to common unitholders following hypothetical reset |
|
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| |
Quarterly distribution per unit following hypothetical reset |
Common Units issued in connection with reset |
2.0% general partner interest |
Incentive distribution rights |
Total | Total distributions |
|||||||||||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution |
$0.85 | $ | 24,732,600 | $ | 7,072,593 | $ | 649,086 | $ | — | $ | 7,721,679 | 32,454,279 | |||||||||
First Target Distribution |
up to $0.9775 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Second Target Distribution |
above $0.9775 up to $1.0625 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Third Target Distribution |
above $1.0625 up to $1.275 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Thereafter |
above $1.275 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
|
$ | 24,732,600 | $ | 7,072,593 | $ | 649,086 | $ | — | $ | 7,721,679 | $ | 32,454,279 | |||||||||
Our general partner is entitled to cause the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels to be reset on more than one occasion, provided that it may not make a reset election except at a time when it has received incentive distributions for the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters based on the highest level of incentive distributions that it is entitled to receive under our partnership agreement.
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Distributions From Capital Surplus
How distributions from capital surplus will be made. Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:
- •
- first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero, as described below;
- •
- second, 98.0% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until we distribute for each common unit, an amount of available cash from capital surplus equal to any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units;
and
- •
- thereafter, we will make all distributions of available cash from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus.
The preceding paragraph assumes that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
Effect of a distribution from capital surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price, which is a return of capital. Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the distribution had in relation to the fair market value of the common units prior to the announcement of the distribution. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for our general partner to receive incentive distributions and for the subordinated units to convert into common units. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution or any arrearages.
If we reduce the minimum quarterly distribution to zero, all future distributions will be made such that 50.0% will be paid to the holders of units and 50.0% to our general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner include its 2.0% general partner interest and assume our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.
Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and 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, our partnership agreement specifies that the following items will be proportionately adjusted:
- •
- the minimum quarterly distribution;
- •
- the target distribution levels;
- •
- the initial unit price as described below; and
- •
- the per unit amount of any outstanding arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution.
For example, if a two-for-one split of the units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the initial unit price would each be reduced to 50.0% of its initial level. If we combine our common units into a lesser number of units or subdivide our common units into a greater number of units, we will combine or subdivide our subordinated units using the same ratio applied to the common units. Our partnership agreement provides that we do not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.
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In addition, if as a result of a change in law or interpretation thereof, we or any of our subsidiaries is treated as an association taxable as a corporation or is otherwise subject to additional taxation as an entity for U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. income or withholding tax purposes, our general partner may, in its sole discretion, reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and 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 (after deducting our general partner's estimate of our additional aggregate liability for the quarter for such income and withholdings taxes payable by reason of such change in law or interpretation) and the denominator of which is the sum of (i) available cash for that quarter, plus (ii) our general partner's estimate of our additional aggregate liability for the quarter for such income and withholding taxes payable by reason of such change in law or interpretation thereof. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in distributions with respect to subsequent quarters.
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
General. If we dissolve in accordance with the 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 a preference over the holders of outstanding subordinated units upon our liquidation, to the extent required to permit common unitholders to receive their initial unit price plus the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which liquidation occurs plus any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units. However, there may not be sufficient gain upon our liquidation to enable the holders of common units to fully recover all of these amounts, even though there may be cash available for distribution to the holders of subordinated units. Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights of our general partner.
Manner of adjustments for gain. The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in the partnership agreement. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:
- •
- first, to our general partner and the holders of units who have negative
balances in their capital accounts to the extent of and in proportion to those negative balances;
- •
- second, 98.0% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general
partner, until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of: (i) the initial unit price; (ii) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during
which our liquidation occurs; and (iii) any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution;
- •
- third, 98.0% to the subordinated unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our
general partner, until the capital account for each subordinated unit is equal to the sum of: (i) the initial unit price; and (ii) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for
the quarter during which our liquidation occurs;
- •
- fourth, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (i) the sum of the excess of the first target distribution per unit over the minimum quarterly distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (ii) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that we distributed
27
- •
- fifth, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general
partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (i) the sum of the excess of the second target distribution per unit over the first target distribution per unit for
each quarter of our existence; less (ii) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the first target distribution per unit that we
distributed 85.0% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence;
- •
- sixth, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general
partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (i) the sum of the excess of the third target distribution per unit over the second target distribution per unit for
each quarter of our existence; less (ii) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the second target distribution per unit that
we distributed 75.0% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence; and
- •
- thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.
98.0% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, for each quarter of our existence;
The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner include its 2.0% general partner interest and assume our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.
If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common and subordinated units will disappear, so that clause (iii) of the second bullet point above and all of the third bullet point above will no longer be applicable.
Manner of adjustments for losses. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will generally allocate any loss to our general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:
- •
- first, 98.0% to holders of subordinated units in proportion to the
positive balances in their capital accounts and 2.0% to our general partner, until the capital accounts of the subordinated unitholders have been reduced to zero;
- •
- second, 98.0% to the holders of common units in proportion to the positive
balances in their capital accounts and 2.0% to our general partner, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and
- •
- thereafter, 100.0% to our general partner.
If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common and subordinated units will disappear, so that all of the first bullet point above will no longer be applicable.
Adjustments to capital accounts. Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we 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, our partnership agreement requires that we 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.
28
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES
Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our general partner and its affiliates, including USA Compression Holdings, on the one hand, and our partnership and our limited partners, on the other hand. The directors and officers of our general partner have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owners. At the same time, our general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage our partnership in a manner beneficial to us and our unitholders.
Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and us and our limited partners, on the other hand, our general partner will resolve that conflict. Our partnership agreement contains provisions that modify and limit our general partner's fiduciary duties to our unitholders. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions taken by our general partner that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of its fiduciary duty.
Our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under our partnership agreement or its fiduciary duties to us or our unitholders if the resolution of the conflict is:
- •
- approved by the conflicts committee of our general partner, although our general partner is not obligated to seek such
approval;
- •
- approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our general
partner or any of its affiliates;
- •
- on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or
- •
- fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships among the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.
Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of its board of directors. In connection with a situation involving a conflict of interest, any determination by our general partner involving the resolution of the conflict of interest must be made in good faith, provided that, if our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee and its board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will conclusively be deemed that, in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, our general partner or the conflicts committee may consider any factors that it determines in good faith to be appropriate when resolving a conflict. When our partnership agreement provides that someone act in good faith, it requires that person to reasonably believe he is acting in the best interests of the partnership.
Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.
Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires USA Compression Holdings to pursue a business strategy that favors us or utilizes our assets or dictates what markets to pursue or grow. Directors of USA Compression Holdings have a fiduciary duty to make these decisions in the best interests of the owners of USA Compression Holdings, which may be contrary to our interests.
Because certain of the directors of our general partner are also directors and/or officers of USA Compression Holdings and its affiliates, such directors may have fiduciary duties to USA Compression Holdings that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit USA Compression Holdings, or which otherwise are not in our best interests.
29
Our general partner and its affiliates are allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us in resolving conflicts of interest.
Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the fiduciary standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or our limited partners. Examples include our general partner's limited call right, its voting rights with respect to the units it owns and its determination whether or not to consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership.
Our partnership agreement limits the liability of and reduces the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner, and also restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that, without these limitations, might constitute breaches of its fiduciary duty.
In addition to the provisions described above, our partnership agreement contains provisions that restrict the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that might otherwise constitute breaches of our general partner's fiduciary duty. For example, our partnership agreement:
- •
- provides that our general partner will not have any liability to us or our unitholders for decisions made in its capacity
as a general partner so long as such decisions are made in good faith, meaning it believed that the decision was in the best interest of our partnership;
- •
- provides generally that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not approved by the conflicts
committee of the board of directors of our general partner and not involving a vote of the common unitholders must either be (i) on terms no less favorable to us than those generally provided
to or available from unrelated third parties or (ii) "fair and reasonable" to us, as determined by our general partner in good faith, provided that, in determining whether a transaction or
resolution is "fair and reasonable," our general partner may consider the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly advantageous
or beneficial to us; and
- •
- provides that our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages to us or our limited partners resulting from any act or omission unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that our general partner or its officers or directors, as the case may be, acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct.
Except in limited circumstances, our general partner has the power and authority to conduct our business without unitholder approval.
Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has full power and authority to do all things, other than those items that require unitholder approval or with respect to which our general partner has sought conflicts committee approval, on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct our business including, but not limited to, the following:
- •
- the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of or other contracting
for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into our securities, and the incurring of any other obligations;
- •
- the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of our securities, or the issuance of additional options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights relating to our securities;
- •
- the mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of our assets;
- •
- the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments;
- •
- the distribution of our cash;
30
- •
- the selection and dismissal of employees and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the
determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
- •
- the maintenance of insurance for our benefit and the benefit of our partners;
- •
- the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, the contribution of property to, and the making of loans to, any
limited or general partnership, joint venture, corporation, limited liability company or other entity;
- •
- the control of any matters affecting our rights and obligations, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or
in equity, otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense, the settlement of claims and litigation;
- •
- the indemnification of any person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;
- •
- the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or the rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other
agencies having jurisdiction over our business or assets; and
- •
- the entering into of agreements with any of its affiliates to render services to us or to itself in the discharge of its duties as our general partner.
Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner must act in "good faith" when making decisions on our behalf, and our partnership agreement further provides that in order for a determination to be made in "good faith," our general partner must believe that the determination is in our best interests. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights" for information regarding matters that require unitholder approval.
Our general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings, issuances of additional partnership securities and the creation, reduction or increase of reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders.
The amount of cash that is available for distribution to our unitholders is affected by the decisions of our general partner regarding such matters as:
- •
- the manner in which our business is operated;
- •
- the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales;
- •
- cash expenditures;
- •
- borrowings;
- •
- the issuance of additional units; and
- •
- the creation, reduction or increase of reserves in any quarter.
Our general partner determines the amount and timing of any capital expenditures and whether a capital expenditure is classified as a maintenance capital expenditure, which reduces operating surplus, or an expansion capital expenditure, which does not reduce operating surplus. This determination can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders and to our general partner and the ability of the subordinated units to convert into common units.
In addition, our general partner may use an amount, initially equal to $36.6 million, which would not otherwise constitute available cash from operating surplus, in order to permit the payment of cash distributions on its subordinated units and incentive distribution rights. All of these actions may affect the amount of cash distributed to our unitholders and our general partner and may facilitate the conversion of subordinated units into common units. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."
31
In addition, borrowings by us and our affiliates do not constitute a breach of any duty owed by our general partner to our unitholders, including borrowings that have the purpose or effect of:
- •
- enabling our general partner or its affiliates to receive distributions on any subordinated units held by them or the
incentive distribution rights; or
- •
- accelerating the expiration of the subordination period.
For example, in the event we have not generated sufficient cash from our operations to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common and subordinated units, our partnership agreement permits us to borrow funds, which would enable us to make this distribution on all of our outstanding units. Please read "Provisions of our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period."
Our partnership agreement provides that we and our subsidiaries may borrow funds from our general partner and its affiliates. Our general partner and its affiliates may borrow funds from us, or our operating company and its operating subsidiaries.
Our general partner determines which of the costs it incurs on our behalf are reimbursable by us.
We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for the costs incurred in managing and operating us. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
Our partnership agreement does not restrict our general partner from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered to us or from entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf.
Our partnership agreement allows our general partner to determine, in good faith, any amounts to pay itself or its affiliates for any services rendered to us. Our general partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf. Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts or arrangements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other hand, in effect as of the closing of our initial public offering, were the result of arm's-length negotiations. Similarly, agreements, contracts or arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates that are entered into following the closing of our initial public offering may not be negotiated on an arm's-length basis, although, in some circumstances, our general partner may determine that the conflicts committee of our general partner may make a determination on our behalf with respect to such arrangements.
Our general partner will determine, in good faith, the terms of any such transactions entered into after the closing of our initial public offering.
Our general partner and its affiliates have no obligation to permit us to use any of its or its affiliates' facilities or assets, except as may be provided in contracts entered into specifically for such use. There is no obligation of our general partner or its affiliates to enter into any contracts of this kind.
Our general partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.
Our general partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that counterparties to such agreements have recourse only against our assets, and not against our general partner or its assets. Our partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its liability is not a breach of our general partner's fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability.
Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase all of the common units not owned by it and its affiliates if they own more than 80% of our common units.
Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units, as provided in our partnership agreement, or may assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our general partner is
32
not bound by fiduciary duty restrictions in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a common unitholder may be required to sell his common units at an undesirable time or price. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right."
Our general partner controls the enforcement of its and its affiliates' obligations to us.
Any agreements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other hand, will not grant to the unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.
Our general partner decides whether to retain separate counsel, accountants or others to perform services for us.
The attorneys, independent accountants and others who have performed services for us regarding this offering have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us are selected by our general partner or the conflicts committee and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or the holders of common units in the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or the holders of common units, on the other hand, depending on the nature of the conflict. We do not intend to do so in most cases.
Our general partner may elect to cause us to issue common units to it in connection with a resetting of the target distribution levels related to our general partner's incentive distribution rights without the approval of the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner or our unitholders. This election may result in lower distributions to our common unitholders in certain situations.
Our general partner has the right, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and it has received incentive distributions at the highest level to which it is entitled (48.0%) for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our cash distribution at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution per common unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (such amount is referred to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution"), and the target distribution levels will be reset to correspondingly higher levels based on percentage increases above the reset minimum quarterly distribution.
We anticipate that our general partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit without such conversion; however, it is possible that our general partner could exercise this reset election at a time when we are experiencing declines in our aggregate cash distributions or at a time when our general partner expects that we will experience declines in our aggregate cash distributions in the foreseeable future. In such situations, our general partner may be experiencing, or may expect to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to its incentive distribution rights and may therefore desire to be issued our common units, which are entitled to specified priorities with respect to our distributions and which therefore may be more advantageous for the general partner to own in lieu of the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on target distribution levels that are less certain to be achieved in the then current business environment. As a result, a reset election may cause our common unitholders to experience dilution in the amount of cash distributions that they would have otherwise received had we not issued new common units to our general partner in connection with resetting the target distribution levels related to our general partner's incentive distribution rights. Please read "Provisions of our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights."
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Our general partner is accountable to us and our unitholders as a fiduciary. Fiduciary duties owed to unitholders by our general partner are prescribed by law and our partnership agreement. The Delaware Act provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, modify, restrict or expand the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by a general partner to limited partners and the partnership.
Our partnership agreement contains various provisions modifying and restricting the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner. We have adopted these restrictions to allow our general partner or its affiliates to engage in transactions with us that would otherwise be prohibited by state-law fiduciary duty standards and to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because our general partner's board of directors has fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to its owners, as well as to our unitholders. Without these modifications, our general partner's ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interest would be restricted. The modifications to the fiduciary standards enable our general partner to take into consideration all parties involved in the proposed action, so long as the resolution is fair and reasonable to us. These modifications also enable our general partner to attract and retain experienced and capable directors. These modifications are detrimental to our unitholders because they restrict the remedies available to unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below, and permit our general partner to take into account the interests of third parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. The following is a summary of the material restrictions of the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner to the limited partners:
State-law fiduciary duty standards |
Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. The duty of care, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require a general partner to act for the partnership in the same manner as a prudent person would act on his own behalf. The duty of loyalty, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require that any action taken or transaction engaged in where a conflict of interest is present be entirely fair to the partnership. | |
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Partnership agreement modified standards |
Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates that might otherwise raise issues about compliance with fiduciary duties or applicable law. For example, our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, it must act in "good faith" and will not be subject to any other standard under applicable law. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unitholders whatsoever. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held. | |
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Our partnership agreement generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest that are not approved by a vote of common unitholders and that are not approved by the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner must be: | |
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• on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to, or available from, unrelated third parties; or |
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• "fair and reasonable" to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us). |
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If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee and the board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the bullet points above, then it will conclusively be deemed that, in making its decision, the board of directors, which may include board members affected by the conflict of interest, acted in good faith. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held. | |
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In addition to the other more specific provisions limiting the obligations of our general partner, our partnership agreement further provides that our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages to us or our limited partners for errors of judgment or for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that our general partner or its officers and directors acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. Our partnership agreement and the Delaware Act also provide that our general partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and in any action shall be fully protected from liability to us or our partners in relying in good faith upon the advice or opinion of such persons as to matters that the general partner reasonably believes to be within such person's professional or expert competence. |
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Rights and remedies of unitholders |
The Delaware Act generally provides that a limited partner may institute legal action on behalf of the partnership to recover damages from a third party where a general partner has refused to institute the action or where an effort to cause a general partner to do so is not likely to succeed. In addition, the statutory or case law of some jurisdictions may permit a limited partner to institute legal action on behalf of himself and all other similarly situated limited partners to recover damages from a general partner for violations of its fiduciary duties to the limited partners. The Delaware Act provides that, unless otherwise provided in a partnership agreement, a partner or other person shall not be liable to a limited partnership or to another partner or to another person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by a partnership agreement for breach of fiduciary duty for the partner's or other person's good faith reliance on the provisions of the partnership agreement. Under our partnership agreement, to the extent that, at law or in equity, an indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to us or to our partners, our general partner and any other indemnitee acting in connection with our business or affairs shall not be liable to us or to any partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of our partnership agreement, and such reliance shall be a defense in any action relating to such duties or liabilities. |
By purchasing our common units, each common unitholder automatically agrees to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. This is in accordance with the policy of the Delaware Act favoring the principle of freedom of contract and the enforceability of partnership agreements. The failure of a limited partner to sign a partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.
Under our partnership agreement, we must indemnify our general partner and its officers, directors, managers and certain other specified persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner could be indemnified for its negligent acts if it meets the requirements set forth above. To the extent these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and, therefore, unenforceable. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification."
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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS
The common units and the subordinated units are separate classes of limited partner interests in us. The holders of units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read "The Partnership Agreement."
Duties. Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., serves as the registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We will pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following that must be paid by unitholders:
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- surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges;
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- special charges for services requested by a common unitholder; and
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- other similar fees or charges.
There will be 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 is appointed, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.
By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:
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- represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement;
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- automatically becomes bound by the terms and conditions of, and is deemed to have executed, our partnership agreement; and
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- gives the consents, waivers and approvals contained in our partnership agreement, such as the approval of all transactions and agreements that we are entering into in connection with our formation and our initial public offering.
Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
We may, at our discretion, 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.
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Common units are securities and any transfers are subject to the laws governing the transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.
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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The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of our partnership agreement upon request at no charge.
We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:
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- with regard to distributions of available cash, please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash
Distributions;"
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- with regard to the fiduciary duties of our general partner, please read "Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties;"
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- with regard to the transfer of common units, please read "Description of the Common Units—Transfer of Common
Units;" and
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- with regard to allocations of taxable income and taxable loss, please read "Material Federal Income Tax Consequences."
We were formed in 2008 as a Texas limited partnership and converted to a Delaware limited partnership in 2011. Our partnership will have perpetual existence unless terminated pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement.
Our purpose, as set forth in our partnership agreement, is limited to any business activity that is approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided, that our general partner shall not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the general partner determines would be reasonably likely to 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 and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the business of gathering, compressing and treating natural gas, our general partner has no current plans to do so and may decline 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 generally authorized to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.
Our partnership agreement specifies the manner in which we will make cash distributions to holders of our common units and other partnership securities as well as to our general partner in respect of its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights. For a description of these cash distribution provisions, please read "Provisions of our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."
Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under "—Limited Liability."
For a discussion of our general partner's right to contribute capital to maintain its 2% general partner interest if we issue additional units, please read "—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests."
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The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for approval of the matters specified below. Matters that require the approval of a "unit majority" require:
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- during the subordination period, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding those common units held by our
general partner and its affiliates, and a majority of the subordinated units, voting as separate classes; and
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- after the subordination period, the approval of a majority of the common units.
In voting their common and subordinated units, our general partner and its affiliates have no 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.
Issuance of additional units |
No approval right. | |
Amendment of our partnership agreement |
Certain amendments may be made by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read "—Amendment of the 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, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets." |
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Dissolution of our partnership |
Unit majority. Please read "—Dissolution." |
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Continuation of our business upon dissolution |
Unit majority. Please read "—Dissolution." |
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Withdrawal of our general partner |
Under most circumstances, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required for the withdrawal of our general partner prior to December 31, 2022 in a manner that would cause a dissolution of our partnership. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner." |
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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 unitholders to an affiliate or 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. The approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required in other circumstances for a transfer of the general partner interest to a third party prior to December 31, 2022. 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 the General Partner." |
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, its affiliates, their direct transferees and their indirect transferees approved by our general partner in its sole discretion or to any person or group who acquires the units with the specific prior approval of our general partner.
Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction
Our partnership agreement is governed by Delaware law. Our partnership agreement requires that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings:
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- arising out of or relating in any way to the partnership agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret,
apply or enforce the provisions of the partnership agreement), any partnership interest or the duties, obligations or liabilities among limited partners or of limited partners, or the rights or powers
of, or restrictions on, the limited partners or us;
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- asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act or other similar applicable statutes;
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- asserting a claim arising out of any other instrument, document, agreement or certificate contemplated by any provision of
the Delaware Act relating to the Partnership or the partnership agreement; and
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- the federal securities laws of the U.S. or securities or antifraud laws of any governmental authority.
shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction, regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims. By purchasing a common unit, a limited partner is irrevocably consenting to these limitations and provisions regarding claims, suits, actions or proceedings and submitting to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction in connection with any such claims, suits, actions or proceedings.
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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 the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act is 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. The Delaware Act generally provides that a limited partner does not participate in the control of the business within the meaning of the Delaware Act by virtue of possessing or exercising the right or power to admit, remove or retain the general partner, amend the partnership agreement or certificate of limited partnership, or cause the taking or refraining from taking of any action with respect to such other matters as are stated in the partnership agreement. However, if a court were to determine that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group to take any action under the partnership agreement 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 under the reasonable belief 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 this type of a claim in Delaware case law.
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, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person 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.
Our subsidiaries conduct business in five states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other states in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as a member of the operating company may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating company conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.
Limitations on the liability of members or limited partners for the obligations of a limited liability company or limited partnership have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership 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 our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner
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considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.
Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership interests for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders.
It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units, subordinated units or other partnership interests. 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 interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests 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 our subsidiaries from issuing equity securities, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.
Upon issuance of additional partnership interests (other than the issuance of common units upon exercise by the underwriters in our initial public offering of their option to purchase additional common units, the issuance of common units upon conversion of outstanding subordinated units or the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest in us. Our general partner's 2.0% interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than in those circumstances described above) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner will have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units, subordinated units or other partnership interests whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those interests to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates and beneficial owners, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common and subordinated units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units will not have preemptive rights under our partnership agreement to acquire additional common units or other partnership interests.
Amendment of the Partnership Agreement
General. Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline 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. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or to 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 be made that would:
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- enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or
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- enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which consent may be given or withheld in its sole discretion.
The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90.0% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates). As of March 31, 2013, affiliates of our general partner owned approximately 62.2% of our outstanding common and subordinated units.
No unitholder approval. Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:
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- a change in our name, the location of our principal place of business, our registered agent or our registered office;
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- the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;
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- a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue our qualification as a
limited partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries will be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated);
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- an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent us or our general partner or its directors,
officers, agents or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or "plan asset" regulations adopted under
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;
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- an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the creation,
authorization or issuance of additional partnership interests or the right to acquire partnership interests;
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- any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general partner acting alone;
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- an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of our
partnership agreement;
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- any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our
investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement;
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- a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;
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- conversions into, mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets,
liabilities or operations at the time of the conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the conversion, merger or conveyance; or
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- any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above.
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In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement, without the approval of any limited partner, if our general partner determines that those amendments:
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- do not adversely affect the limited partners considered as a whole (or any particular class of limited partners) in any
material respect;
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- are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive,
order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute;
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- are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule,
regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading;
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- are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of units under
the provisions of our partnership agreement; or
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- are required to effect the intent expressed in this prospectus or the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.
Opinion of counsel and unitholder approval. Any amendment that our general partner determines adversely affects in any material respect one or more particular classes of limited partners requires the approval of at least a majority of the class or classes so affected, but no vote is required by any class or classes of limited partners that our general partner determines are not adversely affected in any material respect. 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 requires 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, other than to remove the general partner or call a meeting, is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced. Any amendment that increases the voting percentage required to remove the general partner or call a meeting of unitholders must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be increased. For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, our general partner is not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will neither result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners nor result in our being treated as a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments. 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.
Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
A merger, consolidation or conversion of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline 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 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 a unit majority, from causing us to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without such approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without such approval. Finally,
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our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement (other than an amendment that the general partner could adopt without the consent of the limited partners), each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction and the partnership interests to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding partnership interests (other than the incentive distribution rights) immediately prior to the transaction.
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 all of our assets to, a newly formed entity, if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters and the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and our general partner with the same rights and obligations as contained in our partnership agreement. Our unitholders 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 similar transaction or event.
We will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
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- the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority;
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- there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with applicable Delaware law;
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- the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or
- •
- the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or its withdrawal or removal following the approval and admission of a successor.
Upon a dissolution under the last clause 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:
- •
- the action would not result in the loss of limited liability under Delaware law of any limited partner; and
- •
- neither our partnership, our operating company nor any of our other subsidiaries would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
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Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, unless our business is continued, 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 "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Distributions 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
Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to December 31, 2022 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2022 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. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days' notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates, other than our general partner and its affiliates. 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 unitholders. Please read "—Transfer of General Partner Interest."
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 unit majority 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 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 "—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, voting as a class, and the outstanding subordinated units, voting as a class. The ownership of more than 331/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates gives them the ability to prevent our general partner's removal. As of March 31, 2013, affiliates of our general partner owned 62.2% of our outstanding common and subordinated units.
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist:
- •
- the subordinated units held by any person will immediately and automatically convert into common units on a
one-for-one basis, provided (i) neither such person nor any of its affiliates voted any of its units in favor of the removal and (ii) such person is not an
affiliate of the successor general partner; and
- •
- if all of the subordinated units convert pursuant to the foregoing, all cumulative common unit arrearages on the common units will be extinguished and the subordination period will end.
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In the event of the 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 our general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner has the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner or its affiliates for 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 all of its or its affiliates' incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units 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 as a result of the termination of any employees employed for our benefit by the departing general partner or its affiliates.
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units, subordinated 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 USA Compression GP, LLC as our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.
Transfer of General Partner Interest
Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest to:
- •
- an affiliate of our general partner (other than an individual); or
- •
- another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of our general partner with or into another entity or the transfer by our general partner of all or substantially all of its assets to another entity,
our general partner may not transfer all or any of its general partner interest to another person prior to December 31, 2022 without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must, among other things, assume the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters.
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Our general partner and its affiliates may, at any time, transfer common units or subordinated units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval, except that they may not transfer subordinated units to us.
Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner
At any time, the owners of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part their ownership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.
Change of Management Provisions
Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove USA Compression GP, LLC as our general partner or from otherwise changing our management. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner" for a discussion of certain consequences of the removal of our general partner. 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 in certain circumstances. Please read "—Meetings; Voting."
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests 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 beneficial owners thereof or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10, but not more than 60, days notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:
- •
- the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interests of the class
purchased within the 90 days preceding the date on which our general partner first mails notice of its election to purchase those limited partner interests; and
- •
- the average of the daily closing prices of the partnership securities of such class over the 20 trading days preceding the date three days before the date the notice is mailed.
As a result of our general partner's right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests may have his limited partner interests purchased at an undesirable time or a price that may be lower than market prices at various times prior to such purchase or lower than a unitholder may anticipate the market price to be in the future. 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 Federal Income Tax Consequences—Disposition 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 the general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that 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, the 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 this nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or the general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner or assignee is not an eligible
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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.
Except as described below regarding certain persons or groups owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.
Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of our 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 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 Partnership Interests." However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved (at the time of transfer) transferee of our general partner or its affiliates and purchasers specifically approved by our general partner in its sole discretion, 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. Except as our partnership agreement otherwise provides, subordinated units will vote together with common units, as a single class.
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.
By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Except as described under "—Limited Liability," the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.
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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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- our general partner;
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- any departing general partner;
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- any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner;
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- any person who is or was a manager, managing member, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of our
partnership, our subsidiaries, our general partner, any departing general partner or any of their affiliates;
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- any person who is or was serving as a manager, managing member, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee
of another person owing a fiduciary duty to us or our subsidiaries;
- •
- any person who controls our general partner or any departing general partner; and
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- any person designated by our general partner.
We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful.
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless our general partner otherwise agrees, it will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend 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.
Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for all expenses they incur or payments they make on our behalf. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. These books are maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
We will furnish or make available to record holders of our common units, within 90 days (or such shorter time as required by SEC rules) after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited consolidated financial statements and a report on those consolidated financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 45 days (or such shorter time as required by SEC rules) after the close of each quarter. We will be deemed to have made any such report available if we file such report with the SEC on EDGAR or make the report available on a publicly available website which we maintain.
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We will furnish each record holder with information reasonably required for federal and state tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to our unitholders will depend on their cooperation in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and in filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with the necessary information.
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 written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
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- a current list of the name and last known address of each record holder;
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- copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership and related amendments and any powers of
attorney under which they have been executed;
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- information regarding the status of our business and our financial condition (provided that this obligation shall be
satisfied to the extent the limited partner is furnished our most recent annual report and any subsequent quarterly or periodic reports required to be filed (or which would be required to be filed)
with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act); and
- •
- any other information regarding our affairs as the general partner determines in its sole discretion is just and reasonable.
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 or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
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MATERIAL 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 U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing and proposed U.S. 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. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to "we" or "us" are references to USA Compression Partners, LP and our operating subsidiaries.
Legal conclusions contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. 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 affect us or our unitholders and does not describe the application of the alternative minimum tax that may be applicable to certain unitholders. 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 and who hold units as capital assets (generally, property that is held for investment). This section has limited applicability to corporations, partnerships (including entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each 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 units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.
We are relying on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters described herein. An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel's best legal judgment and does not bind the Internal Revenue Service (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 and our general partner 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").
Partnership Status
We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, 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
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directly, even if we make no cash distributions to the unitholder. Distributions we make to a unitholder generally will not give rise to income or gain taxable to such unitholder unless the amount of cash distributed exceeds the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units.
Section 7704 of the Code generally provides that publicly traded partnerships will be treated as corporations 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 income and gains derived from the production, transportation, processing and storage of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 3.0% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.
Based upon factual representations made by us and our general partner regarding the composition of our income and the other representations set forth below, 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 will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes. In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied include, without limitation:
(a) Neither we nor any of our operating subsidiaries that are partnerships or limited liability companies has elected to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes;
(b) For each taxable year, since and including the year of our initial public offering, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of a character that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined is "qualifying income" within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code; and
(c) 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 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. This deemed contribution and liquidation should not result in the recognition of taxable income by our unitholders or us so long as our liabilities do not exceed the 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 common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that 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. We are unable to predict whether any such changes will be reintroduced or will ultimately be enacted. However, 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 common 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. Our taxation as a corporation
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could materially reduce the cash available for distribution to unitholders and thus could substantially reduce the value of our units. Any distribution made to a unitholder at a time 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 tax basis in its units, 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, as well as 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 units, will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes. For a discussion related to the risks of losing partner status as a result of securities loans, please read "—Treatment of Securities Loans." Unitholders who are not treated as partners of the partnership as described above are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences applicable to them under the circumstances.
Flow-Through of Taxable Income
Subject to the discussion below under "—Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes" with respect to payments we may be required to make on behalf of our unitholders, 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.
Treatment of Distributions
Distributions made by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder, unless such distributions 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 "liabilities" 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 the unitholder's share of our liabilities. For purposes of the foregoing, a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities (liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss) generally will be based upon that unitholder's share of the unrealized appreciation (or depreciation) in our assets, to the extent thereof, with any excess 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 reduction in a unitholder's share of our liabilities as 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 generally will 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 (generally zero) in the Section 751 Assets deemed to be relinquished in the exchange.
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Basis of Common Units
A unitholder's tax basis in its units initially will be the amount paid for those units plus the unitholder's 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, the unitholder's share of our losses, and any decreases in its share of our liabilities.
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 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. In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of its tax basis in its units, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder's share of our 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 tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon a taxable disposition of 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 generally limits the deductibility of losses incurred by individuals, estates, trusts, some closely held corporations and personal service corporations from "passive activities" (generally, 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 passive income we generate may be deducted in full when the unitholder disposes of all of its units in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss rules generally are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk and basis limitations.
Limitations on Interest Deductions
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:
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- interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment;
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- interest expense allocated against portfolio income; and
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- the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent allocable against portfolio income.
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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 generally 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
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 or our general partner, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the relevant unitholder or general partner. Where the tax is payable on behalf of all the 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. Unitholders are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine the consequences to them of any tax payment we make on their behalf.
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
Our items of income, gain, loss and deduction generally will be allocated amongst our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that distributions are made to the common units in excess of distributions to the subordinated units, or we make incentive distributions to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interest in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to our general partner.
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 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 generally will be borne by our general partner and our partners holding interests in us prior to such offering. In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible 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 generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has "substantial economic effect." In any other case, a partner's share of an item will be determined on the basis of the partner'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 Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees," allocations under our partnership
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agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.
Treatment of Securities Loans
A unitholder whose units are loaned (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 from the 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 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. Unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of income recognition from a loan of their units are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and lending their 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 Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
Tax Rates
Beginning January 1, 2013, 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 investment assets held for more than one year) are 39.6% and 20%, respectively. These rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
In addition, a 3.8% Medicare tax on certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates, and trusts applies for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012. 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.
Section 754 Election
We will make the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code that permits us to adjust the tax bases in our assets as to specific purchasers of our units under Section 743(b) of the Code. The Section 743(b) adjustment separately applies to each purchaser of units based upon the values and bases 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.
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 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,
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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 tax basis for 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 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 will be 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 assets subject to depreciation to goodwill or nondepreciable assets. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than 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.
Accounting Method and Taxable Year
We will 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 income 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 one year 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 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 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 Units—Recognition 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 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.
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Valuation and Tax Basis 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 initial tax bases 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 basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by unitholders could change, and unitholders could be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Recognition of Gain or Loss
A unitholder will be required to recognize gain or loss on a sale of units equal to the difference between the unitholder's amount realized and tax basis in the units sold. A unitholder's amount realized generally will equal the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property it receives plus its share of our liabilities with respect to such units. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder's share of our liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
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. Ordinary income attributable to Section 751 Assets may exceed net taxable gain realized on the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and capital gain or loss upon a sale of units. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and, in the case of individuals, up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year.
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 above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, it may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of units 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 a sale 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,
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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:
- •
- a short sale;
- •
- an offsetting notional principal contract; or
- •
- a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property.
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 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.
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"). However, 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, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the proposed 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 this method is not allowed under the final Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder's interest, 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 future 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 purchases 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 of that 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
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reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
Constructive Termination
We will be considered to have "constructively" terminated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes upon the sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For such purposes, multiple sales of the same unit are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than the calendar year, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in such unitholder's taxable income for the year of termination.
A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 generally would require that we file two tax returns for one fiscal year, and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all unitholders. However, pursuant to an IRS relief procedure, the IRS may allow a constructively terminated partnership to provide a single Schedule K-1 for the calendar year in which a termination occurs. Following a constructive termination, we would be required to make new tax elections, including a new election under Section 754 of the Code, and the termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination may either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination that would not otherwise have been applied to us as a continuing as opposed to a terminating partnership.
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. In the absence of 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 the units. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 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 validity of such filing positions.
A unitholder's 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 Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss" above and "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election" above. The IRS may challenge one or more of any positions we take to preserve the uniformity of units. If such a challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and, under some circumstances, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. Prospective unitholders that are tax-exempt entities or non-U.S. persons should consult their tax advisors before investing in our
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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-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of their ownership of our units. Consequently, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their 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 number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes.
In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain to the extent reflected in earnings and profits, and as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation's "U.S. net equity." 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 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. Under a ruling published by the IRS interpreting the scope of "effectively connected income," part or all of a non-U.S. unitholder's gain may be treated as effectively connected with that unitholder's indirect U.S. trade or business constituted by its investment in us. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a non-U.S. unitholder generally will be subject to federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if (i) it owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. More than 50% of our assets may consist of U.S. real property interests. Therefore, non-U.S. unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.
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 the units. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year's tax liability, and may 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.
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Publicly traded partnerships generally 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 of the partners. The Code requires that one partner be designated as the "Tax Matters Partner" for these purposes, and our partnership agreement designates our general partner.
The Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our 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.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
(1) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
(2) a statement regarding whether the beneficial owner is:
(a) a non-U.S. person;
(b) a non-U.S. government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
(c) a tax-exempt entity;
(3) the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
(4) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $100 per failure, up to a maximum of $1.5 million 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 the units with the information furnished to us.
Accuracy-Related Penalties
An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion 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, is imposed by the Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that
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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.
State, Local, Foreign 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 currently own property or do business in 17 states. Many of these states impose a personal income tax on individuals; certain of these states also impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. We may also own property or do business in other jurisdictions in the future. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on its investment in us.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his 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 U.S. 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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INVESTMENT IN USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP
BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations because the investments of these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code and provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA (collectively, "Similar Laws"). For these purposes the term "employee benefit plan" includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and tax deferred annuities or individual retirement accounts or annuities ("IRAs") established or maintained by an employer or employee organization. Among other things, consideration should be given to:
- •
- whether the investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws;
- •
- whether in making the investment, the plan will satisfy the diversification requirements of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of
ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws;
- •
- whether the investment will result in recognition of unrelated business taxable income by the plan and, if so, the potential after-tax investment return. Please read "Material Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors."
The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan.
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibit employee benefit plans and IRAs that are not considered part of an employee benefit plan, from engaging in specified transactions involving "plan assets" with parties that, with respect to the plan, are "parties in interest" under ERISA or "disqualified persons" under the Internal Revenue Code.
In addition to considering whether the purchase of common units is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary should consider whether the plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our general partner would also be a fiduciary of such 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 Internal Revenue Code, ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws.
The Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans acquire equity interests would be deemed "plan assets." Under these regulations, an entity's assets would not be considered to be "plan assets" if, among other things:
- (i)
- the equity interests acquired by the employee benefit plan are publicly offered securities—i.e., the equity interests are widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are freely transferable and are registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws;
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- (ii)
- the
entity is an "operating company,"—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
- (iii)
- there is no significant investment by benefit plan investors, which is defined to mean that less than 25% of the value of each class of equity interest is held by the employee benefit plans referred to above.
In light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other violations, plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of common units should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other Similar Laws.
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Subject to the discussion below, to satisfy reinvestments under the Plan, we will distribute newly issued common units or common units purchased on the open market by the Administrator. A registered broker/dealer that is an affiliate of the Administrator will assist in the identification of common unitholders and other related services, but will not be acting as an underwriter with respect to common units sold under the Plan. You will pay no service fees or brokerage trading fees whether common units are newly issued or purchased in the open market. We will pay all brokerage trading fees or other charges on common units purchased through the Plan. However, if you are participating in the Plan through your broker, you may be charged a fee by your broker for participating in the Plan on your behalf. Additionally, if you request that your common units held by the Administrator be sold, you will receive the proceeds less a service fee of $15.00 per transaction and any brokerage trading fees. The common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Persons who acquire common units through the Plan and resell them shortly after acquiring them, including coverage of short positions, under certain circumstances, may be participating in a distribution of securities that would require compliance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, and may be considered to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act. We will not extend to any such person any rights or privileges other than those to which he, she or it would be entitled as a participant, nor will we enter into any agreement with any such person regarding the resale or distribution by any such person of the common units.
We have no arrangements or understandings, formal or informal, with any person relating to the sale of our common units to be received under the Plan. We reserve the right to modify, suspend or terminate participation in the Plan by otherwise eligible persons to eliminate practices that are inconsistent with the purposes of the Plan.
The validity of the common units will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.
The financial statements of USA Compression Partners, LP as of December 31, 2011 and 2012, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2012, have been incorporated by reference into this prospectus and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report refers to the Partnership's change in controlling ownership on December 23, 2010, which resulted in a new cost basis for the Partnership.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, a registration statement on Form S-1 regarding the common units. This prospectus does not contain all of the information found in the registration statement. For further information regarding us and the common units offered by this prospectus, you may desire to review the full registration statement, including its exhibits and schedules, filed under the Securities Act. The registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, including its exhibits and schedules, may be inspected and copied at the public reference room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of the materials may also be obtained from the SEC at prescribed rates by writing to the public reference room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at
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1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains a web site on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov. Our registration statement, of which this prospectus constitutes a part, can be downloaded from the SEC's web site.
We intend to furnish our unitholders annual reports containing our audited financial statements and furnish or make available quarterly reports containing our unaudited interim financial information for the first three fiscal quarters of each of our fiscal years.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate information by reference into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information by referring to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information in this prospectus, a prospectus supplement, or a later filing with the SEC that is also incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents set forth below that we have previously filed with the SEC:
- •
- Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012;
- •
- Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2013;
- •
- Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 18, 2013, February 12, 2013 and
March 15, 2013; and
- •
- The description of our common units contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on January 10, 2013.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to you. You may obtain such documents without charge by requesting them in writing or by telephone from us as follows:
USA
Compression Partners, LP
Attn: General Counsel
100 Congress Avenue, Suite 450
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 473-2662
You may access all of the information that has been incorporated by reference into this prospectus on our website at www.usacpartners.com. Other information on our website is not part of, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus.
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus when deciding whether to participate in the Plan and purchase our common units. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from what is contained or incorporated in this prospectus for that purpose.
You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date of this prospectus, and neither the delivery of this prospectus to you nor the issuance of common units under it shall create any implication to the contrary.
This prospectus does not constitute an offer of any securities other than those described on the cover page or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy within any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation within such jurisdiction.
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Some of the information in this prospectus may contain forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including "may," "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," or other similar words. These statements discuss future expectations, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition, or state other "forward-looking" information. These forward-looking statements can be affected by assumptions used or by known risks or uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statements can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus. The risk factors and other factors noted throughout this prospectus could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. You should also understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors and should not consider the following list to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements include:
- •
- changes in general economic conditions;
- •
- competitive conditions in our industry;
- •
- changes in the long-term supply of and demand for natural gas;
- •
- actions taken by our customers, competitors and third party operators;
- •
- changes in the availability and cost of capital;
- •
- operating hazards, natural disasters, weather-related delays, casualty losses and other matters beyond our control;
- •
- the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations;
- •
- the effects of future litigation; and
- •
- other factors discussed in this prospectus.
All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements.
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Adjusted operating surplus: Adjusted operating surplus for any period consists of:
- •
- operating surplus generated with respect to that period (excluding any amounts attributable to the items described in the
first bullet point under Operating Surplus); less
- •
- any net increase in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; less
- •
- any net decrease in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period not relating to an operating
expenditure made with respect to that period; plus
- •
- any net decrease in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; plus
- •
- any net increase in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period required by any debt instrument
for the repayment of principal, interest or premium; plus
- •
- any net decrease made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for operating expenditures initially established with respect to such period to the extent such decrease results in a reduction of adjusted operating surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to the third bullet point above.
Available cash: For any quarter ending prior to liquidation:
- (a)
- the sum of:
- (b)
- less the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to:
(1) all cash and cash equivalents of USA Compression Partners, LP and its subsidiaries on hand at the end of that quarter; and
(2) if our general partner so determines all or a portion of any additional cash or cash equivalents of USA Compression Partners, LP and its subsidiaries on hand on the date of determination of available cash for that quarter;
(1) provide for the proper conduct of the business of USA Compression Partners, LP and its subsidiaries (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for future credit needs of USA Compression Partners, LP and its subsidiaries) after that quarter;
(2) comply with applicable law or our revolving credit facility or other agreement or obligation to which USA Compression Partners, LP or any of its subsidiaries is a party or its assets are subject; and
(3) provide funds for minimum quarterly distributions and cumulative common unit arrearages for any one or more of the next four quarters;
provided, however, that our general partner may not establish cash reserves pursuant to clause (b)(3) immediately above unless our general partner has determined that the establishment of reserves will not prevent us from distributing the minimum quarterly distribution on all common units and any cumulative common unit arrearages thereon for that quarter; and provided, further, that disbursements made by us or any of our subsidiaries or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of that quarter but on or before the date of determination of available cash for that quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining available cash, within that quarter if our general partner so determines.
Basin: A geological province on land or offshore where hydrocarbons are generated and trapped.
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Capital account: The capital account maintained for a partner under the partnership agreement. The capital account of a partner for a common unit, a subordinated unit, an incentive distribution right or any other partnership interest will be the amount which that capital account would be if that common unit, subordinated unit, incentive distribution right or other partnership interest were the only interest in USA Compression Partners, LP, held by a partner.
Capital surplus: All available cash distributed by us on any date from any source will be treated as distributed from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of the initial public offering equals the operating surplus from the closing of the initial public offering through the end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. Any excess available cash distributed by us on that date will be deemed to be capital surplus.
Closing price: The last sale price on a day, regular way, or in case no sale takes place on that day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on that day, regular way, in either case, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system for securities listed or admitted to trading on the principal national securities exchange on which the units of that class are listed or admitted to trading. If the units of that class are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price on that day. If no quoted price exists, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on that day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange or any other system then in use. If on any day the units of that class are not quoted by any organization of that type, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on that day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the units of the class selected by our board of directors. If on that day no market maker is making a market in the units of that class, the fair value of the units on that day as determined reasonably and in good faith by our board of directors.
Coal bed formations: Geological formations in which natural gas is generated and stored within coal seams.
Conventional basin: A geological province in which the reservoir and fluid characteristics permit the oil and natural gas to readily flow to the wellbore.
Cumulative common unit arrearage: The amount by which the minimum quarterly distribution for a quarter during the subordination period exceeds the distribution of available cash from operating surplus actually made for that quarter on a common unit, cumulative for that quarter and all prior quarters during the subordination period.
Current market price: For any class of units listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange as of any date, the average of the daily closing prices for the 20 consecutive trading days immediately prior to that date.
Energy Information Administration (EIA): The statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy.
GAAP: Generally accepted accounting principles.
Horsepower Utilization. Horsepower utilization is calculated as (i)(a) revenue generating horsepower plus (b) horsepower in our fleet that is under contract, but is not yet generating revenue plus (c) horsepower not yet in our fleet that is under contract not yet generating revenue and that is subject to a purchase order, divided (ii) by total available horsepower less idle horsepower that is under repair.
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Interim capital transactions: The following transactions if they occur prior to liquidation:
(a) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness and sales of debt securities (other than for items purchased on open account in the ordinary course of business) by USA Compression Partners, LP or any of its subsidiaries;
(b) sales of equity interests by USA Compression Partners, LP or any of its subsidiaries;
(c) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of USA Compression Partners, LP or any of its subsidiaries (other than sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business, and sales or other dispositions of assets as a part of normal retirements or replacements); and
(d) capital contributions.
Multi-stage compression: A form of natural gas compression which involves sequentially compressing natural gas to achieve incrementally smaller volumes and higher pressures within each stage.
Natural gas: A mixture of hydrocarbons (principally methane, ethane, propane, butanes and pentanes), water vapor, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, helium, nitrogen and other chemicals that occur naturally underground in a gaseous state.
Natural gas compression: A mechanical process whereby natural gas is compressed to a smaller volume resulting in a higher pressure.
Operating expenditures: All of our cash expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursement of expenses to our general partner and its affiliates, payments made under interest rate hedge agreements or commodity hedge contracts (provided that (i) with respect to amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of an interest rate hedge contract or a commodity hedge contract, such amounts will be amortized over the life of the applicable interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract and (ii) payments made in connection with the termination of any interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract prior to the expiration of its stipulated settlement or termination date will be included in operating expenditures in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract), officer compensation, repayment of working capital borrowings, debt service payments and maintenance capital expenditures, provided that operating expenditures will not include:
- •
- repayment of working capital borrowings deducted from operating surplus pursuant to the penultimate bullet point of the
definition of operating surplus above when such repayment actually occurs;
- •
- payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties) of principal of and premium on indebtedness, other than working
capital borrowings;
- •
- expansion capital expenditures;
- •
- investment capital expenditures;
- •
- payment of transaction expenses relating to interim capital transactions;
- •
- distributions to our partners (including distributions in respect of our incentive distribution rights);
or
- •
- repurchases of equity interests except to fund obligations under employee benefit plans.
Operating surplus. Operating surplus for any period consists of:
- •
- $36.6 million; plus
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- •
- all of our cash receipts after the closing of our initial public offering, excluding cash from interim capital
transactions provided that cash receipts from the termination of a commodity hedge or interest rate hedge prior to its specified termination date shall be included in operating surplus in equal
quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such commodity hedge or interest rate hedge; plus
- •
- working capital borrowings made after the end of the period but on or before the date of determination of operating
surplus for the period; plus
- •
- cash distributions paid on equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to finance
all or a portion of the construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital improvement (such as equipment or facilities) in respect of the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding
obligation to commence the construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the capital improvement or capital asset commences
commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus
- •
- cash distributions paid on equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to pay the
construction period interest on debt incurred, or to pay construction period distributions on equity issued, to finance the capital improvements referred to above; less
- •
- all of our operating expenditures after the closing of our initial public offering; less
- •
- the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to provide funds for future operating expenditures; less
- •
- all working capital borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred; less
- •
- any loss realized on disposition of an investment capital expenditure.
Play: A geological formation that contains petroleum and/or natural gas.
Revenue Generating Horsepower. Revenue generating horsepower is horsepower under contract for which we are billing a customer.
Riverstone: Riverstone/Carlyle Global Energy and Power Fund IV, L.P., and affiliated entities, including Riverstone Holdings LLC.
Shale play: A geological formation that contains petroleum and/or natural gas in nonporous rock that requires special drilling and completion techniques.
Subordination period: The subordination period began on January 18, 2013, the closing date of our initial public offering, and except as described below, will expire on the first business day after the distribution to unitholders in respect of any quarter, beginning with the quarter ending December 31, 2015, if each of the following has occurred:
- •
- distributions of available cash from operating surplus on each of the outstanding common and subordinated units and the
related distribution on the general partner interest equaled or exceeded the minimum quarterly distribution for each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter
periods immediately preceding that date;
- •
- the "adjusted operating surplus" (as defined above) generated during each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter periods immediately preceding that date equaled or exceeded the sum of the minimum quarterly distribution on all of the outstanding common and subordinated units during those periods on a fully diluted weighted average basis and the related distribution on the general partner interest; and
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- •
- there are no arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subordination period will automatically terminate on the first business day after the distribution to unitholders in respect of any quarter, if each of the following has occurred:
- •
- distributions of available cash from operating surplus on each of the outstanding common and subordinated units and the
related distribution on the general partner interest equaled or exceeded $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) for the four-quarter period immediately preceding
that date;
- •
- the "adjusted operating surplus" (as defined below) generated during the four-quarter period immediately
preceding that date equaled or exceeded the sum of $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) on all of the outstanding common and subordinated units on a fully diluted weighted
average basis and the related distribution on the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights; and
- •
- there are no arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distributions on the common units.
Tight gas: Natural gas found in reservoirs with impermeable, hard rock, or in a sandstone or limestone formation that is unusually impermeable and non-porous.
Throughput: The volume of natural gas transported or passing through a pipeline, plant, terminal or other facility in an economically meaningful period of time.
Total available horsepower: Includes revenue generating horsepower under contract for which we are billing a customer, horsepower in our fleet that is under contract but is not yet generating revenue, horsepower not yet in our fleet that is under contract not yet generating revenue that is subject to a purchase order and idle horsepower, but excludes new horsepower on order that is not yet delivered and for which we do not have a compression services contract.
Wellhead: The equipment at the surface of a well used to control the well's pressure; the point at which the hydrocarbons and water exit the ground.
Working capital borrowings: Borrowings that are made under a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement, that in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners and with the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within twelve months from sources other than additional working capital borrowings.
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USA Compression Partners, LP
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
4,150,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
P R O S P E C T U S
July 2, 2013