Item 1.01.
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Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
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On January 8, 2018, the Board of
Directors (the
Board
) of Alaska Communications Systems Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
Company
), approved and adopted a Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, dated as of January 8, 2018, by
and between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (the
Section
382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan
). Pursuant to the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, the Board
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (each, a
Right
) for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (the
Common Stock
). The dividend is distributable on
January 19, 2018 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 19, 2018.
The following is a summary
description of the Rights and the other material terms and conditions of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan. This summary is intended to provide a general description only, does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the complete text of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, a copy of which is attached to this Current Report on Form
8-K
as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by
reference. All capitalized terms used herein but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan.
The Board adopted the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan in an effort to diminish the risk that the Companys ability to
utilize its net operating loss carryovers (collectively, the
NOLs
) to reduce potential future federal income tax obligations may become substantially limited. Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
Code
), and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Treasury Department, these NOLs may be carried forward in certain circumstances to offset any current and future taxable income and thus reduce federal
income tax liability, subject to certain requirements and restrictions. While the amount and timing of the Companys future taxable income cannot be predicted with any certainty and, accordingly, the Company cannot predict the amount of these
NOLs that will ultimately be used to reduce its income tax liability, to the extent that the NOLs do not otherwise become limited, these NOLs could be a potentially valuable asset to the Company. However, if the Company experiences an
ownership change, within the meaning of Section 382 of the Code (
Section
382), its ability to utilize the NOLs may be substantially limited, and the timing of the usage of the NOLs could be
substantially delayed, which could therefore significantly impair the value of those assets.
Under Section 382, an ownership
change occurs if a stockholder or a group of stockholders that is deemed to own at least 5% of the Common Stock increases their ownership (individually, or collectively with other such
5-percent
stockholders) by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest ownership percentage within a rolling three-year period. If an ownership change occurs, Section 382 would impose an annual limit on the amount of the Companys NOLs
that can be used to offset the Companys income taxes equal to the product of the total value of the Companys outstanding equity immediately prior to the ownership change (reduced by certain items specified in Section 382) and the
federal long-term
tax-exempt
interest rate in effect for the month of the ownership change. A number of complex rules apply to calculating this annual limit. If an ownership change were to occur, the
limitations imposed by Section 382 could result in a substantial delay in the timing of the usage of the Companys NOLs or in a material amount of the Companys NOLs expiring unused and, therefore, significantly
impair the value of such NOLs. While the Company periodically monitors its NOLs and currently believes that an ownership change that would impair the value of its NOLs has not occurred, the
complexity of Section 382s provisions and the limited knowledge any public company has about the ownership of its publicly-traded stock make it difficult to determine whether an ownership change has in fact occurred.
The Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan is intended to act as a deterrent to any person or group acquiring beneficial ownership of
4.99% or more of the outstanding Common Stock without the approval of the Board. A person who acquires, without the approval of the Board, beneficial ownership (other than as a result of repurchases of stock by the Company, dividends or
distributions by the Company or certain inadvertent actions by stockholders) of 4.99% or more of the outstanding Common Stock (including any ownership interest held by that persons Affiliates and Associates as defined under the
Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan) could be subject to significant dilution. Stockholders who beneficially own 4.99% or more of the outstanding Common Stock prior to the first public announcement by the Company of the Boards
adoption of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan will not trigger the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan so long as they do not acquire beneficial ownership of additional shares of the Common Stock (other than pursuant to
a dividend or distribution paid or made by the Company on the outstanding shares of Common Stock or pursuant to a split or subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock) at a time when they still beneficially own 4.99% or more of such stock.
In addition, the Board retains the sole discretion to exempt any person or group from the penalties imposed by the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan.
The Rights
. The Board authorized the issuance of one Right per each outstanding share of the Common Stock distributable to the
Companys stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 19, 2018. One Right will also be issued together with each share of the Common Stock issued after January 19, 2018 but before the Distribution Date (as defined below) and,
in certain circumstances, after the Distribution Date. Subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, if the Rights become exercisable, each Right would initially represent the right to
purchase from the Company one
one-thousandth
of a share (a
Unit
) of a newly-designated series of preferred stock, Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Company (the
Series A Preferred Stock
) for a purchase price of $5.50 (the
Purchase Price
). If issued, each Unit of Series A Preferred Stock would give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting
and liquidation rights as does one share of the Common Stock. However, prior to exercise, a Right does not give its holder any rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.
Acquiring Person
. Under the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, an Acquiring Person is any person who or
which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such person, is or becomes the beneficial owner of 4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock outstanding other than as a result of repurchases of stock by the Company, dividends or
distributions by the Company or certain inadvertent actions by stockholders. Beneficial ownership is determined as provided in the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan and generally includes, without limitation, any ownership of
securities a person would be deemed to actually or constructively own for purposes of Section 382 of the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. The Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan provides that the following
shall not
be deemed an Acquiring Person thereunder: (i) the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; (ii) any employee benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the
Company, or any person organized, appointed, established or holding shares of Common Stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan; (iii) any person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person upon the first public
announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, unless and until such person, or any Affiliate or Associate of such person, acquires beneficial ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock of
the Company after the first public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Plan (other than pursuant to a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction) at a time when such person still beneficially owns 4.99% or more of the Common
Stock; (iv) any direct public group within the meaning of Treasury Regulations
Section 1.382-2T(j)(2)(ii);
(v) any person who as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common Stock by
the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company, or any person organized, appointed, established or holding shares of Common Stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) which, by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock of
the Company outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned by such person to 4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; (vi) any person who or which,
within ten (10) business days of being requested by the Company to advise it regarding the same, certifies to the Company that such person acquired shares of Common Stock in excess of 4.99% inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of the
Rights and who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates, thereafter within ten (10) business days following such certification reduces such persons (together with its Affiliates and Associates) beneficial
ownership to less than 4.99% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding;
provided, however
, that (x) if the person requested to so certify fails to do so within ten (10) business days or breaches or violates such certification,
then such person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such ten (10) business day period or such breach or violation or (y) if the person together with its Affiliates and Associates fails to reduce beneficial ownership to less
than 4.99% within ten (10) business days following such certification, then such person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such ten (10) business day period; and (vii) any person who the Board determines, in its sole
discretion, prior to the time such person would otherwise be an Acquiring Person, should be permitted to become the beneficial owner of up to a number of the shares of Common Stock determined by the Board (the
Exempted Number
) and
be exempted from being an Acquiring Person, unless and until such person acquires beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock of the Company in excess of the Exempted Number (other than pursuant to a stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction) in which case such person shall be an Acquiring Person.
A person (other than any direct public group within the
meaning of Treasury Regulations
Section 1.382-2T(j)(2)(ii))
will be treated as the beneficial owner of 4.99% or more shares of the Common Stock if, in the determination of the Board, that person
(individually, or together with other persons) would be treated as a
5-percent
stockholder for purposes of Section 382 (substituting 4.99 for 5 each time
five or 5 is used in or for purposes of Section 382).
Initial Exercisability
. The Rights will not be
exercisable until the close of business on the earlier to occur of (i) the tenth (10th) calendar day after the day on which a public announcement or filing that a person or group of Affiliated or Associated persons has become an Acquiring
Person, or (ii) the tenth (10th) calendar day (or such later date as may be specified by the Board
prior to such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the commencement of a tender or exchange offer by or on behalf of a person the consummation of which would result in such
person, together with its Affiliates and Associates, becoming an Acquiring Person, irrespective of whether any shares are actually purchased pursuant to such offer (the earlier of these dates is called the
Distribution Date
).
Until the Distribution Date, the Common Stock certificates or the ownership statements issued with respect to uncertificated shares of Common
Stock will evidence the Rights. Any transfer of shares of Common Stock prior to the Distribution Date will also constitute a transfer of the associated Rights. After the Distribution Date, separate rights certificates will be issued and the Rights
may be transferred other than in connection with the transfer of the underlying shares of Common Stock unless and until the Board has determined to effect an exchange pursuant to the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan (as described
below).
Flip-In
Event
. In the event that a person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder
of a Right, other than Rights that are or, under certain circumstances, were beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person (which will thereupon become void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise of a Right and payment of the
Purchase Price, and subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, a number of shares of the Common Stock having a market value of two times the Purchase Price.
Redemption.
At any time until the close of business on the tenth (10th) calendar day after the day a public announcement or a filing is
made indicating that a person has become an Acquiring Person (and prior to the giving of notice of the exchange or redemption, as applicable to the holders of the Rights), or thereafter under certain circumstances, the Company may redeem the Rights
in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right (the
Redemption Price
). The redemption of the Rights may be made effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board in its sole discretion may
establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.
Exchange
. At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board may exchange all or part of the outstanding Rights (other
than those held by an Acquiring Person) for shares of Common Stock at an exchange rate of one share of Common Stock, or a fractional share of Series A Preferred Stock (or of a share of a similar class or series of the Companys preferred stock
having similar rights, preferences and privileges) of equivalent value, per Right (subject to adjustment).
Expiration
. The Rights
and the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan will expire upon the earliest of (i) the date on which all of the Rights are redeemed, (ii) the date on which the Rights are exchanged, (iii) the consummation of a reorganization
transaction entered into by the Company resulting in the imposition of stock transfer restrictions that the Board determines will provide protection for the Companys tax attributes similar to that provided by the Section 382 Tax Benefits
Preservation Plan, (iv) the close of business on the effective date of the repeal of Section 382, or any other change, if the Board determines that the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, is no longer necessary or desirable
for the preservation of the Companys tax attributes, (v) the date on which the Board otherwise determines that the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan is no longer necessary to preserve the Companys tax attributes,
(vi) the beginning of a taxable year of the Company to which the Board determines that none of the Companys tax attributes may be carried forward, and (vii) the close of business on January 8, 2021.
Preferred Stock Purchasable Upon Exercise of Rights
. After the Distribution Date, each
Right will entitle the holder, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, to purchase, for the Purchase Price, one
one-thousandth
of a share of the
Series A Preferred Stock having economic and other terms similar to that of one share of Common Stock. This portion of a share of Series A Preferred Stock is intended to give a stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation
rights as would one share of Common Stock, and should approximate the value of one share of Common Stock.
Anti-Dilution
Provisions
. The Board may adjust the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock or other securities or assets issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur as a result of certain events,
including among others, a stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Series A Preferred Stock or the Common Stock.
Amendments
. Until the close of business on the tenth (10th) calendar day after the day a public announcement or a filing is made
indicating that a person has become an Acquiring Person, or thereafter under certain circumstances, the Company may amend the Rights in any manner. The Company may also amend the Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan after the close of
business on the tenth (10th) calendar day after the day a public announcement or filing is made indicating that a person has become an Acquiring Person, to cure ambiguities, to correct defective or inconsistent provisions or to otherwise change or
supplement the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan in any manner that does not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.
Tax
Consequences.
The issuance of the Rights should not be taxable to the Company or to stockholders under presently existing federal income tax law. However, if the Rights become exercisable or if the Rights are redeemed, stockholders may recognize
taxable income, depending on the circumstances then existing.
Stockholder Ratification.
While the Section 382 Tax Benefits
Preservation Plan was effective upon adoption by the Board, and while not required by the Companys governing documents or by applicable law, as a matter of good corporate governance, the Company intends to submit the Section 382 Tax
Benefits Preservation Plan for stockholder ratification at its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.