FORM 424B5
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-155665
Prospectus Supplement
April 6, 2009
(To Prospectus dated April 2, 2009)
$1,000,000,000
$500,000,000 5.875% Senior
Notes due 2014
$500,000,000 7.000% Senior
Notes due 2019
We are offering $500,000,000 principal amount of
5.875% Senior Notes due 2014, which we refer to in this
prospectus supplement as our 2014 senior notes, and
$500,000,000 principal amount of 7.000% Senior Notes due
2019, which we refer to in this prospectus supplement as our
2019 senior notes. We collectively refer to both
series of notes offered hereby as our notes.
We will pay interest on the notes on April 15 and
October 15 of each year, or the first business day
thereafter if April 15 or October 15 is not a business
day, commencing on October 15, 2009. The 2014 senior notes
mature on April 15, 2014, and the 2019 senior notes mature
on April 15, 2019. We may redeem some or all of the notes
of either series at any time and from time to time at the
applicable redemption price described herein.
The notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank
equally with all our other senior unsecured indebtedness from
time to time outstanding.
The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. There
are currently no public markets for the notes.
See Risk Factors on
page S-6
of this prospectus supplement to read about certain risks you
should consider before investing in the notes.
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Per 2014
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Per 2019
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Senior Note
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Total
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Senior Note
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Total
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Public Offering Price(1)
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99.957
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%
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$
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499,785,000
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99.596%
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$
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497,980,000
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Underwriting Discount
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0.600
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%
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$
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3,000,000
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0.650%
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$
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3,250,000
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Proceeds to us (before expenses)(1)
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99.357
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%
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$
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496,785,000
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98.946%
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$
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494,730,000
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(1)
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Plus accrued interest, if any, from
April 14, 2009 if settlement occurs after that date.
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Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the
accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Delivery of the notes offered hereby in book-entry form will be
made only through the facilities of The Depository
Trust Company for the accounts of its participants,
including Euroclear and Clearstream, on or about April 14,
2009.
Joint Book-Running Managers
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Banc
of America Securities LLC |
J.P. Morgan |
Co-Managers
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BNP
PARIBAS |
Morgan Stanley |
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Prospectus Supplement
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Page
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ii
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ii
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iii
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S-1
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S-6
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S-9
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S-10
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S-11
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S-13
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S-24
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S-28
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S-30
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S-33
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S-33
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Prospectus
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About This Prospectus
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1
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Risk Factors
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1
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The Company
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1
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Forward-Looking Statements
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2
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Use of Proceeds
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3
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Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
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3
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Description of Capital Stock
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4
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Description of Debt Securities
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5
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Plan of Distribution
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16
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Legal Matters
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17
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Experts
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17
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Where You Can Find More Information
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17
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i
ABOUT THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
We provide information to you about this offering in two
separate documents. The accompanying prospectus provides general
information about us and the securities we may offer from time
to time, some of which may not apply to this offering. This
prospectus supplement describes the specific details regarding
this offering and the notes offered hereby. Additional
information is incorporated by reference in this prospectus
supplement. If information in this prospectus supplement is
inconsistent with the accompanying prospectus, you should rely
on this prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, in the
accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus that
we may provide to you. We have not, and the underwriters have
not, authorized anyone to provide you with different
information. You should not assume that the information
contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying
prospectus or any document incorporated by reference is accurate
as of any date other than the date mentioned on the cover page
of these documents. We are not, and the underwriters are not,
making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in
which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the
person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do
so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or
solicitation.
References in this prospectus supplement to the terms
we, us, ConAgra Foods, the
Company or other similar terms mean ConAgra Foods,
Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless we state
otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.
WHERE YOU CAN
FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements
and other information with the SEC. Such reports and other
information (including the documents incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus)
may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities
maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such material can also be
obtained at prescribed rates from the public reference
facilities of the SEC at its Washington, D.C. address. The
public may obtain information on the operation of the Public
Reference Room by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330.
The SEC also maintains a site on the World Wide Web
(http://www.sec.gov)
that contains reports, proxy statements and other information
regarding companies like us that file electronically with the
SEC. Our file number with the SEC is
001-07275.
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus information in the documents we file
with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important
information to you by referring you directly to those documents.
The information incorporated by reference is considered part of
this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The
information that we file subsequently with the SEC will
automatically update and, where applicable, modify and supersede
information contained in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference the
documents listed below and any future filings we make with the
SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, until we sell all
the securities offered by this prospectus supplement:
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended May 25, 2008;
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Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
for the periods ended August 24, 2008, November 23,
2008 and February 22, 2009;
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Current Reports on
Form 8-K
filed on June 23, 2008, June 27, 2008, July 1,
2008, July 18, 2008, November 25, 2008,
December 22, 2008, January 16, 2009, February 9,
2009 and March 17, 2009; and
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The description of ConAgra Foods common stock contained in
registration statements on
Form 8-A
filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendments or
reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
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Our Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on November 25, 2008 provides revised
historical segment information on a basis consistent with our
current segment reporting structure. As a result of the change
in reporting structure, the segment discussions within
Item 7 Managements Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
and applicable segment information in the footnotes of our
consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report
on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal
ii
year ended May 25, 2008 have been revised and are included
in Exhibits 99.2 and 99.3 to our Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on November 25, 2008. We are not
incorporating by reference any of the information that we
furnish under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 (or corresponding
information furnished under Item 9.01 or included as an
exhibit) of any past or future Current Reports on
Form 8-K
that we may from time to time furnish to the SEC, unless
otherwise specified in such Current Report.
We will provide you, without charge, with copies of any
documents incorporated into this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus by reference through the
Investors link on our Internet web site at
http://www.conagrafoods.com
or if you request them in writing or by telephone from:
ConAgra
Foods, Inc.
One ConAgra Drive
Omaha, Nebraska 68102
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Telephone:
(402) 595-4000
Please note that information contained on or accessible through
our website or the website of any other person is not
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the
accompanying prospectus, other than such documents filed with
the SEC, and you should not consider information contained on
our website or accessible through those websites, other than
such documents filed with the SEC, as part of this prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement, including the documents incorporated
by reference, contains forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are based on managements
current views and assumptions of future events and financial
performance and are subject to uncertainty and changes in
circumstances. Words such as believe,
estimate, project, expect,
anticipate, may, will,
could and should, and variations of such
words and other similar expressions, are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements
to be materially different from any future results, performance
or achievements expressed or implied in or by such
forward-looking statements. In addition to the risk factors
described in this prospectus supplement under Risk
Factors, as well as in documents incorporated by reference
into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus,
important factors that could cause our actual results to differ
materially from those in forward-looking statements include,
among others:
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the availability and prices of raw materials;
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the effectiveness of our product pricing;
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future economic circumstances;
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industry conditions;
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our ability to execute our operating plans;
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the competitive environment and related market conditions;
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our operating efficiencies;
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the ultimate impact of our product recalls;
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our access to capital; and
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actions of governments and regulatory factors affecting our
businesses.
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The forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement and
the documents incorporated by reference speak only as of the
date of the document in which the forward-looking statement is
made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future developments or otherwise, except as
required by applicable law.
iii
SUMMARY
The following summary information is qualified in its
entirety by the information contained elsewhere in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including
the documents we have incorporated by reference, and in the
indenture as described under Description of the
Notes. Because this is a summary, it does not contain all
the information that may be important to you. We urge you to
read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying
prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference,
carefully, including the Risk Factors section and
our consolidated financial statements and the related notes.
The
Company
We are one of North Americas leading food companies, with
brands in 97% of Americas households. ConAgra Foods also
has a strong
business-to-business
presence, supplying potato, other vegetable, spice and grain
products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice
operators and commercial customers. We report our operations in
two reporting segments: Consumer Foods and Commercial Foods.
Our Consumer Foods reporting segment includes branded, private
label and customized food products, which are sold in various
retail and foodservice channels, principally in North America.
The products include a variety of categories (meals, entrees,
condiments, sides, snacks and desserts) across frozen,
refrigerated and shelf-stable temperature classes. The segment
is comprised of and managed through five subsegments as
described below:
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Grocery Foods North America includes branded
and customized refrigerated or shelf-stable food products that
are sold in various retail and foodservice channels across the
United States. Major brands include: Angela
Mia®,
Chef
Boyardee®,
Egg
Beaters®,
Healthy
Choice®
Fresh
Mixerstm,
Hebrew
National®,
Hunts®,
Manwich®,
PAM®,
Snack
Pack®,
Reddi-wip®,
Rosarita®,
Ro*Tel®,
Swiss
Miss®
and Van
Camps®.
The subsegment also includes the consumer foods businesses in
Mexico and Canada which distribute packaged foods that are both
locally manufactured and imported from the United States.
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Frozen Foods includes branded and customized
frozen food products that are sold in various retail and
foodservice channels across the United States. Major brands
include:
Alexia®,
Banquet®,
Healthy
Choice®,
Kid
Cuisine®
and Marie
Callenders®.
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Snacks and Store Brands includes branded
popcorn, meats, seeds and specialty snacks, as well as private
label food products that are sold in various retail and
foodservice channels across the United States. Major brands
include: ACT
II®,
DAVID®,
Orville
Redenbachers®
and Slim
Jim®.
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Enabler Brands includes national and regional
branded food products across shelf-stable, refrigerated and
frozen temperature classes. Products are sold in various retail
and foodservice channels across the United States. Major brands
include: Blue
Bonnet®,
La Choy®,
Libbys®,
The
Max®,
Parkay®
and
Wesson®.
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Domestic Export includes branded shelf-stable
food products sold through distributors in various markets
throughout the world.
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The Consumer Foods reporting segments supply chain and
order-to-cash
functions are centrally managed and largely integrated.
Accordingly, we do not maintain balance sheets at the subsegment
level.
Our Commercial Foods reporting segment includes commercially
branded foods and ingredients, which are sold principally to
foodservice, food manufacturing and industrial customers. Our
Commercial Foods segments primary products include
specialty potato products, milled grain ingredients, a variety
of vegetable products, seasonings, blends and flavors which are
sold under brands such as ConAgra
Mills®,
Lamb
Weston®,
Gilroy
Foods®
and
Spicetec®.
We are implementing operational improvement initiatives that are
intended to generate profitable sales growth, improve profit
margins and expand returns on capital over time. Various
improvement initiatives focused on marketing, operating
efficiency and business processes have been underway for several
years.
Also, in recent years we divested non-core operations that had
limited our ability to achieve our efficiency targets. In fiscal
2008, we divested the commodity trading and merchandising
operations conducted by ConAgra Trade Group. The ConAgra Trade
Group operations included the domestic and international grain
merchandising, fertilizer distribution, agricultural and energy
commodities trading and services, and grain,
S-1
animal, and oil seed byproducts merchandising and distribution
business. Divesting these operations is helping to simplify our
operations and enhance efficiency initiatives going forward.
We have also made strategic investments in recent years. In the
second quarter of fiscal 2009 we entered into a potato
processing venture, Lamb Weston BSW. In fiscal 2008, we acquired
Alexia Foods, Lincoln Snacks, Watts Brothers and Twin City Foods
for a total of approximately $255 million in cash plus
assumed liabilities, enhancing our Consumer Foods and Commercial
Foods portfolios.
Tender
Offers
Concurrently with this offering, we are conducting offers to
purchase an aggregate principal amount of up to
$600.0 million of our existing senior notes as follows:
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any and all of our 6.700% senior notes due August 1,
2027, which we refer to as the 2027 senior notes;
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a portion of our 7.875% senior notes due September 15,
2010, which we refer to as the 2010 senior notes; and
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a portion of our 6.750% senior notes due September 15,
2011, which we refer to as the 2011 senior notes.
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As of April 3, 2009, $300.0 million aggregate
principal amount of our 2027 senior notes, $500.0 million
aggregate principal amount of our 2010 senior notes and
$700.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 2011
senior notes were outstanding. The tender offers are not
conditioned upon any minimum amount of notes being tendered, and
we may, in our sole discretion, increase the aggregate principal
amount of notes that we are offering to repurchase in the tender
offers. The tender offers are conditioned upon the consummation
of this offering, as well as other conditions.
Ratio of
Earnings to Fixed Charges
Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the last five
fiscal years and for the thirty-nine weeks ended
February 22, 2009 is set forth below.
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Thirty-Nine
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Weeks Ended
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February 22,
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Fiscal Years Ended
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2009
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2008
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2007
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2006
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2005
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2004
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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4.1x
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3.3
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x
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3.3
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3.1
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x
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2.9
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x
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2.8x
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For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed
charges, earnings are equal to the amount resulting from
(1) adding (a) income from continuing operations
before income taxes, equity method investment earnings (loss),
adjustment for minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries,
and cumulative effect of changes in accounting, (b) fixed
charges and (c) distributed income of equity method
investees and (2) subtracting capitalized interest.
Fixed charges are equal to the sum of (1) interest expense,
(2) capitalized interest and (3) an estimate of the
interest within rental expense.
Corporate
Information
We were initially incorporated as a Nebraska corporation in 1919
and were reincorporated as a Delaware corporation in December
1975. Our principal executive offices are located at One ConAgra
Drive, Omaha, NE
68102-5001
and our main telephone number is
(402) 595-4000.
Our website is www.conagrafoods.com. Information contained on or
accessible through our website is not a part of this prospectus
supplement or the accompanying prospectus, other than documents
that we file with the SEC and incorporate by reference into this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. For
additional information concerning ConAgra Foods, please see our
most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K
and our other filings with the SEC, which are incorporated by
reference into this document. See Where You Can Find More
Information.
S-2
Summary
Consolidated Financial Data
The following table sets forth summary consolidated financial
data for each of the fiscal years ended May 2006 through 2008
and for the thirty-nine week periods ended February 22,
2009 and February 24, 2008. Our fiscal year ends on the
last Sunday in May. The summary consolidated financial data as
of May 2007 and 2008 and for each of the fiscal years ended May
2006, 2007 and 2008 have been derived from our audited
consolidated financial statements and should be read together
with those audited consolidated financial statements and related
notes and Managements Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained in
our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for our fiscal year ended May 25, 2008, as revised in our
Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on November 25, 2008, each of which is
incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus. The summary consolidated financial data
for the thirty-nine week periods ended February 22, 2009
and February 24, 2008 are unaudited and have been derived
from our unaudited consolidated financial statements and should
be read together with those unaudited consolidated financial
statements and related notes and Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations contained in our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the thirteen week period ended February 22, 2009, which
are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus. In the opinion of our management,
our unaudited consolidated financial statements were prepared on
the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements
and include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring
adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of this information.
Results of operations for the thirty-nine week period ended
February 22, 2009 are not necessarily indicative of results
of operations that may be expected for the full fiscal year.
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For the Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended
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For the Fiscal Year Ended
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February 22,
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February 24,
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2008
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2007
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2006
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2009
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2008
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(dollars in millions, except per share amounts)
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Income Statement Data
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Net sales(1)
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$
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11,605.7
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$
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10,531.7
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$
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10,251.4
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$
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9,464.6
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$
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8,527.6
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Income from continuing operations(1)
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518.7
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482.3
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463.6
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470.0
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433.1
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Net income
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930.6
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764.6
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533.8
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803.7
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729.3
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Basic earnings per share:
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Income from continuing operations(1)
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1.06
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0.96
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0.89
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1.03
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0.89
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Net income
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1.91
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1.52
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1.03
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1.77
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1.49
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Diluted earnings per share:
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Income from continuing operations(1)
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1.06
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0.95
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0.89
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1.03
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0.88
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Net income
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1.90
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1.51
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1.03
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1.76
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1.48
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Balance Sheet Data (at period end)
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Total assets
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$
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13,682.5
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$
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11,835.5
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$
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11,970.4
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$
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11,396.2
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$
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13,395.8
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Senior long-term debt (noncurrent)
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3,186.9
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3,218.6
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2,753.3
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2,876.5
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3,174.7
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Subordinated long-term debt (noncurrent)
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200.0
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|
|
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200.0
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400.0
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195.9
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|
|
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200.0
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|
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(1)
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Amounts exclude the impact of
discontinued operations of the trading and merchandising
business, the specialty meats foodservice business, the packaged
meats and cheese businesses, the seafood business, the
Knotts Berry
Farm®
business and the Cooks Ham business.
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S-3
The
Offering
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Issuer |
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ConAgra Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation. |
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Securities Offered |
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$1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of notes, consisting
of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.875% Senior
Notes due 2014, and $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
7.000% Senior Notes due 2019. |
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Maturity |
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The 2014 senior notes will mature on April 15, 2014, and
the 2019 senior notes will mature on April 15, 2019. |
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Interest Payment Dates |
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We will pay interest on the notes of each series on
April 15 and October 15 of each year, or the first
business day thereafter if April 15 or October 15 is
not a business day, commencing on October 15, 2009. |
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Interest Rate |
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The 2014 senior notes will bear interest at 5.875% per year, and
the 2019 senior notes will bear interest at 7.000% per year. |
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Optional Redemption |
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We may redeem the notes of either series, in whole or in part,
at any time and from time to time at the applicable redemption
price described herein under the caption Description of
the Notes Optional Redemption. |
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Change of Control Offer |
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If we experience a Change of Control Triggering
Event (as defined in Description of the
Notes Change of Control Offer), we will be
required, unless we have exercised our option to redeem the
notes of the applicable series, to offer to purchase the notes
of the applicable series at a purchase price equal to 101% of
their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the
date of purchase. See Description of the Notes
Change of Control Offer. |
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Certain Covenants |
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The indenture governing the notes contains certain restrictions,
including a limitation that restricts our ability and the
ability of certain of our subsidiaries to create or incur
secured indebtedness. Certain sale and leaseback transactions
are similarly limited. See Description of the
Notes Certain Covenants. |
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Ranking |
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The notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank
equally with all our other senior unsecured indebtedness,
including all other unsubordinated notes issued under the
indenture, from time to time outstanding. The indenture provides
for the issuance from time to time of senior unsecured
indebtedness by us in an unlimited amount. See Description
of the Notes Ranking. |
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Form and Denomination |
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The notes of each series will be issued in fully registered form
in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000
in excess thereof. |
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DTC Eligibility |
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The notes of each series will be represented by global
certificates deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository
Trust Company, which we refer to as DTC, or its nominee.
See Description of the Notes Book-Entry;
Delivery and Form. |
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Same Day Settlement |
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Beneficial interests in the notes will trade in DTCs
same-day
funds settlement system until maturity. Therefore, secondary
market |
S-4
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trading activity in such interests will be settled in
immediately available funds. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We expect to receive net proceeds, after deducting underwriting
discounts and estimated offering expenses, of approximately
$991.2 million from this offering. We intend to use the net
proceeds of this offering to fund the repurchase of our 2027
senior notes, 2010 senior notes and 2011 senior notes in the
tender offers, including the payment of accrued interest and any
applicable tender premiums, and to repay other debt, as well as
other general corporate purposes, including, without limitation,
to contribute to our pension plans. If the tender offers are not
consummated, we intend to use the net proceeds for such general
corporate purposes. See Use of Proceeds. |
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No Listing of the Notes |
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We do not intend to apply to list the notes on any securities
exchange or to have the notes quoted on any automated quotation
system. |
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Governing Law |
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The notes will be, and the indenture is, governed by the laws of
the State of New York. |
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Trustee, Registrar and Paying Agent |
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The Bank of New York Mellon. |
S-5
RISK
FACTORS
An investment in the notes involves risk. Prior to making a
decision about investing in the notes, and in consultation with
your own financial and legal advisors, you should carefully
consider the following risk factors regarding the notes and this
offering, as well as the risk factors incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement from our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended May 25, 2008 and our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the thirteen week period ended February 22, 2009 under
the heading Risk Factors, and other filings we may
make from time to time with the SEC. You should also refer to
the other information in this prospectus supplement and the
accompanying prospectus, including our financial statements and
the related notes incorporated by reference into this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Additional risks and
uncertainties that are not yet identified may also materially
harm our business, operating results and financial condition and
could result in a complete loss of your investment.
The
notes are subject to prior claims of any secured creditors and
the creditors of our subsidiaries and if a default occurs we may
not have sufficient funds to fulfill our obligations under the
notes.
The notes are our unsecured general obligations, ranking equally
with our other senior unsecured indebtedness but below any
secured indebtedness and effectively below the debt and other
liabilities of our subsidiaries. The indenture governing the
notes permits us and our subsidiaries to incur secured debt
under specified circumstances. If we incur any secured debt, our
assets and the assets of our subsidiaries will be subject to
prior claims by our secured creditors. In the event of our
bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up,
assets that secure debt will be available to pay obligations on
the notes only after all debt secured by those assets has been
repaid in full. Holders of the notes will participate in our
remaining assets ratably with all of our unsecured and
unsubordinated creditors, including our trade creditors.
If we incur any additional obligations that rank equally with
the notes, including trade payables, the holders of those
obligations will be entitled to share ratably with the holders
of the notes in any proceeds distributed upon our insolvency,
liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up.
This may have the effect of reducing the amount of proceeds paid
to you. If there are not sufficient assets remaining to pay all
these creditors, all or a portion of the notes then outstanding
would remain unpaid.
The
indenture does not limit the amount of indebtedness that we may
incur.
The indenture under which the notes will be issued does not
limit the amount of indebtedness that we may incur. The
indenture does not contain any financial covenants or other
provisions that would afford the holders of the notes any
substantial protection in the event we participate in a highly
leveraged transaction. In addition, the indenture does not limit
our ability to pay dividends, make distributions or repurchase
shares of our common stock. Any such transaction could adversely
affect you.
Our
existing and future indebtedness may limit cash flow available
to invest in the ongoing needs of our business, which could
prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under the
notes.
The indenture under which the notes will be issued does not
limit the amount of indebtedness that we may incur. We also have
the ability under our existing revolving credit facility to
incur substantial additional indebtedness. Our level of
indebtedness could have important consequences to you. For
example, it could:
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow
from operations to the payment of debt service, reducing the
availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital
expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
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increase our vulnerability to adverse economic or industry
conditions;
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limit our ability to obtain additional financing in the future
to enable us to react to changes in our business; or
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place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to businesses in
our industry that have less indebtedness.
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S-6
Additionally, any failure to meet required payments on our
indebtedness, or failure to comply with any covenants in the
instruments governing our indebtedness, could result in an event
of default under the terms of those instruments. In the event of
such default, the holders of such indebtedness could elect to
declare all the amounts outstanding under such instruments to be
due and payable. Any default under the agreements governing our
indebtedness and the remedies sought by the holders of such
indebtedness could render us unable to pay principal and
interest on the notes and substantially decrease their value.
We
depend on cash flow of our subsidiaries to make payments on our
securities.
ConAgra Foods, Inc. is in part a holding company. Our
subsidiaries conduct a significant percentage of our
consolidated operations and own a significant percentage of our
consolidated assets. Consequently, our cash flow and our ability
to meet our debt service obligations depend in large part upon
the cash flow of our subsidiaries and the payment of funds by
the subsidiaries to us in the form of loans, dividends or
otherwise. Our subsidiaries are not obligated to make funds
available to us for payment of the notes or otherwise. In
addition, their ability to make any payments will depend on
their earnings, the terms of their indebtedness, business and
tax considerations and legal restrictions. The notes effectively
rank junior to all liabilities of our subsidiaries. In the event
of a bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution of a subsidiary and
following payment of its liabilities, the subsidiary may not
have sufficient assets remaining to make payments to us as a
shareholder or otherwise.
Active
trading markets for the notes may not develop.
There are no existing markets for the notes and we do not intend
to apply for listing of the notes of either series on any
securities exchange or any automated quotation system.
Accordingly, there can be no assurance that a trading market for
either series of notes will ever develop or will be maintained.
If a trading market does not develop or is not maintained, you
may find it difficult or impossible to resell notes of that
series. Further, there can be no assurance as to the liquidity
of any market that may develop for such notes, your ability to
sell such notes or the price at which you will be able to sell
such notes. Future trading prices of the notes will depend on
many factors, including prevailing interest rates, our financial
condition and results of operations, the then-current ratings
assigned to the notes and the markets for similar securities.
Any trading market that develops would be affected by many
factors independent of and in addition to the foregoing,
including:
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the time remaining to the maturity of the applicable notes;
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the outstanding amount of the applicable notes;
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the terms related to optional redemption of the applicable
notes; and
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the level, direction and volatility of market interest rates
generally.
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The underwriters have advised us that they currently intend to
make a market in the notes of each series, but they are not
obligated to do so and may cease market-making at any time
without notice.
Ratings
of the notes could be lowered or withdrawn in the
future.
We expect that the notes of each series will be rated by one or
more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. A
rating is not a recommendation to purchase, hold or sell debt
securities, since a rating does not predict the market price of
a particular security or its suitability for a particular
investor. Any rating organization that rates the notes may lower
our rating or decide not to rate the notes in its sole
discretion. The ratings of the notes will be based primarily on
the rating organizations assessment of the likelihood of
timely payment of interest when due and the payment of principal
on the maturity date. Any downgrade or withdrawal of a rating by
a rating agency that rates the notes of either series could have
an adverse effect on the trading prices or liquidity of the
notes.
S-7
We may
choose to redeem the notes of either series prior to
maturity.
We may redeem some or all of the notes of either series at any
time. See Description of the Notes Optional
Redemption. If prevailing interest rates are lower at the
time of redemption, you may not be able to reinvest the
redemption proceeds in a comparable security at an interest rate
as high as the interest rate of the notes being redeemed.
An
increase in market interest rates could result in a decrease in
the value of the notes.
In general, as market interest rates rise, notes bearing
interest at a fixed rate decline in value because the premium,
if any, over market interest rates will decline. Consequently,
if you purchase the notes and market interest rates increase,
the market values of your notes may decline. We cannot predict
the future level of market interest rates.
S-8
USE OF
PROCEEDS
We expect to receive net proceeds, after deducting underwriting
discounts and estimated offering expenses, of approximately
$991.2 million from this offering.
Concurrently with this offering, we are conducting offers to
purchase an aggregate principal amount of up to
$600.0 million of our existing senior notes as follows:
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any and all of our 6.700% senior notes due August 1,
2027;
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a portion of our 7.875% senior notes due September 15,
2010; and
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a portion of our 6.750% senior notes due September 15,
2011.
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As of April 3, 2009, $300.0 million aggregate
principal amount of our 2027 senior notes, $500.0 million
aggregate principal amount of our 2010 senior notes and
$700.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 2011
senior notes were outstanding. The tender offers are not
conditioned upon any minimum amount of notes being tendered, and
we may, in our sole discretion, increase the aggregate principal
amount of notes that we are offering to repurchase in the tender
offers. The tender offers are conditioned upon the consummation
of this offering, as well as other conditions.
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to fund the
repurchase of our 2027 senior notes, 2010 senior notes and 2011
senior notes in the tender offers, including the payment of
accrued interest and any applicable tender premiums, and to
repay debt, including, without limitation, through open market
purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, as
well as other general corporate purposes, including, without
limitation, to contribute to our pension plans. If the tender
offers are not consummated, we intend to use the net proceeds
for such general corporate purposes.
Pending final use, we may invest the net proceeds from this
offering in short-term, investment grade, interest-bearing
securities.
S-9
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our unaudited consolidated
capitalization as of February 22, 2009:
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on a historical basis; and
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on a pro forma as adjusted basis to give effect to the offering
of the notes and the repurchase of an aggregate principal amount
of $600.0 million of our 2027 senior notes, 2010 senior
notes and 2011 senior notes pursuant to the tender offers
described above under Use of Proceeds.
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You should read this table in conjunction with our consolidated
financial statements, the related notes and other financial
information contained in our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the thirteen weeks ended February 22, 2009, which is
incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and
the accompanying prospectus.
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As of February 22, 2009
|
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Pro Forma
|
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Actual
|
|
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As Adjusted
|
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(dollars in millions)
|
|
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Long-term senior debt, excluding current installments
|
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$
|
2,876.5
|
|
|
$
|
3,576.5
|
|
Current installments of long-term debt
|
|
|
318.3
|
|
|
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18.3
|
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Long-term subordinated debt
|
|
|
195.9
|
|
|
|
195.9
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|
Total common stockholders equity
|
|
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4,888.3
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4,888.3
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Total capitalization
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$
|
8,279.0
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$
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8,679.0
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S-10
DESCRIPTION OF
OTHER INDEBTEDNESS
Revolving
Credit Facility
We have a $1.5 billion revolving credit facility with a
syndicate of financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, Bank of America, N.A., as
syndication agent, Citibank, N.A., BNP Paribas and Merrill Lynch
Bank USA, as co-documentation agents, and J.P. Morgan
Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC, as joint
lead arrangers and joint bookrunners. As of February 22,
2009, there were no outstanding borrowings under the revolving
credit facility, and the revolving credit facility served as a
back-up for
short-term borrowings (principally commercial paper) of
approximately $186 million. The revolving credit facility
matures on December 16, 2011.
Interest
Rates
Borrowings under the revolving credit facility bear interest, at
our option, at either an alternate base rate or a eurodollar
rate plus an applicable margin. The alternate base rate is equal
to the greater of the prime rate announced by JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A. and the federal funds rate plus 1/2% per annum. The
eurodollar rate is a periodic fixed rate equal to the London
Inter-Bank Offer Rate, or LIBOR, plus a statutory reserve rate.
The applicable margin for the eurodollar rate varies depending
on our level of utilization of the facility and the rating of
our unsecured senior long-term indebtedness (without giving
effect to any third-party credit enhancement) on any date of
determination.
Optional
Prepayments
Borrowings under the revolving credit facility generally may be
prepaid without penalty.
Covenants
The revolving credit facility contains affirmative and negative
covenants customary for such financings, including, but not
limited to, covenants limiting our ability to:
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create liens to secure debt;
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merge, consolidate or sell all or substantially all of our
assets; and
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enter into certain sale and lease-back transactions.
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Our revolving credit facility also requires that our
consolidated funded debt not exceed 65% of our consolidated
capital base and that our fixed charge coverage ratio be greater
than 1.75 to 1.0, as such terms are defined in the agreement
governing our revolving credit facility. As of February 22,
2009, we were in compliance with these financial and other
covenants under our revolving credit facility.
Default
The revolving credit facility contains events of default
customary for such financings, including, but not limited to:
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Nonpayment of principal, interest or fees;
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Cross-defaults to other debt;
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Inaccuracies of representations and warranties;
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Failure to perform negative covenants;
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Failure to perform other terms and conditions;
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Events of bankruptcy and insolvency; and
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Unsatisfied judgments.
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S-11
Senior
and Subordinated Debt Securities
As of February 22, 2009, we had an aggregate principal
amount of $3,250.5 million of debt securities outstanding.
The specific amounts, maturity and interest rates of these debt
securities are set forth in the following table.
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Principal
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Amount
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(in millions)
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Senior Debt
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8.250% senior notes due September 2030
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$
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300.0
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7.000% senior notes due October 2028
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$
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382.2
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6.700% senior notes due August 2027
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$
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300.0
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7.125% senior notes due October 2026
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$
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372.4
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5.819% senior notes due June 2017
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$
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500.0
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6.750% senior notes due September 2011
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$
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700.0
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7.875% senior notes due September 2010
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$
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500.0
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Subordinated Debt
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9.750% subordinated notes due March 2021
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$
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195.9
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Total
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$
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3,250.5
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Senior
Notes
Our 2010 senior notes, 2011 senior notes, 2017 senior notes,
2026 senior notes, 2027 senior notes, 2028 senior notes and 2030
senior notes were all issued under the indenture, dated as of
October 8, 1990, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon
(as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and The Chase
Manhattan Bank (National Association)), as trustee. The senior
notes are our direct, unsecured obligations and are not
guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries. The indenture does not
directly limit the amount of other debt that may be incurred by
us or our subsidiaries. Subject to several enumerated
exceptions, the indenture prohibits us and certain of our
subsidiaries from securing any debt or other obligation with any
principal property or shares of capital stock of certain of our
subsidiaries without providing that our senior notes under the
indenture shall be secured equally and ratably with the secured
debt or other obligation for so long as the secured debt or
other obligation remains secured except to the extent the amount
of the secured debt or other obligation, along with the value of
permitted sale and lease-back transactions does not exceed 10%
of our consolidated net tangible assets, as defined in the
indenture. The indenture restricts our ability to enter into
sale and lease-back transactions as well as to consolidate,
merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets.
Our 2027 senior notes are redeemable at the option of the note
holders on August 1, 2009, at 100% of the principal amount
of the notes together with interest payable to the date of
repayment.
Subordinated
Notes
Our 2021 subordinated notes were issued under an indenture,
dated as of February 7, 1991 (as supplemented by a
supplement dated February 18, 1991), between us and
U.S. Bank National Association (as successor to First
Trust National Association), as trustee. These subordinated
notes are our direct, unsecured obligations, are not guaranteed
by any of our subsidiaries and are subordinate and junior in
right of payment, to the extent and manner set forth in the
subordinated indenture, to all of our senior debt. The
subordinated indenture does not directly limit the amount of
other debt that may be incurred by us or our subsidiaries. The
subordinated indenture restricts our ability to enter into sale
and lease-back transactions as well as to consolidate, merge or
sell all or substantially all of our assets.
S-12
DESCRIPTION OF
THE NOTES
You can find the definitions of certain terms used in this
description under the subheadings Optional
Redemption and Certain Covenants Certain
Definitions Relating to Certain Covenants.
The notes will be issued under an Indenture, which we refer to
as the indenture, dated as of October 8, 1990, between us
and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A. and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association)),
which we refer to as the Trustee. The terms of the notes include
those stated in the indenture and the notes, as well as those
made part of the indenture by reference to the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The notes will
constitute senior debt securities to be issued under the
indenture.
This description of the notes supplements and, to the extent
inconsistent therewith, replaces the section entitled
Description of Debt Securities included in the
accompanying prospectus. Because this section is a summary, it
does not describe every aspect of the indenture or the notes.
This summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by
reference to all of the provisions of the indenture, including
definitions of certain terms used in the indenture, and the
notes. You should read the indenture and the notes because they
contain additional information and they, and not this
description, define your rights as a holder of the notes. A copy
of the indenture has been filed with the SEC. Additionally, a
copy of the indenture and forms of the notes are available
without charge upon request to us at the address provided under
Where You Can Find More Information. For purposes of
this section, references to ConAgra Foods,
we, us or our include only
ConAgra Foods, Inc. and not any of its subsidiaries.
General
We will initially issue $500.0 million aggregate principal
amount of the 2014 senior notes and $500.0 million
aggregate principal amount of the 2019 senior notes in this
offering. The 2014 senior notes will mature on April 15,
2014, and the 2019 senior notes will mature on April 15,
2019. The 2014 senior notes will accrue interest at a rate per
annum equal to 5.875%, and the 2019 senior notes will accrue
interest at a rate per annum equal to 7.000%. Interest on each
note will accrue from the last interest payment date on which
interest was paid or duly provided for, or, if no interest has
been paid or duly provided for, from the date of their original
issuance.
Interest on the notes will be payable semi-annually on
April 15 and October 15, commencing on
October 15, 2009, to the persons in whose names such notes
are registered at the close of business on the preceding
April 1 or October 1, as the case may be (whether or
not a business day).
The amount of interest payable on the notes will be computed on
the basis of a
360-day year
of twelve
30-day
months. In the event that any day on which interest is payable
on the notes is not a business day, then payment of the interest
payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day
which is a business day (and without any interest or other
payment in respect of such delay), with the same force and
effect as if made on such date.
We do not intend to apply for listing of the notes on a national
securities exchange.
We may, without the consent of the holders of the notes, create
and issue additional senior debt securities ranking equally with
the notes of a particular series and otherwise similar in all
respects so that any outstanding notes of a particular series
and the additional senior debt securities form a single series
under the indenture.
When we use the term business day, we mean any day
except a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of
New York on which banking institutions are authorized or
required by law or regulation to close.
Ranking
The notes:
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will be our unsecured obligations;
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will rank equally and ratably with all our existing and future
unsecured and unsubordinated debt and other liabilities;
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S-13
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will be senior to all our existing and future subordinated debt
and other liabilities;
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will be effectively junior to any secured debt to the extent of
the assets securing such debt and other liabilities, unless the
notes are equally and ratably secured with such secured debt, as
required by the indenture under certain circumstances; and
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will be effectively junior to all existing and future debt and
other liabilities of our subsidiaries, including trade payables.
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Our subsidiaries are distinct legal entities having no
obligation to pay any amounts pursuant to, or to make funds
available for, the notes.
As of February 22, 2009, we had outstanding
$3,176.5 million of senior unsecured indebtedness and
$3,576.5 million of total consolidated debt.
Optional
Redemption
The notes of each series will be redeemable as a whole or in
part, at our option at any time, at a redemption price equal to
the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the
notes to be redeemed and (ii) the sum, as determined by an
Independent Investment Banker, of the present values of the
remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the
notes to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the date
of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual
basis (assuming a
360-day year
consisting of twelve
30-day
months) at the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, plus accrued
interest on the notes to be redeemed to the date of redemption.
Treasury Rate means, with respect to any redemption
date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent
yield to maturity of the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue,
calculated on the third business day preceding the redemption
date, assuming a price for such Comparable Treasury Issue
(expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the
related Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.
Comparable Treasury Issue means the United States
Treasury security or securities selected by an Independent
Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the
remaining term of the notes to be redeemed that would be
utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with
customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate
debt securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term
of the notes being redeemed.
Comparable Treasury Price means, with respect to any
redemption date,
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the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such
redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest such
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or
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if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four
such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all
such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations so received.
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Independent Investment Banker means one of the
Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by us.
Reference Treasury Dealer means each of Banc of
America Securities LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and
their respective successors and at least two other primary
U.S. Government securities dealers in New York City (each,
a Primary Treasury Dealer) selected by us; provided,
however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a
Primary Treasury Dealer, we will substitute another Primary
Treasury Dealer.
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations means, with
respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption
date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment
Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the applicable
Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a
percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the
Independent Investment Banker by such Reference Treasury Dealer
at 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day
preceding such redemption date.
S-14
Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days
but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to
each holder of notes to be redeemed.
Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and
after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the
notes or portions of the notes called for redemption.
Mandatory
Redemption; Sinking Fund
No mandatory redemption obligation will be applicable to the
notes. The notes will not be subject to, nor have the benefit
of, a sinking fund.
Change of
Control Offer
If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless we have
exercised our option to redeem the notes of the applicable
series as described under Optional
Redemption above, each holder of the notes of the
applicable series will have the right to require us to purchase
all or a portion (equal to $2,000 and any integral multiples of
$1,000 in excess thereof, provided that any portion not
repurchased shall be in a principal amount of at least $2,000)
of such holders applicable series of notes pursuant to the
offer described below (a Change of Control Offer) at
a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount
of the applicable series of notes repurchased, plus accrued and
unpaid interest, if any, to the date of repurchase (the
Change of Control Payment), subject to the rights of
holders of notes of the applicable series on the relevant record
date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment
date.
We will be required to send a notice to each holder of the notes
of the applicable series by first class mail, with a copy to the
Trustee, within 30 days following the date upon which any
Change of Control Triggering Event occurred, or at our option,
prior to any Change of Control but after the public announcement
of the pending Change of Control. The notice will govern the
terms of the Change of Control Offer and will describe, among
other things, the transaction that constitutes or may constitute
the Change of Control Triggering Event and the purchase date.
The purchase date will be at least 30 days but no more than
60 days from the date such notice is mailed, other than as
may be required by law (a Change of Control Payment
Date). If the notice is mailed prior to the date of
consummation of the Change of Control, the notice will state
that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of
Control being consummated on or prior to the Change of Control
Payment Date.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, we will, to the extent
lawful:
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accept for payment all properly tendered notes or portions of
notes not validly withdrawn;
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deposit with the paying agent the required payment for all
properly tendered notes or portions of notes not validly
withdrawn; and
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deliver to the Trustee the repurchased notes, accompanied by an
officers certificate stating, among other things, the
aggregate principal amount of repurchased notes.
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We will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon
the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if a
third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and
otherwise in compliance with the requirements for such an offer
made by us and the third party purchases all notes of the
applicable series properly tendered and not withdrawn under its
offer.
We will comply with the requirements of
Rule 14e-1
under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and
regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations
are applicable, in connection with the repurchase of the notes
of the applicable series as a result of a Change of Control
Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any such
securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of
Control Offer provisions of the notes of the applicable series,
we will comply with those securities laws and regulations and
will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the
Change of Control Offer provisions of the notes of the
applicable series by virtue of any such conflict.
S-15
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating
to the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or
other disposition of all or substantially all of our
properties or assets and those of our subsidiaries taken as a
whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting
the phrase substantially all, there is no precise
established definition of the phrase under applicable law.
Accordingly, the ability of a holder of notes of the applicable
series to require us to repurchase the notes of the applicable
series as a result of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or
other disposition of less than all of our assets and the assets
of our subsidiaries, taken as a whole to another person or group
may be uncertain.
For purposes of the foregoing discussion, the following
definitions apply:
Capital Stock means the capital stock of every class
whether now or hereafter authorized, regardless of whether such
capital stock shall be limited to a fixed sum or percentage with
respect to the rights of the holders thereof to participate in
dividends and in the distribution of assets upon the voluntary
or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of such
corporation.
Change of Control means the occurrence of any of the
following:
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the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or
other disposition (other than by way of merger or
consolidation), in one or more series of related transactions,
of all or substantially all of our assets and the assets of our
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any person (as
that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act),
other than us or one of our subsidiaries;
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the consummation of any transaction (including, without
limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is
that any person (as that term is used in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than us or one
of our subsidiaries, becomes the beneficial owner
(as defined in
Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than
50% of our then outstanding Voting Stock or other Voting Stock
into which our Voting Stock is reclassified, consolidated,
exchanged or changed, measured by voting power rather than
number of shares;
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the first day on which a majority of the members of our Board of
Directors are not Continuing Directors; or
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the adoption of a plan relating to our liquidation or
dissolution.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be
considered to be a Change of Control if (a) we become a
direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of a holding company
and (b)(x) immediately following that transaction, the direct or
indirect holders of the Voting Stock of the holding company are
substantially the same as the holders of our Voting Stock
immediately prior to that transaction or (y) immediately
following that transaction, no person is the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of
such holding company.
Change of Control Triggering Event means the
occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Rating Event.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Change of Control Triggering
Event will be deemed to have occurred in connection with any
particular Change of Control unless and until such Change of
Control has actually been consummated.
Continuing Directors means, as of any date of
determination, any member of our Board of Directors who:
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was a member of such Board of Directors on the first date that
any of the notes of either series were issued; or
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was nominated for election, elected or appointed to such Board
of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing
Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the
time of such nomination, election or appointment (either by a
specific vote or by approval of a proxy statement in which such
member was named as a nominee for election as a director).
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Fitch means Fitch Ratings and its successors.
Investment Grade means a rating of Baa3 or better by
Moodys (or its equivalent under any successor rating
categories of Moodys), a rating of BBB- or better by
S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating
S-16
categories of S&P) and a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch
(or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of
Fitch).
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service,
Inc., a subsidiary of Moodys Corporation, and its
successors.
Rating Agencies means:
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each of Moodys, S&P and Fitch; and
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if any of Moodys, S&P or Fitch ceases to rate the
notes of either series or fails to make a rating of the notes of
either series publicly available for reasons outside of our
control, a nationally recognized statistical rating
organization within the meaning of Rule
15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act that is selected by
us (as certified by a resolution of our Board of Directors) as a
replacement agency for Moodys, S&P or Fitch, or each
of them, as the case may be.
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Rating Event means, with respect to either series of
notes, (i) the rating of such notes is lowered by each of
the Rating Agencies on any day during the period (the
Trigger Period) commencing on the earlier of
(a) the occurrence of a Change of Control and (b) the
first public notice of our intention to effect a Change of
Control, and ending 60 days following consummation of such
Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the
rating of the notes of either series is under publicly announced
consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating
Agencies), and (ii) such notes are rated below Investment
Grade by each of the Rating Agencies on any day during the
Trigger Period; provided that a Rating Event will not be
deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of
Control (and thus will not be deemed a Rating Event for purposes
of the definition of Change of Control Triggering Event) if each
Rating Agency making the reduction in rating does not publicly
announce or confirm or inform the Trustee in writing at our
request that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part,
of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result
of, or in respect of, the Change of Control (whether or not the
applicable Change of Control has occurred at the time of the
Rating Event).
S&P means Standard & Poors
Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,
and its successors.
Voting Stock means, with respect to any specified
person as of any date, the Capital Stock of such person that is
at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the
Board of Directors of such person.
Book-Entry
Notes
DTC, New York, New York, which we refer to as the Depository or
DTC, will be the depositary with respect to the notes. The notes
will be issued as global securities registered in the name of
Cede & Co., the Depositorys partnership nominee,
and deposited with the Depository. See
Book-Entry; Delivery and Form for
further information.
Same-Day
Settlement and Payment
All payments of principal and interest on the notes will be made
by ConAgra Foods in immediately available funds. The notes will
trade in DTCs
Same-Day
Funds Settlement System until maturity, and secondary market
trading activity in the notes will therefore be required by DTC
to settle in immediately available funds.
Additional
Terms
For important additional information applicable to the notes,
see Description of Debt Securities in the
accompanying prospectus. That information includes:
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general information regarding the indenture and the Trustee;
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a description of discharge and defeasance under the indenture;
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S-17
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a description of modification and amendment of the
indenture; and
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additional information regarding the terms of senior debt
securities issued under the indenture, including the notes.
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Consolidation,
Merger, Conveyance or Transfer
We may, without the consent of the Trustee or the holders of the
notes, consolidate or merge with, or sell or convey, including
by lease, all or substantially all of our assets to any other
person, provided that any successor corporation or the person
that acquires such assets by sale or conveyance is a corporation
or entity organized under the laws of the United States of
America or any state thereof and that such successor corporation
or entity expressly assumes all of our obligations under the
indenture and the notes and that certain other conditions are
met. Following any such sale or conveyance, except in the case
of a lease, we will be relieved of all obligations under the
indenture and the notes.
Certain
Covenants
Limitations
on Liens
We will not and we will not permit any Consolidated Subsidiary
to issue, assume or guarantee any Indebtedness secured by a Lien
upon or with respect to any Principal Property or on the capital
stock of any Consolidated Subsidiary that owns any Principal
Property unless:
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we provide that the notes will be secured by such Lien equally
and ratably with any and all other obligations and indebtedness
secured thereby; or
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the aggregate amount of all our Indebtedness and the
Indebtedness of our Consolidated Subsidiaries, together with all
Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
existing at such time, with the exception of transactions which
are not subject to the limitation described in Limitations
on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions below, does not exceed
10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, as shown on the audited
consolidated balance sheet contained in the latest annual report
to our stockholders.
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This limitation on liens will not apply to:
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any Lien existing on any Principal Property on October 8,
1990;
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any Lien created by a Consolidated Subsidiary in our favor or in
favor of any wholly-owned Consolidated Subsidiary;
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any Lien existing on any asset of any corporation at the time
such corporation becomes a Consolidated Subsidiary or at the
time such corporation is merged or consolidated with or into us
or a Consolidated Subsidiary and the Lien was not created in
contemplation of the merger or consolidation;
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any Lien on any asset which exists at the time of the
acquisition of the asset and the Lien was not created in
contemplation of the acquisition of the asset;
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any Lien on any asset or improvement to an asset securing
Indebtedness incurred or assumed for the purpose of financing
all or any part of the cost of acquiring or improving such
asset, if such Lien attaches to such asset concurrently with or
within 180 days after its acquisition or improvement and
the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by any such
Lien, together with all other Indebtedness secured by a Lien in
such property, does not exceed the purchase price of such
property or the cost of such improvement;
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any Lien incurred in connection with pollution control,
industrial revenue or any similar financing;
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any refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement of any of the
Liens described under the heading Limitations on Liens if the
principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby is not
increased and is not secured by any additional assets; or
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S-18
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any Liens arising in the ordinary course of our business or the
business of any Consolidated Subsidiary that do not secure
Indebtedness and do not in the aggregate materially detract from
the value of our assets or the assets of such Consolidated
Subsidiary, as the case may be, or materially impair the use
thereof, in the operation of our business or the Consolidated
Subsidiarys business.
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Limitations
on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
Neither we nor any Consolidated Subsidiary may enter into any
Sale and Lease-Back Transaction. Such limitation will not apply
to any Sale and Lease-Back Transaction if:
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the net proceeds to us or such Consolidated Subsidiary from the
sale or transfer equals or exceeds the fair value, as determined
by our board of directors, of the property so leased;
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we or such Consolidated Subsidiary would be entitled to incur
Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the property to be leased as
described under the heading Limitations on Liens
above; or
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within 90 days of the effective date of any such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, we apply an amount equal to the fair
value, as determined by our board of directors, of the property
so leased to the retirement of our Funded Indebtedness, other
than Funded Indebtedness we were otherwise obligated to repay
within such
90-day
period.
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Certain
Definitions Relating to Certain Covenants
Attributable Debt means the present value,
determined as set forth in the indenture, of the obligation of a
lessee for rental payments for the remaining term of any lease.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets means the Net
Tangible Assets of us and our Consolidated Subsidiaries
consolidated in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles and as provided in the definition of Net Tangible
Assets. In determining Consolidated Net Tangible Assets,
minority interests in unconsolidated subsidiaries shall be
included.
Consolidated Subsidiary and Consolidated
Subsidiaries mean a subsidiary or subsidiaries the
accounts of which are consolidated with ours in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles.
Funded Indebtedness means all Indebtedness of a
corporation which would, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, be classified as funded indebtedness.
Funded Indebtedness will also, in any event, include all
Indebtedness, whether secured or unsecured, of a corporation
which has a final maturity, or a maturity renewable or
extendable at the option of the corporation, more than one year
after the date as of which Funded Indebtedness is to be
determined.
Indebtedness means any and all of the obligations of
a corporation for money borrowed which in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles would be reflected on
the balance sheet of the corporation as a liability as of the
date of which Indebtedness is to be determined.
Lien means any mortgage, pledge, security interest
or other lien or encumbrance.
Net Tangible Assets means the total amount of assets
of a corporation, both real and personal, less the sum of:
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all reserves for depletion, depreciation, obsolescence
and/or
amortization of such corporations property as shown by the
books of such corporation, other than general contingency
reserves, reserves representing mere appropriations of surplus
and reserves to the extent related to intangible assets which
are excluded in calculating Net Tangible Assets; and
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all Indebtedness and other current liabilities of such
corporation other than Funded Indebtedness, deferred income
taxes, reserves which have been deducted pursuant to the above
bullet point, general contingency reserves and reserves
representing mere appropriations of surplus and liabilities to
the extent related to intangible assets which are excluded in
calculating Net Tangible Assets.
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S-19
The definition of Net Tangible Assets excludes licenses,
patents, patent applications, copyrights, trademarks, trade
names, goodwill, experimental or organizational expense and
other like intangibles, treasury stock and unamortized discount
and expense.
Principal Property means, as of any date, any
building, structure or other facility together with the
underlying land and its fixtures, used primarily for
manufacturing, processing or production, in each case located in
the United States, and owned or leased or to be owned or leased
by us or any Consolidated Subsidiary, and in each case the net
book value of which as of such date exceeds 2% of Consolidated
Net Tangible Assets as shown on the audited consolidated balance
sheet contained in the latest annual report to our stockholders,
other than any such land, building, structure or other facility
or portion thereof which, in the opinion of our board of
directors, is not of material importance to the business
conducted by us and our Consolidated Subsidiaries, considered as
one enterprise.
Sale and Lease-Back Transactions means any
arrangement with any person providing for the leasing by us or a
Consolidated Subsidiary of any Principal Property that we or
such Consolidated Subsidiary has sold or transferred or is about
to sell or transfer to such person. However, the definition does
not include temporary leases for a term of not more than three
years or transactions between us and a Consolidated Subsidiary.
Events of
Default
An Event of Default is defined under the indenture
with respect to the notes as being:
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our default in the payment of any installment of interest, when
due, on any of the notes and which default continues for a
period of 30 days;
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our default in the payment, when due, of the principal of any of
the notes, whether the default in payment is at maturity, upon
redemption, by declaration or otherwise;
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our default in the observance or performance of any other
covenant or agreement contained in the indenture, other than a
default in the performance of a covenant or warranty that is
specifically dealt with elsewhere in the indenture, for a period
of 90 days after written notice, as provided in the
indenture;
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the occurrence of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or
reorganization; or
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our failure to comply with any other covenant the noncompliance
with which would specifically constitute an Event of Default
with respect to the notes.
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If an Event of Default due to the default in payment of
principal of, or interest on, the notes or due to the default in
the performance of any covenants or agreements applicable to the
notes but not applicable to all then-outstanding debt
securities, occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee or the
holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
notes may declare the principal of all notes and interest
accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately.
If an Event of Default due to the default in the performance of
any covenant or agreement in the indenture applicable to all
then-outstanding debt securities occurs and is continuing,
either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate
principal amount of all debt securities then outstanding,
treated as one class, may declare the principal of all debt
securities and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable
immediately.
If an Event of Default due to certain events of bankruptcy,
insolvency and reorganization occurs and is continuing, then the
entire principal amount of the notes and interest accrued
thereon will automatically become due and payable without any
declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any
holder.
Under certain circumstances, the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the notes may rescind a
declaration that the principal and accrued interest on the notes
are due and payable immediately or waive a past default.
However, such holders may not waive a continuing default in the
payment of any principal of, or interest on, the notes other
than any principal which becomes due solely as a result of such
declaration.
S-20
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding notes may direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the
Trustee, provided that such direction may not be in conflict
with any rule of law or the indenture. Before proceeding to
exercise any right or power under the indenture at the direction
of such holders, the Trustee is entitled to receive from such
holders reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,
expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by acting in
compliance with any such direction.
We furnish to the Trustee annually a statement of certain of our
officers to the effect that, to the best of their knowledge, we
are not in default of the performance of the terms of the
indenture or, if they have knowledge that we are in default,
specifying the default.
The indenture provides that no holder of notes may institute any
action against us under the indenture, except actions for
payment of overdue principal or interest, unless all of the
following occurs:
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the holder gives to the Trustee written notice of the continuing
Event of Default;
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the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
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such holder or holders offer the Trustee indemnity satisfactory
to the Trustee against any costs, expenses or liabilities which
may be incurred;
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the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days
after receiving the request and the offer of indemnity; and
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during such
60-day
period, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount
of such notes do not give the Trustee a direction that is
inconsistent with the request.
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The indenture requires the Trustee to give all of the holders of
outstanding notes notice of any default by us with respect to
the notes, unless the default has been cured or waived. Except
in the case of a default in the payment of principal of, and any
premium or interest on, any outstanding notes, the Trustee is
entitled to withhold such notice in the event the board of
directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of
directors or certain officers of the Trustee in good faith
determines that withholding such notice is in the interest of
the holders of the outstanding notes.
Applicable
Law
The notes and the indenture are governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Concerning
the Trustee
The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A. and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association))
is the Trustee under the indenture. From time to time, we and
our subsidiaries maintain ordinary banking relationships with
the Trustee.
Book-Entry;
Delivery and Form
Except as set forth below, the notes of each series will be
issued in registered global form in minimum denominations of
$2,000 and multiples of $1,000 in excess of that amount.
The notes of each series will initially be represented by one or
more fully registered global notes, which we refer to
collectively as the global notes. Each such global note will be
deposited upon issuance with the Trustee as custodian for DTC in
New York, New York, and registered in the name of DTC or its
nominee, in each case for credit to an account of a direct or
indirect participant in DTC as described below. Transfers of
beneficial interests in the global notes will be subject to the
applicable rules and procedures of DTC and its direct or
indirect participants (including, if applicable, those of
Euroclear and Clearstream), which may change from time to time.
S-21
The following are summaries of certain rules and operating
procedures of DTC that affect the payment of principal and
interest and the transfers of interests in the global notes. The
notes of each series will be issued only in the form of
definitive global securities that will be deposited with, or on
behalf of, DTC and registered in the name of Cede &
Co., as nominee of DTC. Unless and until they are exchanged in
whole or in part for notes in definitive form under the limited
circumstances described below, a global note may not be
transferred except as a whole (1) by DTC to a nominee,
(2) by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or
(3) by DTC or any such nominee to a successor of DTC or a
nominee of such successor. Accountholders in the Euroclear or
Clearstream Banking clearance systems may hold beneficial
interests in the notes through the accounts that each of these
systems maintain as participants in DTC.
Ownership of beneficial interests in the global notes will be
limited to persons that have accounts with DTC for such global
notes, who we refer to as participants, or persons that may hold
interests through participants. Upon the issuance of the global
notes, DTC will credit, on its book-entry registration and
transfer system, the participants accounts with the
respective principal amounts of the notes represented by such
global note beneficially owned by such participants. Ownership
of beneficial interests in the global notes will be shown on,
and the transfer of such ownership interests will be effected
only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to
interests of participants). Beneficial owners will not receive
written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial
owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations
providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic
statements of their holdings, from the participant through which
the beneficial owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of
ownership interests in the global notes are to be accomplished
by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of
beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive
certificates representing their ownership interest in the global
notes, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for
the global notes is discontinued. The laws of some states may
require that certain purchasers of securities take physical
delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such laws may
limit or impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge
beneficial interests in the global notes.
So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of the
global notes, DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, will be
considered the sole owner or holder of the notes represented by
such global notes for all purposes under the indenture. Except
as set forth below, owners of beneficial interests in the global
notes will not be entitled to have notes represented by such
global notes registered in their names, will not receive or be
entitled to receive physical delivery of such notes in
certificated form and will not be considered the registered
owners or holders thereof under the indenture. Accordingly, each
person owning a beneficial interest in the global notes must
rely on the procedures of DTC and, if such person is not a
participant, on the procedures of the participant through which
such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a
holder under the indenture. We understand that under existing
industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an
owner of a beneficial interest in any of the global notes
desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to
give or take under the indenture, DTC would authorize the
participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give
or take such action, and such participants would authorize
beneficial owners owning through such participants to give or to
take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of
beneficial owners holding through them.
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct
participants, by direct participants to indirect participants,
and by direct participants and indirect participants to
beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them,
subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in
effect from time to time. Beneficial owners may wish to take
certain steps to augment the transmission to them of notices of
significant events with respect to the global notes, such as
redemptions, tenders, defaults, and proposed amendments to the
note documents. Beneficial owners may ascertain that the nominee
holding the global notes for their benefit has agreed to obtain
and transmit notices to beneficial owners or beneficial owners
may provide their names and addresses to the registrar and
request that copies of notices be provided directly to them.
Principal and interest payments on interests represented by the
global notes will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may
be, as the registered owner of such global notes. None of
ConAgra Foods, the Trustee or any other agent of ConAgra Foods
or agent of the Trustee will have any responsibility or
liability for any facet of the records relating to or payments
made on account of beneficial ownership of interests. We
S-22
expect that DTC, upon receipt of any payment of principal or
interest in respect of the global notes, will immediately credit
participants accounts with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in such
global notes as shown on the records of DTC. We also expect that
payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in
the global notes held through such participants will be governed
by standing customer instructions and customary practice, as is
now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers
in bearer form or registered in street name, and
will be the responsibility of such participants.
If DTC is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as
depository for the global notes, and we fail to appoint a
successor depository registered as a clearing agency under the
Exchange Act within 90 days, we will issue notes in
definitive form in exchange for the global notes. Any notes
issued in definitive form in exchange for the global notes will
be registered in such name or names, and will be issued in
denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 as DTC
shall instruct the Trustee. It is expected that such
instructions will be based upon directions received by DTC from
participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests
in the global notes.
DTC has advised us that DTC is a limited purpose trust company
organized under the Banking Law of the State of New York, a
banking organization within the meaning of the New
York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a
clearing corporation within the meaning of the New
York Uniform Commercial Code and a clearing agency
registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the
Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold the securities of its
participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of
transactions among its participants in such securities through
electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants,
thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities
certificates. DTCs participants include securities brokers
and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and
certain other organizations, some of which (and/or their
representatives) directly or indirectly own DTC. Access to the
DTC book-entry system is also available to others, such as
banks, brokers and dealers and trust companies that clear
through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant,
either directly or indirectly.
S-23
CERTAIN MATERIAL
UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of certain United States federal
income and certain estate tax considerations relating to the
ownership and disposition of the notes. It is not a complete
analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating to the
notes. This summary is based upon the provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, Treasury
Regulations promulgated under the Code, and currently effective
administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all relating to
the United States federal income tax treatment of debt
instruments. These authorities may be changed, perhaps with
retroactive effect, so as to result in United States federal
income tax consequences different from those set forth below.
This summary assumes that you purchased your outstanding notes
upon their initial issuance at their initial offering price and
that you held your outstanding notes, and you will hold your
notes, as capital assets for United States federal income tax
purposes. This summary does not address the tax considerations
arising under the laws of any foreign, state or local
jurisdiction. In addition, this discussion does not address all
tax considerations that may be applicable to holders
particular circumstances or to holders that may be subject to
special tax rules, such as, for example:
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holders subject to the alternative minimum tax;
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banks, insurance companies, or other financial institutions;
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tax-exempt organizations;
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dealers in securities or commodities;
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expatriates;
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traders in securities that elect to use a
mark-to-market
method of accounting for their securities holdings;
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holders whose functional currency is not the United States
dollar;
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persons that will hold the notes as a position in a hedging
transaction, straddle, conversion transaction or other risk
reduction transaction;
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persons deemed to sell the notes under the constructive sale
provisions of the Code; or
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partnerships or other pass-through entities.
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If a partnership holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner in
the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the
partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a
partner of a partnership that will hold notes, you should
consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the
notes to you.
This summary of certain United States federal income tax
considerations is for general information only and is not tax
advice. You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect
to the application of United States federal income tax laws to
your particular situation as well as any tax consequences
arising under the United States federal estate or gift tax rules
or under the laws of any state, local, foreign or other taxing
jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty.
Consequences
to U.S. Holders
The following is a summary of the general United States federal
income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a
U.S. Holder of the notes. Certain consequences
to
Non-U.S. Holders
of the notes are described under Consequences
to
Non-U.S. Holders,
below. U.S. Holder means a beneficial owner of
a note that is, for United States federal income tax purposes:
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a citizen or resident of the United States;
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a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for
United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized
in or under the laws of the United States or any political
subdivision of the United States;
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S-24
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an estate the income of which is subject to United States
federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
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a trust that (1) is subject to the supervision of a court
within the United States and the control of one or more
U.S. persons or (2) has a valid election in effect
under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a
U.S. person.
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Payments
of Interest
Stated interest on the notes will generally be taxable to you as
ordinary income at the time it is paid or accrued in accordance
with your method of accounting for United States federal income
tax purposes.
Disposition
of Notes
Upon the sale, exchange, redemption or other taxable disposition
of a note, you generally will recognize taxable gain or loss
equal to the difference between the amount realized on such
disposition (except to the extent any amount realized is
attributable to accrued but unpaid interest, which is treated as
interest as described above) and your adjusted tax basis in the
note. A U.S. Holders adjusted tax basis in a note
generally will equal the cost of the note to such holder.
Gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a note generally
will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain
or loss if, at the time of such disposition, the
U.S. Holders holding period for the note is more than
12 months. The deductibility of capital losses by
U.S. Holders is subject to certain limitations.
Information
Reporting and Backup Withholding
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to
certain payments of principal, premium (if any) and interest on
and the proceeds of certain sales of notes unless you are an
exempt recipient. A backup withholding tax (currently at a rate
of 28%) will apply to such payments if you fail to provide your
taxpayer identification number or certification of exempt status
or have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS,
that payments to you are subject to backup withholding.
Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will
generally be allowed as a refund or a credit against your United
States federal income tax liability provided that you furnish
the required information to the IRS on a timely basis.
Consequences
to Non-U.S.
Holders
Non-U.S.
Holders
As used in this prospectus supplement, the term
Non-U.S. Holder
means a beneficial owner of a note (other than an entity treated
as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that
is not a U.S. Holder.
If a partnership, including any entity treated as a partnership
for United States federal income tax purposes, is a holder of a
note, the United States federal income tax treatment of a
partner in such a partnership will generally depend on the
status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.
Partners in such a partnership should consult their tax advisors
as to the particular United States federal income tax
consequences applicable to them of acquiring, holding or
disposing of the notes.
Under United States federal income and estate tax law, and
subject to the discussion of backup withholding below, if you
are a
Non-U.S. Holder
of a note:
We generally will not be required to deduct United States
withholding tax from payments of interest to you if:
1. you do not actually or constructively own 10% or
more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our
stock entitled to vote,
S-25
2. you are not a controlled foreign corporation that
is directly or indirectly related to us through stock ownership,
3. you are not a bank whose receipt of interest on a
note is pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the
ordinary course of business, and
4. the United States payor does not have actual
knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States
person and:
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you have furnished to the United States payor an IRS
Form W-8BEN
or an acceptable substitute form upon which you certify, under
penalties of perjury, that you are a
non-United
States person,
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in the case of payments made outside the United States to you at
an offshore account (generally, an account maintained by you at
a bank or other financial institution at any location outside
the United States), you have furnished to the
U.S. payor documentation that establishes your identity and
your status as a
non-United
States person,
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the United States payor has received a withholding certificate
(furnished on an appropriate IRS
Form W-8
or an acceptable substitute form or statement) from a person
claiming to be a (1) withholding foreign partnership,
(2) qualified intermediary, or (3) securities clearing
organization, bank or other financial institution that holds
customers securities in the ordinary course of its trade
or business, and such person is permitted to certify under
United States Treasury regulations, and does certify, either
that it assumes primary withholding tax responsibility with
respect to the interest payment or has received an IRS
Form W-8BEN
(or acceptable substitute form) from you or from other holders
of notes on whose behalf it is receiving payment, or
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the United States payor otherwise possesses documentation upon
which it may rely to treat the payment as made to a
non-United
States person in accordance with United States Treasury
regulations.
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If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments
of interest made to you on the notes will be subject to the 30%
United States federal withholding tax, unless you provide us
either with (1) a properly executed IRS
Form W-8BEN
(or successor form) claiming an exemption from (or a reduction
of) withholding under the benefit of an applicable tax treaty or
(2) a properly executed IRS
Form W-8ECI
(or successor form) stating that interest paid on the note is
not subject to withholding tax because the interest is
effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business
in the United States (and, generally in the case of an
applicable tax treaty, attributable to your permanent
establishment in the United States).
Generally, no deduction for any United States federal
withholding tax will be made from any principal payments or from
gain that you realize on the sale, exchange or other disposition
of your note. In addition, a
Non-U.S. Holder
of a note will not be subject to United States federal income
tax on gain realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition
of such note, unless: (1) that gain or income is
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in
the United States by the
Non-U.S. Holder
or (2) the
Non-U.S. Holder
is an individual who is present in the United States for
183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition,
and certain other conditions are met. If you are described in
clause (1), see Income or Gain Effectively
Connected with a United States Trade or Business, below.
If you are described in clause (2), any gain realized from the
sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable
disposition of the notes will be subject to United States
federal income tax at a 30% rate (or lower applicable treaty
rate), which may be offset by certain losses.
Further, generally, a note held by an individual who at death is
not a citizen or resident of the United States should not be
includible in the individuals gross estate for United
States federal estate tax purposes if:
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the decedent did not actually or constructively own 10% or more
of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock
entitled to vote at the time of death, and
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the income on the note would not have been, if received at the
time of death, effectively connected with a United States trade
or business of the decedent.
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S-26
Income
or Gain Effectively Connected with a United States Trade or
Business
If any interest on the notes or gain from the sale, redemption,
exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of the notes
is effectively connected with a United States trade or business
conducted by you (and, generally in the case of an applicable
tax treaty, attributable to your permanent establishment in the
United States), then the income or gain will be subject to
United States federal income tax at regular graduated income tax
rates, but will not be subject to United States withholding tax
if certain certification requirements are satisfied. You can
generally meet these certification requirements by providing a
properly executed IRS
Form W-8ECI
or appropriate substitute form to us, or our paying agent. If
you are a corporation, the portion of your earnings and profits
that is effectively connected with your United States trade or
business (and, generally in the case of an applicable tax
treaty, attributable to your permanent establishment in the
United States) may be subject to an additional branch
profits tax at a 30% rate, although an applicable tax
treaty may provide for a lower rate.
Backup
Withholding and Information Reporting
Generally, information returns will be filed with the United
States IRS in connection with payments on the notes and proceeds
from the sale or other disposition of the notes. You may be
subject to backup withholding tax on these payments unless you
comply with certain certification procedures to establish that
you are not a United States person. The certification procedures
required to claim an exemption from withholding tax on interest
described above will satisfy the certification requirements
necessary to avoid backup withholding as well. The amount of any
backup withholding from a payment to you will be allowed as a
credit against your United States federal income tax liability
and may entitle you to a refund, provided that the required
information is furnished to the IRS.
S-27
CERTAIN ERISA
CONSIDERATIONS
The following summary regarding certain aspects of the United
States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended, or ERISA, and the Code is based on ERISA
and the Code, judicial decisions and United States Department of
Labor and IRS regulations and rulings that are in existence on
the date of this prospectus supplement. This summary is general
in nature and does not address every issue pertaining to ERISA
or the Code that may be applicable to us, the notes or a
particular investor. Accordingly, each prospective investor
should consult with his, her or its own counsel in order to
understand the issues relating to ERISA and the Code that affect
or may affect the investor with respect to this investment.
ERISA and the Code impose certain requirements on employee
benefit plans that are subject to Title I of ERISA and
plans subject to Section 4975 of the Code (each such
employee benefit plan or plan, a Plan), on entities
whose underlying assets include plan assets by reason of a
Plans investment in such entities and on those persons who
are fiduciaries as defined in Section 3(21) of
ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code with respect to Plans.
In considering an investment of the assets of a Plan subject to
Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA in the notes,
a fiduciary must, among other things, discharge its duties
solely in the interest of the participants of such Plan and
their beneficiaries and for the exclusive purpose of providing
benefits to such participants and beneficiaries and defraying
reasonable expenses of administering the Plan. A fiduciary must
act prudently and must diversify the investments of a Plan
subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA so
as to minimize the risk of large losses, as well as discharge
its duties in accordance with the documents and instruments
governing such Plan. In addition, ERISA generally requires
fiduciaries to hold all assets of a Plan subject to Part 4
of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA in trust and to maintain
the indicia of ownership of such assets within the jurisdiction
of the district courts of the United States. A fiduciary of a
Plan subject to Part 4 of Subtitle B of Title I of
ERISA should consider whether an investment in the notes
satisfies these requirements.
An investor who is considering acquiring the notes with the
assets of a Plan must consider whether the acquisition and
holding of the notes will constitute or result in a non-exempt
prohibited transaction. Section 406(a) of ERISA and
Sections 4975(c)(1)(A), (B), (C) and (D) of the
Code prohibit certain transactions that involve a Plan and a
party in interest as defined in Section 3(14)
of ERISA or a disqualified person as defined in
Section 4975(e)(2) of the Code with respect to such Plan.
Examples of such prohibited transactions include, but are not
limited to, sales or exchanges of property (such as the notes)
or extensions of credit between a Plan and a party in interest
or disqualified person. Section 406(b) of ERISA and
Sections 4975(c)(1)(E) and (F) of the Code generally
prohibit a fiduciary with respect to a Plan from dealing with
the assets of the Plan for its own benefit (for example when a
fiduciary of a Plan uses its position to cause the Plan to make
investments in connection with which the fiduciary (or a party
related to the fiduciary) receives a fee or other consideration).
ERISA and the Code contain certain exemptions from the
prohibited transactions described above, and the Department of
Labor has issued several exemptions, although certain exemptions
do not provide relief from the prohibitions on self-dealing
contained in Section 406(b) of ERISA and
Sections 4975(c)(1)(E) and (F) of the Code. Exemptions
include Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and
Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code pertaining to certain
transactions with non-fiduciary service providers; Department of
Labor Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption (PTCE)
95-60,
applicable to transactions involving insurance company general
accounts;
PTCE 90-1,
regarding investments by insurance company pooled separate
accounts;
PTCE 91-38,
regarding investments by bank collective investment funds;
PTCE 84-14,
regarding investments effected by a qualified professional asset
manager; and
PTCE 96-23,
regarding investments effected by an in-house asset manager.
There can be no assurance that any of these exemptions will be
available with respect to the acquisition of the notes. Under
Section 4975 of the Code, excise taxes are imposed on
disqualified persons who participate in non-exempt prohibited
transactions (other than a fiduciary acting only as such) and
such transactions may have to be rescinded.
As a general rule, a governmental plan, as defined in
Section 3(32) of ERISA (each, a Governmental
Plan), a church plan, as defined in Section 3(33) of
ERISA, that has not made an election under Section 410(d)
of the Code (each, a Church Plan) and a plan
maintained outside the United States primarily for the benefit
of persons substantially all of whom are nonresident aliens
(each, a
non-United
States Plan)
S-28
are not subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of
the Code. Accordingly, assets of such plans may be invested
without regard to the fiduciary and prohibited transaction
considerations described above. Although a Governmental Plan, a
Church Plan or a
non-United
States Plan is not subject to Title I of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code, it may be subject to other United
States federal, state or local laws or
non-United
States laws that regulate its investments (a Similar
Law). A fiduciary of a Government Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-United
States Plan should consider whether investing in the notes
satisfies the requirements, if any, under any applicable Similar
Law.
The notes may be acquired by a Plan, a Governmental Plan, a
Church Plan, a
non-United
States Plan or an entity whose underlying assets include the
assets of a Plan, a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-United
States Plan, but only if the acquisition will not result in a
non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code or a violation of Similar Law.
Therefore, any investor in the notes will be deemed to represent
and warrant to us and the trustee that (1)(a) it is not
(i) a Plan, (ii) a Governmental Plan, (iii) a
Church Plan, (iv) a
non-United
States Plan or (v) an entity whose underlying assets
include the assets of a Plan, a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan
or a
non-United
States Plan, (b) it is a Plan or an entity whose underlying
assets include the assets of a Plan and the acquisition and
holding of the notes will not result in a non-exempt prohibited
transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975
of the Code, or (c) it is a Governmental Plan, a Church
Plan, a
non-United
States Plan or an entity whose underlying assets include the
assets of a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-United
States Plan that is not subject to (i) ERISA,
(ii) Section 4975 of the Code or (iii) any
Similar Law that prohibits or imposes excise or penalty taxes on
the acquisition or holding of the notes; and (2) it will
notify us and the trustee immediately if, at any time, it is no
longer able to make the representations contained in
clause (1) above. Any purported transfer of the notes to a
transferee that does not comply with the foregoing requirements
shall be null and void ab initio.
This offer is not a representation by us or the underwriters
that an acquisition of the notes meets any or all legal
requirements applicable to investments by Plans, Governmental
Plans, Church Plans,
non-United
States Plans or entities whose underlying assets include the
assets of a Plan, a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-United
States Plan or that such an investment is appropriate for any
particular Plan, Governmental Plan, Church Plan,
non-United
States Plan or entity whose underlying assets include the assets
of a Plan, a Governmental Plan, a Church Plan or a
non-United
States Plan.
S-29
UNDERWRITING
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the
underwriting agreement dated April 6, 2009 among us and the
underwriters, each of the underwriters named below, for whom
Banc of America Securities LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc. are acting as representatives, has severally agreed to
purchase from us the principal amount of notes set forth
opposite its name below.
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Principal Amount
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Principal Amount
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of 2014 Senior Notes to be
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of 2019 Senior Notes to be
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Underwriters
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Purchased
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Purchased
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Banc of America Securities LLC
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$
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175,000,000
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$
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175,000,000
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J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
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175,000,000
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175,000,000
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BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
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37,500,000
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37,500,000
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Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
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37,500,000
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37,500,000
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RBS Securities Inc.
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37,500,000
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37,500,000
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Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
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37,500,000
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37,500,000
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Total:
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$
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500,000,000
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$
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500,000,000
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The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the
several underwriters thereunder are subject to approval of
certain legal matters by counsel and to various other
conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase and
accept delivery of all of the notes if they purchase any of the
notes.
The underwriters propose to offer the notes directly to the
public at the public offering prices set forth on the cover page
of this prospectus supplement and to certain securities dealers
at such prices less a concession not in excess of 0.350% per
2014 senior note and 0.400% per 2019 senior note. The
underwriters may allow, and such dealers may re-allow,
concessions not in excess of 0.225% per 2014 senior note and
0.250% per 2019 senior note on sales to other dealers. After the
offering of the notes, the public offering prices, concessions
and other selling terms may be changed by the underwriters. The
notes are offered subject to receipt and acceptance by the
underwriters and to certain other conditions, including the
right to reject orders in whole or in part.
The following table shows the underwriting discounts and
commissions that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection
with the offering of the notes (expressed as a percentage of the
principal amount of the notes and in total):
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Paid by ConAgra
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Foods, Inc.
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Per 2014 senior note
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0.60
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%
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Per 2019 senior note
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0.65
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%
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Total
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$
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6,250,000
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We estimate that our total expenses for this offering, excluding
underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately
$330,000.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain
liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 or to contribute to
payments that the underwriters may be required to make in
respect thereof.
The notes are new issues of securities with no established
trading markets. The notes will not be listed on any securities
exchange or on any automated dealer quotation system. The
underwriters may make a market in the notes of each series after
completion of the offering, but will not be obligated to do so
and may discontinue any market-making activities at any time
without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of
the trading markets for the notes or that active public markets
for the notes will develop. If active public trading markets for
the notes do not develop, the market prices and liquidity of the
notes may be adversely affected.
In connection with the offering of the notes, certain of the
underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain
or otherwise affect the price of the notes. Specifically, the
underwriters may over-allot in
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connection with the offering, creating a short position. In
addition, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the notes
in the open market to cover short positions or to stabilize the
prices of the notes. Any of these activities may stabilize or
maintain the market prices of the notes above independent market
levels, but no representation is made hereby of the magnitude of
any effect that the transactions described above may have on the
market prices of the notes. The underwriters will not be
required to engage in these activities, and may engage in these
activities, and may end any of these activities at any time
without notice.
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area
which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a
Relevant Member State), each underwriter has
represented and agreed that with effect from and including the
date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that
Relevant Member State (the Relevant Implementation
Date), it has not made and will not make an offer of the
notes to the public in that Relevant Member State, prior to the
publication of a prospectus in relation to the notes which has
been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member
State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member
State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant
Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive,
except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant
Implementation Date, make an offer of notes to the public in
that Relevant Member State of any notes at any time:
(a) to legal entities which are authorized or
regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so
authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to
invest in securities;
(b) to any legal entity which has two or more of
(1) an average of at least 250 employees during the
last financial year (2) a total balance sheet of more than
43 million and (3) an annual net turnover of
more than 50 million, as shown in its last annual or
consolidated accounts;
(c) to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other
than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus
Directive); or
(d) in any other circumstances which do not require
the publication of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3(2) of
the Prospectus Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an
offer of notes to the public in relation to any
notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in
any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms
of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an
investor to decide to purchase the notes, as the same may be
varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the
Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression
Prospectus Directive means Directive
2003/71/EC
and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant
Member State.
In addition, each underwriter has represented and agreed that:
(i) it has complied and will comply with all
applicable provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act
2000 (the FSMA) with respect to anything done by it
in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the
United Kingdom;
(ii) it has only communicated or caused to be
communicated and will only communicate or cause to be
communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment
activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA)
received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the notes
in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does
not apply to ConAgra Foods; and
(iii) in relation to any notes which have a maturity
of less than one year, (a) it is a person whose ordinary
activities involve it in acquiring, holding, managing or
disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the
purposes of its business and (b) it has not offered or sold
and will not offer or sell any notes other than to persons whose
ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing
or disposing of
S-31
investments (as principal or as agent) for the purposes of their
businesses or who it is reasonable to expect will acquire, hold,
manage or dispose of investments (as principal or agent) for the
purposes of their businesses where the issue of the notes would
otherwise constitute a contravention of Section 19 of the
FSMA by ConAgra Foods.
The underwriters and their affiliates have provided, are
currently providing and in the future may continue to provide
investment banking, commercial banking and other financial
services, including the provision of credit facilities, to us in
the ordinary course of business for which they have received and
will receive customary compensation. In connection with our
revolving credit facility, Bank of America, N.A. (an affiliate
of Banc of America Securities LLC) acts as syndication
agent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (an affiliate of
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.) acts as administrative agent
and Merrill Lynch Bank USA (an affiliate of Banc of America
Securities LLC) acts as co-documentation agent, and
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities
LLC each acted as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners.
Each of the other underwriters (or their affiliates) also acts
or has acted as a lender thereunder. Banc of America Securities
LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. are acting as dealer
managers with respect to our offers to purchase our 2027 senior
notes, 2010 senior notes and 2011 senior notes. In the ordinary
course of business, Banc of America Securities LLC and
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and their respective affiliates
may participate in loans and actively trade the debt and equity
securities of ConAgra Foods for their own account or for the
accounts of customers and, accordingly, Banc of America
Securities LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and their
respective affiliates may at any time hold long or short
positions in such securities.
S-32
LEGAL
MATTERS
Jones Day will pass upon the validity of the notes for ConAgra
Foods. Certain legal matters relating to the offering of the
notes will be passed upon for the underwriters by Sidley Austin
LLP.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and the financial
statement schedule of ConAgra Foods, Inc. and its subsidiaries
as of May 25, 2008 and May 27, 2007 and for each of
the years in the three-year period ended May 25, 2008 and
managements annual report on internal control over
financial reporting as of May 25, 2008 have been
incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of
KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, and
upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and
auditing.
The reports of KPMG LLP on the consolidated financial statements
and financial statement schedule contain an explanatory
paragraph that refers to the Companys adoption of
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation
No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
an interpretation of FASB Statement
No. 109; Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(SFAS) No. 158, Employers Accounting for
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement
Plans an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87,
88, 106 and 132(R); and SFAS No. 123 (revised
2004), Share-Based Payment.
S-33
PROSPECTUS
$4,000,000,000
Common
Stock
Preferred Stock
Senior Debt Securities
Subordinated Debt
Securities
We may from time to time offer and sell, in one or more
offerings, up to $4,000,000,000 aggregate dollar amount of our
common stock, preferred stock, senior debt securities,
subordinated debt securities, or any combination of these
securities. This prospectus describes some of the general terms
that may apply to these securities. We will provide specific
terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. The
prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information
contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to
sell securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus
supplement. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus
supplement carefully before you invest.
We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more
underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to other
purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol CAG.
You should carefully consider the risk factors included in
any accompanying prospectus supplement and in the reports we
file with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are
incorporated in this prospectus by reference for certain risks
and uncertainties you should consider.
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 April 2, 2009.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any
accompanying prospectus supplement or in any related free
writing prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you
with different information with respect to this offering. This
document may only be used where it is legal to sell these
securities. You should only assume that the information in this
prospectus or in any prospectus supplement is accurate as of the
date on the front of those documents. Our business, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed
since that date. We are not making an offer of these securities
in any state where the offer is not permitted.
ABOUT
THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is a part of a shelf registration statement that
we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC,
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. By using a shelf
registration statement, we may sell any combination of the
securities described in this prospectus in one or more
offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general
description of the securities we may offer. Each time we use
this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a
prospectus supplement that will describe the specific amounts,
prices and terms of the securities being offered. The prospectus
supplement may also add, update or change information contained
in this prospectus. Therefore, if there is any inconsistency
between the information in this prospectus and the prospectus
supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus
supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any
prospectus supplement together with additional information
described under the heading Where You Can Find More
Information.
References in this prospectus to ConAgra,
ConAgra Foods, the Company,
we, us, or our refer to
ConAgra Foods, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
RISK
FACTORS
Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus
involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors
set forth under the caption risk factors in the
applicable prospectus supplement and incorporated by reference
to our most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K
and the other information contained in this prospectus, as
updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and the risk factors and other
information contained in the applicable prospectus supplement
before acquiring any of such securities.
THE
COMPANY
We are one of North Americas leading packaged food
companies, serving grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and
other foodservice establishments. We report our operations in
two reporting segments: Consumer Foods and Commercial Foods.
Our Consumer Foods reporting segment includes branded, private
label, and customized food products that are sold in various
retail and foodservice channels, principally in North America.
The products include a variety of categories (meals, entrees,
condiments, sides, snacks, and desserts) across frozen,
refrigerated, and shelf-stable temperature classes. The segment
is comprised of and managed through five subsegments as
described below:
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Grocery Foods North America includes
branded and customized refrigerated or shelf-stable food
products that are sold in various retail and foodservice
channels across the United States. Major brands include:
Angela
Mia®,
Chef
Boyardee®,
Egg
Beaters®,
Healthy
Choice®
Fresh
Mixers®,
Hebrew
National®,
Hunts®,
Manwich®,
PAM®,
Snack
Pack®,
Reddi-wip®,
Rosarita®,
Ro*Tel®,
Swiss
Miss®,
and Van
Camps®.
The segment also includes the consumer foods businesses in
Mexico and Canada which distribute packaged foods that are both
locally manufactured and imported from the United States.
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Frozen Foods includes branded and
customized frozen food products that are sold in various retail
and foodservice channels across the United States. Major brands
include:
Alexia®,
Banquet®,
Healthy
Choice®,
Kid
Cuisine®,
and Marie
Callenders®.
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Snacks and Store Brands includes
branded popcorn, meats, seeds, and specialty snacks, as well as
private label food products that are sold in various retail and
foodservice channels across the United States. Major brands
include: ACT
II®,
DAVID®,
Orville
Redenbachers®,
and Slim
Jim®.
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Enabler Brands includes national and
regional branded food products across shelf-stable,
refrigerated, and frozen temperature classes. Products are sold
in various retail and foodservice channels across the United
States. Major brands include: Blue
Bonnet®,
La Choy®,
Libbys®,
The
Max®,
Parkay®,
and
Wesson®.
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Domestic Export includes branded
shelf-stable food products sold through distributors in various
markets throughout the world.
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The Consumer Foods supply chain and order-to-cash
functions are centrally managed and largely integrated.
Accordingly, we do not maintain balance sheets at the subsegment
level.
Our Commercial Foods reporting segment includes commercially
branded foods and ingredients, which are sold principally to
foodservice, food manufacturing, and industrial customers. Our
Commercial Foods segments primary products include
specialty potato products, milled grain ingredients, a variety
of vegetable products, seasonings, blends, and flavors which are
sold under brands such as ConAgra
Mills®,
Lamb
Weston®,
Gilroy
Foods®,
and
Spicetec®.
The contributions of each reporting segment to net sales,
operating profit, and the identifiable assets are set forth in
Note 20 Business Segments and Related
Information to the consolidated financial statements
included in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended May 25, 2008, as revised in our
Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on November 25, 2008.
We are in the process of implementing operational improvement
initiatives that are intended to generate profitable sales
growth, improve profit margins, and expand returns on capital
over time. Various improvement initiatives focused on marketing,
operating efficiency, and business processes have been underway
for several years.
We currently have the following strategies:
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monitoring the challenging input cost environment and
considering implementing pricing actions as appropriate to
offset the effects;
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increased and more focused marketing and innovation investments;
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sales growth initiatives focused on penetrating the fastest
growing channels, achieving better return on customer trade
arrangements, and optimal shelf placement for our most
profitable products; and
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reducing costs throughout the supply chain and the general and
administrative functions.
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Also, in recent years we divested non-core operations that had
limited our ability to achieve our efficiency targets. Divesting
these operations is helping to simplify our operations and
enhance efficiency initiatives going forward. In fiscal 2008, we
acquired Alexia Foods, Lincoln Snacks, Watts Brothers, and Twin
City Foods for a total of approximately $255 million in
cash plus assumed liabilities, enhancing our Consumer Foods and
Commercial Foods portfolios.
* * * *
We were initially incorporated as a Nebraska corporation in 1919
and were reincorporated as a Delaware corporation in December of
1975. Our principal executive offices are located at One ConAgra
Drive, Omaha, NE
68102-5001,
and our main telephone number is
(402) 595-4000.
For additional information concerning ConAgra, please see our
most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K
and our other filings with the SEC, which are incorporated by
reference into this document. See Where You Can Find More
Information.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by
reference, contains forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are based on managements
current views and assumptions of future events and financial
performance and are subject to uncertainty and changes in
circumstances. Words such as believe,
estimate, project, expect,
anticipate, may, will,
could and should, and variations of such
words and other similar expressions, are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements
to be materially different from any future results, performance
or
2
achievements expressed or implied in or by such forward-looking
statements. In addition to the risk factors incorporated by
reference into this prospectus, important factors that could
cause our actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include, among others:
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availability and prices of raw materials;
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effectiveness of product pricing;
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future economic circumstances;
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industry conditions;
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our performance and financial results;
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competitive environment and related market conditions;
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operating efficiencies;
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the ultimate impact of any product recalls;
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access to capital; and
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actions of governments and regulatory factors affecting our
businesses.
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The forward-looking statements in this prospectus and the
documents incorporated by reference speak only as of the date of
the document in which the forward-looking statement is made, and
we undertake no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future developments or otherwise, except as
required by applicable law.
USE OF
PROCEEDS
Unless we otherwise state in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds we receive from
the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus and the
accompanying prospectus supplement(s) for our operations and for
general corporate purposes.
Until the net proceeds have been used, we expect to invest them
in short-term marketable securities.
RATIO OF
EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the last five
fiscal years and for the thirteen weeks ended August 24,
2008 are set forth below.
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Thirteen
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Weeks Ended
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August 24,
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Fiscal Years Ended
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2008
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2008
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2007
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2006
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2005
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2004
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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3.3
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3.3
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3.3
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3.1
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2.9
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2.8
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For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed
charges, earnings is the amount resulting from (1) adding
(a) income from continuing operations before income taxes,
equity method investment earnings (loss), and cumulative effect
of changes in accounting, (b) fixed charges and
(c) distributed income of equity method investees and
(2) subtracting (i) capitalized interest and
(ii) preferred distributions of subsidiary. Fixed charges
is the sum of (x) interest expense, (y) capitalized
interest, and (z) an estimate of the interest within rental
expense.
Because we have no preferred stock issued (and have not had any
issued during the fiscal years or periods shown above), a ratio
of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred dividends is
not presented.
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DESCRIPTION
OF CAPITAL STOCK
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of
1,200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $5.00 per
share; 150,000 shares of Class B preferred stock,
$50.00 par value; 250,000 shares of Class C
preferred stock, $100.00 par value; 1,100,000 shares
of Class D preferred stock, without par value; and
16,550,000 shares of Class E preferred stock, without
par value. On October 19, 2008 there were
447,088,936 shares of our common stock outstanding and no
shares of our preferred stock outstanding.
Dividends
on Capital Stock
The board of directors may declare and pay dividends on our
common stock out of funds legally available for that purpose,
subject to the rights of holders of preferred stock.
Preferred
Stock
We may issue preferred stock in series with rights and
preferences as authorized by our board of directors. We will
distribute a prospectus supplement with regard to each series of
preferred stock offered under this prospectus. Each prospectus
supplement will describe, as to the preferred stock to which it
relates:
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the title of the series;
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the voting rights of the holders of the preferred stock;
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the dividends, if any, which will be payable with regard to the
series;
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the terms, if any, on which the series may or will be redeemed;
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the preference, if any, to which holders of the series will be
entitled upon our liquidation;
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the right, if any, of holders of the series to convert them into
another class of our stock or securities; and
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any other material terms of the series.
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Common
Stock
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol CAG. The holders of our common stock are
entitled to one vote for each share. Upon liquidation, the
holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in
assets available for distribution to stockholders after
satisfaction of any liquidation preferences of any outstanding
preferred stock. The issuance of any shares of any series of
preferred stock in future financings, acquisitions or otherwise
may result in dilution of voting power and relative equity
interest of the holders of shares of our common stock and will
subject our common stock to the prior dividend and liquidation
rights of the outstanding shares of the series of preferred
stock.
The shares of our common stock offered under this prospectus
will be fully paid and non-assessable. Our common stock has no
conversion rights nor are there any redemption or sinking fund
provisions with respect to the common stock. Holders of our
common stock have no pre-emptive right to subscribe for or
purchase any additional stock or securities of ConAgra Foods.
Provisions
of Our Certificate of Incorporation and Delaware Law That May
Have an Anti-Takeover Effect
Article XII of our certificate of incorporation prescribes
relevant factors, including social and economic effects on
employees, customers, suppliers and other constituents of
ConAgra Foods, to be considered by the board of directors when
reviewing any proposal by another corporation to acquire or
combine with ConAgra Foods.
4
Article XIII of our certificate of incorporation requires
that any action required or permitted to be taken by ConAgra
Foods stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or
special meeting of the stockholders and may not be effected by a
consent in writing by the stockholders.
Article XIV of our certificate of incorporation provides in
general that any direct or indirect purchase by ConAgra Foods or
any subsidiary of ConAgra Foods of any of its voting stock, as
defined in Article XIV, or rights to acquire voting stock,
known to be beneficially owned by any person or group that holds
more than 3% of a class of its voting stock, referred to in this
paragraph as an interested stockholder, and that has owned the
securities being purchased for less than two years, must be
approved by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the
votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the voting stock,
excluding voting stock held by an interested stockholder.
Article XVIII is intended to prevent greenmail,
which is a term used to describe the accumulation of a block of
a corporations stock by a speculator and the subsequent
attempt by the speculator to coerce the corporation into
repurchasing its shares, typically at a substantial premium over
the market price.
We are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203
prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a
business combination with an interested
stockholder for a period of three years following the time
that the person became an interested stockholder, unless:
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prior to the time that the person became an interested
stockholder the corporations board of directors approved
either the business combination or the transaction that resulted
in the stockholders becoming an interested stockholder;
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upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the
stockholders becoming an interested stockholder, the
stockholder owned at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock
of the corporation at the time the transaction commenced,
excluding for the purpose of determining the number of shares
outstanding those shares owned by the corporations
officers and directors and by employee stock plans in which
employee participants do not have the right to determine
confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be
tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
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at or subsequent to the time, the business combination is
approved by the corporations board of directors and
authorized at an annual or special meeting of its stockholders,
and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least
662/3%
of its outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the
interested stockholder.
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A business combination includes mergers, asset sales
or other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the
stockholder. An interested stockholder is a person
who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or within
three years did own) 15% or more of the corporations
voting stock.
The provisions of our certificate of incorporation and Delaware
law described in this section may be deemed to have
anti-takeover effects. These provisions may discourage or make
more difficult an attempt by a stockholder or other entity to
acquire control of ConAgra Foods. These provisions may also make
more difficult an attempt by a stockholder or other entity to
remove management.
DESCRIPTION
OF DEBT SECURITIES
Indentures
Our debt securities will be issued under one of the following
indentures:
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a senior debt indenture, dated as of October 8, 1990,
between us and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association)), as trustee; or
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a subordinated debt indenture, dated as of March 10, 1994,
between us and U.S. Bank National Association (as successor
to First Trust National Association) as trustee.
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We refer to The Bank of New York Mellon and U.S. Bank
National Association in this prospectus as the trustee or
trustees.
Debt
Securities May Be Senior or Subordinated
We may issue senior or subordinated debt securities. The senior
debt securities will constitute part of our senior debt, will be
issued under our senior debt indenture and will rank on a parity
with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The
subordinated debt securities will be issued under our
subordinated debt indenture and will be subordinate and junior
in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness, as
described below. If this prospectus is being delivered in
connection with a series of subordinated debt securities, the
accompanying prospectus supplement or the information we
incorporate in this prospectus by reference will indicate the
approximate amount of senior indebtedness outstanding as of the
end of the most recent fiscal quarter. We refer to our senior
debt indenture and our subordinated debt indenture individually
as an indenture and collectively as the
indentures.
We have summarized below the material provisions of the
indentures and the debt securities, or indicated which material
provisions will be described in the related prospectus
supplement. These descriptions are only summaries, and each
investor should refer to the applicable indenture, which
describes completely the terms and definitions summarized below
and contains additional information regarding the debt
securities.
Any reference to particular sections or defined terms of the
applicable indenture in any statement under this heading
qualifies the entire statement and incorporates by reference the
applicable section or definition into that statement. The
indentures are substantially identical, except for the
provisions relating to limitations on liens and limitations on
sales and leasebacks, which are included in the senior debt
indenture only, and to subordination, which are included in the
subordinated debt indenture only.
General
The indentures do not limit the amount of debentures, notes or
other evidences of indebtedness that we may issue under the
indentures. Debt securities may be issued under the indentures
from time to time in one or more series.
You should look in the prospectus supplement for the following
terms of the debt securities:
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classification as senior or subordinated debt securities and the
specific designation of such securities;
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the aggregate principal amount and purchase price;
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the currency in which the debt securities are denominated
and/or in
which principal, any premium and any interest are payable;
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the date or dates on which the debt securities will mature and
any right to extend such date or dates;
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the rate or rates, or the method by which such rate will be
determined, at which the debt securities will bear interest, if
any, and the dates on which any such interest will be payable;
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the place or places where the principal of, interest and
premium, if any, on the debt securities will be payable;
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the period or periods, if any, within which, the price or prices
at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, the debt
securities may be put, called or redeemed, in whole or in part,
at our option or at your option;
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whether the debt securities will be issued in registered form or
bearer form and, if debt securities in bearer form are issued,
restrictions applicable to the exchange of one form for another
and to the offer, sale and delivery of debt securities in bearer
form;
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whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional
amounts on debt securities held by a person who is not a
U.S. person in respect of any tax, assessment or
governmental charge withheld or
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deducted, and if so, whether we will have the option to redeem
such debt securities rather than pay such additional amounts;
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provisions for a sinking, or purchase or analogous fund; and
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any other specific terms of the debt securities, including any
additional events of default or covenants with respect to debt
securities, and any terms which may be required by or advisable
under United States laws or regulations.
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You may present debt securities for exchange and you may present
registered debt securities for transfer in the manner, at the
places and subject to the restrictions set forth in the debt
securities and the prospectus supplement. We will provide you
those services without charge, although you may have to pay any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with any
exchange or transfer, as set forth in the indentures. Debt
securities in bearer form and any related coupons will be
transferable by delivery.
Debt securities will bear interest at a fixed rate or a floating
rate. Debt securities bearing no interest or interest at a rate
which, at the time of issuance, is below the prevailing market
rate, may be sold at a discount below their stated principal
amount. Special United States federal income tax considerations
applicable to any such discounted debt securities or to certain
debt securities issued at par which are treated as having been
issued at a discount for United States federal income tax
purposes will be described in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
We may issue debt securities with the principal amount payable
on any principal payment date, or the amount of interest payable
on any interest payment date, to be determined by reference to
one or more currency exchange rates, commodity prices or
indices. You may receive a principal amount on any principal
payment date, or a payment of interest on any interest payment
date, that is greater than or less than the amount of principal
or interest otherwise payable on such dates, depending upon the
value on such dates of the applicable currency, security or
basket of securities, commodity or index. Information as to the
methods for determining the amount of principal or interest
payable on any date, the currencies, commodities or indices to
which the amount payable on such date is linked and certain
additional tax considerations will be set forth in the
applicable prospectus supplement.
There are no covenants or other specific provisions in the
indentures to afford protection to you in the event of a highly
leveraged transaction or a change in control of ConAgra Foods,
except to the limited extent described under the heading
Certain Covenants in the Senior Debt Indenture or as
described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Subordination
Provisions of the Subordinated Debt Indenture
There are contractual provisions in the subordinated debt
indenture that may prohibit us from making payments on our
subordinated debt securities. Subordinated debt securities are
subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in
the manner stated in the subordinated debt indenture, to all of
our senior indebtedness.
The subordinated debt indenture defines senior
indebtedness generally as obligations of, or guaranteed or
assumed by, ConAgra Foods for borrowed money or evidenced by
bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, and
amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings
of any of that indebtedness or obligations. The subordinated
debt securities and any other obligations specifically
designated as being subordinate in right of payment to senior
indebtedness are not senior indebtedness as defined under the
subordinated debt indenture.
The subordinated debt indenture provides that, unless all
principal of and any premium or interest on the senior
indebtedness has been paid in full, or provision has been made
to make those payments in full, no payment of principal of, or
any premium or interest on, any subordinated debt securities may
be made in the event:
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of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, or any
receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar
proceedings involving us or a substantial part of our property;
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a default has occurred in the payment of principal, any premium,
interest or other monetary amounts due and payable on any senior
indebtedness, and that default has not been cured or waived or
has not ceased to exist;
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there has occurred any other event of default with respect to
senior indebtedness that permits the holder or holders of the
senior indebtedness to accelerate the maturity of the senior
indebtedness, and that event of default has not been cured or
waived or has not ceased to exist; or
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that the principal of and accrued interest on any subordinated
debt securities have been declared due and payable upon an event
of default as defined under the subordinated debt indenture and
that declaration has not been rescinded and annulled as provided
under the subordinated debt indenture.
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Certain
Covenants in the Senior Debt Indenture
The restrictions described in this section apply to the senior
debt securities issued under the senior debt indenture unless
the prospectus supplement states otherwise. If these
restrictions apply to a series of senior debt securities, only a
majority of the holders of such series can waive our compliance.
See Modification of the Indenture. The following
definitions from the senior debt indenture are used in this
section of the prospectus:
Attributable Debt means the present value,
determined as set forth in the senior debt indenture, of the
obligation of a lessee for rental payments for the remaining
term of any lease.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets means the Net
Tangible Assets of us and our Consolidated Subsidiaries
consolidated in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles and as provided in the definition of Net Tangible
Assets. In determining Consolidated Net Tangible Assets,
minority interests in unconsolidated subsidiaries shall be
included.
Consolidated Subsidiary and Consolidated
Subsidiaries mean a subsidiary or subsidiaries the
accounts of which are consolidated with ours in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles.
Funded Indebtedness means all Indebtedness of a
corporation which would, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, be classified as funded indebtedness.
Funded Indebtedness will also, in any event, include all
Indebtedness, whether secured or unsecured, of a corporation
which has a final maturity, or a maturity renewable or
extendable at the option of the corporation, more than one year
after the date as of which Funded Indebtedness is to be
determined.
Indebtedness means any and all of the obligations of
a corporation for money borrowed which in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles would be reflected on
the balance sheet of a corporation as a liability as of the date
of which Indebtedness is to be determined.
Lien means any mortgage, pledge, security interest
or other lien or encumbrance.
Net Tangible Assets means the total amount of assets
of a corporation, both real and personal, less the sum of:
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all reserves for depletion, depreciation, obsolescence
and/or
amortization of such corporations property as shown by the
books of such corporation, other than general contingency
reserves, reserves representing mere appropriations of surplus
and reserves to the extent related to intangible assets which
are excluded in calculating Net Tangible Assets; and
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all indebtedness and other current liabilities of such
corporation other than Funded Indebtedness, deferred income
taxes, reserves which have been deducted pursuant to the above
bullet point, general contingency reserves and reserves
representing mere appropriations of surplus and liabilities to
the extent related to intangible assets which are excluded in
calculating Net Tangible Assets.
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The definition of Net Tangible Assets excludes licenses,
patents, patent applications, copyrights, trademarks, trade
names, goodwill, experimental or organizational expense and
other like intangibles, treasury stock and unamortized discount
and expense.
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Principal Property means, as of any date, any
building structure or other facility together with the
underlying land and its fixtures, used primarily for
manufacturing, processing or production, in each case located in
the United States, and owned or leased or to be owned or leased
by us or any Consolidated Subsidiary, and in each case the net
book value of which as of such date exceeds 2% of Consolidated
Net Tangible Assets as shown on the audited consolidated balance
sheet contained in the latest annual report to our stockholders,
other than any such land, building, structure or other facility
or portion thereof which, in the opinion of our board of
directors, is not of material importance to the business
conducted by us and our Consolidated Subsidiaries, considered as
one enterprise.
Sale and Lease-Back Transactions means any
arrangement with any person providing for the leasing by us or a
Consolidated Subsidiary of any Principal Property that we or
such Consolidated Subsidiaries have sold or transferred or are
about to sell or transfer to such person. However, the
definition does not include temporary leases for a term of not
more than three years or transactions between us and a
Consolidated Subsidiary.
Limitation
on Liens
The senior debt indenture states that, unless the terms of any
series of senior debt securities provide otherwise, we will not
and we will not permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to issue,
assume or guarantee any Indebtedness secured by a Lien upon or
with respect to any Principal Property or on the capital stock
of any Consolidated Subsidiary that owns any Principal Property
unless:
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we provide that the debt securities will be secured by such Lien
equally and ratably with any and all other obligations and
indebtedness secured thereby; or
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the aggregate amount of
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all of our Indebtedness and of our Consolidated Subsidiaries,
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together with all Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and
Lease-Back Transactions existing at such time, with the
exception of transactions which are not subject to the
limitation described in Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back
Transactions below,
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does not exceed 10% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, as
shown on the audited consolidated balance sheet contained in our
latest annual report to our stockholders.
This limitation on liens will not apply to:
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any Lien existing on any Principal Property on October 8,
1990;
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any Lien created by a Consolidated Subsidiary in our favor or in
favor of any wholly-owned Consolidated Subsidiary;
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any Lien existing on any asset of any corporation at the time
such corporation becomes a Consolidated Subsidiary or at the
time such corporation is merged or consolidated with or into us
or a Consolidated Subsidiary;
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any Lien on any asset which exists at the time of the
acquisition of the asset and the Lien was not created in
contemplation of the acquisition of the asset;
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any Lien on any asset or improvement to an asset securing
Indebtedness incurred or assumed for the purpose of financing
all or any part of the cost of acquiring or improving such
asset, if such Lien attaches to such asset concurrently with or
within 180 days after its acquisition or improvement and
the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by any such
Lien, together with all other Indebtedness secured by a Lien on
such property, does not exceed the purchase price of such
property or the cost of such improvement;
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any Lien incurred in connection with pollution control,
industrial revenue or any similar financing; or
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any refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement of any of the
Liens described under the heading Limitations on Liens if the
principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby is not
increased and is not secured by any additional assets; or
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any Liens arising in the ordinary course of our business or the
business of any Consolidated Subsidiary that do not secure
Indebtedness and do not in the aggregate materially detract from
the value of our assets or the assets of such Consolidated
Subsidiary, as the case may be, or materially impair the use
thereof, in the operation of our business or the Consolidated
Subsidiarys business.
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Limitation
on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
The senior debt indenture states that, unless the terms of any
series of senior debt securities provide otherwise, neither we
nor any Consolidated Subsidiary may enter into any Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction. Such limitation will not apply to any
Sale and Lease-Back Transaction if:
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the net proceeds to us or such Consolidated Subsidiary from the
sale or transfer equals or exceeds the fair value, as determined
by our board of directors, of the property so leased;
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we or such Consolidated Subsidiary would be entitled to incur
Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the property to be leased as
described under the heading Limitation on Liens
above; or
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within 90 days of the effective date of any such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, we apply an amount equal to the fair
value, as determined by our board of directors, of the property
so leased to the retirement of Funded Indebtedness, other than
Funded Indebtedness we were otherwise obligated to repay within
such 90-day
period.
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Events of
Default
An Event of Default is defined under the indentures
with respect to a series of debt securities as being:
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our default in the payment of any installment of interest, when
due, on any of the debt securities of such series and which
default continues for a period of 30 days;
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our default in the payment, when due, of the principal of any of
the debt securities of such series, whether the default in
payment is at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or
otherwise;
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our default in the observance or performance of any other
covenant or agreement contained in the indentures, other than a
default in the performance of a covenant or warranty that is
specifically dealt with elsewhere in the indenture, for a period
of 90 days after written notice, as provided in the
indentures;
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the occurrence of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or
reorganization; or
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our failure to comply with any other covenant the noncompliance
with which would specifically constitute an Event of Default
with respect to debt securities of such series.
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If an Event of Default due to the default in payment of
principal of, or interest on, any series of debt securities or
due to the default in the performance of any covenants or
agreements applicable to the debt securities of such series but
not applicable to all then-outstanding debt securities, occurs
and is continuing, either the applicable trustee or the holders
of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of
such series may then declare the principal of all debt
securities of such series and interest accrued thereon to be due
and payable immediately. However, with respect to debt
securities issued under the subordinated debt indenture, the
payment of principal and interest on such debt securities of
such series will remain subordinated to the extent provided in
Article Thirteen of the subordinated debt indenture.
If an Event of Default due to the default in the performance of
any covenant or agreement in the indenture applicable to all
then-outstanding debt securities or due to certain events of
bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization occurs and is
continuing, either the applicable trustee or the holders of 25%
in aggregate principal amount of all debt securities then
outstanding, treated as one class, may declare the principal of
all
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debt securities and interest accrued thereon to be due and
payable immediately. However, with respect to debt securities
issued under the subordinated debt indenture, the payment of
principal and interest on such debt securities of such series
will remain subordinated to the extent provided in
Article Thirteen of the subordinated debt indenture.
Under certain circumstances, the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of debt securities of a series may
rescind a declaration that the principal and accrued interest on
a series of debt securities are due and payable immediately or
waive a past default. However, such holders may not waive a
continuing default in the payment of any principal of, or
interest on, the debt securities other than any principal which
becomes due solely as a result of such declaration.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the applicable trustee or exercising any trust or
power conferred on the trustees, provided that such direction
may not be in conflict with any rule of law or the indentures.
Before proceeding to exercise any right or power under the
indentures at the direction of such holders, the applicable
trustee is entitled to receive from such holders reasonable
security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and
liabilities which might be incurred by acting in compliance with
any such direction.
We furnish to the trustees annually a statement of certain of
our officers to the effect that, to the best of their knowledge,
we are not in default of the performance of the terms of the
indentures or, if they have knowledge that we are in default,
specifying the default.
The indentures provide that no holder of debt securities of a
series issued under the indentures may institute any action
against us under the indentures, except actions for payment of
overdue principal or interest, unless all of the following
occurs:
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the holder gives written notice to the applicable trustee of the
continuing Event of Default;
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the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of
such series of debt securities make a written request to the
applicable trustee to pursue the remedy;
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such holder or holders offer the applicable trustee indemnity
satisfactory to the trustee against any costs, liability, or
expense which may be incurred;
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the applicable trustee does not comply with the request within
60 days after receiving the request and the offer of
indemnity; and
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during such 60 day period, the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of such series of debt securities do
not give the applicable trustee a direction that is inconsistent
with the request.
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The indentures require the trustees to give all of the holders
of outstanding debt securities of any series, notice of any
default by us with respect to that series, unless the default
has been cured or waived. Except in the case of a default in the
payment of principal of, and any premium, or interest on any
outstanding debt securities of that series or in the payment of
any sinking fund installment, the trustees are entitled to
withhold such notice in the event the board of directors, the
executive committee or a trust committee of directors or certain
officers of the trustees in good faith determines that
withholding such notice is in the interest of the holders of the
outstanding debt securities of that series.
Discharge
and Defeasance
The indentures will cease to be of further effect for debt
securities of a series, except for certain obligations listed
below, if:
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we pay or cause to be paid the principal of and interest on all
of the debt securities of such series as and when the same
become due and payable;
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all debt securities of such series previously authenticated and
delivered are delivered by us to the trustees for
cancellation; or
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the debt securities of such series have become due and payable,
or by their terms, will become due and payable within one year
or are to be called for redemption within one year under
arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of
notice of redemption; and
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we irrevocably deposit in trust with the applicable trustee,
cash or, in the case of debt securities payable only in
U.S. dollars, U.S. government obligations (which
through the payment of interest and principal thereof in
accordance with their terms will provide sufficient cash) or a
combination thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally
recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a
written certification delivered to the trustee, to pay principal
and interest on all debt securities of such series when due and
payable and any mandatory sinking fund payments when due and
payable and
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we also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable by us
under the indenture with respect to the debt securities of such
series.
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The trustees will execute documents acknowledging the
satisfaction and discharge of the indentures with respect to the
debt securities of such series upon our presentation to the
applicable trustee of certain officers certificates and
counsel opinions as provided under the indentures.
In addition to the discharge of the indentures as described
above, we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire
indebtedness on all debt securities of a series, except for
certain obligations listed below, on the 121st day after
the irrevocable deposit described below if:
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we irrevocably deposit in trust with the applicable trustee
solely for the benefit of the holders of the debt securities of
such series, cash or, in the case of debt securities payable
only in U.S. dollars, U.S. government obligations
(which through the payment of interest and the principal thereof
in accordance with their terms will provide sufficient cash) or
a combination thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally
recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a
written certification delivered to the trustee, to pay the
principal and interest on all debt securities of such series
when due and payable and any mandatory sinking fund payments
when due and payable;
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such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or
constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which
we are a party or by which we are bound;
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we have delivered to the applicable trustee an officers
certificate or an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the trustee
to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of such
series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal
income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and
discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same
amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would
have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had
not occurred; and
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we have delivered to the applicable trustee an officers
certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all
conditions precedent for relating to the defeasance have been
complied with and the opinion of counsel also states that such
deposit does not violate applicable law.
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Our obligations under the indentures for debt securities
discharged in the manner described in this section of the
prospectus continue with respect to:
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the rights of registration of transfer and exchange of debt
securities of such series and our rights of optional redemption,
if any;
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the substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or
stolen debt securities of such series;
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the rights of holders of debt securities of such series to
receive payments of principal and interest on the original
stated due dates, but not upon acceleration, and the remaining
rights of the holders to receive mandatory sinking funds
payments, if any;
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the rights and immunities of the trustees under the indentures;
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the rights of the holders of the debt securities of such series
with respect to the property deposited with the trustees payable
to all or any of them; and
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our obligation to maintain certain offices and agencies with
respect to the debt securities of such series.
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In addition, with respect to the subordinated debt indenture, in
order to be discharged:
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there may be no event or condition described under
Subordination Provisions of the Subordinated Debt
Indenture above which would prevent us from making
payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on
the subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated
debt indenture at the date of the irrevocable deposit referred
to above or at any time during the period ending on the
121st day after such deposit date; and
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we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect
that (1) the trust funds will not be subject to any rights
of holders of senior indebtedness, and (2) after the
121st day following the deposit, the trust funds will not
be subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting
creditors rights generally except that if a court were to
rule under any such law in any case or proceeding that the trust
refunds remained our property, then the trustee and the holders
of the debt securities issued under the subordinated debt
indenture would be entitled to certain rights as secured
creditors in such trust funds.
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Modification
of the Indentures
The indentures provide that we may enter into supplemental
indentures with the applicable trustee without the consent of
the holders of debt securities to:
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secure any debt securities;
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evidence the assumption by a successor corporation of our
obligations;
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add covenants for the protection of the holders of the debt
securities;
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cure any ambiguity or correct any inconsistency in the
indentures;
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establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series; and
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evidence the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee.
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The indentures also contain provisions permitting us and the
trustees, with the consent of the holders of not less than a
majority in principal amount of debt securities of all series
then outstanding and affected, to add any provisions to, or
change in any manner or eliminate any of the provisions of, the
indentures or modify in any manner the rights of the holders of
the debt securities of each series so affected, provided that we
and the trustees may not, without the consent of each holder
affected thereby:
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extend the final maturity of any debt security of such series;
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reduce the principal amount of or interest on, any debt
securities of such series;
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reduce the amount payable upon redemption of any debt securities;
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change the currency in which the principal amount (including any
amount in respect of original issue discount) or interest
payable on any debt securities of such series is payable;
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reduce the amount of any debt securities of such series, which
is an original issue discount security, payable upon
acceleration or provable in bankruptcy;
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alter certain provisions of the indentures relating to the debt
securities of such series not denominated in U.S. dollars;
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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any
payment on any debt securities of such series when due; or
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reduce the above-stated percentage of outstanding debt
securities of such series the consent of whose holders is
necessary to modify or amend and to waive certain provisions of
or defaults under the indenture.
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In addition, the subordinated debt indenture may not be amended
to alter the subordination of any of the outstanding
subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated debt
indenture without the written consent of each holder of senior
indebtedness then outstanding that would be adversely affected.
Consolidation,
Merger, Conveyance or Transfer
We may, without the consent of the trustees or the holders of
debt securities, consolidate or merge with, or sell or convey,
including by lease, all or substantially all of our assets to
any other person, provided that any successor corporation or the
person that acquires such assets by sale or conveyance is a
corporation or entity organized under the laws of the United
States of America or any state thereof and that such successor
corporation or entity expressly assumes all of our obligations
under the indentures and the debt securities and that certain
other conditions are met. Following any such sale or conveyance,
except in the case of a lease, we will be relieved of all
obligations under the indentures and the debt securities.
Applicable
Law
The debt securities and the indentures will be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Concerning
the Trustee
The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A. and The Chase Manhattan Bank National Association),
is the trustee under the senior debt indenture.
The U.S. Bank National Association (as successor to First
Trust National Association) is the trustee under the
subordinated debt indenture.
The Bank of New York Mellon and U.S. Bank National
Association are among a number of banks with which we and our
subsidiaries maintain ordinary banking relationships and with
which we and our subsidiaries maintain credit facilities.
Global
Securities
We may issue the debt securities of any series in the form of
one or more fully registered global debt securities, referred to
in this prospectus as a global security. The global
securities will be deposited with a depositary or with a nominee
for a depositary identified in the prospectus supplement
relating to such series and registered in the name of the
depositary or its nominee. In that case, one or more global
securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate
denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal
amount of outstanding registered debt securities of the series
to be represented by such global securities. Unless and until
the depositary exchanges a global security in whole for debt
securities in definitive registered form, the global securities
may not be transferred except as a whole:
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by the depositary to a nominee of the depositary;
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by a nominee of the depositary to the depositary or another
nominee of the depositary; or
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by the depositary or any nominee to a successor of the
depositary or a nominee of the successor.
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The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to
any portion of a series of debt securities to be represented by
a global security will be described in the prospectus supplement
relating to such series. We anticipate that the following
provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be
limited to persons that have accounts with the depositary of
such global security (participants) or persons that
may hold interests through participants. Upon issuance of a
global security, the depositary for such global security will
credit, on its book-entry
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registration and transfer system, the participants
accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the
securities represented by such global security beneficially
owned by such participants. The accounts to be credited shall be
designated by any dealers, underwriters or agents participating
in the distribution of such securities. Ownership of beneficial
interest in such global security will be shown on, and the
transfer of such ownership interest will be effected only
through, records maintained by the depositary for such global
security, with respect to interests of participants, and on the
records of participants, with respect to interests of persons
holding through participants. The laws of some states may
require that certain purchasers of securities take physical
delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and
such laws may impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge
beneficial interest in global securities.
So long as the depositary for a global security, or its nominee,
is the registered owner of such global security, such depositary
or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole
owner or holder of all securities represented by such global
security for all purposes under the indentures. Except as set
forth below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security:
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will not be entitled to have the securities represented by such
global security registered in their names;
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will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of
such securities in definitive form; and
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will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the
indentures.
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Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a
global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary
for such global security and, if such person is not a
participant, on the procedure of the participant through which
such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a
holder under the indentures. We understand that under existing
industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an
owner of a beneficial interest in a global security desires to
give or to take any action which a holder is entitled to give or
take under the indentures, the depositary for such global
security would authorize the participants holding the relevant
beneficial interest to give or take such action, and such
participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through
such participants to give or take such action or would otherwise
act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through
them.
Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt
securities represented by a global security registered in the
name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to such
depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered
owner of such global security. Neither we, the trustees or any
paying agent for such debt securities will have any
responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records to or
payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in
such global security or for maintaining, supervising or
reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership
interests.
We expect that the depositary for any securities represented by
a global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal,
premium or interest, will immediately credit participants
accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their
respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of such
global security as shown on the records of such depositary. We
also expect that payments by participants to owners of
beneficial interest in such global security held through such
participants will be governed by standing instructions and
customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held
for the accounts of customers in bearer form registered in
street names, and will be the responsibility of such
participants.
If the depositary for any securities represented by a global
security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as
depositary and we do not appoint a successor depositary within
ninety days or an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing with respect to such debt securities, we will issue
such securities in definitive form in exchange for such global
security. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole
discretion determine not to have the debt securities of a series
represented by one or more global securities and, in such event,
we will issue debt securities of such series in definitive form
in exchange for the global securities or securities representing
such debt securities.
Further, if we so specify with respect to the debt securities of
a series, an owner of a beneficial interest in global securities
representing such debt securities may, on terms acceptable to us
and the depositary for such global securities, receive such debt
securities in definitive form. In any such instance, an owner of
a beneficial
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interest in such global security will be entitled to have debt
securities equal in principal amount to such beneficial interest
registered in its name and will be entitled to physical delivery
of such debt securities in definitive form. Debt securities
issued in definitive form will, except as set forth in the
applicable prospectus supplement, be issued in denominations of
$1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and
will be issued in registered form only without coupons.
PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities in and outside the United States:
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directly to purchasers;
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through agents;
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through underwriters; and
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through dealers.
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We may determine the price or other terms of the securities
offered under this prospectus by use of an electronic auction.
We will describe in the prospectus supplement relating to such
offering how any auction will determine the price or any other
terms, how potential investors may participate in the auction
and the nature of the underwriters obligations.
We may directly solicit offers to purchase securities, or we may
designate agents to solicit offers. We will, in the prospectus
supplement relating to such offering, name any agent that could
be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933 and
describe any commissions we must pay. Any agent will be acting
on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if
indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, on a firm
commitment basis. Agents, dealers and underwriters may be
customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services
for us in the ordinary course of business.
If any underwriters are utilized in the sale of the securities
in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will enter
into an underwriting agreement with them at the time of sale to
them and we will set forth in the prospectus supplement relating
to the offering their names and the terms of our agreement with
them.
If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect
of which the prospectus is delivered, we will sell the
securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then
resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be
determined by the dealer at the time of resale.
Remarketing firms, agents, underwriters and dealers may be
entitled under agreements which they may enter into with us to
indemnification by us against some types of civil liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, and may
be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services
for us in the ordinary course of business.
If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we will
authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by
the types of purchasers specified in the prospectus supplement
to purchase offered securities from us at the public offering
price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed
delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a
specified date in the future. These contracts will be subject to
only those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement,
and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission
payable for solicitation of the offers.
Any underwriter, agent or dealer utilized in the initial
offering of securities will not confirm sales to accounts over
which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior
specific written approval of its customer.
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LEGAL
MATTERS
Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, certain
legal matters with respect to the validity of the securities
will be passed upon for us by McGrath North Mullin &
Kratz, PC LLO.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and the financial
statement schedule of ConAgra Foods, Inc. and its subsidiaries
as of May 25, 2008 and May 27, 2007 and for each of
the years in the three-year period ended May 25, 2008 and
managements annual report on internal control over
financial reporting as of May 25, 2008 have been
incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports 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 reports of KPMG LLP on the consolidated financial statements
and financial statement schedule contain an explanatory
paragraph that refers to the Companys adoption of
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation
No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income
Taxes an interpretation of FASB Statement
No. 109; Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
(SFAS) No. 158, Employers Accounting for
Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement
Plans an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87,
88, 106, and 132(R); and SFAS No. 123 (revised
2004), Share-Based Payment.
WHERE YOU
CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed this prospectus as part of a registration
statement on
Form S-3
with the SEC. The registration statement contains exhibits and
other information that are not contained in this prospectus. Our
descriptions in this prospectus of the provisions of documents
filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or otherwise
filed with the SEC are only summaries of the documents
material terms. If you want a complete description of the
contents of the documents, you should obtain the documents
yourself by following the procedures described below.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements
and other information with the SEC. Such reports and other
information (including the documents incorporated by reference
into this prospectus) may be inspected and copied at the public
reference facilities maintained by the SEC at
100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
Copies of such material can also be obtained at prescribed rates
from the public reference facilities of the SEC at its
Washington, D.C. address. The public may obtain information
on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC
at
1-800-SEC-0330.
The SEC also maintains a site on the World Wide Web
(http://www.sec.gov)
that contains reports, proxy statements and other information
regarding companies like us that file electronically with the
SEC.
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the
information we file with the SEC, which means that we can
disclose important information to you by referring you directly
to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is
considered part of this prospectus and information that we file
subsequently with the SEC will automatically update and
supersede information contained in this prospectus and the
accompanying prospectus supplement. We incorporate by reference
the documents listed below and any filings we make with the SEC
under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the initial filing of
the registration statement that contains this prospectus and
prior to the time that we sell all the securities offered by
this prospectus:
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended May 25, 2008;
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Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the period ended August 24, 2008;
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Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed on November 25, 2008; and
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The description of ConAgra Foods common stock contained in
registration statements on
Form 8-A
filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendments or
reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
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We are not incorporating by reference any of the information
that we furnish under item 2.02 or Item 7.01 (or
corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or
included as an exhibit) of any past or future Current Report on
Form 8-K
that we may from time to time file with or furnish to the SEC,
unless otherwise specified in such Current Report.
Any statement contained in this prospectus or contained in a
document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in
this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that
also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement.
We will provide you, without charge, with copies of any
documents incorporated into this prospectus by reference through
the Investors link on our Internet web site at
http://www.conagrafoods.com
or if you request them in writing or by telephone from:
ConAgra
Foods, Inc.
One ConAgra Drive
Omaha, Nebraska 68102
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Telephone:
(402) 595-4000
Please note that information contained on or accessible through
our website or the website of any other person is not
incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should
not consider information contained on our website or accessible
thorough those websites as part of this prospectus.
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$1,000,000,000
$500,000,000 5.875%
Senior Notes due 2014
$500,000,000 7.000%
Senior Notes due 2019
Prospectus Supplement
April 6, 2009
Banc
of America Securities LLC
J.P.
Morgan
BNP
PARIBAS
Morgan
Stanley
RBS
Wachovia
Securities