sv3
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
October 4, 2005
Registration
No. 333-
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
COMSTOCK RESOURCES, INC.
(and certain subsidiaries identified in footnote (*)
below)
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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NEVADA |
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1311 |
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94-1667468 |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
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(Primary Standard Industries
Classification Code Number) |
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
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5300 Town and Country Blvd., Suite 500
Frisco, Texas 75034
(972) 668-8800
(Address, including zip code, and
telephone number, including area code,
of Registrants principal executive offices)
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M. Jay Allison
President and Chief Executive Officer
5300 Town and Country Blvd., Suite 500
Frisco, Texas 75034
(972) 668-8800
(Name, Address, including zip code, and
telephone number, including area
code, of agent for service) |
Copies to:
Jack E. Jacobsen
Jason P. Maxwell
Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP
2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 2200
Dallas, Texas 75201
(214) 740-8000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the
public: From time to time after this registration statement
becomes effective.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being
offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans,
please check the following
box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than
securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment, plans, check the following
box. þ
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to
Rule 434, please check the following
box. o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Proposed Maximum |
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Proposed Maximum |
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Amount of |
Title of Each Class of |
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Amount to be |
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Aggregate |
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Aggregate |
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Registration |
Securities to be Registered |
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Registered |
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Price per Unit |
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Offering Price |
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Fee |
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Shares of Common Stock
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(2)(3) |
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(1)(3) |
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(2)(3) |
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N/A |
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Shares of Preferred Stock
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(2)(3) |
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(1)(3) |
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(3) |
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N/A |
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Units
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(2)(3) |
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(1)(3) |
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(3) |
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N/A |
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Debt Securities
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(2)(3) |
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(1)(3) |
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(3) |
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N/A |
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Warrants
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(2)(3) |
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(1)(3) |
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(3) |
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N/A |
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Total
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$500,000,000 |
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100% |
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$500,000,000 |
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$58,850(4) |
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(1) |
The proposed maximum offering price per security has been
omitted pursuant to General Instruction II.D of
Form S-3. The Registrant will establish the proposed
maximum offering price per security if and when it offers
securities registered under this Registration Statement. |
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(2) |
Subject to footnote (4), there is being registered hereunder
such indeterminate principal amount of debt securities, number
of shares of preferred stock, number of shares of common stock,
units, warrants to purchase shares of preferred stock and shares
of common stock, or such number of preferred stock or common
stock as may be issued upon conversion of, or in exchange for,
or upon exercise of, convertible or exchangeable debt securities
or preferred stock or warrants (including any securities
issuable upon share splits and similar transactions pursuant to
Rule 416 under the Securities Act). |
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(3) |
The aggregate initial offering price of the securities
registered hereby will not exceed $500,000,000. Such amount
represents the principal amount of any debt securities issued at
their principal amount, the issue price rather than the
principal amount of any debt securities issued at an original
issued discount, the liquidation preference (or, if different,
the issue price), of any preferred stock, the issue price of any
common stock, convertible securities and warrants and the
exercise price of any warrants. Any securities registered
hereunder may be sold separately, together as units with other
securities registered hereunder or upon exercise or conversion
of any such securities. |
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(4) |
Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) of the Securities Act,
based on the maximum aggregate offering price of all the
securities. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on
such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective
date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this Registration Statement shall
thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration
Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission,
acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
* The following subsidiaries are co-registrants
incorporated in Nevada and having the I.R.S. Employer
Identification Numbers indicated: (i) Comstock
Oil & Gas, LP (75-2272352); (ii) Comstock
Oil & Gas-Louisiana, LLC (26-0012430);
(iii) Comstock Offshore, LLC (75-2733811);
(iv) Comstock Oil & Gas GP, LLC (not applicable);
(v) Comstock Oil & Gas Investments, LLC
(90-0155903); and (vi) Comstock Oil & Gas
Holdings, Inc. (75-2968982).
The information in
this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not
sell these securities until the registration statement filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This
prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are
not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state
where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
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SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED
OCTOBER 4, 2005
PROSPECTUS
$500,000,000
COMSTOCK RESOURCES, INC.
DEBT SECURITIES
COMMON STOCK
PREFERRED STOCK
WARRANTS
UNITS
We may offer and sell from time to time up to $500,000,000 of
our debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants
and/or units. We will provide specific terms of these securities
in supplements to this prospectus. The terms of the securities
will include the initial offering price, aggregate amount of the
offering, listing on any securities exchange or quotation
system, risk factors and the agents, dealers or underwriters, if
any, to be used in connection with the sale of these securities.
You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully
before you invest.
We may offer the securities directly, through agents designated
from time to time, or to or through underwriters or dealers. If
any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any of
the securities, their names, and any applicable purchase price,
fee, commission or discount arrangement between or among them,
will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information
set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement. For more
information on this topic, please see Plan of
Distribution. No securities may be sold without the
delivery of the applicable prospectus supplement describing the
method and terms of the offering of such securities.
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol CRK.
This investment involves a high degree of risk. Please see
the section in this prospectus entitled Risk Factors
beginning on page 3.
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 ,
2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-i-
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC,
utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this
shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the
securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings
up to a total offering price of $500,000,000. This prospectus
provides you with a general description of the securities we may
offer. Each time we offer to sell securities, we will provide a
prospectus supplement that will contain specific information
about the terms of that offering and the securities offered by
us in that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add,
update or change information contained in this prospectus. If
there is any inconsistency between the information in this
prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the
information provided in the prospectus supplement. This
prospectus does not contain all of the information included in
the registration statement. The registration statement filed
with the SEC includes exhibits that provide more details about
the matters discussed in this prospectus. You should carefully
read this prospectus, the related exhibits filed with the SEC
and any prospectus supplement, together with the additional
information described below under the heading Where You
Can Find More Information.
You should rely only on the information contained or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any
accompanying prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any
other person to provide you with different information. If
anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information,
you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer of the
securities covered by this prospectus in any state where the
offer is not permitted. You should assume that the information
appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any
other document incorporated by reference is accurate only as of
the date on the front cover of those documents. Our business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospects may
have changed since those dates.
Under no circumstances should the delivery to you of this
prospectus create any implication that the information contained
in this prospectus is correct as of any time after the date of
this prospectus.
Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise
requires, all references in this prospectus to
Comstock, we, us, and
our mean Comstock Resources, Inc. and its
consolidated subsidiaries. In this prospectus, we sometimes
refer to the debt securities, common stock, preferred stock,
warrants and units collectively as the securities.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained in this prospectus, including the
documents incorporated by reference herein and our public
releases include forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of
terms such as expect, estimate,
anticipate, project, plan,
believe and similar terms. All statements, other
than statements of historical facts, included in or incorporated
by reference to this prospectus, are forward-looking statements,
including statements under the caption Risk Factors,
regarding:
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the potential for future or undiscovered reserves; |
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the availability of exploration and development opportunities; |
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amount, nature and timing of capital expenditures; |
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amount and timing of future production of oil and natural gas; |
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the number of anticipated wells to be drilled after the date
hereof; |
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our financial or operating results; |
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cash flow and anticipated liquidity; |
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operating costs such as finding and development costs, lease
operating expenses, administrative costs and other expenses; |
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our business strategy; |
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other plans and objectives for future operations. |
Any or all of our forward-looking statements in this prospectus
may turn out to be incorrect. They can be affected by a number
of factors, including, among others:
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the risks described in the Risk Factors and
elsewhere in this prospectus and in any accompanying prospectus
supplement; |
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the timing and success of our drilling activities; |
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the volatility of prices and supply of, and demand for, oil and
natural gas; |
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the numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of
oil and natural gas reserves and actual future production rates
and associated costs; |
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our ability to successfully identify, execute or effectively
integrate future acquisitions; |
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the usual hazards associated with the oil and gas industry,
including fires, well blowouts, pipe failure, spills, explosions
and other unforeseen hazards; |
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our ability to effectively market our oil and natural gas; |
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the availability of rigs, equipment, supplies and personnel; |
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our ability to acquire or discover additional reserves; |
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our ability to satisfy future capital requirements; |
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changes in regulatory requirements; |
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general economic and competitive conditions; |
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our ability to retain key members of our senior management and
key employees; and |
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continued hostilities in the Middle East and other sustained
military campaigns and acts of terrorism or sabotage. |
Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating
underground accumulations of oil and natural gas that cannot be
precisely measured. The accuracy of any reserve estimate depends
on the quality of available data, production history and
engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. Because
all reserve estimates are to some degree imprecise, the
quantities of oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered,
production and operating costs, the amount and timing of future
development expenditures and future oil and natural gas prices
may all differ materially from those assumed in these estimates.
The information regarding present value of the future net cash
flows attributable to our proved oil and natural gas reserves
are estimates only and should not be construed as the current
market value of the estimated oil and natural gas reserves
attributable to our properties. Additional important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from our
expectations are discussed in Risk Factors and
elsewhere in this prospectus. Should one or more of these risks
or uncertainties occur, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, our actual results and plans for 2005 and beyond
could differ materially from those expressed in the
forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral
forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting
on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by such
factors.
COMSTOCK RESOURCES, INC.
Our oil and natural gas operations are primarily concentrated
onshore in the East Texas/ North Louisiana, Southeast Texas and
South Texas regions. In addition, we have properties in other
regions in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico
and Oklahoma. We also own 48% of Bois dArc Energy, Inc., a
publicly-held company which conducts exploration, development
and production operations in state and federal waters of the
Gulf of Mexico.
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RISK FACTORS
The securities to be offered by this prospectus may involve a
high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risk
factors described below and the other information in this
prospectus, any prospectus supplement and in any other document
filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus
before deciding to invest in any of the securities. If
applicable, we will include in any prospectus supplement a
description of those significant factors that could make the
offering described in the prospectus supplement speculative or
risky. If any of the risks were actually to occur, our business,
financial condition or results of operation could be materially
and adversely affected. In that case, the trading price, if
applicable, of the securities could decline, and you might lose
all or part of your investment.
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A substantial or extended decline in oil and natural gas
prices may adversely affect our business, financial condition,
cash flow, liquidity or results of operations and our ability to
meet our capital expenditure obligations and financial
commitments and to implement our business strategy. |
Our business is heavily dependent upon the prices of, and demand
for, oil and natural gas. Historically, the prices for oil and
natural gas have been volatile and are likely to remain volatile
in the future. The prices we receive for our oil and natural gas
production and the level of such production will be subject to
wide fluctuations and depend on numerous factors beyond our
control, including the following:
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the domestic and foreign supply of oil and natural gas; |
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the price and quantity of imports of crude oil and natural gas; |
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political conditions and events in other oil-producing and
natural gas-producing countries, including embargoes, continued
hostilities in the Middle East and other sustained military
campaigns, and acts of terrorism or sabotage; |
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the actions of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries, or OPEC; |
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domestic government regulation, legislation and policies; |
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the level of global oil and natural gas inventories; |
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weather conditions; |
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technological advances affecting energy consumption; |
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the price and availability of alternative fuels; and |
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overall economic conditions. |
Any continued and extended decline in the price of crude oil or
natural gas will adversely affect:
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our revenues, profitability and cash flow from operations; |
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the value of our proved oil and natural gas reserves; |
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the economic viability of certain of our drilling prospects; |
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our borrowing capacity; and |
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our ability to obtain additional capital. |
We have entered into natural gas price hedging arrangements on
certain of our anticipated sales. In the future we may enter
into additional hedging arrangements in order to reduce our
exposure to price risks. Such arrangements would limit our
ability to benefit from increases in oil and natural gas prices.
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The unavailability or high cost of drilling rigs,
equipment, supplies or qualified personnel and oilfield services
could adversely affect our ability to execute our exploration
and development plans on a timely basis and within our
budget. |
With the increasing oil and natural gas prices, our industry is
beginning to experience a shortage of drilling rigs, equipment,
supplies and qualified personnel. Costs and delivery times of
rigs, equipment and supplies are substantially greater than they
were several years ago. In addition, demand for, and wage rates
of, qualified drilling rig crews rise with increases in the
number of active rigs in service. Shortages of drilling rigs,
equipment or supplies or qualified personnel in the areas in
which we operate could delay or restrict our exploration and
development operations, which in turn could adversely affect our
financial condition and results of operations because of our
concentration in those areas.
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We plan to pursue acquisitions as part of our growth
strategy and there are risks in connection with
acquisitions. |
Our growth has been attributable in part to acquisitions of
producing properties and companies. We expect to continue to
evaluate and, where appropriate, pursue acquisition
opportunities on terms we consider favorable. However, we cannot
assure you that suitable acquisition candidates will be
identified in the future, or that we will be able to finance
such acquisitions on favorable terms. In addition, we compete
against other companies for acquisitions, and we cannot assure
you that we will successfully acquire any material property
interests. Further, we cannot assure you that future
acquisitions by us will be integrated successfully into our
operations or will increase our profits.
The successful acquisition of producing properties requires an
assessment of numerous factors beyond our control, including,
without limitation:
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recoverable reserves; |
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exploration potential; |
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future oil and natural gas prices; |
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operating costs; and |
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potential environmental and other liabilities. |
In connection with such an assessment, we perform a review of
the subject properties that we believe to be generally
consistent with industry practices. The resulting assessments
are inexact and their accuracy uncertain, and such a review may
not reveal all existing or potential problems, nor will it
necessarily permit us to become sufficiently familiar with the
properties to fully assess their merits and deficiencies.
Inspections may not always be performed on every well, and
structural and environmental problems are not necessarily
observable even when an inspection is made.
Additionally, significant acquisitions can change the nature of
our operations and business depending upon the character of the
acquired properties, which may be substantially different in
operating and geologic characteristics or geographic location
than our existing properties. While our current operations are
focused in the East Texas/ North Louisiana, Southeast Texas,
South Texas, Mississippi, the Mid-Continent and other regions,
as well as the Gulf of Mexico through our 48% ownership interest
in Bois dArc Energy, we may pursue acquisitions or
properties located in other geographic areas.
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Our future production and revenues depend on our ability
to replace our reserves. |
Our future production and revenues depend upon our ability to
find, develop or acquire additional oil and natural gas reserves
that are economically recoverable. Our proved reserves will
generally decline as reserves are depleted, except to the extent
that we conduct successful exploration or development activities
or acquire properties containing proved reserves, or both. To
increase reserves and production, we must continue our
acquisition and drilling activities. We cannot assure you,
however, that our acquisition and drilling activities will
result in significant additional reserves or that we will have
continuing success drilling productive wells at
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low finding and development costs. Furthermore, while our
revenues may increase if prevailing oil and natural gas prices
increase significantly, our finding costs for additional
reserves could also increase.
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Prospects that we decide to drill may not yield oil or
natural gas in commercially viable quantities or quantities
sufficient to meet our targeted rate of return. |
A prospect is a property in which we own an interest or have
operating rights and has what our geoscientists believe, based
on available seismic and geological information, to be an
indication of potential oil or natural gas. Our prospects are in
various stages of evaluation, ranging from a prospect that is
ready to be drilled to a prospect that will require substantial
additional evaluation and interpretation. There is no way to
predict in advance of drilling and testing whether any
particular prospect will yield oil or natural gas in sufficient
quantities to recover drilling or completion costs or to be
economically viable. The use of seismic data and other
technologies and the study of producing fields in the same area
will not enable us to know conclusively prior to drilling
whether oil or natural gas will be present or, if present,
whether oil or natural gas will be present in commercial
quantities. The analysis that we perform using data from other
wells, more fully explored prospects and/or producing fields may
not be useful in predicting the characteristics and potential
reserves associated with our drilling prospects. If we drill
additional unsuccessful wells, our drilling success rate may
decline and we may not achieve our targeted rate of return.
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Our debt service requirements could adversely affect our
operations and limit our growth. |
We have $307.0 million in debt as of June 30, 2005,
and our ratio of total debt to total capitalization was
approximately 38%.
Our outstanding debt will have important consequences,
including, without limitation:
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a portion of our cash flow from operations will be required to
make debt service payments; |
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our ability to borrow additional amounts for working capital,
capital expenditures (including acquisitions) or other purposes
will be limited; and |
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our debt could limit our ability to capitalize on significant
business opportunities, our flexibility in planning for or
reacting to changes in market conditions and our ability to
withstand competitive pressures and economic downturns. |
In addition, future acquisition or development activities may
require us to alter our capitalization significantly. These
changes in capitalization may significantly increase our debt.
Moreover, our ability to meet our debt service obligations and
to reduce our total debt will be dependent upon our future
performance, which will be subject to general economic
conditions and financial, business and other factors affecting
our operations, many of which are beyond our control. If we are
unable to generate sufficient cash flow from operations in the
future to service our indebtedness and to meet other
commitments, we will be required to adopt one or more
alternatives, such as refinancing or restructuring our
indebtedness, selling material assets or seeking to raise
additional debt or equity capital. We cannot assure you that any
of these actions could be effected on a timely basis or on
satisfactory terms or that these actions would enable us to
continue to satisfy our capital requirements.
Our bank credit facility contains a number of significant
covenants. These covenants will limit our ability to, among
other things:
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borrow additional money; |
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merge, consolidate or dispose of assets; |
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make certain types of investments; |
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enter into transactions with our affiliates; and |
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pay dividends. |
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Our failure to comply with any of these covenants would cause a
default under our bank credit facility and the indenture
governing our
67/8% senior
notes due 2012. A default, if not waived, could result in
acceleration of our indebtedness, in which case the debt would
become immediately due and payable. If this occurs, we may not
be able to repay our debt or borrow sufficient funds to
refinance it. Even if new financing is available, it may not be
on terms that are acceptable to us. Complying with these
covenants may cause us to take actions that we otherwise would
not take or not take actions that we otherwise would take.
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A substantial percentage of our total proved reserves are
developed non-producing or undeveloped, and those reserves may
not ultimately be produced or developed. |
A substantial percentage of our total proved reserves are
developed non-producing or undeveloped. These reserves may not
ultimately be developed or produced. Furthermore, not all of our
undeveloped or developed non-producing reserves may be
ultimately produced at the time periods we have planned, at the
costs we have budgeted, or at all. As a result, we may not find
commercially viable quantities of oil and natural gas, which in
turn may result in a material adverse effect on our results of
operations.
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Our business involves many uncertainties and operating
risks that can prevent us from realizing profits and can cause
substantial losses. |
Our future success will depend on the success of our exploration
and development activities. Exploration activities involve
numerous risks, including the risk that no commercially
productive natural gas or oil reserves will be discovered. In
addition, these activities may be unsuccessful for many reasons,
including weather, cost overruns, equipment shortages and
mechanical difficulties. Moreover, the successful drilling of a
natural gas or oil well does not ensure we will realize a profit
on our investment. A variety of factors, both geological and
market-related, can cause a well to become uneconomical or only
marginally economical. In addition to their costs, unsuccessful
wells can hurt our efforts to replace production and reserves.
Our business involves a variety of operating risks, including:
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unusual or unexpected geological formations; |
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fires; |
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explosions; |
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blow-outs and surface cratering; |
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uncontrollable flows of natural gas, oil and formation water; |
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natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tropical storms and other
adverse weather conditions; |
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pipe, cement, subsea well or pipeline failures; |
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casing collapses; |
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mechanical difficulties, such as lost or stuck oil field
drilling and service tools; |
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abnormally pressured formations; and |
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environmental hazards, such as natural gas leaks, oil spills,
pipeline ruptures and discharges of toxic gases. |
If we experience any of these problems, well bores, platforms,
gathering systems and processing facilities could be affected,
which could adversely affect our ability to conduct operations.
We could also incur substantial losses as a result of:
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injury or loss of life; |
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severe damage to and destruction of property, natural resources
and equipment; |
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pollution and other environmental damage; |
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clean-up responsibilities; |
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regulatory investigation and penalties; |
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suspension of our operations; and |
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repairs to resume operations. |
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We operate in a highly competitive industry, and our
failure to remain competitive with our competitors, many of
which have greater resources than us, could adversely affect our
results of operations. |
The oil and natural gas industry is highly competitive in the
search for and development and acquisition of reserves. Our
competitors for the acquisition, development and exploration of
oil and natural gas properties and capital to finance such
activities, include companies that have greater financial and
personnel resources than we do. These resources could allow
those competitors to price their products and services more
aggressively than we can, which could hurt our profitability.
Moreover, our ability to acquire additional properties and to
discover reserves in the future will be dependent upon our
ability to evaluate and select suitable properties and to close
transactions in a highly competitive environment.
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Our competitors may use superior technology that we may be
unable to afford or which would require costly investment by us
in order to compete. |
If our competitors use or develop new technologies, we may be
placed at a competitive disadvantage, and competitive pressures
may force us to implement new technologies at a substantial
cost. In addition, our competitors may have greater financial,
technical and personnel resources that allow them to enjoy
technological advances and may in the future allow them to
implement new technologies before we can. We cannot be certain
that we will be able to implement technologies on a timely basis
or at a cost that is acceptable to us. One or more of the
technologies that we currently use or that we may implement in
the future may become obsolete. All of these factors may inhibit
our ability to acquire additional prospects and compete
successfully in the future.
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Substantial exploration and development activities could
require significant outside capital, which could dilute the
value of your shares and restrict our activities. Also, we may
not be able to obtain needed capital or financing on
satisfactory terms, which could lead to a limitation of our
future business opportunities and a decline in our oil and
natural gas reserves. |
We expect to expend substantial capital in the exploration for
and development of oil and natural gas reserves. In order to
finance these activities, we may need to alter or increase our
capitalization substantially through the issuance of debt or
equity securities, the sale of non-strategic assets or other
means. The issuance of additional equity securities could have a
dilutive effect on the value of your shares. The issuance of
additional debt would require that a portion of our cash flow
from operations be used for the payment of interest on our debt,
thereby reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund
working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, dividends
and general corporate requirements, which could place us at a
competitive disadvantage relative to other competitors.
Additionally, if revenues decrease as a result of lower oil or
natural gas prices, operating difficulties or declines in
reserves, our ability to obtain the capital necessary to
undertake or complete future exploration and development
programs and to pursue other opportunities may be limited, which
could result in a curtailment of our operations relating to
exploration and development of our prospects, which in turn
could result in a decline in our oil and natural gas reserves.
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If oil and natural gas prices decrease, we may be required
to write-down the carrying values and/or the estimates of total
reserves of our oil and natural gas properties, which would
constitute a non-cash charge to earnings and adversely affect
our results of operations. |
Accounting rules applicable to us require that we review
periodically the carrying value of our oil and natural gas
properties for possible impairment. Based on specific market
factors and circumstances at the time of prospective impairment
reviews and the continuing evaluation of development plans,
production data,
7
economics and other factors, we may be required to write down
the carrying value of our oil and natural gas properties. A
write-down constitutes a non-cash charge to earnings. We may
incur non-cash charges in the future, which could have a
material adverse effect on our results of operations in the
period taken. We may also reduce our estimates of the reserves
that may be economically recovered, which could have the effect
of reducing the total value of our reserves. Such a reduction in
carrying value could impact our borrowing ability and may result
in accelerating the repayment date of any outstanding debt.
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Our reserve estimates depend on many assumptions that may
turn out to be inaccurate. Any material inaccuracies in our
reserve estimates or underlying assumptions will materially
affect the quantities and present value of our reserves. |
Reserve engineering is a subjective process of estimating the
recovery from underground accumulations of oil and natural gas
that cannot be precisely measured. The accuracy of any reserve
estimate depends on the quality of available data, production
history and engineering and geological interpretation and
judgment. Because all reserve estimates are to some degree
imprecise, the quantities of oil and natural gas that are
ultimately recovered, production and operating costs, the amount
and timing of future development expenditures and future oil and
natural gas prices may all differ materially from those assumed
in these estimates. The information regarding present value of
the future net cash flows attributable to our proved oil and
natural gas reserves is only estimated and should not be
construed as the current market value of the oil and natural gas
reserves attributable to our properties. Thus, such information
includes revisions of certain reserve estimates attributable to
proved properties included in the preceding years
estimates. Such revisions reflect additional information from
subsequent activities, production history of the properties
involved and any adjustments in the projected economic life of
such properties resulting from changes in product prices. Any
future downward revisions could adversely affect our financial
condition, our borrowing ability, our future prospects and the
value of our common stock.
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If we are unsuccessful at marketing our oil and gas at
commercially acceptable prices, our profitability will
decline. |
Our ability to market oil and gas at commercially acceptable
prices depends on, among other factors, the following:
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the availability and capacity of gathering systems and pipelines; |
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federal and state regulation of production and transportation; |
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changes in supply and demand; and |
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general economic conditions. |
Our inability to respond appropriately to changes in these
factors could negatively effect our profitability.
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Market conditions or operational impediments may hinder
our access to oil and natural gas markets or delay our
production. |
Market conditions or the unavailability of satisfactory oil and
natural gas transportation arrangements may hinder our access to
oil and natural gas markets or delay our production. The
availability of a ready market for our oil and natural gas
production depends on a number of factors, including the demand
for and supply of oil and natural gas and the proximity of
reserves to pipelines and terminal facilities. Our ability to
market our production depends in a substantial part on the
availability and capacity of gathering systems, pipelines and
processing facilities, in some cases owned and operated by third
parties. Our failure to obtain such services on acceptable terms
could materially harm our business. We may be required to shut
in wells for a lack of a market or because of the inadequacy or
unavailability of pipelines or gathering system capacity. If
that were to occur, then we would be unable to realize revenue
from those wells until arrangements were made to deliver our
production to market.
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We depend on our key personnel and the loss of any of
these individuals could have a material adverse effect on our
operations. |
We believe that the success of our business strategy and our
ability to operate profitably depend on the continued employment
of M. Jay Allison, President and Chief Executive Officer, and a
limited number of other senior management personnel. Loss of the
services of Mr. Allison or any of those other individuals
could have a material adverse effect on our operations.
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Our insurance coverage may not be sufficient or may not be
available to cover some liabilities or losses that we may
incur. |
If we suffer a significant accident or other loss, our insurance
coverage will be net of our deductibles and may not be
sufficient to pay the full current market value or current
replacement value of our lost investment, which could result in
a material adverse impact on our operations and financial
condition. Our insurance does not protect us against all
operational risks. We do not carry business interruption
insurance. For some risks, we may not obtain insurance if we
believe the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to
the risks presented. Because third party drilling contractors
are used to drill our wells, we may not realize the full benefit
of workers compensation laws in dealing with their
employees. In addition, some risks, including pollution and
environmental risks, generally are not fully insurable.
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We are subject to extensive governmental laws and
regulations that may adversely affect the cost, manner or
feasibility of doing business. |
Our operations and facilities are subject to extensive federal,
state and local laws and regulations relating to the exploration
for, and the development, production and transportation of, oil
and natural gas, and operating safety. Future laws or
regulations, any adverse changes in the interpretation of
existing laws and regulations or our failure to comply with
existing legal requirements may harm our business, results of
operations and financial condition. We may be required to make
large and unanticipated capital expenditures to comply with
governmental laws and regulations, such as:
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lease permit restrictions; |
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drilling bonds and other financial responsibility requirements,
such as plug and abandonment bonds; |
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spacing of wells; |
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unitization and pooling of properties; |
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safety precautions; |
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regulatory requirements; and |
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taxation. |
Under these laws and regulations, we could be liable for:
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personal injuries; |
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property and natural resource damages; |
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well reclamation costs; and |
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governmental sanctions, such as fines and penalties. |
Our operations could be significantly delayed or curtailed and
our cost of operations could significantly increase as a result
of regulatory requirements or restrictions. We are unable to
predict the ultimate cost of compliance with these requirements
or their effect on our operations.
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Our operations may incur substantial liabilities to comply
with environmental laws and regulations. |
Our oil and natural gas operations are subject to stringent
federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the
release or disposal of materials into the environment and
otherwise relating to environmental protection. These laws and
regulations:
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require the acquisition of a permit before drilling commences; |
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restrict the types, quantities and concentration of substances
that can be released into the environment in connection with
drilling and production activities; |
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limit or prohibit drilling activities on certain lands lying
within wilderness, wetlands and other protected areas; and |
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impose substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from our
operations. |
Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in:
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the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties; |
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the incurrence of investigatory or remedial obligations; and |
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the imposition of injunctive relief. |
Changes in environmental laws and regulations occur frequently,
and any changes that result in more stringent or costly waste
handling, storage, transport, disposal or cleanup requirements
could require us to make significant expenditures to reach and
maintain compliance and may otherwise have a material adverse
effect on our industry in general and on our own results of
operations, competitive position or financial condition. Under
these environmental laws and regulations, we could be held
strictly liable for the removal or remediation of previously
released materials or property contamination regardless of
whether we were responsible for the release or contamination or
if our operations met previous standards in the industry at the
time they were performed.
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Provisions of our articles of incorporation, bylaws and
Nevada law will make it more difficult to effect a change in
control of us, which could adversely affect the price of our
common stock. |
Nevada corporate law and our articles of incorporation and
bylaws contain provisions that could delay, defer or prevent a
change in control of us. These provisions include:
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allowing for authorized but unissued shares of common and
preferred stock; |
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a classified board of directors; |
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requiring special stockholder meetings to be called only by our
chairman of the board, our chief executive officer, a majority
of the board or the holders of at least 10% of our outstanding
stock entitled to vote at a special meeting; |
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requiring removal of directors by a supermajority stockholder
vote; |
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prohibiting cumulative voting in the election of
directors; and |
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Nevada control share laws that may limit voting rights in shares
representing a controlling interest in us. |
We have also adopted a stockholders rights plan which is
discussed in more detail below under the caption
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
Stockholders Rights Plan. The provisions of the
stockholders rights plan and the above provisions could
make an acquisition of us by means of a tender offer or proxy
contest or removal of our incumbent directors more difficult. As
a result, these provisions could make it more difficult for a
third party to acquire us, even if doing so would benefit our
stockholders, which may limit the price that investors are
willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.
10
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in an accompanying prospectus
supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of
the securities offered by this prospectus:
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to refinance certain existing indebtedness; |
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to finance acquisitions; and |
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for general corporate purposes. |
We may invest funds not required immediately for these purposes
in marketable securities and short-term investments. The precise
amount and timing of the application of these proceeds will
depend upon our funding requirements and the availability and
cost of other funds.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The following table sets forth our ratios of earnings to fixed
charges on a consolidated basis for the periods shown. You
should read these ratios of earnings to fixed charges in
connection with our consolidated financial statements, including
the notes to those statements, incorporated by reference into
this prospectus.
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Six Months | |
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Ended | |
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Years Ended December 31, | |
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June 30, | |
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2000 | |
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2001 | |
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2002 | |
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2003 | |
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2004 | |
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2004 | |
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2005 | |
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Ratio of earnings to fix charges
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3.1x |
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3.1x |
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1.5x |
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3.7x |
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4.4x |
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3.6x |
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1.8x |
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The ratios were computed by dividing earnings by fixed charges.
For this purpose, earnings represent the aggregate
of (i) income from continuing operations before income
taxes and (ii) fixed charges. Fixed charges
consists of interest expense, capitalized interest expense,
preferred stock dividends and that portion of non-capitalized
rental expense deemed to be the equivalent of interest.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the
debt securities which may be offered by us from time to time.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific
terms of the debt securities offered by that prospectus
supplement.
We may issue debt securities either separately or together with,
or upon the conversion of, or in exchange for, other securities.
The debt securities are to be either our senior obligations
issued in one or more series and referred to herein as the
senior debt securities, or our subordinated obligations issued
in one or more series and referred to herein as the subordinated
debt securities. The debt securities will be general obligations
of Comstock. Each series of debt securities will be issued under
an agreement, or indenture, between Comstock and an independent
third party, usually a bank or trust company, known as a
trustee, who will be legally obligated to carry out the terms of
the indenture. The name(s) of the trustee(s) will be set forth
in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may issue all the
debt securities under the same indenture, as one or as separate
series, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement(s).
This summary of certain terms and provisions of the debt
securities and indentures is not complete. If we refer to
particular provisions of an indenture, the provisions, including
definitions of certain terms, are incorporated by reference as a
part of this summary. The indentures are or will be filed as an
exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus
is a part, or as exhibits to documents that we may file under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus. The indentures are subject to
and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. You should
refer to the applicable indenture for the provisions which may
be important to you.
11
General
The indentures may not limit the amount of debt securities which
we may issue. We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate
principal amount as we may authorize from time to time. The
applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any
debt securities being offered, including:
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the title and aggregate principal amount; |
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the date(s) when principal is payable; |
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the interest rate, if any, and the method for calculating the
interest rate; |
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the interest payment dates and the record dates for the interest
payments; |
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the places where the principal and interest will be payable; |
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any mandatory or optional redemption or repurchase terms or
prepayment, conversion, sinking fund or exchangeability or
convertibility provisions; |
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whether such debt securities will be senior debt securities or
subordinated debt securities and, if subordinated debt
securities, the subordination provisions and the applicable
definition of senior indebtedness; |
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additional provisions, if any, relating to the defeasance and
covenant defeasance of the debt securities; |
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if other than denominations of $1,000 or multiples of $1,000,
the denominations the debt securities will be issued in; |
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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global
securities, as discussed below, or certificates; |
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whether the debt securities will be issuable in registered form,
referred to as registered securities, or in bearer form,
referred to as bearer securities, or both, and if bearer
securities are issuable, any restrictions applicable to the
exchange of one form for another and the offer, sale and
delivery of bearer securities; |
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any applicable material federal tax consequences; |
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the dates on which premiums, if any, will be payable; |
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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum
length of such deferral period; |
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any paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or trustees
(except as provided for herein); |
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any listing on a securities exchange; |
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if convertible into common stock or preferred stock, the terms
on which such debt securities are convertible; |
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the terms, if any, of the transfer, mortgage, pledge, or
assignment as security for any series of debt securities of any
properties, assets, proceeds, securities or other collateral,
including whether certain provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939 are applicable, and any corresponding changes to
provisions of the indenture as then in effect; |
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restrictions on the declaration of dividends, if any; |
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restrictions on issuing additional debt, if any; |
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material limitations or qualifications on the debt securities
imposed by the rights of any of our other securities, if any; |
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the initial offering price; and |
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other specific terms, including covenants and any additions or
changes to the events of default provided for with respect to
the debt securities. |
12
The terms of the debt securities of any series may differ, and
without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of any
series, we may reopen a previous series of debt securities and
issue additional debt securities of such series or establish
additional terms of such series, unless otherwise indicated in
the applicable prospectus supplement.
Non-U.S. Currency
If the purchase price of any debt securities is payable in a
currency other than U.S. dollars or if principal of, or
premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the debt
securities is payable in any currency other than
U.S. dollars, the specific terms with respect to such debt
securities and such foreign currency will be specified in the
applicable prospectus supplement.
Original Issue Discount Securities
Debt securities may be issued as original issue discount
securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their
principal amount. Original issue discount securities may include
zero coupon securities that do not pay any cash
interest for the entire term of the securities. In the event of
an acceleration of the maturity of any original issue discount
security, the amount payable to the holder thereof upon such
acceleration will be determined in the manner described in the
applicable prospectus supplement. Material federal income tax
and other considerations applicable to original issue discount
securities will be described in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
Covenants
Under the indentures, we will be required to:
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pay the principal, interest and any premium on the debt
securities when due; |
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maintain a place of payment; |
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deliver a report to the trustee at the end of each fiscal year
reviewing our obligations under the indentures; and |
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deposit sufficient funds with any paying agent on or before the
due date for any principal, interest or any premium. |
Any additional covenants will be described in the applicable
prospectus supplement.
Registration, Transfer, Payment and Paying Agent
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, each
series of debt securities will be issued in registered form
only, without coupons. The indentures, however, provide that we
may also issue debt securities in bearer form only, or in both
registered and bearer form. Bearer securities must not be
offered, sold, resold or delivered in connection with their
original issuance in the United States or to any United States
person other than offices located outside the United States of
certain United States financial institutions. United
States person means any citizen or resident of the United
States, any corporation, partnership or other entity created or
organized in or under the laws of the United States, any estate
the income of which is subject to United States federal
income taxation regardless of its source, or any trust whose
administration is subject to the primary supervision of a United
States court and which has one or more United States fiduciaries
who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of
the trust. United States means the United States of
America (including the states thereof and the District of
Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas
subject to its jurisdiction. Purchasers of bearer securities
will be subject to certification procedures and may be affected
by certain limitations under United States tax laws. Such
procedures and limitations will be described in the prospectus
supplement relating to the offering of the bearer securities.
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement,
registered securities will be issued in denominations of $1,000
or any integral multiple thereof.
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Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the
principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, of or on the
debt securities will be payable, and debt securities may be
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, at an
office or agency to be maintained by us in the City of New York,
provided that payments of interest with respect to any
registered security may be made at our option by check mailed to
the address of the person entitled to payment or by transfer to
an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the
United States. No service charge will be made for any
registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we
may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
other governmental charge and any other expenses that may be
imposed in connection with the exchange or transfer.
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, payment
of principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on
bearer securities will be made, subject to any applicable laws
and regulations, at such office or agency outside the United
States as specified in the prospectus supplement and as we may
designate from time to time. Unless otherwise indicated in a
prospectus supplement, payment of interest due on bearer
securities on any interest payment date will be made only
against surrender of the coupon relating to such interest
payment date. Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus
supplement, no payment of principal, premium or interest with
respect to any bearer security will be made at any office or
agency in the United States or by check mailed to any
address in the United States or by transfer to an account
maintained with a bank located in the United States; except that
if amounts owing with respect to any bearer securities shall be
payable in U.S. dollars, payment may be made at the
Corporate Trust Office of the applicable trustee or at any
office or agency designated by us in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full
amount of such principal, premium or interest at all offices
outside of the United States maintained for such purpose by us
is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or
similar restrictions.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we will not be required to:
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issue, register the transfer of or exchange debt securities of
any series during a period beginning at the opening of business
15 days before any selection of debt securities of that
series of like tenor to be redeemed and ending at the close of
business on the day of that selection; |
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register the transfer of or exchange any registered security, or
portion thereof, called for redemption, except the unredeemed
portion of any registered security being redeemed in part; |
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exchange any bearer security called for redemption, except to
exchange such bearer security for a registered security of that
series and like tenor that is simultaneously surrendered for
redemption; or |
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issue, register the transfer of or exchange any debt security
which has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the
holder, except the portion, if any, of the debt security not to
be so repaid. |
Ranking of Debt Securities
The senior debt securities will be our unsubordinated
obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all
other unsubordinated indebtedness of ours. The subordinated debt
securities will be obligations of ours and will be subordinated
in right of payment to all existing and future senior
indebtedness. The prospectus supplement will describe the
subordination provisions and set forth the definition of senior
indebtedness applicable to the subordinated debt securities, and
will set forth the approximate amount of such senior
indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.
Global Securities
The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in
part in the form of one or more global securities that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, a depository, such as the
Depository Trust Company, identified in the prospectus
supplement relating to such series. Global debt securities may
be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either
temporary or permanent form. Unless and until it is exchanged in
whole
14
or in part for individual certificates evidencing debt
securities, a global debt security may not be transferred except
as a whole:
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by the depository to a nominee of such depository; |
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by a nominee of such depository to such depository or another
nominee of such depository; or |
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by such depository or any such nominee to a successor of such
depository or a nominee of such successor. |
The specific terms of the depository arrangement with respect to
a series of global debt securities and certain limitations and
restrictions relating to a series of global bearer securities
will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Outstanding Debt Securities
In determining whether the holders of the requisite principal
amount of outstanding debt securities have given any
authorization, demand, direction, notice, consent or waiver
under the relevant indenture, the amount of outstanding debt
securities will be calculated based on the following:
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the portion of the principal amount of an original issue
discount security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for
such purposes shall be that portion of the principal amount
thereof that could be declared to be due and payable upon a
declaration of acceleration pursuant to the terms of such
original issue discount security as of the date of such
determination; |
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the principal amount of a debt security denominated in a
currency other than U.S. dollars shall be the
U.S. dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original
issue of such debt security, of the principal amount of such
debt security; and |
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any debt security owned by us or any obligor on such debt
security or any affiliate of us or such other obligor shall be
deemed not to be outstanding. |
Redemption and Repurchase
The debt securities may be redeemable at our option, may be
subject to mandatory redemption pursuant to a sinking fund or
otherwise, or may be subject to repurchase by us at the option
of the holders, in each case upon the terms, at the times and at
the prices set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Conversion and Exchange
The terms, if any, on which debt securities of any series are
convertible into or exchangeable for common stock, preferred
stock, or other debt securities will be set forth in the
applicable prospectus supplement. Such terms of conversion or
exchange may be either mandatory, at the option of the holders,
or at our option.
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets
Each indenture generally will permit a consolidation or merger
between us and another corporation, if the surviving corporation
meets certain limitations and conditions. Subject to those
conditions, each indenture may also permit the sale by us of all
or substantially all of our property and assets. If this
happens, the remaining or acquiring corporation shall assume all
of our responsibilities and liabilities under the indentures
including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities
and performance of the covenants in the indentures.
We are only permitted to consolidate or merge with or into any
other corporation or sell all or substantially all of our assets
according to the terms and conditions of the indentures, as
indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The remaining
or acquiring corporation will be substituted for us in the
indentures with the same effect as if it had been an original
party to the indenture. Thereafter, the successor corporation
may exercise our rights and powers under any indenture, in our
name or in its own name. Any act
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or proceeding required or permitted to be done by our board of
directors or any of our officers may then be done by the board
or officers of the successor corporation.
Events of Default
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, an event of default, as defined in the indentures
and applicable to debt securities issued under such indentures,
typically will occur with respect to the debt securities of any
series under the indentures upon:
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default for a period to be specified in the applicable
prospectus supplement in payment of any interest with respect to
any debt security of such series; |
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default in payment of principal or any premium with respect to
any debt security of such series when due upon maturity,
redemption, repurchase at the option of the holder or otherwise; |
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default in deposit of any sinking fund payment when due with
respect to any debt security of such series; |
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default by us in the performance, or breach, of any other
covenant or warranty in such indentures, which shall not have
been remedied for a period to be specified in the applicable
prospectus supplement after notice to us by the applicable
trustee or the holders of not less than a fixed percentage in
aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of all series
issued under the applicable indenture; |
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certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of
Comstock; or |
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any other event of default that may be set forth in the
applicable prospectus supplement, including an event of default
based on other debt being accelerated, known as a
cross-acceleration. |
No event of default with respect to any particular series of
debt securities necessarily constitutes an event of default with
respect to any other series of debt securities. If the trustee
considers it in the interest of the holders to do so, the
trustee under an indenture may withhold notice of the occurrence
of a default with respect to the debt securities to the holders
of any series outstanding, except a default in payment of
principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any.
Each indenture will provide that if an event of default with
respect to any series of debt securities issued thereunder shall
have occurred and be continuing, either the relevant trustee or
the holders of at least a fixed percentage in principal amount
of the debt securities of such series then outstanding may
declare the principal amount of all the debt securities of such
series to be due and payable immediately. In the case of
original issue discount securities, the trustee may declare as
due and payable such lesser amount as may be specified in the
applicable prospectus supplement. However, upon certain
conditions, such declaration and its consequences may be
rescinded and annulled by the holders of at least a fixed
percentage in principal amount of the debt securities of all
series issued under the applicable Indenture.
The applicable prospectus supplement will provide the terms
pursuant to which an event of default shall result in
acceleration of the payment of principal of subordinated debt
securities.
In the case of a default in the payment of principal of, or
premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any subordinated debt
securities of any series, the applicable trustee, subject to
certain limitations and conditions, may institute a judicial
proceeding for the collection thereof.
No holder of any of the debt securities of any series will have
any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the
indenture or any remedy thereunder, unless the holders of at
least a fixed percentage in principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of such series:
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have made written request to the trustee to institute such
proceeding as trustee, and offered reasonable indemnity to the
trustee; |
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the trustee has failed to institute such proceeding within the
time period specified in the applicable prospectus supplement
after receipt of such notice; and |
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the trustee has not within such period received directions
inconsistent with such written request by holders of a majority
in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such
series. Such limitations do not apply, however, to a suit
instituted by a holder of a debt security for the enforcement of
the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or any accrued
and unpaid interest on, the debt security on or after the
respective due dates expressed in the debt security. |
During the existence of an event of default under an indenture,
the trustee is required to exercise such rights and powers
vested in it under the indenture and use the same degree of care
and skill in its exercise thereof as a prudent person would
exercise under the circumstances in the conduct of such
persons own affairs. Subject to the provisions of the
indenture relating to the duties of the trustee, if an event of
default shall occur and be continuing, the trustee is under no
obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the
indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders,
unless such holders shall have offered to the trustee reasonable
security or indemnity. Subject to certain provisions concerning
the rights of the trustee, the holders of at least a fixed
percentage in principal amount of the outstanding debt
securities of any series have the right to direct the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the trustee, or exercising any power conferred on
the trustee with respect to such series.
The indentures provide that the trustee will, within the time
period specified in the applicable prospectus supplement after
the occurrence of any default, give to the holders of the debt
securities of such series notice of such default known to it,
unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided
that the trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice
if it determines in good faith that the withholding of such
notice is in the interest of such holders, except in the case of
a default in payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any
debt security of such series when due or in the case of any
default in the payment of any interest on the debt securities of
such series.
We will be required to furnish to the trustee annually a
statement as to compliance with all conditions and covenants
under the indentures.
Modification and Waivers
From time to time, when authorized by resolutions of our board
of directors and by the trustee, we may, without the consent of
the holders of debt securities of any series, amend, waive or
supplement the indentures and the debt securities of such series
for certain specified purposes, including, among other things:
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to cure ambiguities, defects or inconsistencies; |
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to provide for the assumption of our obligations to holders of
the debt securities of such series in the case of a merger or
consolidation; |
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to add to our events of default or our covenants or to make any
change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to
the holders of the debt securities of such series; |
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to add or change any provisions of such indenture to facilitate
the issuance of bearer securities; |
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to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series
and any related coupons; |
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to add guarantors with respect to the debt securities of such
series; |
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to secure the debt securities of such series; |
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to maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939; or |
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to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of
any holder. |
Other amendments and modifications of the indentures or the debt
securities issued thereunder may be made by the trustee and us
with the consent of the holders of not less than a fixed
percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of each series affected, with each series voting
as a
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separate class; provided that, without the consent of the holder
of each outstanding debt security affected, no such modification
or amendment may:
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reduce the principal amount of, or extend the fixed maturity of
the debt securities, or alter or waive any redemption,
repurchase or sinking fund provision of the debt securities; |
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reduce the amount of principal of any original issue discount
securities that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of
the maturity thereof; |
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change the currency in which any debt securities or any premium
or the accrued interest thereon is payable; |
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reduce the percentage in principal amount outstanding of debt
securities of any series which must consent to an amendment,
supplement or waiver or consent to take any action under the
indenture or the debt securities of such series; |
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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any
payment on or with respect to the debt securities; |
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waive a default in payment with respect to the debt securities
or any guarantee; |
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reduce the rate or extend the time for payment of interest on
the debt securities; |
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adversely affect the ranking of the debt securities of any
series; |
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release any guarantor from any of its obligations under its
guarantee or the indenture, except in compliance with the terms
of the indenture; or |
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solely in the case of a series of subordinated debt securities,
modify any of the applicable subordination provisions or the
applicable definition of senior indebtedness in a manner adverse
to any holders. |
The holders of a fixed percentage in aggregate principal amount
of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive
compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the
relevant indenture, including any set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement. The holders of a fixed percentage in
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of
any series may, on behalf of the holders of that series, waive
any past default under the applicable indenture with respect to
that series and its consequences, except a default in the
payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if
any, on any debt securities of such series, or in respect of a
covenant or provision which cannot be modified or amended
without the consent of a larger fixed percentage of holders or
by the holders of each outstanding debt security of the series
affected.
Discharge, Termination and Covenant Termination
When we establish a series of debt securities, we may provide
that such series is subject to the termination and discharge
provisions of the applicable indenture. If those provisions are
made applicable, we may elect either:
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to terminate and be discharged from all of our obligations with
respect to those debt securities subject to some limitations; or |
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to be released from our obligations to comply with specified
covenants relating to those debt securities, as described in the
applicable prospectus supplement. |
To effect that termination or covenant termination, we must
irrevocably deposit in trust with the relevant trustee an amount
which, through the payment of principal and interest in
accordance with their terms, will provide money sufficient to
make payments on those debt securities and any mandatory sinking
fund or similar payments on those debt securities. This deposit
may be made in any combination of funds or government
obligations. On such a termination, we will not be released from
certain of our obligations that will be specified in the
applicable prospectus supplement.
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To establish such a trust we must deliver to the relevant
trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of
those debt securities:
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will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal
income tax purposes as a result of the termination or covenant
termination; and |
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will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same
amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have
been the case if the termination or covenant termination had not
occurred. |
If we effect covenant termination with respect to any debt
securities, the amount of deposit with the relevant trustee must
be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the
time of their stated maturity. However, those debt securities
may become due and payable prior to their stated maturity if
there is an event of default with respect to a covenant from
which we have not been released. In that event, the amount on
deposit may not be sufficient to pay all amounts due on the debt
securities at the time of the acceleration.
The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the
provisions, if any, permitting termination or covenant
termination, including any modifications to the provisions
described above.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
The Initial Trustee
The initial trustee named in the form of indenture for debt
securities filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of
which this prospectus forms a part is The Bank of New York Trust
Company, N.A.
Regarding the Trustees
The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 contains limitations on the
rights of a trustee, should it become a creditor of ours, to
obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on
certain property received by it in respect of any such claims,
as security or otherwise. Each trustee is permitted to engage in
other transactions with us from time to time, provided that if
such trustee becomes subject to any conflicting interest, it
must eliminate such conflict upon the occurrence of an event of
default under the relevant indenture, or else resign as trustee.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
Our authorized capital stock consists of 50,000,000 shares
of common stock, par value $0.50 per share and
5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $10.00 par value
per share. At September 30, 2005 we had
42,250,815 shares of common stock and no shares of
preferred stock issued and outstanding. We also had options and
warrants outstanding to purchase 2,884,750 shares of
our common stock outstanding at that date.
The following is a summary of the key terms and provisions of
our equity securities. You should refer to the applicable
provision of our restated articles of incorporation, bylaws, the
General Corporation Law of Nevada and the documents we have
incorporated by reference for a complete statement of the terms
and rights of our capital stock.
Common Stock
Voting Rights. Each holder of common stock is entitled to
one vote per share. Subject to the rights, if any, of the
holders of any series of preferred stock pursuant to applicable
law or the provision of the certificate of designation creating
that series, all voting rights are vested in the holders of
shares of common stock. Holders of shares of common stock have
no right to cumulate votes in the election of directors, thus the
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holders of a majority of the shares of common stock can elect
all of the members of the board of directors standing for
election.
Dividends. Dividends may be paid to the holders of common
stock when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of
funds legally available for their payment, subject to the rights
of holders of any preferred stock. We have never declared a cash
dividend on our common stock and intend to continue our policy
of using retained earnings for expansion of our business.
Rights upon Liquidation. In the event of our voluntary or
involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders
of common stock will be entitled to share equally, in proportion
to the number of shares of common stock held by them, in any of
our assets available for distribution after the payment in full
of all debts and distributions and after the holders of all
series of outstanding preferred stock, if any, have received
their liquidation preferences in full.
Non-Assessable. All outstanding shares of common stock
are fully paid and non-assessable. Any additional common stock
we offer and issue under this prospectus and any related
prospectus supplement will also be fully paid and non-assessable.
No Preemptive Rights. Holders of common stock are not
entitled to preemptive purchase rights in future offerings of
our common stock. Although our restated articles of
incorporation do not specifically deny preemptive rights,
pursuant to the Nevada General Corporation Law, our stockholders
do not have preemptive rights with respect to shares that are
registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 and our common stock is so registered.
Listing. Our outstanding shares of common stock are
listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
CRK. Any additional common stock we issue will also
be listed on the NYSE and any other exchange on which our common
stock is then traded.
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors can, without approval of our
stockholders, issue one or more series of preferred stock and
determine the number of shares of each series and the rights,
preferences and limitations of each series. The following
description of the terms of the preferred stock sets forth
certain general terms and provisions of our authorized preferred
stock. If we offer preferred stock, a description will be filed
with the SEC and the specific designations and rights will be
described in a prospectus supplement, including the following
terms:
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the series, the number of shares offered and the liquidation
value of the preferred stock; |
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the price at which the preferred stock will be issued; |
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the dividend rate, the dates on which the dividends will be
payable and other terms relating to the payment of dividends on
the preferred stock; |
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the liquidation preference of the preferred stock; |
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the voting rights of the preferred stock; |
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whether the preferred stock is redeemable or subject to a
sinking fund, and the terms of any such redemption or sinking
fund; |
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whether the preferred stock is convertible or exchangeable for
any other securities, and the terms of any such
conversion; and |
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any additional rights, preferences, qualifications, limitations
and restrictions of the preferred stock. |
The description of the terms of the preferred stock to be set
forth in an applicable prospectus supplement will not be
complete and will be subject to and qualified in its entirety by
reference to the certificate of designation relating to the
applicable series of preferred stock. The registration statement
of which this prospectus forms a part will include the
certificate of designation as an exhibit or incorporate it by
reference.
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Undesignated preferred stock may enable our board of directors
to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain
control of us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger
or otherwise, and to thereby protect the continuity of our
management. The issuance of shares of preferred stock may
adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock.
For example, any preferred stock issued may rank prior to our
common stock as to dividend rights, liquidation preference or
both, may have full or limited voting rights and may be
convertible into shares of common stock. As a result, the
issuance of shares of preferred stock may discourage bids for
our common stock or may otherwise adversely affect the market
price of our common stock or any existing preferred stock.
Any preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and
non-assessable.
Stockholders Rights Plan
On December 8, 2000, our board of directors adopted
Comstocks Stockholders Rights Plan and we declared a
dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right for
each outstanding share of our common stock. Each purchase right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from us one
one-hundredth of a share of our series A junior
participating preferred stock, $10.00 par value per share,
at an exercise price of $15.00 per one one-hundredth of a
share of preferred stock, subject to adjustment. The description
and terms of the purchase rights are set forth in a rights
agreement between us and American Stock Transfer and Trust
Company, as rights agent.
The purchase rights are initially evidenced by the common stock
certificates as no separate purchase rights certificates have
been distributed. The purchase rights separate from our common
stock and a distribution date will occur at the close of
business on the earliest of:
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the tenth business day following a public announcement that a
person or group of affiliated or associated persons (Acquiring
Person) has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire,
beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of
our common stock (Stock Acquisition Date); |
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the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined
by action of our board of directors) following the commencement
of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a
person or group beneficially owning 20% or more of the
outstanding shares of our common stock; or |
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the tenth business day after our board of directors determines
that any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or other
entity, alone or together with its affiliates and associates,
has become the beneficial owner of an amount of our common stock
which a majority of the continuing directors who are not our
officers determines to be substantial (which amount shall in no
event be less than 10% of the shares of our common stock
outstanding) and at least a majority of the continuing directors
who are not our officers, after reasonable inquiry and
investigation, including consultation with such adverse person
as the directors shall deem appropriate, shall determine that
such beneficial ownership by such adverse person is intended to
cause us to repurchase the common stock beneficially owned by
such adverse person or to cause pressure on us to take action or
enter into a transaction intended to provide such adverse person
with short-term financial gain under circumstances where the
directors determine that the best long-term interests of us and
our stockholders would not be served by taking such action or
entering into such transaction or series of transactions at that
time, or that such beneficial ownership is causing or is
reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact on us. |
The purchase rights are not exercisable until the distribution
date outlined above and will expire at the close of business on
December 18, 2010, unless earlier redeemed by us. If
(i) a person becomes the beneficial owner of 20% or more of
the then outstanding shares of our common stock (except
(a) pursuant to certain offers for all outstanding shares
of common stock approved by at least a majority of the
continuing directors who are not our officers or (b) solely
due to a reduction in the number of shares of our common stock
outstanding as a result of the repurchase of shares of common
stock by us) or (ii) our board of directors determines that
a person is an adverse person (as discussed above), each holder
of a purchase right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise, common stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or our other securities) having a value equal to two
times the exercise price of the purchase right. Notwithstanding
any of the foregoing, following the
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occurrence of either of the events set forth in this paragraph,
all purchase rights that are, or (under certain circumstances
specified in the rights agreement) were, beneficially owned by
any Acquiring Person or adverse person (as discussed above) will
be null and void.
If at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i) we
are acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which we are not the surviving corporation, or in
which we are the surviving corporation, but our common stock is
changed or exchanged (other than a merger which follows an offer
for all outstanding shares of common stock approved by at least
a majority of the continuing directors who are not our
officers), or (ii) more than 50% of our assets, cash flow
or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder of a
purchase right (except purchase rights which previously have
been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the right
to receive upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company
having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the
purchase right.
At any time after the earlier to occur of (i) an Acquiring
Person becoming such or (ii) the date on which our board of
directors declares an adverse person to be such, our board of
directors may cause us to exchange the purchase rights (other
than purchase rights owned by the adverse person or Acquiring
Person, as the case may be, which will have become null and
void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of
common stock per purchase right (subject to adjustment).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such exchange may be effected
at any time after any person becomes the beneficial owner of 50%
or more of our outstanding common stock.
The rights plan has certain anti-takeover effects including
making it prohibitively expensive for a raider to try to control
or take us over unilaterally without negotiation with our board
of directors. Although intended to preserve for stockholders our
long term value, the rights plan may make it more difficult for
stockholders to benefit from certain transactions which are
opposed by the incumbent board of directors.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
In addition to the rights plan, our restated articles of
incorporation and bylaws and the Nevada General Corporation Law
include certain provisions which may have the effect of delaying
or deterring a change in control or in our management or
encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or
other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board
of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover
attempts. These provisions include a classified board of
directors, authorized blank check preferred stock, restrictions
on business combinations and the availability of authorized but
unissued common stock. Please see Preferred Stock
above.
Our bylaws contain provisions dividing the board of directors
into classes with only one class standing for election each
year. A staggered board of directors makes it more difficult for
stockholders to change the majority of the directors and instead
promotes a continuity of existing management.
Nevadas Combinations with Interested Stockholders
Statute, which applies to any Nevada corporation subject
to the reporting requirements of Section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including us, prohibits an
interested stockholder from entering into a
combination with the corporation for three years,
unless certain conditions are met. A combination
includes:
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any merger of the corporation or a subsidiary of the corporation
with an interested stockholder, or any other
corporation which is or after the merger would be, an affiliate
or associate of the interested stockholder; |
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any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other
disposition, in one transaction or a series of transactions, to
or with an interested stockholder, of assets: |
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(i) having an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more of
the aggregate market value of the corporations assets; |
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(ii) having an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more
of the aggregate market value of all outstanding shares of the
corporation; or |
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(iii) representing 10% or more of the earning power or net
income of the corporation; |
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any issuance or transfer of shares of the corporation or its
subsidiaries, to the interested stockholder, having
an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more of the aggregate
market value of all of the outstanding shares of the corporation; |
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the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or
dissolution of the corporation proposed by the interested
stockholder; |
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certain transactions which would result in increasing the
proportionate share of shares of the corporation owned by the
interested stockholder; |
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a recapitalization of the corporation; or |
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the receipt by an interested stockholder, except
proportionately as a stockholder, of the benefits of any loans,
advances or other financial benefits provided by the corporation. |
An interested stockholder is a person who:
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directly or indirectly owns 10% or more of the voting power of
the outstanding voting shares of the corporation or |
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an affiliate or associate of the corporation which at any time
within three years before the date in question was the
beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the
voting power of the then outstanding shares of the corporation. |
A corporation to which the Combinations with Interested
Stockholders statute applies may not engage in a
combination within three years after the interested
stockholder acquired its shares, unless the combination or the
interested stockholders acquisition of shares was approved
by the board of directors before the interested stockholder
acquired the shares. If this approval is not obtained, the
combination may be consummated after the three year period
expires if either (a)(i) the board of directors of the
corporation approved, prior to such person becoming an
interested stockholder, the combination or the purchase of
shares by the interested stockholder or (ii) the
combination is approved by the affirmative vote of holders of a
majority of voting power not beneficially owned by the
interested stockholder at a meeting called no earlier than three
years after the date the interested stockholder became such or
(b) the aggregate amount of cash and the market value of
consideration other than cash to be received by holders of
shares of common stock and holders of any other class or series
of shares meets the minimum requirements set forth in the
statue, and prior to the completion of the combination, except
in limited circumstances, the interested stockholder
has not become the beneficial owner of additional voting shares
of the corporation.
Combinations with Interested Stockholders
In addition to the foregoing statute, Nevada has an
Acquisition of Controlling Interest statute, which
prohibits an acquiror, under certain circumstances, from voting
shares of a target corporations stock after crossing
certain threshold ownership percentages, unless the acquiror
obtains the approval of the target corporations
stockholders. The Acquisition of Controlling Interest Statute
only applies to Nevada corporations with at least 200
stockholders, including at least 100 record stockholders who are
Nevada residents, and which do business directly or indirectly
in Nevada and whose articles of incorporation or bylaws in
effect 10 days following the acquisition of a controlling
interest by an acquiror does not prohibit its application. We do
not intend to do business in Nevada within the
meaning of the Acquisition of Controlling Interest Statute.
Therefore, we believe it is unlikely that the Acquisition of
Controlling Interest statute will apply to us. The statute
specifies three thresholds: at least one-fifth but less than
one-third, at least one-third but less than a majority, and a
majority or more, of the outstanding voting power. Once an
acquiror crosses one of the above thresholds, shares which it
acquired in the transaction taking it over the threshold or
within ninety days preceding the date thereof become
control shares which could be deprived of the right
to vote until a majority of the disinterested stockholders
restore that right. A special stockholders meeting may be
called at the request of the acquiror to consider the voting
rights of the acquirors shares. If the acquiror requests a
special meeting and gives an undertaking to pay the expenses of
said meeting, then the meeting must take place no earlier than
30 days (unless the acquiror requests that the meeting be
held sooner) and no more than
23
50 days (unless the acquiror agrees to a later date) after
the delivery by the acquiror to the corporation of an
information statement which sets forth the range of voting power
that the acquiror has acquired or proposes to acquire and
certain other information concerning the acquiror and the
proposed control share acquisition. If no such request for a
stockholders meeting is made, consideration of the voting
rights of the acquirors shares must be taken at the next
special or annual stockholders meeting. If the
stockholders fail to restore voting rights to the acquiror, or
if the acquiror fails to timely deliver an information statement
to the corporation, then the corporation may, if so provided in
its articles or bylaws, call certain of the acquirors
shares for redemption at the average price paid for the control
shares by the acquiror. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws
do not currently permit us to redeem an acquirors shares
under these circumstances. The Acquisition of Controlling
Interest statute also provides that in the event the
stockholders restore full voting rights to a holder of control
shares that owns a majority of the voting stock, then all other
stockholders who do not vote in favor of restoring voting rights
to the control shares may demand payment for the fair
value of their shares (which is generally equal to the
highest price paid by the acquiror in the transaction subjecting
the acquiror to the statute.)
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants to purchase debt or equity securities.
Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other
securities and may be attached to, or separate from, such
securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a
separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a
warrant agent. The terms of any warrants to be issued and a
description of the material provisions of the applicable warrant
agreement will be set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
The applicable prospectus supplement will specify the following
terms of any warrants in respect of which this prospectus is
being delivered:
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the title of such warrants; |
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the aggregate number of such warrants; |
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the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued; |
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any changes or adjustments to the exercise price; |
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the securities or other rights, including rights to receive
payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price
of one or more specified commodities, currencies, securities or
indices, or any combination of the foregoing, purchasable upon
exercise of such warrants; |
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the price at which, and the currency or currencies in which the
securities or other rights purchasable upon exercise of, such
warrants may be purchased; |
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the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall
commence and the date on which such right shall expire; |
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if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants
that may be exercised at any one time; |
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if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with
which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants
issued with each such security; |
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if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the
related securities will be separately transferable; |
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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
24
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if applicable, a discussion of any material United States
federal income tax considerations; and |
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any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures
and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such
warrants. |
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may
issue units consisting of one or more debt securities, shares of
common stock, shares of preferred stock or warrants or any
combination of such securities.
The applicable prospectus supplement will specify the following
terms of any units in respect of which this prospectus is being
delivered:
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the terms of the units and of any of the debt securities, common
stock, preferred stock and warrants comprising the units,
including whether and under what circumstances the securities
comprising the units may be traded separately; |
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a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the
units; and |
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a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement,
transfer or exchange of the units. |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus and
applicable prospectus supplements in one or more of the
following ways from time to time:
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through underwriters or dealers; |
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through agents; |
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directly to purchasers, including institutional
investors; or |
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through a combination of any such methods of sale. |
Any such underwriter, dealer or agent may be deemed to be an
underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933.
The applicable prospectus supplement relating to the securities
will set forth:
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the offering terms, including the name or names of any
underwriters, dealers or agents; |
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the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from
such sales; |
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any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items
constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers or agents; |
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any initial public offering price, if applicable; |
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any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid by
underwriters or dealers to other dealers; |
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in the case of debt securities, the interest rate, maturity and
redemption provisions; and |
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any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed. |
If underwriters or dealers are used in the sale, the securities
will be acquired by the underwriters or dealers for their own
account and may be resold from time to time in one or more
transactions:
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at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
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at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
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at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or |
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at negotiated prices. |
25
The securities may be offered to the public either through
underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing
underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms. Unless
otherwise stated in an applicable prospectus supplement, the
obligations of underwriters or dealers to purchase the
securities will be subject to certain customary closing
conditions and the underwriters or dealers will be obligated to
purchase all the securities if any of the securities are
purchased. Any public offering price and any discounts or
concessions allowed or reallowed or paid by underwriters or
dealers to other dealers may be changed from time to time.
Securities may be sold directly by us or through agents
designated by us from time to time. Any agent involved in the
offer or sale of the securities in respect of which this
prospectus and a prospectus supplement is delivered will be
named, and any commissions payable by us to such agent will be
set forth, in the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise
indicated in the prospectus supplement, any such agent will be
acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
If so indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize
underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers from certain
specified institutions to purchase 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. Such contracts will
be subject to any conditions set forth in the prospectus
supplement and the prospectus supplement will set forth the
commission payable for solicitation of such contracts. The
underwriters and other persons soliciting such contracts will
have no responsibility for the validity or performance of any
such contracts.
Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled under
agreements entered into with us to be indemnified by us against
certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act of 1933, or to contribution by us to payments
which they may be required to make. The terms and conditions of
such indemnification will be described in an applicable
prospectus supplement. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be
customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services
for, us in the ordinary course of business.
Each class or series of securities will be a new issue of
securities with no established trading market, other than the
common stock, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. We
may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any
exchange, other than the common stock, but we are not obligated
to do so. Any underwriters to whom securities are sold by us for
public offering and sale may make a market in such securities,
but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may
discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No
assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market
for any securities.
Certain persons participating in any offering of securities may
engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise
affect the price of the securities offered in accordance with
Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In
connection with any such offering, the underwriters or agents,
as the case may be, may purchase and sell securities in the open
market. These transactions may include over-allotment and
stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover syndicate short
positions created in connection with the offering. Stabilizing
transactions consist of certain bids or purchases for the
purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price
of the securities; and syndicate short positions involve the
sale by the underwriters or agents, as the case may be, of a
greater number of securities than they are required to purchase
from us, as the case may be, in the offering. The underwriters
may also impose a penalty bid, whereby selling concessions
allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers for the
securities sold for their account may be reclaimed by the
syndicate if such securities are repurchased by the syndicate in
stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may
stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the
securities, which may be higher than the price that might
otherwise prevail in the open market, and if commenced, may be
discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on
the New York Stock Exchange in the over-the-counter market or
otherwise. These activities will be described in more detail in
the sections entitled Plan of Distribution or
Underwriting in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as applicable,
will set forth the anticipated delivery date of the securities
being sold at that time.
26
LEGAL MATTERS
Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP, Dallas, Texas, will issue an
opinion for us regarding the legality of the securities offered
by this prospectus and applicable prospectus supplement. If the
securities are being distributed in an underwritten offering,
certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters
by counsel identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Comstock Resources,
Inc. appearing in Comstock Resources, Incs Annual Report
(Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2004, and
Comstock Resources, Inc managements assessment of the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2004 included therein, have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included
therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated
financial statements and managements assessment are
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports
given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and
auditing.
With respect to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim
financial information of Comstock Resources, Inc. for the
three-month periods ended March 31, 2005 and March 31,
2004, and the six-month periods ended June 3, 2005 and
June 30, 2004, incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus, Ernst & Young LLP reported that they
have applied limited procedures in accordance with professional
standards for a review of such information. However, their
separate reports dated May 9, 2005 and August 10,
2005, included in Comstock Resources, Incs Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
2005 and June 30, 2005, respectively, and incorporated by
reference herein, states that they did not audit and they do not
express an opinion on that interim financial information.
Accordingly, the degree of reliance on their report on such
information should be restricted in light of the limited nature
of the review procedures applied. Ernst & Young LLP is
not subject to the liability provisions of Section 11 of
the Securities Act of 1933 for their report on the unaudited
interim financial information because that report is not a
report or a part of the Registration
Statement prepared or certified by Ernst & Young LLP
within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Securities
Act of 1933.
Our consolidated financial statements for the year ended
December 31, 2002, have been incorporated by reference into
this prospectus in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP,
independent registered public accounting firm, and upon the
authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
On May 16, 2003, we filed a Current Report on Form 8-K
announcing that our audit committee engaged Ernst &
Young LLP as our independent public accountants for fiscal 2003,
replacing KPMG LLP. The decision to change independent public
accountants was not the result of any disagreement with KPMG LLP
on matters of accounting principles or practices, financial
statement disclosure or auditing scope and procedure.
Certain estimates of our oil and natural gas reserves and
related information incorporated by reference in this prospectus
have been derived from engineering reports prepared by Lee
Keeling & Associates as of December 31, 2002, 2003
and 2004, and all such information has been so included on the
authority of such firm as an expert regarding the matters
contained in its reports.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and therefore we file annual,
quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other
documents with the SEC. You may read and copy any of the
reports, proxy statements and any other information that we file
at the SECs Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain
information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by
calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC
maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains
reports, proxy and information statements and other information
regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. We
also maintain a website at
27
http://www.comstockresources.com; however, the
information contained at this website does not constitute part
of this prospectus. Reports, proxy and information statements
and other information about us may be inspected at the New York
Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on
Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, with respect to
the securities offered in this prospectus. This prospectus is
part of that registration statement and, as permitted by the
SECs rules, does not contain all of the information set
forth in the registration statement. For further information
about us and the securities that may be offered, we refer you to
the registration statement and the exhibits that are filed with
it. You can review and copy the registration statement and its
exhibits and schedules from the SEC at the address listed above
or from its web site.
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference into
this prospectus certain information we file with the SEC in
other documents. This means that we can disclose important
information to you by referring you to other documents that we
file with the SEC. The information may include documents filed
after the date of this prospectus which update and supersede the
information you read in this prospectus. We incorporate by
reference the documents listed below, except to the extent
information in those documents is different from the information
contained in this prospectus, and all future documents filed by
us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (other than Current
Reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7 of
Form 8-K) until the offering of the securities described
herein is terminated:
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Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2004; |
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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months
ended March 31, 2005; |
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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the six months ended
June 30, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
September 30, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
July 18, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
July 15, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
May 13, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
March 30, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
March 28, 2005; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on
January 27, 2005; and |
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Our definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with
the SEC on April 22, 2005 for the 2005 annual meeting of
stockholders. |
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed
modified, superseded or replaced for purposes of this prospectus
to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or
in any subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to
be incorporated by reference in this prospectus modifies,
supersedes or replaces such statement. Any statement so
modified, superseded or replaced shall not be deemed, except as
so modified, superseded or replaced, to constitute a part of
this prospectus.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any
beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is
delivered, upon that persons written or oral request, a
copy of any or all of the information incorporated by reference
in this prospectus (other than exhibits to those documents,
unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference
into the information that this prospectus incorporates).
Requests should be directed to:
Comstock Resources, Inc.
Attention: Roland O. Burns, Senior Vice President
5300 Town and County Blvd., Suite 500
Frisco, Texas 75034
Telephone number: (972) 668-8800
28
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
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Item 14. |
Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution. |
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other
than selling or underwriting discounts and commissions, to be
incurred by us in connection with the issuance and distribution
of the securities being registered hereby. With the exception of
the SEC registration fee, all fees and expenses set forth below
are estimates.
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SEC registration fee
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$ |
58,850 |
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Printing and engraving expenses
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40,000 |
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Legal fees and expenses
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30,000 |
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Trustee fees and expenses
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5,000 |
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Rating agency fees
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50,000 |
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Accounting fees and expenses
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20,000 |
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Miscellaneous
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5,000 |
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Total
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$ |
208,850 |
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Item 15. |
Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
Section 78.7502 of the General Corporation Law of Nevada
permits a corporation to indemnify any person who was, or is, or
is threatened to be made a party in a completed, pending or
threatened proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative (except an action by or in the right of the
corporation), by reason of being or having been an officer,
director, employee or agent of the corporation or serving in
certain capacities at the request of the corporation.
Indemnification may include attorneys fees, judgments,
fines and amounts paid in settlement. The person to be
indemnified must have acted in good faith and in a manner he or
she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal
action, such person must have had no reasonable cause to believe
his or her conduct was unlawful.
With respect to actions by or in the right of the corporation,
indemnification may not be made for any claim, issue or matter
as to which such a person has been finally adjudged by a court
of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the corporation or for
amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only
to the extent that the court in which the action was brought or
other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon
application that in view of all circumstances the person is
fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as
the court deems proper.
Unless indemnification is ordered by a court, the determination
to pay indemnification must be made by the stockholders, by a
majority vote of a quorum of our board of directors who were not
parties to the action, suit or proceeding, or in certain
circumstances by independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
Section 78.751 of the General Corporation law of Nevada
permits the articles of incorporation or bylaws to provide for
payment to an indemnified person of the expenses of defending an
action as incurred upon receipt of an undertaking to repay the
amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction that the person is not entitled to indemnification.
Section 78.7502 also provides that to the extent a
director, officer, employee or agent has been successful on the
merits or otherwise in the defense of any such action, he or she
must be indemnified by the corporation against expenses,
including attorneys fees, actually and reasonably incurred
in connection with the defense.
II-1
Article VI, Indemnification of Directors, Officers,
Employees and Agents, of our bylaws provides as follows
with respect to indemnification of our directors, officers,
employees and agents:
Section 1. To the fullest extent allowed by Nevada
law, any director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the
Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for an act
or omission in the directors capacity as a director,
except that this Article VI does not eliminate or limit the
liability of a director for:
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(a) an act or omission which involves intentional
misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law; or |
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(b) the payment of dividends in violation of N.R.S. 78.300. |
Section 2. The Corporation shall indemnify each director,
officer, employee and agent, now or hereafter serving the
Corporation, each former director, officer, employee and agent,
and each person who may now or hereafter serve or who may have
heretofore served at the Corporations request as a
director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or
other business enterprise, and the respective heirs, executors,
administrators and personal representatives of each of them
against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by, or
imposed upon, him in connection with the defense of any claim,
action, suit or proceeding, civil or criminal, against him by
reason of his being or having been such director, officer,
employee or agent, except in relation to such matters as to
which he shall be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction
after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom in such action, suit
or proceeding to be liable for gross negligence or willful
misconduct in the performance of duty. For purposes hereof, the
term expenses shall include but not be limited to
all expenses, costs, attorneys fees, judgements (including
adjudications other than on the merits), fines, penalties,
arbitration awards, costs of arbitration and sums paid out and
liabilities actually and reasonably incurred or imposed in
connection with any suit, claim, action or proceeding, and any
settlement or compromise thereof approved by the Board of
Directors as being in the best interests of the Corporation.
However, in any case in which there is no disinterested majority
of the Board of Directors available, the indemnification shall
be made: (1) only if the Corporation shall be advised in
writing by counsel that in the opinion of counsel (a) such
officer, director, employee or agent was not adjudged or found
liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the
performance of duty as such director, officer, employee or agent
or the indemnification provided is only in connection with such
matters as to which the person to be indemnified was not so
liable, and in the case of settlement or compromise, the same is
in the best interests of the Corporation; and
(b) indemnification under the circumstances is lawful and
falls within the provisions of these Bylaws; and (2) only
in such amount as counsel shall advise the Corporation in
writing is, in his opinion, proper. In making or refusing to
make any payment under this or any other provision of these
Bylaws, the Corporation, its directors, officers, employees and
agents shall be fully protected if they rely upon the written
opinion of counsel selected by, or in the manner designated by,
the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Expenses incurred in defending a civil or
criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the
Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action,
suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors upon
receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director,
officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall
ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified
by the Corporation as authorized in these Bylaws.
Section 4. The Corporation may indemnify each person,
though he is not or was not a director, officer, employee or
agent of the Corporation, who served at the request of the
Corporation on a committee created by the Board of Directors to
consider and report to it in respect of any matter. Any such
indemnification may be made under the provisions hereof and
shall be subject to the limitations hereof, except that (as
indicated) any such committee member need not be nor have been a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation.
Section 5. The provisions hereof shall be applicable to
actions, suits or proceedings (including appeals) commenced
after the adoption hereof, whether arising from acts or
omissions to act occurring before or after the adoption hereof.
Section 6. The indemnification provisions herein provided
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those
indemnified may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of
stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, or by law
or statute, both as to action in his official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall
continue as to a person who has ceased to be a
II-2
director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the
benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a
person.
Section 7. The Corporation may purchase and maintain
insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was
serving at the request of the Corporation as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and persons described
in Section 4 of this Article VI above, against any
liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such
capacity or arising out of his status as such, whether or not
the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
such liability under the provisions of these Bylaws.
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Description |
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1 |
.1** |
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Form of Underwriting Agreement for each of the securities
registered hereby. |
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3 |
.1 |
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Restated Articles of Incorporation of Comstock (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Comstocks Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995). |
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3 |
.2 |
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Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Articles of
Incorporation of Comstock dated July 1, 1997 (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Comstocks
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30, 1997). |
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3 |
.3 |
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Bylaws of Comstock (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 3.2 to Comstocks Registration Statement on
Form S-3, dated October 25, 1996). |
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4 |
.1 |
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Specimen Stock Certificate for Common Stock (incorporated herein
by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Comstocks Registration
Statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC on
December 16, 2003). |
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4 |
.2 |
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Rights Agreement dated as of December 14, 2000, by and
between Comstock and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company,
as Rights Agent (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 1 to our Registration Statement on Form 8-A
dated January 11, 2001). |
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4 |
.3 |
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Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 2 to our Registration
Statement on Form 8-A dated January 11, 2001). |
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4 |
.4 |
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Indenture dated February 25, 2004 between Comstock, the
subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and The Bank of New York
Trust Company, N.A., Trustee for the
67/8% Senior
Notes due 2012 (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.6 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2003). |
|
|
4 |
.5 |
|
First Supplemental Indenture, dated February 25, 2005,
between Comstock, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and
The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., Trustee for the
67/8% Senior
Notes due 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.7 to
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2003). |
|
|
4 |
.6 |
|
Second Supplemental Indenture, dated March 11, 2004,
between Comstock, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and
The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., Trustee for the
67/8% Senior
Notes due 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to
our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
March 31, 2004). |
|
|
4 |
.7 |
|
Third Supplemental Indenture, dated July 16, 2004, between
Comstock, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and The Bank
of New York Trust Company, N.A., Trustee for the
67/8% Senior
Notes due 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to
our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the year ended
June 30, 2004). |
|
|
4 |
.8 |
|
Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated May 20, 2005, between
Comstock, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and The Bank
of New York Trust Company, N.A., Trustee for the
67/8% Senior
Notes due 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to
our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30, 2005). |
II-3
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
Number |
|
Description |
|
|
|
|
4 |
.9* |
|
Form of Indenture between Comstock Resources, Inc. and Trustee
to be designated therein covering Debt Securities to be offered
hereunder, including form of Note or Debenture attached thereto. |
|
|
4 |
.10** |
|
Form of Certificate of Designation for Preferred Stock,
including specimen certificate. |
|
|
4 |
.11** |
|
Form of Warrant Agreement covering Common Stock Warrants to be
offered hereunder, including Form of Common Stock Warrant
attached thereto. |
|
|
5 |
.1* |
|
Opinion of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP as to the validity
of the securities being registered hereunder. |
|
|
12 |
.1* |
|
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. |
|
|
15 |
.1* |
|
Letter of Ernst & Young LLP as to unaudited interim
financial information. |
|
|
23 |
.1* |
|
Consent of Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP (Included in
Exhibit 5.1). |
|
|
23 |
.2* |
|
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. |
|
|
23 |
.3* |
|
Consent of KPMG LLP. |
|
|
23 |
.4* |
|
Consent of Lee Keeling. |
|
|
24 |
.1* |
|
Power of Attorney (Included on the Signature Pages to the
Registration Statement). |
|
|
25 |
* |
|
Statement on Form T-1 of eligibility of Trustee for the
Debt Securities. |
|
|
** |
To be filed by amendment or on Form 8-K. |
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
|
|
|
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement: |
|
|
|
(i) To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
|
|
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of the registration statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in this registration statement; |
|
|
(iii) To include any material information with respect to
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement; |
|
|
|
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
do not apply if the information required to be included in a
post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the Company pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15 (d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement. |
|
|
|
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of
such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof. |
|
|
(3) To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered
which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act
of 1933, each filing of the Companys annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or
II-4
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer
or controlling person of the registrant in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933
and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on
Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of
Directors, Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Director
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ DAVID K. LOCKETT
David
K. Lockett |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ CECIL E.
MARTIN, JR.
Cecil
E. Martin, Jr. |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ DAVID W. SLEDGE
David
W. Sledge |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ NANCY E. UNDERWOOD
Nancy
E. Underwood |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-6
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
|
By: |
Comstock Oil and Gas GP, LLC, |
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
Manager (Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
Manager of General Partner
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Manager of General Partner (Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-7
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
COMSTOCK OIL & GAS LOUISIANA, LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Manager (Principal
Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary,
Treasurer and Manager (Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-8
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Manager (Principal
Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary,
Treasurer and Manager (Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-9
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
COMSTOCK OIL & GAS GP, LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
Manager (Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
Manager (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Manager (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-10
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
COMSTOCK OIL & GAS INVESTMENTS, LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Manager (Principal
Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Manager
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ JANICE C. GEORGE
Janice
C. George |
|
Manager |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-11
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on
Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Frisco, State of Texas, on
October 4, 2005.
|
|
|
COMSTOCK OIL & GAS HOLDINGS, INC. |
|
|
|
|
|
M. Jay Allison |
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
(Principal Executive Officer) |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints M. Jay
Allison and Roland O. Burns, each his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and
any registration statement related to the offering contemplated
by this registration statement that is to be effective upon
filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and any state or other securities authority,
granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, or either of them or their or his substitute or
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ M. JAY ALLISON
M.
Jay Allison |
|
President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of
Directors, Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ ROLAND O. BURNS
Roland
O. Burns |
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Director
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ DAVID K. LOCKETT
David
K. Lockett |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ CECIL E.
MARTIN, JR.
Cecil
E. Martin, Jr. |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ DAVID W. SLEDGE
David
W. Sledge |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
|
/s/ NANCY E. UNDERWOOD
Nancy
E. Underwood |
|
Director |
|
October 4, 2005 |
II-12