As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 18, 2002 REGISTRATION NO. 333-______ ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 --------------- FORM S-3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC. (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER) DELAWARE 41-0423660 (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF (I.R.S. EMPLOYER INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION) IDENTIFICATION NO.) SCHUCHART BUILDING 918 EAST DIVIDE AVENUE, P.O. BOX 5650 BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA 58506-5650 (701) 222-7900 (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) --------------- MARTIN A. WHITE WARREN L. ROBINSON THOMAS J. IGOE, JR., ESQ. President and Chief Executive Officer Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Thelen Reid & Priest LLP MDU Resources Group, Inc. Chief Financial Officer 875 Third Avenue Schuchart Building MDU Resources Group, Inc. New York, New York 10022 918 East Divide Avenue, P.O. Box 5650 Schuchart Building (212) 603-2000 Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650 918 East Divide Avenue, P.O. Box 5650 (701) 222-7900 Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650 (701) 222-7900 (NAMES, ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF AGENTS FOR SERVICE) --------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO PUBLIC: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement, as determined by market conditions and other factors. If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. | | If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be 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. |X| 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 same offering. |X| No. 333-49472 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. | | _____________ If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. | | CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE ============================================================================================================== TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF AMOUNT TO PROPOSED MAXIMUM PROPOSED MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED BE REGISTERED OFFERING PRICE AGGREGATE OFFERING REGISTRATION PER UNIT PRICE FEE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Common Stock, $1.00 par value 400,363 shares $23.42(1) $9,376,501.46(1) $862.64 Preference Share Purchase Rights 400,363 rights -- -- --(2) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1) Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee based on the average of the high and low prices of MDU Resources' Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange composite tape on November 13, 2002. (2) Since no separate consideration is paid for the Preference Share Purchase Rights, the registration fee for such securities is included in the fee for the Common Stock. The value attributable to the Preference Share Purchase Rights, if any, is reflected in the market price of the Common Stock. ================================================================================ INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE This registration statement is being filed with respect to the registration of additional shares of common stock of MDU Resources Group, Inc. and the Preference Share Purchase Rights appurtenant thereto, pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and pursuant to General Instruction IV to Form S-3. In accordance with Rule 462(b), this registration statement incorporates by reference the contents of the registration statement of MDU Resources Group, Inc. on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-49472) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 2000. ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.* Exhibit No. Description ------- ----------- 5(a) Opinion of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq., General Counsel to MDU Resources Group, Inc. 5(b) Opinion of Thelen Reid & Priest LLP, counsel to MDU Resources Group, Inc. 23 The consents of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq. and Thelen Reid & Priest LLP are contained in their opinions filed as Exhibit 5(a) and Exhibit 5(b), respectively, to this Registration Statement. 24 Power of Attorney is contained on the first of two signature pages of this Registration Statement. ---------- * Requirement to file consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, former independent public accountants to MDU Resources Group, Inc., dispensed with pursuant to Rule 437a under the Securities Act. 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 Bismarck, State of North Dakota on the 18th day of November, 2002. MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC. By: /s/ Martin A. White -------------------------------- Martin A. White Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer POWER OF ATTORNEY Each director and/or officer of the registrant whose signature appears below hereby appoints the Agents for Service named in this registration statement, and each of them severally, as his/her attorney-in-fact to sign in his/her name and behalf, in any and all capacities stated below, and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this registration statement, and the registrant hereby also appoints each such Agent for Service as its attorney-in-fact with like authority to sign and file any such amendment in its name and behalf. 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/ Martin A. White Chief Executive Officer November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- and Director Martin A. White (Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer) /s/ Warren L. Robinson Chief Financial Officer November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Warren L. Robinson (Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer) /s/ Vernon A. Raile Chief Accounting Officer November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Vernon A. Raile (Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer) /s/ Harry J. Pearce Lead Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Harry J. Pearce Signature Title Date --------- ----- ---- /s/ Bruce R. Albertson Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Bruce R. Albertson /s/ Thomas Everist Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Thomas Everist /s/ Dennis W. Johnson Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Dennis W. Johnson /s/ Robert L. Nance Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Robert L. Nance /s/ John L. Olson Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- John L. Olson /s/ Homer A. Scott, Jr. Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Homer A. Scott, Jr. /s/ Joseph T. Simmons Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Joseph T. Simmons /s/ Sister Tomas Welder Director November 18, 2002 ----------------------------- Sister Thomas Welder EXHIBIT INDEX* Exhibit No. 5(a) Opinion of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq., General Counsel to MDU Resources. 5(b) Opinion of Thelen Reid & Priest LLP, counsel to MDU Resources. 23 The consents of Lester H. Loble, II, Esq. and Thelen Reid & Priest LLP are contained in their opinions filed as Exhibit 5(a) and Exhibit 5(b), respectively, to this Registration Statement. 24 Power of Attorney is contained on the first of two signature pages of this Registration Statement. ---------- * Requirement to file consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, former independent public accountants to MDU Resources Group, Inc., dispensed with pursuant to Rule 437a under the Securities Act.