e424b3
Filed
Pursuant to rule 424(b)(3)
Registration
No. 333-153664
PROXY
STATEMENT OF GREY WOLF, INC.
PROSPECTUS OF PRECISION DRILLING TRUST
MERGER
PROPOSAL YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT
To the holders of Grey Wolf, Inc. common stock:
You are cordially invited to attend a special meeting of
shareholders of Grey Wolf, Inc. (Grey Wolf),
relating to the proposed merger of Grey Wolf with and into a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision Drilling Trust
(Precision). The meeting will be held at
9:00 a.m., local time, on December 9, 2008, at the
Marriott Houston Westchase, Houston, Texas.
We are sending you the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus
to notify you of the special meeting of Grey Wolf shareholders
being held to vote on the agreement and plan of merger and
related matters and to ask you to vote at the special meeting in
favor of the agreement and plan of merger.
Pursuant to the merger agreement, you may elect to receive
either cash or Precision trust units in exchange for your shares
of Grey Wolf common stock. Each share of Grey Wolf common stock
will be converted, at your option, into $9.02 in cash or 0.4225
Precision trust units, subject to proration. The maximum amount
of cash to be paid by Precision will be approximately
$1.115 billion, and the maximum number of Precision trust
units to be issued will be approximately 42.0 million.
These amounts take into account shares of Grey Wolf common stock
issuable upon the conversion of Grey Wolfs convertible
debt securities and the exercise of Grey Wolf stock options,
which, together with Grey Wolfs issued and outstanding
common stock, totals approximately 223 million
fully-diluted shares of Grey Wolf common stock. These maximum
amounts translate to $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision
trust unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock.
Precision trust units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol PDS and the Toronto Stock Exchange
under the symbol PD.UN. On October 27, 2008,
the closing price of Precision trust units on the New York Stock
Exchange was $8.90.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GREY WOLF HAS DETERMINED UNANIMOUSLY
THAT THE MERGER IS FAIR TO, AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF, THE
GREY WOLF SHAREHOLDERS, AND HAS APPROVED, ADOPTED AND DECLARED
ADVISABLE THE MERGER AGREEMENT. ACCORDINGLY, THE GREY WOLF BOARD
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE OR GIVE
INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTE FOR THE PROPOSAL TO
APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER.
Your vote is important. Approval of the merger requires
the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of
Grey Wolf common stock. Whether you plan to attend the special
meeting or not, please take the time to vote by completing and
mailing the enclosed proxy to us. If your shares are held in
street name, you must instruct your broker in order
to vote.
If you were a record holder of Grey Wolf common stock at the
close of business on October 27, 2008, you have the right
to vote or direct your vote at the special meeting.
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Richards
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
Grey Wolf, Inc.
YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THE MATTERS DISCUSSED UNDER RISK
FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE 25 OF THE ACCOMPANYING
PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS BEFORE VOTING.
NONE OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY SECURITIES
COMMISSION OR SIMILAR AUTHORITY IN CANADA, OR ANY STATE OR
FOREIGN SECURITIES COMMISSION OR SIMILAR AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED
OR DISAPPROVED OF THE PRECISION TRUST UNITS TO BE ISSUED IN
CONNECTION WITH THE MERGER DESCRIBED IN THIS PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, NOR HAS IT DETERMINED IF THIS PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS IS ACCURATE OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
This proxy statement/prospectus is dated October 28, 2008,
and is first being mailed to Grey Wolf shareholders on or about
October 30, 2008.
GREY
WOLF, INC.
10370 Richmond Avenue,
Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77042
(713) 435-6100
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF
SHAREHOLDERS
To be held on December 9,
2008
Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of shareholders
will be held on December 9, 2008, at 9:00 a.m., local
time, at the Marriott Houston Westchase, Houston, Texas. At the
special meeting, you will be asked to:
1. approve the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
August 24, 2008, among Grey Wolf, Inc. (Grey
Wolf), Precision Drilling Trust, Precision Drilling
Corporation and Precision Lobos Corporation, a copy of which is
included as Annex A to the proxy
statement/prospectus; and
2. approve the adjournment or postponement of the Grey Wolf
special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit
additional proxies in favor of the foregoing proposal.
For more information about the proposals and the special
meeting, please review the accompanying proxy
statement/prospectus.
Only holders of record of shares of Grey Wolf common stock at
the close of business on October 27, 2008, the record date
for the special meeting, are entitled to notice of, and a vote
at, the special meeting and any adjournments or postponements of
the special meeting. In order for the Agreement and Plan of
Merger to be approved by Grey Wolf shareholders, the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of Grey Wolf
common stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record
date is required.
Your vote is important. We encourage you to sign and return your
proxy card, or use the telephone or Internet voting procedures,
before the special meeting, so that your shares will be
represented and voted at the special meeting even if you cannot
attend in person.
By Order of the Board of Directors
David W. Wehlmann, Secretary
HOW TO
OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have more questions about the proposed merger or if you
would like copies of any documents incorporated by reference
into the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus, which include
important business and financial information about Grey Wolf and
Precision that is not included in or delivered with this
document, you may write or call the following persons. Upon
written or oral request, we will provide the documents you ask
for at no cost to you. Please note that copies of these
documents will not include exhibits to the documents, unless the
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the
documents or this proxy statement/prospectus.
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Precision Drilling Trust
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Grey Wolf, Inc.
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4200, 150-6th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3Y7
(403) 716-4500
Attention: Douglas J. Strong
Chief Financial Officer
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10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77042
(713) 435-6100
Attention: David W. Wehlmann
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
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You may also obtain documents incorporated by reference in this
proxy statement/prospectus by requesting them in writing or by
telephone from the information agent:
Georgeson, Inc.
199 Water Street
26th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10038
Banks and Brokers call
(212) 440-9800
Grey Wolf shareholders call toll-free
(800) 561-3540
In addition to the accompanying proxy card and voting
instruction form, enclosed is a letter of transmittal and form
of election to enable you to submit your share certificates and
elect the form of merger consideration you wish to receive. The
letter of transmittal and form of election contains complete
instructions on how to submit your stock certificates and to
make your election of cash
and/or
Precision trust units. Please complete and return the letter of
transmittal and form of election together with your Grey Wolf
common stock certificates in the separate envelope that is
provided for that purpose. Your election must be submitted to
the exchange agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., by the
second business day prior to the effective time of the Merger.
Precision and Grey Wolf will publicly announce the anticipated
election deadline at least 5 business days prior to the
anticipated effective time of the Merger. The consequences of
failing to timely deliver an election form are outlined in
detail in the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus. You will
not actually receive your cash
and/or
Precision trust units until after the merger is completed and
you have returned a properly completed letter of transmittal and
form of election.
TO ENSURE
TIMELY DELIVERY PRIOR TO THE GREY WOLF SPECIAL MEETING,
ANY REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY DECEMBER 2,
2008.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Solicitation, Use and Revocation of the Proxies
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YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS
DOCUMENT OR ON THE INFORMATION TO WHICH WE HAVE REFERRED YOU. WE
HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT
IS DIFFERENT.
THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, ANY SECURITIES, OR THE
SOLICITATION OF A PROXY, IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT IS NOT
LAWFUL TO MAKE ANY SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION OR TO ANY PERSON
TO WHOM IT IS NOT LAWFUL TO MAKE ANY SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION.
iii
SUMMARY
OF THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS
This summary highlights material information from this proxy
statement/prospectus. It may not contain all of the information
that may be important to you. You should carefully read this
entire document, including the appendices and the other
documents to which this document refers you, for a more complete
understanding of the matters being considered at the special
meeting. In addition, we incorporate by reference into this
document important business and financial information about
Precision and Grey Wolf. You may obtain the information
incorporated by reference into this document without charge by
following the instructions in the section entitled Where
You Can Find More Information beginning on page 136.
Where applicable, each item in this summary includes a page
reference directing you to a more complete description of that
item. All references in this proxy statement/prospectus to
dollars, $ or US$ are to US dollars and all references to Cdn$
are to Canadian dollars.
Glossary
of Certain Terms Used in this Proxy
Statement/Prospectus
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Grey Wolf means Grey Wolf, Inc., a Texas
corporation.
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Grey Wolf common stock means shares of the
common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of Grey Wolf.
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Merger means the merger of Grey Wolf with and
into Merger Sub, with Merger Sub surviving the merger as a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision, pursuant to the terms and
subject to the conditions of the Merger Agreement.
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Merger Agreement means the Agreement and Plan
of Merger, dated August 24, 2008, by and among Precision,
Grey Wolf, PDC and Merger Sub.
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Merger Sub means Precision Lobos Corporation,
a Texas corporation, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision.
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PDC means Precision Drilling Corporation, an
Alberta corporation.
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Precision means Precision Drilling Trust, an
Alberta unincorporated open-ended investment trust.
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Precision trust units means the trust units
of Precision, each representing an equal, undivided beneficial
interest in Precision.
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UBS means UBS Securities LLC.
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The
Merger (Page 41)
The Merger Agreement provides for the merger of Grey Wolf with
and into Merger Sub, with Merger Sub surviving the Merger as a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision.
Grey Wolf
Shareholders Will Receive Cash and Precision Trust Units in
the Merger (Page 92)
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, shareholders of Grey
Wolf may elect to receive either cash or Precision trust units
in exchange for their Grey Wolf common stock. Each share of Grey
Wolf common stock will be converted, at the option of the
holder, into $9.02 in cash or 0.4225 of a Precision trust unit,
subject to proration. The maximum amount of cash to be paid by
Precision will be approximately $1.115 billion, and the
maximum number of Precision trust units to be issued will be
approximately 42.0 million. These maximum amounts take into
account shares of Grey Wolf common stock issuable upon the
conversion of Grey Wolfs convertible debt securities and
the exercise of Grey Wolf stock options, which, together with
Grey Wolfs issued and outstanding common stock, total
approximately 223 million fully-diluted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock. If, however, any of Grey Wolfs convertible
debt securities are not converted into Grey Wolf common stock
before the Merger, the total amount of cash and number of
Precision trust units received by Grey Wolf shareholders in the
Merger will be less but, in any case, the maximum amount of cash
and number of Precision trust units to be received by them will
be equivalent to $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision trust
unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock outstanding.
1
For information on recent market prices of the Precision trust
units and Grey Wolf common stock, see Comparative Per
Share and Per Trust Unit Market Price and Dividend
Information beginning on page 23. See also Risk
Factors beginning on page 25.
Effect of
Conversion of Grey Wolf Convertible Notes
(Page 86)
The holders of Grey Wolfs Floating Rate Contingent
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2024 and 3.75% Contingent
Convertible Senior Notes due 2023 (collectively,
convertible notes) will be entitled to a special
conversion privilege entitling them to convert the principal
amount of their convertible notes into Grey Wolf common stock
for a period beginning 15 business days prior to, and ending two
business days prior to, the anticipated effective time of the
Merger. If the holders of Grey Wolfs convertible notes do
not convert their notes into Grey Wolf common stock at least two
business days prior to the effective time of the Merger, the
convertible notes will be assumed by, and become indebtedness
of, Precision.
Treatment
of Grey Wolf Stock Options (Page 86)
Holders of vested options granted under a Grey Wolf equity
incentive plan can exercise their options any time prior to the
Merger and will participate in the Merger in the same manner as
other Grey Wolf shareholders. At the effective time of the
Merger, all outstanding options, except for those granted under
the Grey Wolf, Inc. 2003 Incentive Plan (2003 Incentive
Plan), that have not been exercised will be cancelled.
Each stock option granted under the 2003 Incentive Plan that is
outstanding at the effective time of the Merger will be
converted into a trust unit appreciation right pursuant to a
plan to be adopted by Precision.
Comparative
Market Prices and Share Information (Page 23)
The table below sets forth the closing sale prices of Grey Wolf
common stock and Precision trust units as reported on the
American Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange,
respectively, on August 22, 2008, the last trading day
before the public announcement of the Merger, and
October 27, 2008, the last practicable trading day before
the distribution of this proxy statement/prospectus. The table
also sets forth the equivalent pro forma sale price of Grey Wolf
common stock on each of these dates, as determined by
multiplying the applicable closing sale price of a Precision
trust unit on the New York Stock Exchange by 0.1883 and adding
the $5.00 cash portion of the Merger consideration. We urge you
to obtain current market quotations for both Precision trust
units and Grey Wolf common stock.
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Grey Wolf
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Common Stock
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Precision
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Grey Wolf
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Pro Forma
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Trust Units
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Common Stock
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Equivalent
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August 22, 2008
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$
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21.35
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$
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8.59
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$
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9.02
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October 27, 2008
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$
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8.90
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$
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5.70
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$
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6.68
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Opinion
of Grey Wolfs Financial Advisor (Page 62)
In connection with the Merger, on August 24, 2008, UBS
delivered to the board of directors of Grey Wolf an oral
opinion, which was subsequently confirmed in writing, to the
effect that, as of that date and based upon and subject to
various assumptions, matters considered and limitations
described in its opinion, the consideration, taken in the
aggregate, to be received by holders of Grey Wolf common stock
in the Merger was fair, from a financial point of view, to such
holders. The full text of the opinion of UBS is attached as
Annex C to this proxy statement/prospectus.
UBS opinion was provided for the benefit of the Grey
Wolf board in connection with, and for the purpose of, its
evaluation of the consideration to be received by holders of
Grey Wolf common stock in the Merger from a financial point of
view and does not address any other aspect of the Merger. The
opinion does not address the relative merits of the Merger as
compared to other business strategies or transactions that might
be available with respect to Grey Wolf or Grey Wolfs
underlying business decision to effect the Merger. The opinion
does not constitute a recommendation to any shareholder as to
how to vote or make any election or otherwise act with
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respect to the Merger. Holders of Grey Wolf common stock are
encouraged to read UBS opinion carefully in its
entirety.
Material
US Federal Income Tax Consequences to Holders of Grey Wolf
Common Stock (Page 70)
The exchange by US Holders (as defined in The
Merger Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences
of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust Units) of
Grey Wolf common stock for Precision trust units has been
structured to be generally tax free for US federal income tax
purposes, except that:
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US Holders of Grey Wolf common stock that receive both cash and
Precision trust units generally will recognize gain, but not
loss, to the extent of the cash received;
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US Holders of Grey Wolf common stock that receive only cash
generally will recognize a gain or loss; and
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notwithstanding the foregoing, if the value of Precision is less
than that of Grey Wolf as of the closing date of the Merger,
then under Section 367 of the Code, US Holders of Grey Wolf
common stock that receive Precision trust units will recognize
any gain, but not loss, that they realize in the Merger. The tax
on such gain may exceed the amount of cash (if any) received in
the Merger. Precision and Grey Wolf intend to seek a ruling from
the IRS to the effect that US Holders of Grey Wolf common stock
will not be subject to gain recognition on account of
Section 367 of the Code even if the value of Precision is
less than Grey Wolf as of the closing date of the Merger, but no
assurance can be given that such ruling will ultimately be
obtained and the obtaining of such a ruling is not a condition
to the closing of the Merger.
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A Non-US Holder (as defined in The Merger
Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of
Owning Precision Trust Units) of Grey Wolf common
stock generally will not be subject to US federal income tax
with respect to the Merger unless such Non-US Holder has certain
connections to the US.
Holders of Grey Wolf common stock should consult with their own
tax advisors as to the tax consequences of the Merger in their
particular circumstances, including the applicability and the
effect of the alternative minimum tax and any state, local or
foreign and other tax laws and of changes in those laws. For
additional discussion of certain US federal income tax
consequences of the Merger, see The Merger
Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of
Owning Precision Trust Units beginning on
page 70.
Material
Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences to Holders of Grey Wolf
Common Stock (Page 77)
For Canadian federal income tax purposes, the Merger generally
should not be a taxable transaction for persons who are
non-residents of Canada. For a Canadian Holder (as defined in
The Merger Material Canadian Federal Income
Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units) of Grey Wolf common stock, the Merger will be a
taxable transaction. For Canadian federal income tax purposes, a
Canadian Holder who holds Grey Wolf common stock as capital
property should recognize a capital gain or capital loss equal
to the difference between (i) the sum of the cash
consideration and the fair market value of the Precision trust
units received in the Merger and (ii) the sum of such
holders adjusted cost base of the Grey Wolf common stock
disposed of in the Merger and such holders reasonable
costs of disposition.
The summaries of the principal Canadian federal income tax
consequences contained in this document are of a general nature
and are not intended to be, and should not be construed to be,
legal or tax advice or representations to any particular holder
of Grey Wolf common stock or Precision trust units. Holders of
Grey Wolf common stock and prospective holders of Precision
trust units should consult with their own tax advisors in
respect of the Canadian federal income tax consequences, as well
as the consequences under any provincial or foreign laws that
may apply to such person, of the Merger and their acquisition
and holding of Precision trust units having regard to their
particular circumstances. For additional discussion of certain
Canadian federal income tax consequences of the Merger, see
The Merger Material Canadian Federal Income
Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units beginning on page 77.
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Accounting
Treatment (Page 81)
Precision intends to account for the Merger as a purchase of
Grey Wolf for both Canadian and US financial accounting purposes.
Dissenters
Rights of Appraisal of Grey Wolf Shareholders under Texas Law
(Page 87)
Pursuant to Article 5.12 of the Texas Business Corporation
Act (TBCA), holders of shares of Grey Wolf common
stock who do not vote in favor of the Merger will have the right
to dissent, but only if they submit a written objection to the
Merger and comply with other Texas law procedures and the
requirements described in The Merger Appraisal
Rights beginning on page 87. Grey Wolf shareholders
who wish to dissent to the Merger are in any case urged to seek
the advice of counsel with respect to the availability of
dissenters rights. The full text of Article 5.12 of
the TBCA is attached to this proxy statement/prospectus as
Annex D.
Grey
Wolfs Board of Directors Unanimously Recommends that You
Vote FOR the Approval of the Merger Agreement
(Page 56)
Grey Wolfs board of directors has determined that the
Merger, the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement are fair to and in the best interests of
Grey Wolf and its shareholders and has unanimously adopted a
resolution recommending that the Merger Agreement be approved by
the Grey Wolf shareholders. For the factors considered by Grey
Wolfs board of directors in reaching its decision to
recommend approval of the Merger Agreement, see the section
entitled The Merger Grey Wolfs Reasons
for the Merger and Recommendation of Grey Wolfs Board of
Directors beginning on page 56. Grey Wolfs
board of directors unanimously recommends that Grey Wolf
shareholders vote FOR the approval of the Merger
Agreement.
Your
Rights as a Holder of Precision Trust Units Will Be
Different from Your Rights as a Holder of Grey Wolf Common Stock
(Page 124)
The conversion of your shares of Grey Wolf common stock into
Precision trust units in the Merger will result in material
changes from your current rights as a Grey Wolf shareholder,
which generally are governed by the TBCA and Grey Wolfs
organizational documents, to your rights as a Precision
unitholder, which generally will be governed by Alberta law and
Precisions declaration of trust (the Declaration of
Trust).
Grey Wolf
Directors and Executive Officers Have Financial and Other
Interests in the Merger that are Different from or in Addition
to Your Interests (Page 87)
Some of the members of Grey Wolfs board of directors and
Grey Wolfs executive officers have financial interests in
the Merger that are in addition to,
and/or
different from, your interests. The independent members of Grey
Wolfs board of directors were aware of these additional
and/or
differing interests and potential conflicts and considered them,
among other matters, in evaluating, negotiating and adopting a
resolution recommending approval of the Merger Agreement. These
interests include employment agreements between Grey Wolf and
its executive officers that provide for, among other things,
cash payments in the case of a change of control, such as the
completion of the Merger, and the vesting of outstanding stock
options and certain retirement plan account balances upon the
completion of the Merger.
The
Companies
Grey Wolf, Inc.
10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77042
(713) 435-6100
Grey Wolf, with a fleet of 122 rigs, is a leading provider of
contract land drilling services in the US. Grey Wolfs
customers include independent producers and major oil and
natural gas companies. Grey Wolf
4
currently conducts its operations primarily in the Ark-La-Tex,
Gulf Coast, Mississippi/Alabama, South Texas, Rocky Mountain and
Mid-Continent domestic drilling markets and in Mexico. Grey Wolf
had approximately 3,000 employees at December 31, 2007.
Precision Drilling Trust
4200,
150-6th
Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3Y7
(403) 716-4500
In Canada, based on the size of its drilling rig fleet,
Precision is the largest provider of land based contract
drilling services to oil and natural gas exploration and
production companies. Precisions business services in
Canada during 2007 were comprised of the following: contract
drilling; well servicing; snubbing; procurement and distribution
of oilfield supplies; camp and catering; manufacture and
refurbishment of rig equipment; portable wastewater treatment;
and rental of surface oilfield equipment, tubulars, well control
equipment and wellsite accommodations. In the US,
Precisions business is primarily the provision of contract
drilling services in land based markets.
In 2007, Precision increased capital spending on additions to
property, plant and equipment to grow and upgrade its high
performance drilling rig fleet in Canada and the US,
significantly expanded its contract drilling operations in the
US and mobilized one drilling rig for a project in Latin America.
Precisions operations are carried out in two segments
consisting of Contract Drilling Services and Completion and
Production Services. The Contract Drilling Services segment
includes land drilling services, camp and catering services,
procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies and the
manufacture and refurbishment of drilling and service rig
equipment. The Completion and Production Services segment
includes service rig well completion and workover services,
snubbing services, wastewater treatment services and the rental
of oilfield surface equipment, tubulars and well control
equipment and wellsite accommodations. As of December 31,
2007, Precision had approximately 4,600 employees.
The
Special Meeting of Grey Wolf Shareholders
(Page 39)
The Grey Wolf special meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m.
local time, on December 9, 2008, at the Marriott Houston
Westchase, Houston, Texas. At the Grey Wolf special meeting,
Grey Wolf shareholders will be asked:
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to approve the Merger Agreement; and
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to approve the adjournment or postponement of the Grey Wolf
special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit
additional proxies in favor of the foregoing proposal.
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Record
Date
Grey Wolf shareholders may cast one vote at the special meeting
for each share of Grey Wolf common stock that was owned at the
close of business on October 27, 2008. At that date,
directors and executive officers of Grey Wolf and their
respective affiliates had the right to vote approximately 3.31%
of the Grey Wolf common stock entitled to be voted at the
special meeting, and directors and executive officers of
Precision and their affiliates owned (directly or indirectly)
and had the right to vote less than 1% of the Grey Wolf common
stock entitled to be voted at the special meeting.
Required
Vote
In order for the Merger Agreement to be approved by Grey Wolf
shareholders, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
of the shares of Grey Wolf common stock outstanding and entitled
to vote at the special meeting as of the record date is required.
Precision
Unitholder Approval
Precision unitholders are not required to adopt or approve the
Merger or the issuance of Precision trust units as part of the
Merger consideration.
5
The
Merger Agreement (Page 91)
The Merger Agreement is described beginning on page 91 and
is included as Annex A to this proxy
statement/prospectus. We urge you to read the Merger Agreement
in its entirety because it is the legal document governing the
Merger.
Voting
Agreements (Page 86)
Each Grey Wolf director and executive officer has entered into a
voting agreement, in the form included as Annex B,
pursuant to which he is required to vote the shares of Grey Wolf
common stock that he owns for the approval of the Merger
Agreement.
Regulatory
Approval Required for the Merger (Page 81)
Under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR
Act), Precision and Grey Wolf may not complete the Merger
until they have furnished certain information and materials to
the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice
(DOJ) and the US Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) and the applicable waiting period has expired
or they have received early termination. Precision and Grey Wolf
filed premerger notification forms pursuant to the HSR Act with
the DOJ and the FTC on September 11, 2008 and received
early termination of the waiting period effective
September 26, 2008.
Because Precision is a foreign corporation, the President of the
United States has the authority to block the Merger if he
determines that the Merger threatens to impair the national
security of the United States. Precision and Grey Wolf jointly
and voluntarily filed a notification with the Committee on
Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) on
September 15, 2008, which examines proposed foreign
acquisitions and makes recommendations to the President. The
CFIUS process can, by statute, take up to 90 days. On
October 17, 2008, CFIUS issued a letter stating that it had
concluded its action, having found no national security issues
sufficient to warrant future investigation.
There can be no assurance that regulatory approvals will not be
modified. At any time before or after completion of the Merger,
the federal antitrust authorities could take any action under
the antitrust laws as they deem necessary, including seeking to
enjoin completion of the Merger or seeking divestiture of
substantial assets of Grey Wolf or Precision.
Completion
of the Merger is Subject to Conditions (Page 101)
The respective obligations of each of Precision and Grey Wolf to
complete the Merger are conditioned upon the satisfaction or
waiver of the following conditions:
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approval of the Merger Agreement by Grey Wolf shareholders;
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the expiration or early termination of any waiting period
applicable to the consummation of the Merger under the HSR Act;
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the receipt by Precision of written notice from CFIUS of its
determination not to undertake an investigation of the Merger;
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the approval of the listing of the Precision trust units to be
issued in the Merger on the New York Stock Exchange and the
Toronto Stock Exchange;
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the absence of any action taken by any governmental agency or US
court of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation
of the Merger;
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the receipt by each of Precision and Grey Wolf of a legal
opinion with respect to certain US federal income tax
consequences of the Merger; and
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other customary conditions, including the truth and correctness
of the representations and warranties and performance of
covenants by both Precision and Grey Wolf, subject to a
materiality standard, and
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the absence of any occurrence, state of facts or development
that has had or is reasonably likely to have a material adverse
effect on either Precision or Grey Wolf.
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Precision
Will Obtain Financing In Connection With the Merger
(Page 105)
In connection with, but not as a condition to, the Merger, PDC
expects to obtain from certain financial institutions
(i) senior secured credit facilities comprised of
$800 million of term loan facilities and a
$400 million revolving credit facility and (ii) up to
$400 million (reduced by the amount of Grey Wolfs
convertible notes that PDC determines on or prior to the closing
date of the Merger will not be converted or redeemed on or after
the closing date) in cash proceeds from the issuance of debt
securities in a Rule 144A or other private placement or, if
PDC is unable to issue the full amount of such debt securities
at or prior to the closing date, from a senior unsecured
facility, which notes or senior unsecured facility may become
secured under certain circumstances.
The
Merger Agreement Contains a No Solicitation
Provision (Page 98)
The Merger Agreement contains a no solicitation
provision that prohibits Grey Wolf from taking any action to
solicit an alternative acquisition proposal. The Merger
Agreement does not, however, prohibit Grey Wolf from furnishing
information to or participating in negotiations with a person
making an unsolicited acquisition proposal if Grey Wolfs
board of directors determines in good faith that (i) the
proposal is, or is reasonably likely to result in, a superior
acquisition proposal, (ii) the party proposing such
transaction has the financial and legal capacity to consummate
such proposal and (iii) Grey Wolf enters into a
confidentiality agreement no less favorable than the
confidentiality agreement between Precision and Grey Wolf. Grey
Wolf may terminate the Merger Agreement to enter into a
definitive agreement with respect to a superior proposal.
The
Merger Agreement May Be Terminated Under Some Circumstances
(Page 102)
The Merger Agreement may be terminated at any time before the
completion of the Merger, whether before or after approval of
the Merger Agreement by Grey Wolf shareholders, in any of the
following circumstances:
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by mutual written consent of Precision and Grey Wolf; or
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by either Precision or Grey Wolf if:
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the Merger has not been consummated by February 28, 2009,
through no fault of the terminating party;
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there is a final and nonappealable legal restraint, injunction
or prohibition of the Merger, through no fault of the
terminating party;
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the Grey Wolf shareholders have held a special meeting to
consider the Merger Agreement but have voted not to approve the
Merger Agreement; or
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the other party has breached its representations and warranties
or failed to perform its covenants or agreements and such breach
gives rise to a failure of certain closing conditions, unless
the breach is cured within 30 days after receipt of written
notice of the breach;
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by Precision if the board of directors of Grey Wolf has
withdrawn or adversely modified its recommendation of the Merger
Agreement or recommended a superior proposal, Grey Wolf has
entered into an agreement for any alternative acquisition
proposal or either Grey Wolf or the board of directors of Grey
Wolf has announced its intention to do any of the
foregoing; or
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by Grey Wolf before approval of the Merger Agreement by Grey
Wolf shareholders, if Grey Wolf decides to accept a superior
proposal.
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7
Grey Wolf
May Be Required to Pay a Termination Fee Under Some
Circumstances (Page 102)
If the Merger Agreement is terminated under certain
circumstances, including circumstances involving a change in
recommendation by Grey Wolfs board of directors, Grey Wolf
will be required to pay Precision a termination fee of
$64 million. In addition, Grey Wolf may be required to pay
an expense reimbursement fee of $7.5 million if the Merger
Agreement is terminated under specified circumstances, but in no
event will Grey Wolf be required to pay Precision more than
$64 million. The above referenced fees and expenses are in
addition to the $25 million termination fee that Grey Wolf
will be required to pay to Basic Energy Services, Inc.
(Basic) upon consummation of the Merger or, in the
event of an alternative acquisition transaction, upon
consummation of an alternative acquisition, in each case if
consummated prior to July 15, 2009 and as set forth in Grey
Wolfs previously terminated Agreement and Plan of Merger
with Basic (the Basic Merger Agreement).
Exchange
of Grey Wolf Common Stock (Page 82)
You will need to surrender your Grey Wolf common stock to
receive the Merger consideration in exchange for your Grey Wolf
common stock. The letter of transmittal and form of election
accompanying this proxy statement/prospectus contains complete
instructions on how to exchange your Grey Wolf common stock to
receive the Merger consideration. The letter of transmittal and
form of election and your Grey Wolf common stock should be
submitted in the enclosed envelope to the exchange agent,
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., at the address given in the
materials prior to the election deadline.
Election
to Receive Cash and/or Precision Trust Units
(Page 82)
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, you may elect to receive
either cash or Precision trust units in exchange for your shares
of Grey Wolf common stock. Each share of Grey Wolf common stock
will be converted, at your option, into $9.02 in cash or 0.4225
of a Precision trust unit, subject to proration. In addition to
the accompanying proxy card and voting instruction form,
enclosed is a letter of transmittal and form of election to
enable you to elect the form of consideration you wish to
receive. The form of election must be submitted by the second
business day prior to the anticipated effective time of the
Merger. Precision and Grey Wolf will publicly announce the
anticipated election deadline at least 5 business days
prior to the anticipated effective time of the Merger. If you do
not submit a properly completed letter of transmittal and form
of election prior to such second business day prior to the
announced anticipated effective time of the Merger, your shares
of Grey Wolf common stock will be deemed to be No Election
Shares. For a discussion of No Election Shares, please see
The Merger Election and Exchange
Procedures beginning on page 82.
8
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT
THE MERGER
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What am I being asked to vote on? |
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Precision and Grey Wolf have entered into the Merger Agreement
pursuant to which Precision has agreed to acquire Grey Wolf. You
are being asked to vote to approve the Merger Agreement pursuant
to the terms and subject to the conditions of the Merger
Agreement. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Grey Wolf
will merge with and into Merger Sub with Merger Sub continuing
as the surviving corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Precision. In addition, you are also being asked to vote to
approve a proposal to adjourn the special meeting if necessary
or appropriate, including to permit further solicitation of
proxies if there are not sufficient votes at the time of the
special meeting to approve the Merger. |
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What will I receive if the Merger is completed? |
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Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, shareholders of Grey
Wolf may elect to receive either cash or Precision trust units
in exchange for their Grey Wolf common stock. Each share of Grey
Wolf common stock will be converted, at the option of the
holder, into $9.02 in cash or 0.4225 of a Precision trust unit,
subject to proration. The maximum amount of cash to be paid by
Precision will be approximately $1.115 billion, and the
maximum number of Precision trust units to be issued will be
approximately 42.0 million. These maximum amounts take into
account shares of Grey Wolf common stock issuable upon the
conversion of Grey Wolfs convertible debt securities and
the exercise of Grey Wolf stock options, which, together with
Grey Wolfs issued and outstanding common stock, totals
approximately 223 million fully-diluted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock. If, however, any of Grey Wolfs convertible
debt securities are not converted into Grey Wolf common stock
before the Merger, the total amount of cash and number of
Precision trust units received by Grey Wolf shareholders in the
Merger will be less but, in any case, the maximum amount of cash
and number of Precision trust units to be received by them will
be equivalent to $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision trust
unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock outstanding. |
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When and how must I elect the type of Merger consideration
that I prefer to receive? |
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Accompanying this proxy statement/prospectus is a letter of
transmittal and form of election. The letter of transmittal and
form of election allows you to elect to receive cash or
Precision trust units for each share of Grey Wolf common stock
that you own. You must return your properly completed and signed
letter of transmittal and form of election to the exchange agent
by the second business day prior to the effective time of the
Merger. Precision and Grey Wolf will publicly announce the
anticipated election deadline at least 5 business days prior to
the anticipated effective time of the Merger. If the effective
time is delayed to a subsequent date, the election deadline will
also be delayed and Precision and Grey Wolf will promptly
announce any such delay and, when determined, the rescheduled
election deadline. For additional information, see The
Merger Election and Exchange
Procedures Elections as to Form of
Consideration; Form of Election beginning on page 84. |
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What happens if I fail to elect a type of Merger
consideration? |
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Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, shares for which
shareholders fail to elect to receive cash
and/or
Precision trust units in exchange for their Grey Wolf common
stock shall be treated as No Election Shares. To the
extent that the amount of cash consideration that would be paid
with respect to shares for which holders of Grey Wolf common
stock have elected to receive cash, together with the aggregate
amount of cash consideration payable to Grey Wolf dissenting
shares, exceeds the maximum cash consideration to be paid by
Precision in the Merger, No Election Shares will be converted
into Precision trust units. However, to the extent that the
amount of cash consideration that would be paid with respect to
shares for which Grey Wolf shareholders have elected to receive
cash, together with the aggregate amount of cash consideration
payable to Grey Wolf dissenting shares, is less than the maximum
cash consideration amount, then No Election Shares shall be
converted into cash up to the maximum cash consideration amount.
If payment of No Election Shares would cause the aggregate cash |
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consideration to exceed the maximum cash consideration amount,
then all No Election Shares will be converted pro rata into cash
up to the maximum cash consideration amount, with the balance of
such shares converted into Precision trust units. For additional
information, see The Merger Election and
Exchange Procedures Elections as to Form of
Consideration; Form of Election beginning on page 84. |
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Can I revoke or change an election after it has been
submitted to the exchange agent? |
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Yes. An election may be revoked by written notice to the
exchange agent received prior to the election deadline. An
election may also be changed prior to the election deadline by
submitting to the exchange agent a properly completed and signed
revised letter of transmittal and form of election. For
additional information, see The
Merger Election and Exchange
Procedures Elections as to Form of
Consideration; Form of Election beginning on page 84. |
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Will I be able to vote in elections of the trustees of
Precision following the Merger? |
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Each Precision trust unit entitles its holder to one vote on
each proposal put forth at any meeting of the holders of
Precision trust units, including the election of the trustees of
Precision, pursuant to the terms and conditions of
Precisions Declaration of Trust. Precisions trustees
are generally elected by the holders of Precision trust units at
each annual meeting of Precision unitholders, though trustees
may also be elected at special meetings in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the Declaration of Trust. Further
information on the governance structure of Precision, including
the election of Precisions trustees is set forth in
Comparison of Shareholder Rights Voting Rights
Generally and Comparison of Shareholder
Rights Directors and Trustees Generally
beginning on pages 124 and 134, respectively. Additionally,
the holders of Precision trust units are entitled to elect the
board of directors of PDC in the manner set forth and described
in Comparison of Shareholder Rights Voting
Rights Generally beginning on page 124. |
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Does Precision pay dividends? |
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Precision has a policy of making monthly cash distributions to
the holders of the Precision trust units. Distributions are paid
from Precisions cash flow, as that term is
defined in Precisions Declaration of Trust. The
Declaration of Trust provides that an amount equal to
Precisions taxable income not already paid to holders of
Precision trust units during the year will become payable on
December 31 of each year, such that Precision will not be liable
for ordinary Canadian income taxes for that year. Additional
information on the distribution policies of Precision is set
forth in The Merger Precisions
Distribution Policy beginning on page 90 and
Comparison of Shareholder Rights Payment of
Dividends and Distributions beginning on page 129.
For a discussion of the general US federal income tax
consequences of distributions by Precision, see The
Merger Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences
of the Merger and of Owning Precision
Trust Units Ownership by US Holders of
Precision Trust Units Dividends and
Distributions and The Merger Material US
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning
Precision Trust Units Ownership by
Non-US Holders
of Precision Trust Units beginning on pages 75 and 77,
respectively. For a discussion of the general Canadian federal
income tax consequences of distributions by Precision, see
The Merger Material Canadian Federal Income
Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units Canadian Holders Taxation of
Trust Unit Distributions to Canadian Holders and
The Merger Material Canadian Federal Income
Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units Non-Canadian Holders Taxation of
Trust Unit Distributions to Non-Canadian Holders
beginning on pages 78 and 80, respectively. |
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What is the total value of the Merger and will it change
between now and the time the Merger is completed? |
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The total consideration to be paid by Precision is
$1.115 billion in cash and approximately 42.0 million
Precision trust units. The total value of the Merger will vary
with changes in Precisions trust unit price. |
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How much of the combined company will Grey Wolf shareholders
own? |
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After the Merger, Grey Wolf shareholders will hold approximately
25% of the outstanding Precision trust units, assuming that all
of Grey Wolfs convertible notes are converted into Grey
Wolf common stock and all vested stock options are exercised
prior to the Merger. |
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When do you expect the Merger to be completed? |
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It is currently anticipated that the Merger will be completed on
the first business day following approval of the Merger
Agreement by the Grey Wolf shareholders. |
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Can the number of Precision trust units to be issued in the
Merger for each share of Grey Wolf common stock change between
now and the time the Merger is completed based on changes in the
trading price of the Precision trust units? |
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No. The aggregate number of Precision trust units to be
issued at the time of the Merger is fixed regardless of the
trading price of Precision trust units. However, in aggregate,
the market value of the Precision trust units Grey Wolf
shareholders will receive in the Merger will depend on the price
of the Precision trust units at the time the trust units are
issued. For various reasons, including the underlying value of
Precision trust units, individual Grey Wolf shareholders may
elect to receive all cash or all Precision trust units, which
will ultimately impact the consideration mix on an individual
level. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to the
Merger beginning on page 25. |
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What are the material US federal income tax consequences of
the Merger to Grey Wolf shareholders? |
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Precision and Grey Wolf have structured the Merger to qualify as
a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
Code). The material US federal income tax
consequences of the Merger to US Holders (as defined in
The Merger Material US Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision
Trust Units beginning on page 70) are as follows: |
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A US Holder that exchanges Grey Wolf common stock solely for
Precision trust units generally will not be subject to US
federal income tax with respect to such transfer. US Holders of
Grey Wolf common stock that receive both cash and Precision
trust units generally will recognize gain, but not loss, to the
extent of the cash received. US Holders of Grey Wolf common
stock that receive only cash generally will recognize a gain or
loss.
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notwithstanding the foregoing, if the value of Precision is less
than that of Grey Wolf as of the closing date of the Merger,
then under Section 367 of the Code, US Holders of Grey Wolf
common stock that receive Precision trust units will recognize
any gain, but not loss, that they realize in the Merger. The tax
on such gain may exceed the amount of cash (if any) they receive
in the Merger. Precision and Grey Wolf intend to seek a ruling
from the IRS to the effect that US Holders of Grey Wolf common
stock will not be subject to gain recognition on account of
Section 367 of the Code even if the value of Precision is
less than Grey wolf as of the closing date of the Merger, but no
assurance can be given that such ruling will ultimately be
obtained and the obtaining of such a ruling is not a condition
to the closing of the Merger.
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A US Holders aggregate tax basis in the Precision trust
units that such holder receives in the Merger will equal its
aggregate tax basis in the Grey Wolf common stock surrendered,
increased by the amount of taxable gain or dividend income, if
any, recognized in the Merger, and decreased by the amount of
cash, if any, received in the Merger.
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A US Holders holding period for the Precision trust units
that such holder receives in the Merger generally will include
the holding period for the Grey Wolf common stock exchanged
therefor. However, if a US Holder recognizes gain under
Section 367 of the Code with respect to the Merger, the US
Holders holding period for the Precision trust units that
such holder receives will begin on the closing date of the
Merger.
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A Non-US Holder (as defined in The Merger
Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of
Owning Precision Trust Units beginning on page 70) of
Grey Wolf common stock generally will not be subject to US
federal income tax with respect to the Merger unless such Non-US
Holder has certain connections to the US.
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See The Merger Material US Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision
Trust Units beginning on page 70.
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What are the material Canadian federal income tax
consequences of the Merger to Grey Wolf shareholders? |
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The Merger itself should not give rise to any Canadian federal
income tax liability for Grey Wolf shareholders who are
non-residents of Canada for Canadian federal income tax
purposes. For a Canadian Holder (as defined in The
Merger Material Canadian Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units beginning on page 77) of Grey Wolf common
stock, the Merger will be treated for Canadian federal income
tax purposes as a taxable disposition by such holder of the Grey
Wolf common stock that such holder disposes of in the Merger.
The material Canadian federal income tax consequences of the
Merger to a Canadian Holder who holds Grey Wolf common stock as
capital property are as follows: |
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A Canadian Holder should realize a capital gain or capital loss
equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the cash
consideration and the fair market value of the Precision trust
units received in the Merger and (ii) the sum of such
holders adjusted cost base of the Grey Wolf common stock
that such holder disposes of in the Merger and any reasonable
costs of disposition.
|
|
|
|
A Canadian Holder that holds the Precision trust units received
in the Merger as capital property should have an adjusted cost
base in Precision trust units equal to the fair market value of
Precision trust units at the time of the Merger, subject to the
adjusted cost base of Precision trust units being averaged with
the adjusted cost base to such holder of any Precision trust
units held as capital property prior to the Merger.
|
See The Merger Material Canadian Federal
Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision
Trust Units beginning on page 77.
|
|
|
Q: |
|
Are there risks I should consider in deciding whether to vote
for the Merger? |
|
A: |
|
Yes. We have set forth a list of known material risk factors
that you should consider carefully in connection with the Merger
in the section entitled Risk Factors beginning on
page 25. |
|
Q: |
|
Can I dissent and require appraisal of my shares? |
|
A: |
|
Holders of shares of Grey Wolf common stock who do not vote in
favor of the Merger will have the right to dissent, but only if
they submit a written objection to the Merger and comply with
other Texas law procedures and the requirements described in
The Merger Appraisal Rights beginning on
page 87. Grey Wolf shareholders who wish to dissent to the
Merger are in any case urged to seek the advice of counsel with
respect to the availability of dissenters rights. |
|
Q: |
|
When and where is the Grey Wolf special meeting? |
|
A: |
|
The Grey Wolf special meeting will take place on
December 9, 2008. The time and location of the meeting are
specified on the cover page of this proxy statement/prospectus. |
|
Q: |
|
Who can vote at the special meeting? |
|
A: |
|
Holders of Grey Wolf common stock as of the close of business on
the record date of October 27, 2008 are entitled to vote at
the special meeting. Beneficial owners as of the record date
should receive instructions from their bank, broker or other
nominee describing the procedures to vote their shares. |
|
Q: |
|
What vote of Grey Wolf shareholders is required to approve
the Merger Agreement? |
|
A: |
|
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the issued
and outstanding shares of Grey Wolf common stock as of the
record date is required to approve the Merger Agreement. |
12
|
|
|
Q: |
|
What do I need to do now? |
|
A: |
|
After carefully reading and considering the information
contained in this document, please submit your proxy by
telephone or via the Internet in accordance with the
instructions set forth in the enclosed proxy card, or fill out,
sign and date the proxy card and then mail your signed proxy
card in the enclosed prepaid envelope as soon as possible so
that your shares may be voted at the special meeting. See
The Grey Wolf Special Meeting beginning on
page 39. |
|
Q: |
|
What happens if I do not indicate my preference for or
against approval of the Merger? |
|
A: |
|
If you submit a proxy without specifying the manner in which you
would like your shares to be voted, your shares will be voted
FOR approval of the Merger Agreement. |
|
Q: |
|
What happens if I do not vote at all? |
|
A: |
|
Because approval of the Merger Agreement requires the
affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Grey Wolf common
stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record date, if
you abstain or fail to vote your shares in favor of approval of
the Merger Agreement, this will have the same effect as voting
your shares against approval of the Merger Agreement. If you
fail to respond with a vote or fail to instruct your broker or
other nominee how to vote on the approval of the Merger
Agreement, it will have the same effect as a vote against the
approval of the Merger Agreement. |
|
Q: |
|
If my shares are held in street name by my bank,
broker or other nominee, will my bank, broker or other nominee
vote my shares for me? |
|
A: |
|
You should instruct your bank, broker or other nominee to vote
your shares. If you do not instruct your nominee, your nominee
will not be able to vote your shares. Please check with your
nominee and follow the voting procedures your nominee provides.
Your nominee will advise you whether you may submit voting
instructions by telephone or via the Internet. See The
Grey Wolf Special Meeting Record Date; Voting Rights
and Outstanding Shares and The Grey Wolf Special
Meeting Quorum, Voting Requirements and Effect of
Abstentions and Non-votes beginning on pages 39 and
40, respectively. |
|
Q: |
|
May I change my vote after I have submitted a proxy? |
|
A: |
|
Yes. You may send a later-dated, signed proxy card so that it is
received prior to the special meeting, or you may attend the
special meeting in person and vote. You may also revoke your
proxy card by sending a notice of revocation that is received
prior to the special meeting to Grey Wolfs corporate
secretary at the address set forth under The
Companies. You may also change your vote by telephone or
Internet. You may change your vote by using any one of these
methods regardless of the procedure used to cast your previous
vote. Additional information on how to change your vote is
located beginning on page 84. |
|
Q: |
|
If I want to attend the special meeting, what do I do? |
|
A: |
|
You should come to the Marriott Houston Westchase, Houston,
Texas at 9:00 a.m., local time, on December 9, 2008.
If you hold your shares in street name, you will
need to bring proof of ownership (by means of a recent brokerage
statement, letter from your bank or broker or similar means) to
be admitted to the meeting. Shareholders of record as of the
record date for the special meeting can vote in person at the
special meeting. If your shares are held in street
name, then you are not the shareholder of record and you
must ask your bank, broker or other nominee how you can vote at
the special meeting. |
|
Q: |
|
Can I send in my shares of Grey Wolf common stock with my
proxy card? |
|
A: |
|
Yes, you may send in your shares of Grey Wolf common stock with
your proxy card provided that they are submitted in the
enclosed envelope with a properly completed letter of
transmittal and form of election. Otherwise, prior to the
election deadline, which will be the second business day prior
to the anticipated effective date of the Merger, which date
Precision and Grey Wolf will publicly announce at least five
business days prior to the anticipated effective date, you
should send your shares of Grey Wolf common stock to the
exchange agent, together with your completed, signed letter of
transmittal and form |
13
|
|
|
|
|
of election. If your shares of Grey Wolf common stock are held
in street name by your broker or other nominee, you
should follow your broker or nominees instructions for
making an election with respect to your shares of Grey Wolf
common stock. |
|
Q: |
|
Who can help answer my additional questions about the Merger
or voting procedures? |
|
A: |
|
Grey Wolf has retained Georgeson, Inc., which we refer to as
Georgeson, to serve as an information agent in connection with
the Merger. Shareholders of Grey Wolf may call Georgeson
toll-free at
(800) 561-3540
with any questions they may have. Banks and brokers may call
collect at
(212) 440-9800. |
VOTING BY
INTERNET, TELEPHONE OR MAIL
If you hold your shares through a bank, broker, custodian or
other recordholder, please refer to your proxy card or voting
instruction form or the information forwarded by your bank,
broker, custodian or other recordholder to see which options are
available to you.
Grey Wolf
shareholders of record may submit their proxies by:
Internet. You can vote over the Internet by
accessing www.voteproxy.com and following the instructions on
the website prior to 11:59 p.m. on December 8, 2008.
Internet voting is available 24 hours a day. If you vote
over the Internet, do not return your proxy card(s) or voting
instruction card(s).
Telephone. You can vote by telephone by
calling 1-800-PROXIES
(1-800-776-9437)
toll-free in the US, Canada or Puerto Rico on a touch-tone phone
prior to 11:59 p.m. on December 8, 2008. You will then
be prompted to enter the control number printed on your proxy
card and to follow subsequent instructions. Telephone voting is
available 24 hours a day. If you vote by telephone, do not
return your proxy card(s) or voting instruction card(s).
Mail. You can vote by mail by completing,
signing, dating and mailing your proxy card(s) or voting
instruction card(s) in the postage-paid envelope included with
this proxy statement/prospectus. If you vote by mail, your proxy
card(s) must be received prior to December 9, 2008, the
date of the special meeting.
14
SUMMARY
HISTORICAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION
Unless otherwise indicated in this document, all financial
information relating to Grey Wolf is presented in US dollars,
has been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the US (US GAAP) and has
been derived from Grey Wolfs consolidated financial
statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP. All historical
financial information relating to Precision is presented in
Canadian dollars and in accordance with US GAAP and is derived
from Precisions consolidated financial statements prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in
Canada (Canadian GAAP) and reconciled to US GAAP,
except for pro forma data which is presented under US GAAP in US
dollars.
Canadian GAAP differs from US GAAP and may result in material
differences in reported financial results for Precision. For a
reconciliation to US GAAP of Precisions financial
statements for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2008
and June 30, 2007, see Precisions reports on
Form 6-K
and, for each of the five years ended December 31, 2007,
2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003, see Precisions Annual Report on
Form 40-F
for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
Following the Merger, Precision expects that it will continue to
be a foreign private issuer eligible to file reports
under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
Exchange Act) and the multi-jurisdictional
disclosure system. The multi-jurisdictional disclosure system
facilitates cross-border offerings of securities and continuous
reporting by specified Canadian issuers. The system permits
eligible companies in the US and Canada to offer securities in
the other country using the disclosure documents meeting the
regulatory requirements of their home country. As a trust
governed by the laws of the Province of Alberta and subject to
the reporting requirements of the various securities regulatory
authorities in Canada, Precision is required to prepare and file
financial information under Canadian GAAP.
Precision and Grey Wolf expect that the Merger will be accounted
for as a purchase. Following the Merger, Precision anticipates
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) annual consolidated financial statements
prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP reconciled to US GAAP.
Communications with unitholders will also primarily focus on the
financial results of the merged company prepared in accordance
with Canadian GAAP.
15
SELECTED
HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
AND OPERATING DATA OF PRECISION
The selected consolidated financial data of Precision as of and
for each of the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006, 2005,
2004 and 2003 (shown in US GAAP) have been derived from
Precisions audited consolidated financial statements which
are prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP and reconciled to
US GAAP. The selected historical financial data as of and for
the six-month periods ended June 30, 2008 and 2007 have
been derived from the unaudited consolidated financial
statements of Precision, and the related US GAAP reconciliation
incorporated by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus.
The unaudited financial data presented have been prepared on a
basis consistent with Precisions audited consolidated
financial statements as of and for the year ended
December 31, 2007. In the opinion of Precisions
management, such unaudited financial data reflect all
adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring
adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results for
those periods. The results of operations for the interim periods
are not indicative of the results to be expected for the full
year or any future period. More comprehensive financial
information is included in Precisions financial statements
and annual reports. The selected consolidated financial data set
forth below is qualified in its entirety by reference to, and
should be read in conjunction with, Precisions complete
consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto,
and the section entitled Managements Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
contained in Precisions Annual Report on
Form 40-F
for the year ended December 31, 2007, which is incorporated
by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus. See Where
You Can Find More Information regarding how you can obtain
this information beginning on page 136.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In US GAAP, Cdn$ in thousands, except per unit/share data
and operating data)
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
481,203
|
|
|
$
|
532,547
|
|
|
$
|
1,009,201
|
|
|
$
|
1,437,584
|
|
|
$
|
1,269,179
|
|
|
$
|
1,028,488
|
|
|
$
|
915,170
|
|
Expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
|
|
|
261,985
|
|
|
|
266,062
|
|
|
|
516,094
|
|
|
|
688,207
|
|
|
|
641,805
|
|
|
|
566,297
|
|
|
|
544,163
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
36,580
|
|
|
|
24,829
|
|
|
|
55,997
|
|
|
|
81,217
|
|
|
|
89,557
|
|
|
|
55,959
|
|
|
|
36,296
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
37,761
|
|
|
|
35,510
|
|
|
|
78,326
|
|
|
|
73,234
|
|
|
|
71,561
|
|
|
|
74,829
|
|
|
|
78,112
|
|
Foreign exchange
|
|
|
(1,125
|
)
|
|
|
893
|
|
|
|
2,398
|
|
|
|
(353
|
)
|
|
|
(3,474
|
)
|
|
|
(8,100
|
)
|
|
|
(2,216
|
)
|
Interest:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
4,344
|
|
|
|
4,179
|
|
|
|
7,767
|
|
|
|
8,800
|
|
|
|
38,735
|
|
|
|
46,575
|
|
|
|
34,492
|
|
Other
|
|
|
99
|
|
|
|
58
|
|
|
|
106
|
|
|
|
171
|
|
|
|
558
|
|
|
|
246
|
|
|
|
115
|
|
Income
|
|
|
(160
|
)
|
|
|
(195
|
)
|
|
|
(555
|
)
|
|
|
(942
|
)
|
|
|
(10,023
|
)
|
|
|
(541
|
)
|
|
|
(541
|
)
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(408
|
)
|
|
|
160,389
|
|
|
|
(4,899
|
)
|
|
|
(1,493
|
)
|
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes
|
|
|
141,719
|
|
|
|
201,211
|
|
|
|
349,068
|
|
|
|
587,658
|
|
|
|
280,071
|
|
|
|
298,122
|
|
|
|
226,242
|
|
Income taxes:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
|
|
|
4,697
|
|
|
|
(3,647
|
)
|
|
|
(737
|
)
|
|
|
34,526
|
|
|
|
241,402
|
|
|
|
53,698
|
|
|
|
40,828
|
|
Deferred
|
|
|
9,300
|
|
|
|
21,069
|
|
|
|
6,950
|
|
|
|
(19,380
|
)
|
|
|
(169,019
|
)
|
|
|
48,103
|
|
|
|
34,900
|
|
Total income tax
|
|
|
13,997
|
|
|
|
17,422
|
|
|
|
6,213
|
|
|
|
15,146
|
|
|
|
72,383
|
|
|
|
101,801
|
|
|
|
75,728
|
|
Net earnings continuing operations
|
|
|
127,722
|
|
|
|
183,789
|
|
|
|
342,855
|
|
|
|
572,512
|
|
|
|
207,688
|
|
|
|
196,321
|
|
|
|
150,514
|
|
Earnings from discontinued operations (2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,956
|
|
|
|
7,077
|
|
|
|
1,388,060
|
|
|
|
64,920
|
|
|
|
38,162
|
|
Net earnings
|
|
|
127,722
|
|
|
|
183,789
|
|
|
|
345,811
|
|
|
|
579,589
|
|
|
|
1,595,748
|
|
|
|
261,241
|
|
|
|
188,676
|
|
Distributions declared
|
|
|
98,091
|
|
|
|
128,273
|
|
|
|
276,667
|
|
|
|
471,524
|
|
|
|
70,510
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash distributions declared per unit (2)
|
|
|
0.78
|
|
|
|
1.02
|
|
|
|
1.96
|
|
|
|
3.56
|
|
|
|
0.56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings per unit/share from continuing operations:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
1.02
|
|
|
|
1.46
|
|
|
|
2.73
|
|
|
|
4.56
|
|
|
|
1.68
|
|
|
|
1.70
|
|
|
|
1.38
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1.02
|
|
|
|
1.46
|
|
|
|
2.73
|
|
|
|
4.56
|
|
|
|
1.66
|
|
|
|
1.67
|
|
|
|
1.36
|
|
16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In US GAAP, Cdn$ in thousands, except per unit/share data
and operating data)
|
|
|
Unit/share data: (3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issued
|
|
$
|
125,758
|
|
|
$
|
125,758
|
|
|
$
|
125,758
|
|
|
$
|
125,758
|
|
|
$
|
125,461
|
|
|
$
|
121,580
|
|
|
$
|
109,691
|
|
Weighted average units/shares outstanding
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
125,545
|
|
|
|
123,304
|
|
|
|
115,654
|
|
|
|
108,860
|
|
Weighted average diluted
|
|
|
125,785
|
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
125,760
|
|
|
|
125,545
|
|
|
|
125,412
|
|
|
|
117,210
|
|
|
|
110,598
|
|
Statement of cash flow data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
From operations
|
|
|
257,765
|
|
|
|
385,371
|
|
|
|
484,115
|
|
|
|
609,744
|
|
|
|
206,013
|
|
|
|
286,437
|
|
|
|
200,921
|
|
From investments
|
|
|
(103,443
|
)
|
|
|
(115,398
|
)
|
|
|
(191,402
|
)
|
|
|
(234,723
|
)
|
|
|
1,037,529
|
|
|
|
(873,160
|
)
|
|
|
(220,144
|
)
|
From financing
|
|
|
(147,205
|
)
|
|
|
(269,973
|
)
|
|
|
(292,713
|
)
|
|
|
(375,021
|
)
|
|
|
(1,462,574
|
)
|
|
|
527,144
|
|
|
|
(34,228
|
)
|
Discontinued operations (2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
97,020
|
|
|
|
160,221
|
|
|
|
57,506
|
|
Other financial data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisitions net of cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,428
|
|
|
|
30,421
|
|
|
|
679,814
|
|
|
|
6,800
|
|
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
|
|
|
54,812
|
|
|
|
108,542
|
|
|
|
186,973
|
|
|
|
263,030
|
|
|
|
155,231
|
|
|
|
122,692
|
|
|
|
96,193
|
|
Distributions paid
|
|
|
118,212
|
|
|
|
150,909
|
|
|
|
249,000
|
|
|
|
444,651
|
|
|
|
33,875
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drilling rigs available (2)
|
|
|
248
|
|
|
|
247
|
|
|
|
245
|
|
|
|
241
|
|
|
|
230
|
|
|
|
277
|
|
|
|
245
|
|
Canada rig days
|
|
|
13,570
|
|
|
|
14,960
|
|
|
|
30,475
|
|
|
|
44,768
|
|
|
|
46,937
|
|
|
|
41,625
|
|
|
|
42,275
|
|
US rig days
|
|
|
2,243
|
|
|
|
499
|
|
|
|
1,850
|
|
|
|
170
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
International rig days (2)
|
|
|
124
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
As of December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In US GAAP, Cdn$ in thousands)
|
|
|
Statement of Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
1,819,331
|
|
|
$
|
1,826,506
|
|
|
$
|
1,824,215
|
|
|
$
|
1,781,911
|
|
|
$
|
3,915,078
|
|
|
$
|
3,001,637
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
104,948
|
|
|
|
119,826
|
|
|
|
140,880
|
|
|
|
96,838
|
|
|
|
718,850
|
|
|
|
399,422
|
|
Assets net of liabilities
|
|
|
1,409,096
|
|
|
|
1,379,430
|
|
|
|
1,280,104
|
|
|
|
1,137,620
|
|
|
|
1,530,308
|
|
|
|
1,193,319
|
|
Unitholders temporary equity (1)
|
|
|
3,146,916
|
|
|
|
1,730,328
|
|
|
|
3,153,594
|
|
|
|
4,304,665
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital (3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,272,673
|
|
|
|
936,529
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
On November 7, 2005, PDC converted to an open-ended
investment trust. Pursuant to the reorganization, shareholders
of PDC exchanged their PDC common shares for Precision trust
units. Precision trust units are, subject to certain
limitations, redeemable at any time on demand by the unitholder.
Under US GAAP, the amount included on the consolidated balance
sheet for unitholders equity is classified as temporary
equity and recorded at an amount equal to the redemption value
of the Precision trust units as of the balance sheet date. |
|
(2) |
|
On August 31, 2005, Precision sold its Energy Services and
International Contract Drilling divisions to Weatherford
International Ltd. for proceeds of approximately
Cdn$1.13 billion and 26 million common shares of
Weatherford, valued at Cdn$2.1 billion. |
|
|
|
In addition, on September 13, 2005, Precision sold its
industrial plant maintenance business to Borealis Investments
Inc. for proceeds of approximately Cdn$274 million. |
|
|
|
In 2005, Cdn$2.9 billion (Cdn$23.07 per share) was
distributed to Precisions shareholders in connection with
the sale of Precisions energy services and international
contract drilling divisions. |
|
|
|
For comparative purposes results of discontinued operations
information has been removed from the financial and operating
data. |
|
(3) |
|
On May 15, 2005, PDC undertook a 2 for 1 stock split.
Comparative numbers have been changed to affect the stock split
equivalent. |
17
SELECTED
HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND
OPERATING DATA OF GREY WOLF
The selected historical consolidated financial data of Grey Wolf
as of and for each of the years ended December 31, 2007,
2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003 has been derived from Grey Wolfs
audited consolidated financial statements and prepared in
accordance with US GAAP. The selected historical financial data
as of and for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2008 and
2007 has been derived from the unaudited consolidated financial
statements of Grey Wolf incorporated by reference in this proxy
statement/prospectus. The unaudited financial data presented has
been prepared on a basis consistent with Grey Wolfs
audited consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of
Grey Wolfs management, such unaudited financial data
reflects all adjustments, consisting only of normal and
recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the
results for those periods. The results of operations for the
interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to
be expected for the full year or any future period. The selected
consolidated financial data set forth below should be read in
conjunction with, Grey Wolfs complete consolidated
financial statements, including the notes thereto, and the
section entitled Managements Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained
in Grey Wolfs Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007, which is incorporated
by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus. See Where
You Can Find More Information beginning on
page 136 regarding how you can obtain this information.
The information below refers to EBITDA of Grey Wolf. Grey Wolf
believes that its disclosure of EBITDA and EBITDA per rig day as
a measure of rig operating performance allows investors to make
a direct comparison between Grey Wolf and its competitors,
without regard to differences in capital structure or to
differences in the cost basis of Grey Wolfs rigs and those
of Grey Wolfs competitors. EBITDA means earnings before
interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA
has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be
considered an alternative to net income, operating income, cash
flow from operating activities or any other measure of financial
performance or liquidity presented in accordance with US GAAP.
EBITDA excludes some, but not all, items that affect net income.
Limitations to using EBITDA as an analytical tool include:
|
|
|
|
|
EBITDA does not reflect current or future requirements for
capital expenditures or capital commitments;
|
|
|
|
EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements
necessary to service interest or principal payments on
indebtedness;
|
|
|
|
EBITDA does not reflect income taxes;
|
|
|
|
although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the
assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be
replaced in the future, and EBITDA does not reflect any cash
requirements for such replacements;
|
|
|
|
an improving trend in EBITDA may not be indicative of an
improvement in profitability; and
|
|
|
|
other companies in Grey Wolfs industry may calculate
EBITDA differently than Grey Wolf, limiting its usefulness as a
comparative measure.
|
Please see the reconciliations of EBITDA to net income, which is
the most directly comparable US GAAP financial measure for each
of the periods presented, below.
18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
Years Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(US$ in thousands, except per share data and operating
data)
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Statement of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contract Drilling Revenue
|
|
$
|
418,229
|
|
|
$
|
469,533
|
|
|
$
|
906,577
|
|
|
$
|
945,527
|
|
|
$
|
696,979
|
|
|
$
|
424,634
|
|
|
$
|
285,974
|
|
Costs and expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drilling operations
|
|
|
243,461
|
|
|
|
253,260
|
|
|
|
513,847
|
|
|
|
516,787
|
|
|
|
418,644
|
|
|
|
327,797
|
|
|
|
244,287
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
54,753
|
|
|
|
43,811
|
|
|
|
97,361
|
|
|
|
74,010
|
|
|
|
61,279
|
|
|
|
55,329
|
|
|
|
50,521
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
16,833
|
|
|
|
14,558
|
|
|
|
29,439
|
|
|
|
24,305
|
|
|
|
16,248
|
|
|
|
13,317
|
|
|
|
11,966
|
|
(Gain) loss on sale of assets and other
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
(129
|
)
|
|
|
(175
|
)
|
|
|
(16,054
|
)
|
|
|
(115
|
)
|
|
|
(45
|
)
|
|
|
(81
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total costs and expenses
|
|
|
315,097
|
|
|
|
311,500
|
|
|
|
640,472
|
|
|
|
599,048
|
|
|
|
496,056
|
|
|
|
396,398
|
|
|
|
306,693
|
|
Interest income (expense), net
|
|
|
(1,568
|
)
|
|
|
(178
|
)
|
|
|
(708
|
)
|
|
|
(2,128
|
)
|
|
|
(7,791
|
)
|
|
|
(13,982
|
)
|
|
|
(26,878
|
)
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
|
63,621
|
|
|
|
100,286
|
|
|
|
169,892
|
|
|
|
219,951
|
|
|
|
120,637
|
|
|
|
8,078
|
|
|
|
(30,200
|
)
|
Net income (loss) per common stock:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
0.36
|
|
|
|
0.55
|
|
|
|
0.93
|
|
|
|
1.16
|
|
|
|
0.63
|
|
|
|
0.04
|
|
|
|
(0.17
|
)
|
Diluted
|
|
|
0.31
|
|
|
|
0.46
|
|
|
|
0.79
|
|
|
|
0.98
|
|
|
|
0.54
|
|
|
|
0.04
|
|
|
|
(0.17
|
)
|
Statement of Cash Flows Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows provided by (used in):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating activities
|
|
|
172,218
|
|
|
|
190,319
|
|
|
|
295,832
|
|
|
|
288,230
|
|
|
|
221,612
|
|
|
|
45,146
|
|
|
|
(7,040
|
)
|
Investing activities
|
|
|
(104,214
|
)
|
|
|
(120,349
|
)
|
|
|
(225,500
|
)
|
|
|
(170,514
|
)
|
|
|
(128,250
|
)
|
|
|
(74,077
|
)
|
|
|
(33,927
|
)
|
Financing activities
|
|
|
(2,644
|
)
|
|
|
(8,014
|
)
|
|
|
(52,404
|
)
|
|
|
(61,088
|
)
|
|
|
8,073
|
|
|
|
46,291
|
|
|
|
(18,582
|
)
|
Other Financial Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Expenditures:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired
|
|
|
4,362
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28,906
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment
|
|
|
96,077
|
|
|
|
122,842
|
|
|
|
220,191
|
|
|
|
197,161
|
|
|
|
131,352
|
|
|
|
46,951
|
|
|
|
35,102
|
|
Deposits for new rig purchases
|
|
|
5,766
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,771
|
|
|
|
10,979
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EBITDA
|
|
|
162,363
|
|
|
|
208,596
|
|
|
|
376,668
|
|
|
|
431,975
|
|
|
|
265,775
|
|
|
|
84,342
|
|
|
|
30,770
|
|
Operating Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rig days(1)
|
|
|
18,664
|
|
|
|
19,397
|
|
|
|
38,478
|
|
|
|
39,561
|
|
|
|
37,229
|
|
|
|
31,177
|
|
|
|
22,147
|
|
Average revenue per rig day
|
|
$
|
22,408
|
|
|
$
|
24,206
|
|
|
$
|
23,561
|
|
|
$
|
23,901
|
|
|
$
|
18,721
|
|
|
$
|
13,620
|
|
|
$
|
12,913
|
|
Average EBITDA per rig day
|
|
$
|
8,699
|
|
|
$
|
10,754
|
|
|
$
|
9,789
|
|
|
$
|
10,919
|
|
|
$
|
7,139
|
|
|
$
|
2,705
|
|
|
$
|
1,389
|
|
Average number of rigs operating
|
|
|
103
|
|
|
|
107
|
|
|
|
105
|
|
|
|
108
|
|
|
|
102
|
|
|
|
85
|
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
A rig day is a twenty-four hour period in which a Grey Wolf rig
is under contract and should be earning revenues. |
19
The following table presents a reconciliation of EBITDA to net
income, which is the most directly comparable US GAAP financial
performance measure, for each of the periods indicated:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
Years Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(US$ in thousands)
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and
amortization
|
|
$
|
162,363
|
|
|
$
|
208,596
|
|
|
$
|
376,668
|
|
|
$
|
431,975
|
|
|
$
|
265,775
|
|
|
$
|
84,342
|
|
|
$
|
30,770
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(54,753
|
)
|
|
|
(43,811
|
)
|
|
|
(97,361
|
)
|
|
|
(74,010
|
)
|
|
|
(61,279
|
)
|
|
|
(55,329
|
)
|
|
|
(50,521
|
)
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(6,046
|
)
|
|
|
(6,930
|
)
|
|
|
(13,910
|
)
|
|
|
(13,614
|
)
|
|
|
(11,364
|
)
|
|
|
(14,759
|
)
|
|
|
(27,832
|
)
|
Total income tax (expense) benefit
|
|
|
(37,943
|
)
|
|
|
(57,569
|
)
|
|
|
(95,505
|
)
|
|
|
(124,400
|
)
|
|
|
(72,495
|
)
|
|
|
(6,176
|
)
|
|
|
17,383
|
|
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares
|
|
|
63,621
|
|
|
|
100,286
|
|
|
|
169,892
|
|
|
|
219,951
|
|
|
|
120,637
|
|
|
|
8,078
|
|
|
|
(30,200
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of June 30,
|
|
|
As of December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
(US$ in thousands)
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
313,061
|
|
|
$
|
291,729
|
|
|
$
|
247,701
|
|
|
$
|
229,773
|
|
|
$
|
173,145
|
|
|
$
|
71,710
|
|
|
$
|
54,350
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
369,543
|
|
|
|
352,035
|
|
|
|
338,804
|
|
|
|
304,764
|
|
|
|
250,446
|
|
|
|
118,096
|
|
|
|
71,833
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
1,304,951
|
|
|
|
1,203,330
|
|
|
|
1,207,970
|
|
|
|
1,086,984
|
|
|
|
869,035
|
|
|
|
635,876
|
|
|
|
532,184
|
|
Long-term liabilities
|
|
|
456,954
|
|
|
|
434,131
|
|
|
|
443,769
|
|
|
|
406,108
|
|
|
|
404,654
|
|
|
|
337,810
|
|
|
|
285,615
|
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
|
725,516
|
|
|
|
630,941
|
|
|
|
659,509
|
|
|
|
533,794
|
|
|
|
369,232
|
|
|
|
237,482
|
|
|
|
195,637
|
|
20
SELECTED
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED
COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The following tables set forth selected unaudited pro forma
condensed combined financial information. The pro forma amounts
included in the tables below are presented as if the Merger had
been effective as of June 30, 2008 for the pro forma
balance sheet and as of January 1, 2007 for the pro forma
statements of operations, and reflects adjustments directly
related to the Merger. The pro forma adjustments are based on
available information and assumptions that each companys
management believes are reasonable and in accordance with SEC
requirements. You should read this information in conjunction
with, and such information is qualified in its entirety by, the
consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes of
Precision and Grey Wolf incorporated in this document by
reference and the pro forma combined financial statements and
accompanying discussions and notes beginning on page 115.
See Where You Can Find More Information beginning on
page 136 regarding how you can obtain the complete
financial statements and accompanying footnotes. The pro forma
amounts in the tables below are presented for informational
purposes. You should not rely on the pro forma amounts as being
indicative of the financial position or the results of
operations of the combined company that would have actually
occurred had the Merger been effective during the periods
presented or of the future financial position or future results
of operations of the combined company.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2008
|
|
|
December 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
(US$ in thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
Statement of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
$
|
896,087
|
|
|
$
|
1,847,031
|
|
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization)
|
|
|
503,625
|
|
|
|
994,784
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
98,187
|
|
|
|
194,204
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
53,159
|
|
|
|
81,621
|
|
Interest expense, net
|
|
|
39,799
|
|
|
|
72,980
|
|
Net income from continuing operations
|
|
|
162,777
|
|
|
|
433,205
|
|
Net income
|
|
|
162,777
|
|
|
|
435,960
|
|
Net Income Per Trust Unit:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
0.97
|
|
|
|
2.60
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
0.97
|
|
|
|
2.60
|
|
Weighted Average Trust Units Outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
167,758
|
|
|
|
167,758
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
167,785
|
|
|
|
167,760
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of June 30, 2008
|
|
|
|
(US$ in thousands)
|
|
|
Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
6,988
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
18,842
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
4,247,224
|
|
Long-term debt, net of current portion
|
|
|
930,185
|
|
Unitholders equity (including temporary equity)
|
|
|
2,276,695
|
|
21
COMPARATIVE
PER SHARE AND TRUST UNIT DATA
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated,
selected pro forma per trust unit amounts, for the Precision
trust units, after giving effect to the Merger accounted for
under the purchase method of accounting, pro forma per trust
unit equivalent amounts for shares of Grey Wolf common stock and
the corresponding historical per share data for the Grey Wolf
common stock and per trust unit data for the Precision trust
units. The information presented is based upon, and is qualified
in its entirety by, the consolidated financial statements and
the related notes of each of Grey Wolf and Precision
incorporated in this document by reference. You should not rely
on the pro forma per share or per trust unit data as being
indicative of the results of operations or the financial
condition that would have been reported by the combined company
had the Merger been in effect during these periods or that may
be reported in the future. See Selected Unaudited Pro
Forma Condensed Combined Financial Information beginning
on page 21 for a more complete discussion.
Information presented in the table below reflects the following:
|
|
|
|
|
Each of the comparative per share and trust unit data has been
calculated assuming completion of the Merger as if it had been
in effect for all periods presented based on the conversion of
Grey Wolfs convertible notes and an aggregate of
approximately 223 million outstanding shares of Grey Wolf
common stock to Precision trust units subject to the maximum
amounts translated to $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision
trust unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock.
|
|
|
|
Net income per trust unit is presented based upon the pro forma
results of the two entities stated under US GAAP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
2008
|
|
2007
|
|
Precision Historical (Cdn$)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income From Continuing Operations Per Trust Unit:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
1.02
|
|
|
$
|
2.73
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
1.02
|
|
|
|
2.73
|
|
Book value per trust unit
|
|
$
|
11.20
|
|
|
|
10.97
|
|
Grey Wolf Historical (US$)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income Per Share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
0.36
|
|
|
$
|
0.93
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
0.31
|
|
|
|
0.79
|
|
Book value per share
|
|
|
4.06
|
|
|
|
3.70
|
|
Combined Entity Unaudited Pro Forma Combined
Amounts (US$)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income Per Trust Unit:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
0.97
|
|
|
|
2.60
|
|
Book value per trust unit
|
|
$
|
13.56
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
22
COMPARATIVE
PER SHARE AND PER TRUST UNIT MARKET PRICE
AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION
Precision trust units are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
under the trading symbol PD.UN and the New York
Stock Exchange under the trading symbol PDS. Grey
Wolf common stock is listed on the American Stock Exchange under
the trading symbol GW. The following table sets
forth, for the respective calendar years and quarters indicated,
the high and low sale prices per share of Grey Wolf common stock
as reported on the American Stock Exchange Composite Tape, and
the high and low sale prices per Precision trust unit as
reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape and the
Toronto Stock Exchange. The Toronto Stock Exchange sale prices
of Precision trust units are presented in Canadian dollars, and
the New York Stock Exchange sale prices of Precision trust units
are presented in US dollars.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The American Stock
|
|
The New York Stock
|
|
The Toronto Stock
|
|
|
Exchange (US$)
|
|
Exchange (US$)
|
|
Exchange (Cdn$)
|
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
Precision Trust
|
|
Precision Trust
|
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
Units
|
|
Units
|
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
2003(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual
|
|
$
|
4.99
|
|
|
$
|
3.11
|
|
|
$
|
44.08
|
|
|
$
|
31.10
|
|
|
$
|
58.74
|
|
|
$
|
45.30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual
|
|
|
5.58
|
|
|
|
3.30
|
|
|
|
66.19
|
|
|
|
42.30
|
|
|
|
78.70
|
|
|
|
55.89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual
|
|
|
8.60
|
|
|
|
3.70
|
|
|
|
34.01
|
|
|
|
25.85
|
|
|
|
39.75
|
|
|
|
30.50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual
|
|
|
8.93
|
|
|
|
6.10
|
|
|
|
38.20
|
|
|
|
21.46
|
|
|
|
43.40
|
|
|
|
24.40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Annual
|
|
|
8.60
|
|
|
|
4.85
|
|
|
|
27.89
|
|
|
|
14.91
|
|
|
|
30.93
|
|
|
|
14.82
|
|
First Quarter
|
|
|
7.08
|
|
|
|
6.38
|
|
|
|
24.12
|
|
|
|
21.06
|
|
|
|
28.30
|
|
|
|
25.05
|
|
Second Quarter
|
|
|
8.60
|
|
|
|
6.65
|
|
|
|
27.89
|
|
|
|
22.60
|
|
|
|
30.93
|
|
|
|
25.62
|
|
Third Quarter
|
|
|
8.33
|
|
|
|
6.18
|
|
|
|
25.45
|
|
|
|
17.25
|
|
|
|
26.87
|
|
|
|
18.33
|
|
Fourth Quarter
|
|
|
6.63
|
|
|
|
4.85
|
|
|
|
19.65
|
|
|
|
14.91
|
|
|
|
19.54
|
|
|
|
14.82
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Quarter
|
|
|
7.04
|
|
|
|
5.00
|
|
|
|
23.53
|
|
|
|
15.15
|
|
|
|
24.00
|
|
|
|
15.13
|
|
Second Quarter
|
|
|
10.50
|
|
|
|
6.11
|
|
|
|
28.59
|
|
|
|
21.89
|
|
|
|
28.93
|
|
|
|
22.55
|
|
Third Quarter
|
|
|
9.65
|
|
|
|
6.88
|
|
|
|
28.15
|
|
|
|
15.42
|
|
|
|
28.09
|
|
|
|
16.00
|
|
Fourth Quarter (through October 27, 2007)
|
|
|
7.86
|
|
|
|
4.70
|
|
|
|
16.82
|
|
|
|
8.41
|
|
|
|
17.84
|
|
|
|
9.99
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Prior to November 7, 2005, Precision was a corporation and
its common shares were listed for trading. |
The table below sets forth the high and low sale prices for each
of the six most recent full calendar months for Grey Wolf common
stock as reported on the American Stock Exchange Composite Tape
and Precision trust units as reported on the New York Stock
Exchange Composite Tape and the Toronto Stock Exchange. The
American Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange sale prices
of Grey Wolf common stock and Precision trust units,
respectively, are presented in US dollars and the Toronto Stock
Exchange sale prices of Precision trust units are presented in
Canadian dollars.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The American
|
|
The New York
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
Stock
|
|
The Toronto Stock
|
|
|
Exchange (US$)
|
|
Exchange (US$)
|
|
Exchange (Cdn$)
|
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
Precision Trust
|
|
Precision Trust
|
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
Units
|
|
Units
|
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
April 2008
|
|
$
|
9.13
|
|
|
$
|
6.11
|
|
|
$
|
27.25
|
|
|
$
|
21.89
|
|
|
$
|
27.46
|
|
|
$
|
22.55
|
|
May 2008
|
|
|
8.05
|
|
|
|
6.18
|
|
|
|
28.38
|
|
|
|
24.03
|
|
|
|
28.39
|
|
|
|
24.50
|
|
June 2008
|
|
|
10.50
|
|
|
|
7.68
|
|
|
|
28.59
|
|
|
|
25.76
|
|
|
|
28.93
|
|
|
|
26.05
|
|
July 2008
|
|
|
9.65
|
|
|
|
8.46
|
|
|
|
28.15
|
|
|
|
21.01
|
|
|
|
28.09
|
|
|
|
21.30
|
|
August 2008
|
|
|
8.87
|
|
|
|
7.96
|
|
|
|
22.89
|
|
|
|
19.30
|
|
|
|
23.45
|
|
|
|
20.53
|
|
September 2008
|
|
|
8.70
|
|
|
|
6.88
|
|
|
|
21.05
|
|
|
|
15.42
|
|
|
|
22.32
|
|
|
|
16.00
|
|
23
The table below sets forth the cash distributions declared per
Precision trust unit and dividends declared per share of Grey
Wolf common stock for the fiscal years ended 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006 and 2007 and for the six months ended June 30, 2007
and 2008.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Declared Distributions/Dividends
|
|
|
Precision
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
|
(Cdn$)(1)
|
|
(US$)
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005(2)
|
|
|
0.56
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
3.56
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
1.96
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
1.02
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
0.78
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Aggregate of the cash distributions declared each calendar month. |
|
(2) |
|
Cash distributions were initially declared for unitholders of
record in the month of November 2005 following the conversion of
PDC to a trust effective November 7, 2005. In 2005,
Cdn$2.9 billion (Cdn$23.07 per share) was distributed
to Precisions shareholders in connection with the sale of
Precisions energy services and international contract
drilling divisions. |
CURRENCY
EXCHANGE RATE DATA
The following tables show, for the date or periods indicated,
certain information regarding the
US dollar/Canadian
dollar exchange rate. The information is based on the noon
buying rate as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank in the City
of New York.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cdn$ per US$1.00
|
|
|
US$ per Cdn$1.00
|
|
|
August 22, 2008 (the last trading day before public
announcement of the merger)
|
|
|
1.0456
|
|
|
|
0.9564
|
|
October 27, 2008
|
|
|
1.2935
|
|
|
|
0.7731
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Closing Rate
|
|
Average
|
|
|
Cdn$ per
|
|
Cdn$ per
|
|
|
US$1.00
|
|
US$1.00
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
1.2923
|
|
|
|
1.4008
|
|
2004
|
|
|
1.2034
|
|
|
|
1.3017
|
|
2005
|
|
|
1.1656
|
|
|
|
1.2115
|
|
2006
|
|
|
1.1652
|
|
|
|
1.1340
|
|
2007
|
|
|
0.9881
|
|
|
|
1.0742
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
1.0634
|
|
|
|
1.1345
|
|
2008
|
|
|
1.0185
|
|
|
|
1.0070
|
|
The following table shows the high and low US dollar/Canadian
dollar exchange rates for each of the months indicated. The
information is based on the noon buying rate as reported by the
Federal Reserve Bank in the City of New York.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
|
Cdn$ per
|
|
Cdn$ per
|
|
|
US$1.00
|
|
US$1.00
|
|
May 2008
|
|
|
1.1870
|
|
|
|
0.9883
|
|
June 2008
|
|
|
1.0282
|
|
|
|
1.0011
|
|
July 2008
|
|
|
1.0261
|
|
|
|
1.0015
|
|
August 2008
|
|
|
1.0677
|
|
|
|
1.0251
|
|
September 2008
|
|
|
1.0797
|
|
|
|
1.0338
|
|
October 2008
|
|
|
1.2573
|
|
|
|
1.0607
|
|
24
RISK
FACTORS
In addition to the other information included or incorporated
by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus, you should
carefully consider the matters described below relating to the
proposed Merger in deciding whether to vote for approval of the
Merger Agreement. Although Precision and Grey Wolf believe that
the matters described below cover the material risks related to
the Merger, they may not contain all of the information that is
important to you in evaluating the Merger. Accordingly, we urge
you to read this entire proxy statement/prospectus, including
the appendices and the information included or incorporated by
reference in this document. Please also refer to the additional
risk factors identified in the periodic reports and other
documents of Precision and Grey Wolf incorporated by reference
into this proxy statement/prospectus and listed in the section
entitled Where You Can Find More Information
beginning on page 136.
Risks
Relating to the Merger
All
the anticipated benefits of the Merger may not be
realized.
The success of the Merger will depend, in part, on our ability
to achieve the anticipated strategic benefits from integrating
the businesses of Grey Wolf into Precision. We expect Precision
to benefit from modest operational synergies resulting from the
integration of the capabilities of Grey Wolf as well as greater
efficiencies from increased scale. If we are not able to achieve
these objectives, the anticipated cost synergies and other
strategic benefits of the Merger may not be realized fully or at
all or may take longer to realize than expected. We may fail to
realize some or all of the anticipated benefits of the Merger in
the amounts and times projected for a number of reasons,
including that the integration may take longer than anticipated,
be more costly than anticipated or have unanticipated adverse
results relating to Precisions or Grey Wolfs
existing businesses. As a result of these factors, it is
possible that Precision and Grey Wolf will not achieve the
anticipated operating synergies from the Merger.
Grey
Wolf may not be integrated successfully.
Precision and Grey Wolf have operated, and until completion of
the Merger will continue to operate, independently. As a result,
the Merger will present challenges to management, including the
integration of the operations, systems, technologies and
personnel of Grey Wolf, and special risks, including possible
unanticipated liabilities, unanticipated costs, diversion of
managements attention, inconsistencies in standards,
controls, procedures and policies, operational interruptions and
the loss of key employees, customers or suppliers. The
difficulties to be encountered in the transition and integration
processes could have an adverse effect on the revenues, levels
of expenses and operating results of the combined company. As a
result, Precision may not be able to successfully integrate Grey
Wolf.
Precision
and Grey Wolf will incur transaction, integration and
restructuring costs in connection with the Merger.
We expect to incur significant costs associated with transaction
fees, including a $25 million termination fee payable to
Basic, professional services and other costs related to the
Merger. We also will incur integration and restructuring costs
following the completion of the Merger as the business
operations of Grey Wolf are integrated with the business of
Precision. Although Precision and Grey Wolf expect that, over
time, the realization of efficiencies related to such
integration will offset incremental transaction, Merger-related
and restructuring costs, this net benefit may not be achieved in
the near term, or at all. This may result in unanticipated costs
and other changes in our future financial results.
The
directors and executive officers of Grey Wolf have interests in
the Merger that are different from yours.
In considering the recommendation of the board of directors of
Grey Wolf to vote for the proposal to approve the Merger
Agreement, you should be aware that members of the Grey Wolf
board and members of Grey Wolfs management team have
pre-existing arrangements that provide them with interests in
the Merger that differ from, or are in addition to, those of
Grey Wolf shareholders generally. These arrangements include
25
employment agreements between Grey Wolf and its executive
officers. For a more complete discussion see The
Merger Interests of Grey Wolf Directors and Officers
in the Merger beginning on page 87. The Grey Wolf
board was aware of these pre-existing agreements and
arrangements during its deliberations on the merits of the
Merger and in determining to unanimously recommend to the
shareholders of Grey Wolf that they vote for the proposal to
approve the Merger Agreement.
Changes
in the value of the Precision trust units may affect the value
of your Merger consideration.
The specific value of the consideration Grey Wolfs
shareholders will receive in the Merger will depend on the
market price of the Precision trust units at the effective time
of the Merger. As a Grey Wolf shareholder, you will have the
ability to elect to receive cash or the Precision trust units
subject to proration, where the maximum amount of cash to be
paid by Precision will be approximately $1.115 billion, and
the maximum number of the Precision trust units to be issued
will be approximately 42.0 million (these maximums assume
the conversion of all Grey Wolfs convertible debt
securities and exercise of certain stock options which, together
with the outstanding shares of Grey Wolf common stock, total
approximately 223 million fully-diluted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock). These maximum aggregate amounts translate to
$5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision trust unit for each
share of Grey Wolf common stock, subject to the appropriate
adjustment, if any is necessary, to account for any
reclassification, recapitalization, stock or unit split,
consolidation, combination or exchange of shares or trust units
or similar event. Thus, if the market price of the Precision
trust units increases or decreases, the market value of any
Precision trust units you receive in the Merger will
correspondingly increase or decrease. Because the date that the
Merger becomes effective may be later than the date of the
special meeting, the price of the Precision trust units on the
date the Merger becomes effective may be higher or lower than
the price on the date of the special meeting. Many of the
factors that affect the market price of the Precision trust
units are beyond the control of Precision and Grey Wolf. We
urge Grey Wolf shareholders to obtain current market quotations
for the Precision trust units and Grey Wolf common stock. If you
elect all cash, the amount per share of Grey Wolf common stock
is fixed at $9.02, assuming there is not a proration of shares
electing to receive cash Merger consideration.
The
rights of Grey Wolf shareholders will change as a result of the
Merger.
Following the completion of the Merger, Grey Wolf shareholders
will no longer be shareholders of Grey Wolf, a Texas
corporation, but will instead be unitholders of Precision, a
Canadian open-ended, unincorporated investment trust. There will
be important differences between your current rights as a
shareholder of Grey Wolf, on the one hand, and the rights
to which you will be entitled as a unitholder of Precision, on
the other hand. For a more complete discussion, see
Comparison of Shareholder Rights beginning on
page 124.
Precision
expects to maintain its status as a foreign private
issuer in the US and thus will be exempt from a number of
rules under the Exchange Act and will be permitted to file less
information with the SEC than a company incorporated in the
US.
As a foreign private issuer, Precision is exempt
from certain rules under the Exchange Act that impose disclosure
requirements, as well as procedural requirements, for proxy
solicitations under Section 14 of the Exchange Act.
Precisions officers, trustees and principal unitholders
are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit
recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
Moreover, Precision is not required to file periodic reports and
financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly
as US companies whose securities are registered under the
Exchange Act, nor is it generally required to comply with
Regulation FD, which restricts the selective disclosure of
material nonpublic information. Accordingly, there may be less
information concerning Precision publicly available than there
is for US public companies such as Grey Wolf and such
information may not be provided as promptly. In addition,
Precision is permitted, under a multi-jurisdictional disclosure
system adopted by the US and Canada, to prepare its disclosure
documents in accordance with Canadian disclosure requirements,
including preparing its financial statements in accordance with
Canadian GAAP, which differs in some respects from US GAAP.
26
The
ability of Grey Wolf shareholders to elect to receive cash or
Precision trust units in exchange for their shares of Grey Wolf
will be subject to proration in the event of an oversubscription
or under subscription of the cash election or the Precision
trust unit election.
In the Merger, each Grey Wolf shareholder may elect to receive
for each share of Grey Wolf common stock either cash or
Precision trust units, but such elections are subject to
proration and adjustment to ensure that, in the aggregate, the
maximum amount of cash to be paid by Precision, and the maximum
number of Precision trust units to be issued will not be
exceeded. Accordingly, despite your election, you may not
receive exactly the amount, type and mix of consideration that
you elected to receive for your shares of Grey Wolf common
stock, which could result in, among other things, tax
consequences that differ from those that would have resulted if
you had received the form of consideration that you elected
(including the potential recognition of gain for US federal
income tax purposes if you receive cash). For example, if you
elect to receive Precision trust units for each of your shares
of Grey Wolf common stock and a number of other Grey Wolf
shareholders elect to receive Precision trust units such that
Precision would be required to issue more than 42 million
Precision trust units as merger consideration, then you will
only receive your pro rata portion of the approximately
42 million Precision trust units and you will receive the
balance of your merger consideration in cash, in which case the
cash portion of your merger consideration may be subject to
recognition of gain for US federal income tax purposes. For a
further discussion see The Merger Election and
Exchange Procedures Examples of Proration
Adjustments of Merger Consideration beginning on
page 83.
The
Merger may fail to qualify as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, resulting in your
recognition of taxable gain or loss in respect of your Grey Wolf
common stock.
The Merger is intended to qualify as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. Neither Precision
nor Grey Wolf intends to request any ruling from the IRS as to
the qualification of the Merger as a reorganization under the
Code. No assurance can be given that the IRS will not assert, or
that a court would not sustain, that the Merger does not qualify
as a reorganization. If the Merger fails to qualify as a
reorganization, you generally would recognize gain or loss equal
to the difference between the sum of the fair market value of
the Precision trust units and the amount of cash received in the
Merger (including cash received in lieu of fractional Precision
trust units) and your tax basis in shares of Grey Wolf common
stock surrendered in exchange therefore. In addition, if the
Merger fails to qualify as a reorganization, Grey Wolf will be
subject to tax on a deemed sale of its assets, with any gain or
loss for this purpose measured by the difference between Grey
Wolfs tax basis in its respective assets and the cash and
Precision trust units conveyed in the Merger plus the amount of
Grey Wolfs liabilities. For a further discussion see
The Merger Material US Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units Failure to Qualify as a Reorganization
beginning on page 75.
US
Holders may recognize gain (but not loss) in respect of their
Grey Wolf common stock if the value of Precision does not exceed
that of Grey Wolf as of the closing date of the Merger even if
the Merger qualifies as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code.
Section 367(a) of the Code and the applicable Treasury
Regulations thereunder provide that where a US shareholder
exchanges stock in a US corporation for stock in a
non-US corporation in a transaction such as the Merger, the
US shareholder is required to recognize any gain, but not loss,
realized by the US shareholder on such exchange unless certain
requirements are met. While Precision and Grey Wolf generally
expect such requirements to be met, one such requirement is that
the value of Precision equal or exceed the value of Grey Wolf as
of the closing date of the Merger. Whether this requirement is
met cannot be known until the closing date of the Merger.
Precision and Grey Wolf intend to seek a ruling from the IRS to
the effect that US Holders of Grey Wolf common stock will not be
subject to gain recognition on account of Section 367 of
the Code even if the value of Precision is less than Grey Wolf
as of the closing date of the Merger, but no assurance can be
given that such ruling will ultimately be obtained. Thus, if the
value of Grey Wolf were to exceed that of Precision as of the
closing date of the Merger, and Precision and Grey Wolf are not
able to obtain the IRS ruling described in the preceding
sentence, a US Holder of Grey Wolf common stock would
27
recognize any gain realized by such US Holder as a result of the
Merger, which gain may exceed the amount of cash (if any)
received in the Merger by such US Holder. Obtaining the IRS
ruling is not a condition to the closing of the Merger. For a
further discussion see The Merger Material US
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning
Precision Trust Units Application of
Section 367 of the Code beginning on page 73.
The
Merger Agreement contains provisions that may discourage other
companies from trying to acquire Grey Wolf for greater
consideration.
The Merger Agreement contains provisions that may discourage a
third party from submitting a business combination proposal to
Grey Wolf that might result in greater value to Grey Wolfs
shareholders than the proposed Merger. These provisions include
a general prohibition on Grey Wolf from soliciting or
encouraging any acquisition proposal or offers for competing
transactions and the requirement that Grey Wolf pay a
termination fee of $64 million if the Merger Agreement is
terminated in specified circumstances. Such termination fee is
in addition to the $25 million termination fee that Grey
Wolf will be required to pay to Basic upon consummation of the
Merger or, in the event of an alternative acquisition
transaction, upon consummation of an alternative acquisition, in
each case if consummated prior to July 15, 2009 and as set
forth in the Basic Merger Agreement.
Precision required Grey Wolf to agree to deal protection as a
condition to Precisions willingness to enter into the
Merger Agreement. These provisions, however, might discourage a
third party that might have an interest in acquiring all or a
significant part of Grey Wolf from considering or proposing an
acquisition, even if that party were prepared to pay
consideration with a higher per share price than the current
proposed Merger consideration. Furthermore, the termination fee
may result in a potential competing acquiror proposing to pay a
lower per share price to acquire Grey Wolf than it might
otherwise have proposed to pay.
Risks
Relating to Precision Trust Units
Precision
is presently dependent on PDC for all cash available for
distributions.
To receive cash available for distributions, Precision is
presently entirely dependent on the operations and assets of PDC
through Precisions interest in Precision Drilling Limited
Partnership, a limited partnership formed under the laws of the
Province of Manitoba (PDLP), which in turn owns 100%
of the shares of PDC and a promissory note owing by PDC (the
Promissory Note). Cash generated from the operations
of PDC flows to PDLP in settlement of principal and interest
owing on the Promissory Note and PDLP in turn makes
distributions to Precision. Thus, distributions to holders of
Precision trust units are dependent on the ability of PDC to
make principal and interest payments on the Promissory Note,
dividends and return of capital payments to PDLP. After the
Merger, cash generated through the operations of the merged
company will also flow to Precision and be available for
distribution. The actual amount of cash available for
distribution is and will be dependent upon numerous factors
relating to the business of PDC (and Merger Sub after the
Merger), including profitability, changes in revenue,
fluctuations in working capital, capital expenditure levels,
applicable laws, compliance with contracts, contractual
restrictions contained in the instruments governing its
indebtedness, the impact of interest rates, the growth of the
general economy, the price of crude oil and natural gas, changes
to tax laws, weather, future capital requirements, the number of
Precision trust units issued and outstanding and potential tax
liabilities resulting from any successful reassessments of prior
taxation years by taxation authorities. Any reduction in the
amount of cash available for distribution, or actually
distributed, by PDC or Merger Sub to Precision may impact the
amount of cash available for distributions to the holders of the
Precision trust units. The market value of the Precision trust
units may deteriorate if Precision is unable to meet
distribution expectations in the future, and such deterioration
may be material.
Distributions
by Precision on the Precision trust units are
variable.
The actual cash flow available for distribution to holders of
Precision trust units is a function of numerous factors
including Precisions financial performance; debt
obligations; working capital requirements; future upgrade
capital expenditures and future expansion capital expenditure
requirements for the purchase of
28
property, plant and equipment; tax obligations; the impact of
interest rates; the growth of the general economy; the price of
crude oil and natural gas; weather; and the number of the
Precision trust units issued and outstanding. Distributions may
be increased, reduced or suspended entirely depending on
Precisions operations and the performance of its assets.
The market value of the Precision trust units may deteriorate if
Precision is unable to meet distribution expectations in the
future, and that deterioration may be material.
Risks
associated with the taxation of Precision could negatively
affect the value of the Precision trust units.
There can be no assurances that Canadian federal income tax laws
and administrative policies respecting the treatment of mutual
fund trusts will not be changed or will not be applied in a
manner which adversely affects the holders of Precision trust
units. For example, if Precision ceases to qualify as a
mutual fund trust under the Income Tax Act
(Canada), as amended (the Canadian Tax Act),
certain Canadian federal income tax considerations would be
materially and adversely different in certain respects.
Moreover, if Precision were to cease to qualify as a mutual fund
trust, Precision trust units held by non-residents of Canada for
purposes of the Canadian Tax Act (non-residents)
would become taxable Canadian property under the Canadian Tax
Act. These non-resident holders would be subject to Canadian
income tax on any gains realized on a disposition of the
Precision trust units held by them unless they were exempt under
an income tax convention, and non-resident holders would be
subject to certain notification and withholding requirements on
a disposition of their Precision trust units. In addition,
Precision would be taxed on certain types of income distributed
to holders of Precision trust units (apart from under the
specified investment flow-through legislation discussed below).
Payment of this tax may have adverse consequences for some
holders of Precision trust units, particularly holders of
Precision trust units that are non-residents and residents of
Canada that are otherwise exempt from Canadian income tax.
The Canadian Tax Act provides that a trust will not be
considered a mutual fund trust for purposes of the
Canadian Tax Act if it is established or is maintained primarily
for the benefit of non-residents of Canada. However, this
disqualification rule does not apply if all or substantially all
of the trusts property is property other than
taxable Canadian property as defined in the Canadian
Tax Act. The assets of Precision have been structured to allow
Precision to assert that all or substantially all of its
property is property other than taxable Canadian
property as defined in the Canadian Tax Act. However, no
assurances can be provided that all or substantially all of
Precisions property is property other than taxable
Canadian property as defined in the Canadian Tax Act and
that this disqualification rule will not apply to cause
Precision to cease to qualify as a mutual fund trust
under the Canadian Tax Act.
On September 16, 2004, draft amendments to the
disqualification rule were introduced providing that a trust
will lose its status as a mutual fund trust if the aggregate
fair market value of all trust units issued by the trust held by
one or more non-residents of Canada or partnerships that are not
Canadian partnerships (as defined in the Canadian
Tax Act) is more than 50% of the aggregate fair market value of
all the trust units issued by the trust where more than 10%
(based on fair market value) of the trusts property is
certain types of taxable Canadian property, Canadian
resource property or timber resource property as defined in the
Canadian Tax Act. Since the assets of Precision have been
structured to allow Precision to assert that greater than 10% of
its property will not be taxable Canadian property, Canadian
resource property or timber resource property, these draft
amendments should not adversely affect Precisions status
as a mutual fund trust. However, no assurances can be provided
that such draft legislation will be enacted as currently
proposed or at all. Moreover, no assurances can be provided that
no more than 10% of Precisions property will be taxable
Canadian property, Canadian resource property or timber resource
property and, therefore, that, if enacted, such draft
legislation would not adversely affect Precisions status
as a mutual fund trust under the Canadian Tax Act.
Legislation to implement proposals originally announced on
October 31, 2006 relating to the taxation of certain
publicly-traded trusts and their unitholders under the Canadian
Tax Act has received royal assent. This legislation applies to
trusts that are resident in Canada for purposes of the Canadian
Tax Act that hold one or more non-portfolio
properties, and the trust units of which are listed on a
stock exchange or other public market (a SIFT
trust). A SIFT trust effectively is subject to tax on its
income from non-portfolio properties
29
and taxable capital gains from dispositions of non-portfolio
properties paid, or made payable, to unitholders at a rate
comparable to the combined federal and provincial corporate
income tax rate. Distributions of such income to unitholders
should be treated as eligible dividends paid by a taxable
Canadian corporation.
In general terms, a trust that existed on October 31, 2006
and to which the SIFT trust legislation otherwise would apply,
should not become a SIFT trust until the earlier of
January 1, 2011 or the first day after December 15,
2006 that the trust exceeds normal growth determined
by reference to guidelines issued on December 15, 2006 by
the Minister of Finance (Canada) (the Guidelines).
The Guidelines provide that a trust should not be considered to
exceed normal growth if the trust does not issue new
equity (including convertible debentures or other equity
substitutes) that exceeds the greater of Cdn$50 million per
year or certain specified safe harbor amounts based
on the market capitalization of the trust on October 31,
2006.
Provided that Precision does not issue new equity in an amount
greater than the safe-harbor determined by the
approximately Cdn$4 billion market capitalization of
Precision on October 31, 2006, Precision should not be
considered to exceed normal growth as set forth in
the Guidelines. The Precision trust units issued in connection
with the Merger should not result in Precision exceeding the
safe-harbor amounts and becoming a SIFT trust prior
to January 1, 2011. However, no assurances can be provided
that Precision will not otherwise become a SIFT trust prior to
January 1, 2011.
As part of its ongoing strategic planning, Precision will
continue to examine and evaluate its various strategic
alternatives, including its ability to reorganize its legal and
tax structure to mitigate the expected impact of the SIFT
legislation. While no assurances can be provided regarding the
strategic alternatives, if any, that may be available, the
strategic alternatives considered will recognize that on
December 20, 2007 the Minister of Finance (Canada)
announced that the federal government remains committed to
ensuring that a SIFT trust may convert to a taxable Canadian
corporation without undue tax consequences, and draft
legislation was released on July 14, 2008 to specifically
facilitate such a conversion. However, no assurances can be
provided that such draft legislation will be enacted as
currently proposed, or at all, or that if enacted the resulting
legislation will apply to Precisions particular
circumstances to allow it to mitigate the impact of the SIFT
legislation.
The
Precision trust units have certain risks not associated with
traditional investments in the oil and natural gas services
business.
The Precision trust units do not represent a traditional
investment in the oil and natural gas services business and
should not be viewed as shares of common stock of PDC or Grey
Wolf. The Precision trust units represent a fractional interest
in Precision. Holders of Precision trust units do not have the
statutory rights normally associated with ownership of shares of
a corporation including, for example, the right to bring
oppression or derivative actions.
Precisions sole assets are the shares of the general
partner of PDLP and Merger Sub, the PDLP A units and other
investments in securities. The price per Precision trust unit is
a function of anticipated net earnings, distributable cash, the
underlying assets of Precision and managements ability to
effect long-term growth in the value of PDC, Grey Wolf and other
entities now or hereafter owned directly or indirectly by
Precision. The market price of the Precision trust units is
sensitive to a variety of market conditions including, but not
limited to, interest rates, the growth of the general economy,
the price of crude oil and natural gas and changes in law.
Changes in market conditions may adversely affect the trading
price of the Precision trust units. The Precision trust units
are not deposits within the meaning of the
Deposit Insurance Corporation Act (Canada) and are not
insured under the provisions of that act or any other
legislation. Furthermore, Precision is not a trust company and,
accordingly, is not registered under any trust and loan company
legislation as it does not carry on or intend to carry on the
business of a trust company.
If
Precision does not constitute a qualified foreign
corporation for US federal income tax purposes, individual
US Holders of the Precision trust units may be taxed at a
higher rate on Precision distributions.
Precision expects that distributions it makes to individual US
Holders of Precision trust units that are treated as dividends
for US federal income tax purposes generally should be treated
as qualified dividend
30
income eligible for the reduced maximum rate to individuals of
15% (5% for individuals in lower tax brackets). However, if
Precision does not constitute a qualified foreign
corporation for US federal income tax purposes, and as a
result such dividends to individual US Holders of Precision
trust units do not qualify for this reduced maximum rate, such
holders will be subject to tax on such dividends at ordinary
income rates (currently at a maximum rate of 35%). In addition,
under current law, the preferential tax rate for qualified
dividend income will not be available for taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2010.
The
composition for Canadian federal income tax purposes of
distributions on the Precision trust units may change over time,
and such changes could negatively affect the return on the
Precision trust units.
Unlike interest payments on an interest-bearing security,
distributions by income trusts on trust units (including those
of Precision) are, for Canadian federal income tax purposes,
composed of different types of payments (portions of which may
be fully or partially taxable or may constitute non-taxable
returns of capital). The composition for Canadian
federal income tax purposes of distributions may change over
time, thus affecting the after-tax return to holders of
Precision trust units. Therefore, the rate of return for holders
of Precision trust units over a defined period may not be
comparable to the rate of return on a fixed-income security that
provides a return on capital over the same period. This is
because a holder of Precision trust units may receive
distributions that constitute a return of capital (rather than a
return on capital) to some extent during the relevant period.
Returns on capital are generally taxed as ordinary income,
dividends or taxable capital gains in the hands of a holder of
Precision trust units, while returns of capital are generally
non-taxable to a holder of Precision trust units (but reduce the
adjusted cost base in a Precision trust unit for Canadian
federal income tax purposes).
If
Precision ceases to qualify as a mutual fund trust under the
Canadian Tax Act, the Precision trust units will cease to be
qualified investments for a variety of plans, which could have
negative tax consequences.
If Precision ceases to qualify as a mutual fund trust, the
Precision trust units will cease to be qualified investments for
registered retirement savings plans, registered retirement
income funds, deferred profit sharing plans and registered
education savings plans, each as defined in the Canadian Tax Act
(collectively, the Exempt Plans). Where at the end
of any month an Exempt Plan holds Precision trust units that are
not qualified investments, the Exempt Plan must, in respect of
that month, pay a tax under Part XI.1 of the Canadian Tax
Act equal to 1% of the fair market value of Precision trust
units at the time such Precision trust units were acquired by
the Exempt Plan. In addition, where a trust governed by a
registered retirement savings plan or registered retirement
income fund holds Precision trust units that are not qualified
investments, such trust will become taxable on its income
attributable to the Precision trust units while they are not
qualified investments, including the full amount of any capital
gain realized on a disposition of Precision trust units while
they are not qualified investments. Where a trust governed by a
registered education savings plan holds Precision trust units
that are not qualified investments, the plans registration
may be revoked.
If an
investor acquires 10% or more of Precision trust units it may be
subject to taxation under the controlled foreign
corporation (CFC) rules.
Under certain circumstances, a US person who directly or
indirectly owns 10% or more of the voting power of a foreign
corporation that is a CFC (generally, a foreign corporation in
which 10% US shareholders own more than 50% of the voting power
of the foreign corporation) for an uninterrupted period of
30 days or more during a taxable year and who holds any
shares of the foreign corporation on the last day of the
corporations tax year must include in gross income for US
federal income tax purposes its pro rata share of certain income
of the CFC even if such share is not distributed to such person.
Precision believes that it will not be a CFC immediately after
the Merger, but this could change in the future.
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Precisions
debt service obligations may limit the amount of cash available
for distributions.
Precision and its affiliates may, from time to time, finance a
significant portion of their growth (either from acquisitions or
capital expenditure additions) through debt. Amounts paid in
respect of interest and principal on debt incurred by Precision
and its affiliates may impair Precisions ability to
satisfy its obligations under its subordinated inter-entity debt
instruments through which cash flow is paid to PDLP and
eventually to Precision for further distribution to its
unitholders. Variations in interest rates and scheduled
principal repayments could result in significant changes in the
amount required to be applied to service debt before payment of
subordinated inter-entity debt. This may result in lower levels
of cash for distribution by Precision. Ultimately, subordination
agreements or other debt obligations could preclude
distributions altogether.
Sales
of additional Precision trust units to unitholders could
negatively affect the value of the Precision trust
units.
Precision may issue additional Precision trust units in the
future to pay down indebtedness or to directly or indirectly
fund the capital expenditure requirements of PDC and other
entities now or hereafter owned directly or indirectly by
Precision, including to finance acquisitions by those entities.
Such additional Precision trust units may be issued without the
approval of holders of Precision trust units, and the holders
have no pre-emptive rights in connection with such additional
issues. Precisions trustees have discretion in connection
with the price and the other terms of the issue of such
additional Precision trust units.
Issuance
of additional Precision trust units in lieu of cash
distributions could negatively affect the value of the Precision
trust units and result in the payment of taxes.
Precisions Declaration of Trust provides that an amount
equal to the taxable income of Precision will be payable each
year to holders of Precision trust units in order to reduce
Precisions taxable income for Canadian federal income tax
purposes to zero. Where in a particular year, Precision does not
have sufficient cash to distribute such an amount, the
Declaration of Trust provides that additional Precision trust
units (which are subsequently consolidated into a
unitholders existing Precision trust units) may be
distributed in lieu of cash payments. Holders of Precision trust
units will generally be required to include an amount equal to
the fair market value of those Precision trust units in their
taxable income for Canadian federal income tax purposes,
notwithstanding that they do not directly receive a cash
payment. In addition, as any such non-cash distributions made to
persons that are not Canadian residents will be subject to
Canadian tax withholding, but are generally not included in
income for US federal income tax purposes (and also may not be
included in income under the laws of certain other
jurisdictions), such Canadian taxes withheld may exceed a US
Holders or other non-resident holders allowable
foreign tax credit under the laws of the relevant jurisdiction
for the taxable year of the distribution.
A
successful challenge by the tax authorities of the amount of
interest expense deducted by PDC on its payments of promissory
note interest could negatively affect the value of the Precision
trust units.
Income fund structures often involve significant amounts of
inter-entity debt, which may generate substantial interest
expense and which serves to reduce earnings and therefore income
tax payable. This is the case in respect of PDC and its interest
expense on the Promissory Note. There can be no assurance that
the taxation authorities will not seek to challenge the amount
of interest expense deducted. If such a challenge were to
succeed against PDC, it could have a material adverse affect on
the amount of distributable cash available.
A
successful challenge by the tax authorities of the amount of
expenses deducted by Precision, PDC and PDLP could negatively
affect the value of the Precision trust units.
There can be no assurance that the Canadian taxation authorities
will agree with the classification of expenses claimed by
Precision, PDLP and PDC, respectively. If the taxation
authorities successfully challenge the deductibility of any such
expenses, the return to holders of Precision trust units may be
adversely affected.
32
Holders
of Precision trust units face a remote possibility of personal
liability in connection with the obligations and affairs of
Precision.
Precisions Declaration of Trust provides that no holder of
Precision trust units will be subject to any liability in
connection with Precision or its obligations and affairs and, in
the event that a court determines that holders of Precision
trust units are subject to any such liabilities, the liabilities
will be enforceable only against, and will be satisfied only out
of, Precisions assets. Pursuant to the Declaration of
Trust, Precision will indemnify and hold harmless each holder of
Precision trust units from any costs, damages, liabilities,
expenses, charges and losses suffered by a holder resulting from
or arising out of such holder not having such limited liability.
The Declaration of Trust also provides that all written
instruments signed by or on behalf of Precision must contain a
provision to the effect that obligations under those instruments
will not be binding upon holders of any trust units personally.
Personal liability may however arise in respect of claims
against Precision that do not arise under contracts, including
claims in tort, claims for taxes and possibly some other
statutory liabilities. The possibility of any personal liability
of this nature arising is considered unlikely. The Income
Trusts Liability Act (Alberta) came into force on
July 1, 2004. The legislation provides that a holder of
Precision trust units will not be, as a beneficiary, liable for
any act, default, obligation or liability of Precisions
trustee(s) that arises after the legislation came into force.
However, this legislation has not yet been judicially considered
by the courts and may not apply to unitholders outside of
Alberta. The operations of Precision will be conducted, upon the
advice of counsel, in such a way and in such jurisdictions as to
avoid as far as possible any material risk of liability to the
holders of Precision trust units for claims against Precision,
including by obtaining appropriate insurance, where available
and to the extent commercially feasible. However, no assurance
can be provided that holders of Precision trust units will not
be subject to any liability of Precision.
Asset
valuation variability could negatively affect the value of the
Precision trust units.
The net asset value of the assets of Precision from time to time
will vary depending upon factors which are beyond the control of
Precision. The trading price of the Precision trust units also
fluctuates due to factors beyond the control of Precision and
such trading prices may be greater than the net asset value of
Precisions assets.
The
price of Precision trust units may experience
volatility.
Following the consummation of the Merger, the price of Precision
trust units may be volatile. Some of the factors that could
affect the price of Precision trust units are quarterly
increases or decreases in revenue or earnings, changes in
revenue or earnings estimates by the investment community, the
ability of Precision to implement its integration strategy and
to realize the expected benefits from the Merger and speculation
in the press or investment community about Precisions
financial condition or results of operations. General market
conditions and US or international economic factors and
political events unrelated to the performance of Precision may
also affect its unit price. For these reasons, investors should
not rely on recent trends in the price of Precision trust units
or Grey Wolf common stock to predict the future price of
Precision trust units or its financial results.
We may
become a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, which
could result in adverse US tax consequences to US
investors.
Since PFIC status is determined on an annual basis and will
depend on the composition of Precisions income and assets
from time to time, it is possible that Precision could be
considered a PFIC in a future taxable year. Such
characterization could result in adverse US tax consequences to
you if you are a US investor. In particular, a US investor would
be subject to US federal income tax at ordinary income rates,
plus a possible interest charge, in respect of any gain derived
from a disposition of the Precision trust units, as well as
certain distributions by Precision. In addition, a
step-up in
the tax basis of the Precision trust units would not be
available upon the death of an individual holder.
33
Canadian
tax withholding may exceed allowable US foreign tax credits and
reduce effective yield to US investors
Withholding of Canadian tax is imposed at a 25% rate (reduced to
15% for recipients that are residents of the US eligible for
benefits under the Canada-US Tax Convention) both on cash and
non-cash distributions by Precision to persons that are not
Canadian residents. However, as any non-cash distributions by
Precision generally will not be included in income for US
federal income tax purposes, such Canadian tax withholding may
exceed a US Holders allowable foreign tax credit for the
taxable year of the distribution, potentially resulting in a
reduced after-tax cash yield to US investors for the year of
such distribution. For a further discussion see The
Merger Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences
of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust Units
Ownership by US Holders of Precision Trust Units
Dividends and Distributions and The
Merger Material Canadian Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units Non-Canadian Holders Taxation of
Trust Unit Distributions to Non-Canadian Holders beginning
on pages 75 and 80, respectively.
Risks
Relating to the Businesses of the Combined Company
In addition to risks relating to the businesses currently
conducted by Precision and Grey Wolf, there are considerations
applicable to the combined company after the Merger.
Precision
and its subsidiaries will have substantial debt after the
Merger, which could have a material adverse effect on its
financial health and limit its future operations.
Precision and its subsidiaries will have a significant amount of
debt immediately after the Merger. As of June 30, 2008, on
a pro forma basis to reflect the Merger and Precisions
borrowing to finance the cash component of the Merger
consideration, repayment of outstanding Grey Wolf and Precision
debt and expenses relating to the Merger, Precisions total
outstanding long-term debt would have been $930 million.
Under the commitment letter between PDC and its lenders dated
August 24, 2008, and subject to the terms and conditions
set forth in the commitment letter, the lenders have committed
to provide an aggregate principal amount of $800 million
under senior secured term loan facilities to Precision, an
aggregate principal amount of $400 million under a senior
secured revolving credit facility and $400 million (reduced
by the amount of Grey Wolfs convertible notes that PDC
determines on or prior to the closing date of the Merger will
not be converted or redeemed on or after the closing date) in
cash proceeds from the issuance of debt securities in a
Rule 144A or other private placement or, if PDC is unable
to issue the full amount of the debt securities at or prior to
the closing date, from a senior unsecured facility, which notes
or senior unsecured facility may become secured under certain
circumstances. The proceeds of the credit facilities may be used
by Precision to finance the cash component of the Merger
consideration, to repay outstanding debt of Precision and its
subsidiaries, to pay expenses relating to the Merger, and to
provide ongoing working capital requirements of Precision and
its subsidiaries following the Merger. See Financing of
the Merger beginning on page 105.
Precisions substantial debt could have a material adverse
effect on its financial condition and results of operations. In
particular, it could:
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increase Precisions vulnerability to general adverse
economic and industry conditions and require it to dedicate a
substantial portion of its cash flow from operations to payments
on its indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of its
cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures,
acquisitions, other debt service requirements, distributions and
other general corporate purposes;
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increase Precisions exposure to risks inherent in interest
rate fluctuations and changes in credit ratings or statements
from rating agencies because certain of its borrowings
(including borrowings under the new credit facilities) are at
variable rates of interest, which would result in higher
interest expense to the extent Precision has not hedged these
risks against increases in interest rates;
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limit Precisions flexibility in planning for, or reacting
to, changes in its business or the industry in which it operates;
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place Precision at a competitive disadvantage compared to its
competitors that have less debt;
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limit Precisions ability to borrow additional funds to
meet its operating expenses, to make acquisitions and for other
purposes; and
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limit Precisions ability to construct, purchase or acquire
new rigs.
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Our
Canadian operations subject us to currency translation risk,
which could cause our results to fluctuate significantly from
period to period.
Precisions operations in the US have revenue, expenses,
assets and liabilities denominated in US dollars. As a result
Precisions income statement, balance sheet and statement
of cash flow are impacted by changes in exchange rates between
Canadian and US currencies in two main aspects.
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Translation of US Currency Assets and Liabilities to Canadian
Dollars. For Precisions integrated
operations, non-monetary assets and liabilities are recorded in
the financial statements at the exchange rate in effect at the
time of the acquisition or expenditure. As a result, the book
value of these assets and liabilities are not impacted by
changes in exchange rates. Monetary assets and liabilities are
converted at the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet
dates, and the unrealized gains and losses are shown on the
statements of earnings as Foreign exchange.
Precision has a net monetary asset position for its US
operations, which are US dollar based. As a result, if the
Canadian dollar strengthens versus the US dollar, Precision will
incur a foreign exchange loss from the translation of net
monetary assets.
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Translation of US Currency Statement of Earnings Items to
Canadian Dollars. Precisions US operations
generate revenue and incur expenses in US dollars and the US
dollar based earnings are converted into Canadian dollars for
purposes of financial statement consolidation and reporting. The
conversion of the US dollar based revenue and expenses to a
Canadian dollar basis does not result in a foreign exchange gain
or loss but does result in lower or higher net earnings from US
operations than would have occurred had the exchange rate not
changed. If the Canadian dollar strengthens versus the US
dollar, the Canadian dollar equivalent of net earnings from the
US will be negatively impacted. The majority of Precisions
US operations are transacted in US dollars. Transactions for
Precisions Canadian operations are primarily transacted in
Canadian dollars. However, Precision occasionally purchases
goods and supplies in US dollars. These transactions and foreign
exchange exposure would not typically have a material impact on
the Canadian operations financial results. Precision does
not currently hedge any of its exposure related to the
translation of US dollar based earnings into Canadian dollars.
Precisions consolidated results of operations may be
negatively impacted by foreign currency fluctuations.
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Precisions
consolidated results of operations may be negatively impacted by
foreign currency fluctuations.
A substantial portion of Precisions consolidated revenues
following the Merger will be earned in non-Canadian currencies,
primarily US dollars. For purposes of financial reporting under
Canadian GAAP, revenues and expenses denominated in non-Canadian
currencies are translated into Canadian dollars at the average
exchange rates prevailing during the year. Precision expects to
continue to report its financial results in Canadian dollars.
The revenues that are earned in currencies other than Canadian
dollars are subject to unpredictable fluctuations if the values
of non-Canadian currencies change relative to the Canadian
dollar. Such fluctuations could decrease Precisions
revenues earned in non-Canadian currencies and have a material
adverse impact on its business.
Business
acquisitions entail numerous risks and may disrupt
Precisions business or distract management
attention.
It is contemplated that as part of Precisions business
strategy it will continue to consider and evaluate acquisitions
of, or significant investments in, businesses and assets that
are complementary to it. Any
35
acquisition that Precision completes could have a material
adverse effect on Precisions operating results
and/or the
price of its securities. Acquisitions involve numerous risks,
including:
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unanticipated costs and liabilities;
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difficulty of integrating the operations and assets of the
acquired business;
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the ability to properly access and maintain an effective
internal control environment over an acquired company in order
to comply with public reporting requirements;
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potential loss of key employees and customers of the acquired
companies; and
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an increase in Precisions expenses and working capital
requirements.
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Precision may incur substantial indebtedness to finance future
acquisitions and also may issue equity securities or convertible
securities in connection with any such acquisitions. Debt
service requirements could represent a significant burden on
Precisions results of operations and financial condition
and the issuance of additional equity could be dilutive to
unitholders. Precision will also be required to meet certain
financial covenants in order to borrow money under its credit
agreement to fund future acquisitions. Acquisitions could also
divert the attention of Precisions management and other
employees from Precisions day-to-day operations and the
development of new business opportunities. Even if Precision is
successful in integrating its current or future acquisitions
into its existing operations, Precision may not derive the
benefits, such as operational or administrative synergies, that
Precision expected from such acquisitions, which may result in
the commitment of Precisions capital resources without the
expected returns on such capital. In addition, Precision may not
be able to continue to identify attractive acquisition
opportunities or successfully acquire identified targets.
Any
difficulty Precision experiences retaining, replacing or adding
personnel could adversely affect Precisions
business.
It is anticipated that Precision will continue its current
businesses and those of Grey Wolf after the Merger and as a
result will have personnel issues similar to those currently
faced from time to time by Grey Wolf and Precision. Precision
may not be able to find enough skilled labor to meet its needs,
which could limit its growth. As a result, Precision may have
problems finding enough skilled and unskilled laborers in the
future if demand for its services increases. If Precision is not
able to increase its service rates sufficiently to compensate
for similar wage rate increases, its operating results may be
adversely affected.
Although neither Precision nor Grey Wolf has historically
encountered material difficulty in hiring and retaining
qualified rig crews, shortages of qualified personnel have
occurred in the past in their industry during periods of high
demand. The demand for qualified rig personnel has increased as
a result of overall stronger demand for land drilling services
over the last few years. Precision believes the demand for
qualified rig personnel could increase further as new and
refurbished rigs are brought into service by Precision and its
competitors.
Other factors may also inhibit Precisions ability to find
enough workers to meet its employment needs. The work currently
performed by Precision and Grey Wolf employees requires skilled
workers who can perform physically demanding work. As a result
of that industrys volatility and the demanding nature of
the work, workers may choose to pursue employment in fields that
offer a more desirable work environment at wage rates that are
competitive with Precisions. Precision believes that its
success is dependent upon its ability to continue to employ and
retain skilled technical personnel and qualified rig personnel.
Precisions inability to employ or retain skilled technical
personnel and qualified rig personnel generally could have a
material adverse effect on its operations.
36
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This proxy statement/prospectus, including information included
or incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus, contains certain forward-looking
statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking
information within the meaning of applicable Canadian
legislation. Generally, the words expects,
anticipates, targets, goals,
projects, intends, plans,
believes, seeks, estimates,
variations of these words and similar expressions identify
forward-looking statements, and any statements regarding the
timing or benefits of the Merger, or Precisions or Grey
Wolfs future financial condition, results of operations
and business, are also forward-looking statements. All
statements other than statements of historical fact are
statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements.
These statements are based upon current expectations and
estimates of the management of Precision and Grey Wolf and are
subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results
to differ materially, including:
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the various risks and other factors considered by the Grey Wolf
board of directors as described under The
Merger Grey Wolfs Reasons for the Merger
and Recommendation of Grey Wolfs Board of Directors
beginning on page 56;
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the amount and timing of any synergies expected to result from
the Merger;
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future capital expenditures and refurbishment, repair and
upgrade costs;
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expected completion times for refurbishment and upgrade projects;
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sufficiency of funds for required capital expenditures, working
capital and debt service;
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liabilities under laws and regulations protecting the
environment;
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the impact of purchase accounting;
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expected outcomes of litigation, claims and disputes and their
expected effects on Precisions and Grey Wolfs
financial condition and results of operations; and
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the various risks and other factors identified in Grey
Wolfs Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007, Precisions
Annual Report on
Form 40-F
for the year ended December 31, 2007, and in subsequent
filings by Precision and Grey Wolf with the SEC.
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Precision and Grey Wolf have based these statements on their
assumptions and analyses in light of their experience and
perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected
future developments and other factors they believe are
appropriate in the circumstances. Forward-looking statements by
their nature involve substantial risks and uncertainties that
could significantly affect expected results, and actual future
results could differ materially from those described in these
statements. Although it is not possible to identify all factors,
Precision and Grey Wolf continue to face many risks and
uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual future
results to differ materially are the risks and uncertainties
described under Risk Factors beginning on
page 25 and in the documents incorporated into this proxy
statement/prospectus and the following:
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the ability to consummate the Merger;
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difficulties and delays in achieving synergies and cost savings;
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potential difficulties in meeting conditions set forth in the
Merger Agreement;
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difficulties and delays in obtaining consents and approvals that
are conditions to the completion of the Merger;
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oil and natural gas prices and industry expectations about
future prices;
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the ability of Precision and Grey Wolf to enter into and the
terms of future contracts;
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the impact of governmental laws and regulations;
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the adequacy of sources of liquidity;
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uncertainties relating to the level of activity in oil and
natural gas exploration, development and production;
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the availability of skilled personnel;
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the effect of litigation and contingencies; and
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inability to carry out plans and strategies as expected.
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Actual results and plans could differ materially from those
expressed in any forward-looking statements if underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, or if there occurs one or more of
the risks or uncertainties described elsewhere herein or in the
reports and documents incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus as described under Where You Can Find
More Information beginning on page 136.
All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included
in this proxy statement/prospectus are expressly qualified in
their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary
statement should also be considered in connection with any
subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that
Precision, Grey Wolf or persons acting on their behalf may issue.
Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Precision and
Grey Wolf disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking
statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the
statements in this section. See also Where You Can Find
More Information beginning on page 136.
38
THE GREY
WOLF SPECIAL MEETING
This section contains information for Grey Wolf shareholders
about the special meeting that Grey Wolf has called to allow its
shareholders to consider and approve the Merger Agreement. Grey
Wolf is first mailing this proxy statement/prospectus to its
shareholders on or about October 30, 2008. Together with
this proxy statement/prospectus, Grey Wolf is sending a notice
of the special meeting and a form of proxy that Grey Wolfs
board of directors is soliciting for use at the special meeting
and at any adjournments or postponements of the meeting.
Date,
Time and Place
The special meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m., local time,
on December 9, 2008, at the Marriott Houston Westchase,
Houston, Texas, to vote on the proposal to approve the Merger
Agreement.
Record
Date; Voting Rights and Outstanding Shares
Grey Wolfs board of directors has established the close of
business on October 27, 2008, as the record date for
determining Grey Wolf shareholders entitled to receive notice of
and to vote on proposals at the special meeting or any
adjournment or postponement of the special meeting. Only holders
of record of Grey Wolf common stock on the record date are
entitled to vote at the special meeting. Each owner of record is
entitled to one vote on all matters submitted for a vote for
each share of Grey Wolf common stock held. As of the record
date, there were 179,060,872 shares of Grey Wolf common
stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the special meeting.
A complete list of shareholders entitled to vote at the Grey
Wolf special meeting will be available for examination by any
Grey Wolf shareholder at Grey Wolfs headquarters, 10370
Richmond Avenue, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77042 for
purposes pertaining to the Grey Wolf special meeting, during
normal business hours for a period of ten days before the Grey
Wolf special meeting, and at the time and place of Grey
Wolfs special meeting.
Solicitation,
Use and Revocation of the Proxies
Grey Wolfs board of directors solicits the accompanying
proxy for use at the special meeting to be held at
9:00 a.m., local time, on December 9, 2008, at the
Marriott Houston Westchase, Houston, Texas. Giving a proxy means
that a Grey Wolf shareholder of record authorizes the persons
indicated on the Grey Wolf proxy card to vote his, her or its
shares at Grey Wolfs special meeting in the manner
directed. If a Grey Wolf shareholder of record signs, dates and
returns the enclosed proxy card but does not specify how to
vote, his, her or its shares will be voted for the
(i) approval of the Merger Agreement and
(ii) adjournment of the Grey Wolf special meeting to
solicit additional proxies in favor of the approval of the
foregoing proposal. A Grey Wolf shareholder of record may revoke
his, her or its proxy at any time before it is voted at the
special meeting by:
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voting over the telephone or Internet if eligible to do so, in
which case a Grey Wolf shareholders latest dated vote
before the special meeting will be the vote counted;
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delivering to Grey Wolfs corporate secretary a signed
notice of revocation or a new proxy card with a later
date; or
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voting in person at the special meeting.
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For more information on how to vote your proxy, see Voting
by Internet, Telephone or Mail beginning on page 14.
Grey Wolf shareholders whose shares are registered in the name
of a bank or brokerage firm may be eligible to vote through the
Internet or by telephone. The enclosed proxy card or voting
instruction form or information forwarded by your bank brokerage
firm provides instructions for eligible Grey Wolf shareholders.
Grey Wolf shareholders not wishing to vote through the Internet
or by telephone or who are not eligible to vote through the
Internet or by telephone should complete the enclosed paper
proxy card and return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.
39
Signing and returning the proxy card or submitting the proxy via
the Internet or by telephone does not affect a Grey Wolf
shareholders right to revoke his, her or its proxy or to
vote in person at the special meeting. A Grey Wolf
shareholders attendance at the special meeting by itself
does not constitute revocation of his, her or its proxy. Before
the Grey Wolf special meeting, any written notice of revocation
should be sent by a shareholder of record of Grey Wolf to Grey
Wolf, Inc., 10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 600, Houston,
Texas 77042, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Any notice of
revocation that is delivered at the special meeting by a
shareholder of record of Grey Wolf should be hand delivered to
the corporate secretary before a vote is taken. If you hold your
shares in street name, please follow the
instructions provided by your bank or brokerage firm to revoke
or change your vote. A Grey Wolf shareholder may be asked to
present documents for the purpose of establishing his or her
identity as a Grey Wolf shareholder.
On or about October 30, 2008, Grey Wolf commenced mailing
this proxy statement/prospectus and the enclosed form of proxy
to its shareholders entitled to vote at the special meeting.
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Grey Wolf and
Precision will share equally the costs and expenses of printing
and mailing this proxy statement/prospectus. Grey Wolf will pay
the cost of soliciting proxies from its shareholders. Proxies
are being solicited by mail and may be solicited by telephone,
telegram, facsimile, or in person by employees of Grey Wolf, who
will not receive additional compensation for their services.
Grey Wolf has retained Georgeson, the information agent, to
assist in the solicitation of proxies at a fee of approximately
$25,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses. Grey Wolf will also
request brokers and other fiduciaries to forward the proxy
materials to the beneficial owners of Grey Wolf common stock and
will reimburse their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
Quorum,
Voting Requirements and Effect of Abstentions and
Non-votes
A quorum is necessary for the transaction of business at the
Grey Wolf special meeting. A quorum exists when holders of a
majority of the total number of issued and outstanding shares of
Grey Wolf common stock that are entitled to vote at the special
meeting are present in person or by proxy. At the special
meeting, inspectors of election will determine the presence of a
quorum and tabulate the results of the voting by Grey Wolf
shareholders. The inspectors will treat valid proxies marked
abstain or proxies required to be treated as
non-votes as present for purposes of determining
whether there is a quorum at the special meeting. A
non-vote occurs when a broker or nominee holding
shares for a beneficial owner votes on one proposal but does not
vote on another proposal, because the broker or nominee does not
have discretionary voting power and has not received
instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares. Broker
non-votes will not be treated as votes cast, except that they
will have the same effect as votes against the approval of the
Merger Agreement. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to
vote on the Merger Agreement. Abstentions will have the same
effect as a vote against all of the proposals.
The approval of the Merger Agreement requires the approval of
the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares
of Grey Wolf common stock. The approval of the proposal to
adjourn the Grey Wolf special meeting to solicit additional
proxies in favor approving the Merger requires the approval of a
majority of the votes cast.
Approval
of the Merger Agreement
As discussed elsewhere in this proxy statement/prospectus,
holders of Grey Wolf common stock are considering approval of
the Merger Agreement pursuant to the terms and subject to the
conditions of the Merger Agreement. Holders of Grey Wolf common
stock should read carefully this proxy statement/prospectus,
including the annexes, in its entirety for more detailed
information concerning the Merger Agreement and the Merger. In
particular, holders of Grey Wolf common stock are directed to
the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is included as
Annex A to this proxy statement/prospectus. The
Grey Wolf board of directors unanimously recommends that
shareholders vote FOR the approval of the Merger Agreement.
40
THE
MERGER
The discussion in this proxy statement/prospectus of the
Merger and the principal terms of the Merger Agreement are
subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to,
the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is attached to this proxy
statement/prospectus as Annex A and incorporated
into this proxy statement/prospectus by reference.
Background
of the Merger
Grey Wolfs board of directors and senior management had
from time to time engaged in strategic planning reviews to
consider ways to enhance shareholder value. In early 2007, Grey
Wolfs board of directors determined that Grey Wolf should
seek a merger partner that was engaged primarily in
complementary land-based oilfield service businesses other than
domestic land drilling. This diversification growth strategy was
intended to increase the scale of Grey Wolfs overall
business and position it for further growth and value creation
in both land drilling and additional business lines.
Diversification was also expected to lend more stability to Grey
Wolfs long-term financial performance by balancing the
inherent cyclicality of its existing US land drilling business
with the more stable performance of non-drilling oilfield
service businesses or international land drilling.
In this context, Grey Wolf held merger discussions during the
fourth quarter of 2007 with Company A, a
publicly-held company primarily engaged in oilfield service
businesses. These discussions culminated with the negotiation of
a stock-for-stock merger of equals between Company A and Grey
Wolf in which Grey Wolf would be the surviving company, coupled
with a post-closing stock repurchase plan. However, the proposed
merger discussions were terminated when, on the day Grey
Wolfs board of directors was scheduled to formally approve
the merger agreement, senior management of Company A disclosed
to senior management of Grey Wolf two developments that were
regarded by Grey Wolf as materially adverse to the planned
merger. The first development was that Company A was unable to
deliver promised amendments to contractual corporate governance
arrangements with one of Company As largest stockholders
which would have been binding on the combined company following
the merger. The second development was that Company A disclosed
it would miss analysts consensus earnings estimates for
the fourth quarter of 2007 by a substantial margin.
Additionally, Company A was not prepared to publicly announce
the expected earnings shortfall (which later proved to be
greater than the earnings shortfall then disclosed to Grey Wolf)
prior to execution of the proposed merger agreement with Grey
Wolf. As a consequence of these developments, Grey Wolf and
Company A abandoned merger discussions in early December 2007.
As a result of a strategic review in late 2007, management of
Precision determined that an important element of its five-year
strategy should include an attempt to reduce the impact of
seasonality on Precisions business through geographical
diversification beyond Canada and to capitalize on growth
opportunities arising as a result of increased drilling activity
in the US. Precision identified Grey Wolf as one of the few
publicly-traded companies that met the key criteria of its
strategic analysis and acquisition plan. Similarly, Grey Wolf
identified Precision as a highly-regarded potential merger
partner in Grey Wolfs strategic planning in 2007.
Following on the 2007 strategic review, Kevin A. Neveu, Chief
Executive Officer of PDC, met with Thomas P. Richards, Chairman,
Chief Executive Officer and President of Grey Wolf, and David W.
Wehlmann, Chief Financial Officer, of Grey Wolf, on
December 11, 2007, in Houston, Texas. At the meeting, the
executives discussed the possibility of a business combination
between their companies, including strategic fit, valuation
issues and Precisions trust structure.
On February 4, 2008, Mr. Neveu and Douglas J. Strong,
PDCs Chief Financial Officer, as well as
Mr. Richards, Mr. Wehlmann and David J. Crowley,
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Grey
Wolf met again in Houston to further discuss a possible business
combination, including strategic fit, valuation issues and
Precisions trust structure.
On February 11, 2008, PDCs Vice President of Business
Development, Kenneth J. Haddad, began negotiations with
Mr. Wehlmann regarding a confidentiality agreement between
PDC and Grey Wolf. The confidentiality agreement was executed on
February 13, 2008.
41
On February 19, 2008, Mr. Crowley and Mr. Neveu
met in Calgary, Alberta and discussed the dynamics of the
seasonality of the Canadian drilling market and the impact of
recent legislative changes to the taxation of income trusts in
Canada as well as the strategic fit of Precision and Grey Wolf.
Mr. Wehlmann and Mr. Crowley met with Mr. Haddad
on February 21, 2008, to discuss Grey Wolfs level of
interest in entering into formal conversations regarding a
possible merger. It was agreed that no confidential information
would be exchanged until the parties could agree to a structure
for a possible transaction. Precision understood that Grey
Wolfs board of directors would be willing to consider a
merger with Precision. However, no further substantive
conversations on a possible transaction occurred until July 2008.
During the first and second quarters of 2008, Grey Wolf held
merger negotiations with Basic. On April 21, 2008, Basic
and Grey Wolf publicly announced that they had executed the
Basic Merger Agreement which was subject to the approval of the
shareholders of each company. The Basic Merger Agreement called
for Basic and Grey Wolf each to be merged into a newly-formed
corporation which would be renamed Grey Wolf and would succeed
to the business of both Basic and Grey Wolf. Under the Basic
Merger Agreement, Basics shareholders would have received
0.9195 of a share of the common stock of the combined company
and $6.70 in cash for each share of Basic common stock. Grey
Wolf shareholders would have received 0.2500 of a share of the
common stock of the combined company and $1.82 in cash for each
share of Grey Wolf common stock. Former Grey Wolf shareholders
would have owned 53% and former Basic shareholders would have
owned 47% of the combined company. We refer to the proposed
merger transaction between Basic and Grey Wolf pursuant to the
Basic Merger Agreement as the Basic Merger.
The Basic Merger Agreement contained customary provisions
generally restricting both Basic and Grey Wolf from soliciting,
encouraging or facilitating competing acquisition proposals
while the Basic Merger Agreement remained in effect. We refer to
these as the non-solicitation restrictions. An
exception to the non-solicitation restrictions permitted Grey
Wolf to conduct discussions or negotiations if a potential
acquirer submitted an unsolicited, written acquisition proposal
and Grey Wolfs board of directors, acting in good faith,
determined (i) after consultation with its outside legal
counsel and financial advisors and based on such other matters
as it deemed relevant, that the unsolicited acquisition proposal
was reasonably likely to result in a superior proposal, and
(ii) that the potential acquirer had the financial and
legal capacity to consummate its acquisition proposal. The Basic
Merger Agreement also provided that in order for an unsolicited
acquisition proposal to be regarded as superior to the Basic
Merger, Grey Wolfs board of directors must have determined
in good faith, after consultation with a financial advisor of
nationally recognized reputation, and taking into account all
legal, financial, regulatory and other aspects of the
acquisition proposal, that the acquisition proposal satisfied
three criteria. The first criteria was that the acquisition
proposal would, if consummated in accordance with its terms, be
more favorable, from a financial point of view, to Grey
Wolfs shareholders than the Basic Merger. Next, the
acquisition proposal was required to contain conditions which
were all reasonably capable of being satisfied in a timely
manner. Finally, the acquisition proposal could not be subject
to any financing contingency or, to the extent financing for the
proposal was required, be fully committed in writing by
financially sound financial institutions of national reputation.
We refer to an acquisition proposal that meets these criteria as
a Superior Offer.
Precision continued its analysis of Grey Wolf as an acquisition
target despite the announcement of its proposed merger with
Basic. At PDCs regularly scheduled board meeting on
April 22, 2008, the agenda included a discussion of
Precisions five-year business model, containing a detailed
review of identified acquisition candidates. Grey Wolf was the
primary candidate. At the next meeting of the board of directors
of PDC on May 10, 2008, management received a mandate to
investigate various acquisition structures relating to Grey Wolf
with Precisions external advisors. Precision engaged
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and RBC Capital Markets as its
financial advisors and, together with Mayer Brown LLP, Bennett
Jones LLP and Felesky Flynn LLP as its legal advisors, began its
formal investigation of a potential acquisition of Grey Wolf.
PDCs board of directors met on Sunday, June 8, 2008,
as did the board of trustees of Precision. Each board
unanimously approved making a proposal to acquire Grey Wolf.
Following the meeting, Mr. Neveu contacted
Mr. Richards by telephone to advise him that Precision
would be sending a letter to Mr. Richards
42
relating to a proposal by Precision to acquire Grey Wolf.
Mr. Richards advised Mr. Neveu that, because of the
non-solicitation restrictions of the Basic Merger Agreement, he
was not at liberty to discuss such a transaction, but that upon
receipt of Precisions written proposal he would consult
Grey Wolfs board of directors on the matter. Later on
June 8, 2008, Grey Wolf received the first of the three
unsolicited acquisition proposals that it would receive from
Precision during the pendency of the Basic Merger.
Precisions June 8, 2008 letter stated that Precision
proposed to acquire all of the common stock of Grey Wolf for
total consideration of $9.00 per share consisting of cash and
trust units at the election of Grey Wolf shareholders, subject
to proration so that the cash portion would not exceed
331/3%
of the equity purchase price.
On the morning of Monday, June 9, 2008, Mr. Neveu
returned a call from Mr. Richards. Mr. Wehlmann was
also on the call. Mr. Richards advised that Grey
Wolfs board of directors and advisors would consider
Precisions proposal and explained that Grey Wolf was
obligated to disclose publicly that it had received the
proposal. Mr. Neveu took the opportunity to state that
Precision and its advisors had conducted a thorough review of
the capital structure of Precision following an acquisition with
Grey Wolf which it would like the opportunity to share with Grey
Wolfs board. He also stated that Precision understood that
its trust structure was a concern for Grey Wolf based on the
conversations that had taken place earlier in the year.
Mr. Neveu expressed the belief that Precisions
research regarding the resultant capital structure as well as
its analysis of Grey Wolfs strategic fit with Precision
would be very compelling to the Grey Wolf board.
Later that day, a special meeting of the board of directors of
Grey Wolf was held telephonically to review and discuss
Precisions June 8, 2008 unsolicited acquisition
proposal. Also present were senior management of Grey Wolf,
representatives of UBS Securities LLC, financial advisor to Grey
Wolf, and representatives of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P.
and Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, legal counsel to Grey Wolf. Steven
A. Webster, a director of Grey Wolf and also a director of
Basic, did not participate in any Grey Wolf board meetings
relating to Precision and its proposed acquisition of Grey Wolf
until after the Basic Merger Agreement was terminated by Basic
and Grey Wolf on July 15, 2008. At the June 9, 2008
special meeting of Grey Wolfs board, senior management
briefed the Grey Wolf board on Precisions business
operations. Mr. Richards reminded the Grey Wolf board that
Precision had been identified as one of the leading potential
business combination partners during the boards strategic
planning work early in 2007. Representatives of UBS presented a
preliminary financial analysis of the June 8, 2008
proposal. The Grey Wolf board also received legal advice. At the
conclusion of the meeting, the Grey Wolf board determined to
consider further the information and professional advice
received and to reconvene a board meeting on June 11, 2008
to receive additional and updated financial and legal advice
before making a decision with respect to the Precision offer.
On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, Grey Wolf publicly announced
that it had received Precisions unsolicited acquisition
proposal of June 8, 2008 and that, due to its recent
receipt, Grey Wolfs board intended to evaluate
Precisions proposal consistent with its fiduciary duties
and Grey Wolfs obligations with respect to unsolicited
third party offers under the Basic Merger Agreement, which
remained in effect. Later the same day, Precision issued a press
release confirming that it had made its June 8, 2008
proposal to Grey Wolf. PDCs board of directors was briefed
by management during a telephonic meeting later that day.
Also on June 10, 2008, Basic and Grey Wolf finalized their
joint proxy statement/prospectus soliciting shareholder approval
for the Basic Merger at their respective special shareholders
meetings to be held on July 15, 2008, and began mailing the
joint proxy statement/prospectus to shareholders on or about
June 16, 2008.
On Wednesday, June 11, 2008, Mr. Richards received a
telephone call from the chief executive offer of a publicly-held
company engaged in contract drilling and oilfield services,
which we refer to as Company B. The CEO of Company B
was aware of Precisions acquisition proposal and inquired
of Mr. Richards whether Grey Wolf would be receptive to
possible business combination discussions with Company B.
Mr. Richards noted that he was constrained from such
discussions by the non-solicitation restrictions of the Basic
Merger Agreement but that if Company B made a written offer, he
would present the offer to Grey Wolfs board of directors.
No further communications between Company B and Grey Wolf
occurred until the latter half of July 2008.
43
On June 11, 2008, Grey Wolfs board again held a
telephonic special meeting in which all members of the board
other than Mr. Webster participated to consider
Precisions June 8, 2008 unsolicited acquisition
proposal, and to receive additional and updated information and
analysis from its advisors. Senior management of Grey Wolf and
representatives of UBS, Porter & Hedges and Gardere
Wynne Sewell were also in attendance. Mr. Richards reported
the acquisition overture from Company B and advised his fellow
board members that he would keep them informed if there were
further developments regarding Company Bs interest in Grey
Wolf. Representatives of UBS made a presentation to the Grey
Wolf board regarding its financial analysis of Precisions
June 8, 2008 proposal. The Grey Wolf board also received
additional legal advice from Porter & Hedges and
Gardere Wynne Sewell. Following a general discussion among the
members of the board and its financial and legal advisors
regarding the Precision offer, all members of the Grey Wolf
board present determined that Precisions June 8, 2008
proposal was not reasonably likely to result in a Superior Offer
to the Basic Merger and voted to reject the unsolicited offer.
On June 11, 2008, Mr. Neveu received an email from
Mr. Richards requesting a call early on June 12, 2008.
PDCs board met telephonically on June 11, 2008 to
discuss Grey Wolfs anticipated response to its proposal of
June 8, 2008. The PDC board considered various scenarios
and confirmed the negotiating parameters set at its June 8,
2008 meeting.
On Thursday, June 12, 2008, Mr. Richards called
Mr. Neveu, prior to opening of trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, to advise that Grey Wolfs board of
directors had considered Precisions acquisition proposal
and had found that under the Basic Merger Agreement the proposal
was not sufficient to allow Grey Wolf to engage in discussions
with Precision. Mr. Richards stated that he could not
engage in further discussions with Mr. Neveu because of the
non-solicitation restrictions of the Basic Merger Agreement.
Mr. Richards advised Mr. Neveu that Grey Wolf was
obliged to disclose its rejection of the Precision proposal
prior to market opening by news release.
Later on June 12, 2008, Grey Wolf publicly announced that
its board of directors, after carefully analyzing
Precisions June 8, 2008 proposal and after receiving
advice from financial and legal advisors, had concluded that the
June 8, 2008 proposal was not superior to Grey Wolfs
pending Basic Merger and also confirmed that the Basic Merger
Agreement had not been amended and remained in effect. Later
that day, Mr. Neveu contacted Mr. Richards seeking a
clarifying call between their respective legal advisors
regarding Grey Wolfs analysis of the non-solicitation
provisions contained in the Basic Merger Agreement. This request
was denied.
On Friday, June 13, 2008, PDCs board of directors met
telephonically to discuss an increased proposal to Grey Wolf.
Financial and legal advisors participated in the discussion. The
board also considered various financing alternatives. Following
its deliberations, the board of directors approved an increased
proposal for Grey Wolf. The board of trustees of Precision also
approved the amended proposal as recommended by PDCs board.
On Saturday, June 14, 2008, Mr. Neveu called
Mr. Richards and stated that Precision would be sending a
letter amending its previous proposal. Mr. Neveu conveyed
the terms of the proposal. Mr. Neveu emphasized that
Precisions balance sheet could easily support the funding
of the proposed consideration and that Precision would be able
to quickly close a transaction. In addition, Mr. Neveu
noted that reputable financial institutions had provided
Precision with highly confident financing letters in relation to
the proposed merger but would not be able to provide financing
commitment letters prior to completing their own due diligence
review of Grey Wolf. Grey Wolf received a second unsolicited
acquisition proposal from Precision shortly thereafter. In its
June 14, 2008 proposal, Precision sought to acquire all of
the common stock of Grey Wolf for total consideration of $9.30
per share (on a fully diluted basis) consisting of cash and
trust units at the election of Grey Wolf shareholders, subject
to proration so that the cash portion would not exceed 40% of
the equity purchase price.
On Monday, June 16, 2008, a telephonic special meeting of
the board of directors of Grey Wolf was held in which all
members of the board other than Mr. Webster participated to
review and discuss Precisions June 14, 2008
unsolicited acquisition proposal. Also present were senior
management of Grey Wolf and representatives of UBS,
Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell. UBS made a
presentation to Grey
44
Wolfs board of directors regarding its financial analysis
of the June 14, 2008 proposal. The Grey Wolf board received
legal advice from Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne
Sewell with respect to the proposal and, following further
discussion, all Grey Wolfs board members present
determined that Precisions June 14, 2008 proposal was
not reasonably likely to lead to a Superior Offer to the Basic
Merger and voted to reject the proposal.
On Tuesday, June 17, 2008, Mr. Richards called
Mr. Neveu to advise that Precisions second proposal
had been considered and rejected by the Grey Wolf board.
Mr. Richards stated the Grey Wolf board had concerns about,
among other things, the implicit value of the proposal, the
Canadian drilling market and the uncertainty on the timing and
impact of Precisions conversion from a trust structure to
a corporate structure. Mr. Richards also reiterated that
Grey Wolf could not engage in discussions with another party
under the terms of the Basic Merger Agreement and that Grey Wolf
did not believe that Precisions proposal was reasonably
likely to result in a Superior Offer to the Basic Merger under
the Basic Merger Agreement. The PDC board was briefed during a
telephone meeting on June 17, 2008.
Also on June 17, 2008, Grey Wolf publicly announced that it
had received Precisions June 14, 2008 proposal, that
its board of directors had carefully analyzed and considered
Precisions second unsolicited acquisition proposal and,
after receiving advice from financial and legal advisors, had
determined that it was not reasonably likely to result in a
Superior Offer to the Basic Merger. Grey Wolf also reaffirmed
that its board of directors continued to believe that the Basic
Merger offered the best long-term value for Grey Wolfs
shareholders for the reasons described in its joint proxy
statement/prospectus for its special meeting of shareholders to
approve the Basic Merger. Later the same day, Precision publicly
confirmed that it had made the June 14, 2008 acquisition
proposal.
On Wednesday, June 18, 2008, Mr. Richards received a
telephone call from the president of a publicly-held company
engaged in contract drilling and other oilfield services, which
we call Company C. The president of Company C
advised Mr. Richards that Company C might be interested in
making an all cash proposal to acquire Grey Wolf, possibly
within a week. Mr. Richards informed the president of
Company C of Grey Wolfs obligations under the
non-solicitation restrictions of the Basic Merger Agreement and
advised him that any such proposal by Company C should be
submitted in writing and would then be considered by Grey
Wolfs board. In the following week, Company Cs
president telephoned Mr. Richards to advise him that
Company C would not be making an offer to acquire Grey Wolf.
On June 19, 2008, Grey Wolf retained Simmons &
Company International to provide additional financial advice to
its board of directors in the event that either Precision or
Company C made another unsolicited acquisition proposal for Grey
Wolf.
On June 19, 2008, PDCs board met to receive an update
on the financing structures under consideration and to consider
a further approach to Grey Wolf. The PDC board decided it would
be prudent to analyze additional alternatives and finalize the
financing terms of the primary structure before proceeding with
another overture to Grey Wolf.
On Friday, June 20, 2008, Mr. Richards received a
telephone call from Mr. Neveu advising him that Precision
planned to submit another acquisition proposal to Grey Wolf that
day. Later that day, Mr. Neveu telephoned Mr. Richards
and advised him that Precisions board of trustees had not
yet been able to reach a consensus on Precisions third
offer, but would be meeting over the weekend to discuss it
further and that Mr. Neveu expected to send
Mr. Richards a revised acquisition proposal on Sunday,
June 22, 2008.
Mr. Neveu called Mr. Richards on Monday, June 23,
2008, to say that board deliberations were continuing and that
there was no proposal to deliver to Grey Wolf at that time.
Mr. Neveu asked if there were any comments that he could
make to address Grey Wolfs concerns with Precisions
prior rejected proposals. Mr. Richards responded that he
could not discuss Precisions proposal, other than to say
that Grey Wolfs views were set out in its public documents
and that the Grey Wolf board had focused on the valuation of
Precision trust units. He stated that Grey Wolfs concerns
about the Canadian market and Precisions trust structure
had not changed since the earlier conversations between
Precision and Grey Wolf.
45
On June 23, 2008, Grey Wolfs board of directors held
a telephonic special meeting originally scheduled to consider a
third unsolicited acquisition offer from Precision that had been
expected the previous day but had not been received.
Representatives of UBS, Porter & Hedges and Gardere
Wynne Sewell were also present. Mr. Richards reported that
Mr. Neveu had called earlier in the day and advised him
that PDCs board of directors was still deliberating and
that Mr. Neveu expected to deliver Precisions revised
acquisition proposal the next day. Mr. Richards also
reported his earlier conversation with the president of Company
C. In the absence of a revised proposal from Precision, the Grey
Wolf board and its advisors held a general discussion of Grey
Wolfs proxy solicitation efforts in support of the Basic
Merger. Also discussed was the possible sequence of board
meetings, public announcements and other events if
Precisions expected third unsolicited offer was determined
by the board to be one not reasonably likely to lead to a
Superior Offer to the Basic Merger and, conversely, if the Grey
Wolf board determined that the third Precision offer was
reasonably likely to result in a Superior Offer to the Basic
Merger.
PDCs board met on June 23, 2008, to hear a report
from management and Precisions financial advisors
regarding possible financing for the acquisition of Grey Wolf.
Following its deliberations, the PDC board considered and
approved a revised proposal to acquire Grey Wolf. However, prior
to authorizing the making of the proposal to Grey Wolf, the PDC
board asked for a further detailed briefing on some aspects with
respect to proceeding with the proposal.
On Tuesday, June 24, 2008, Mr. Neveu called
Mr. Richards to inform him that PDCs board would be
meeting that afternoon and to confirm Mr. Richards
availability for a communication from Precision later in the
day. The PDC board met again on June 24, 2008, and
unanimously recommended to the board of trustees of Precision
that it proceed with the revised proposal and the board of
trustees unanimously approved making the revised proposal.
Mr. Neveu contacted Mr. Richards and conveyed the
terms of Precisions revised proposal.
Precisions third unsolicited acquisition proposal to Grey
Wolf provided for the acquisition of all of the common stock of
Grey Wolf for $10.00 per share (on a fully diluted basis)
consisting of cash and trust units at the election of Grey Wolf
shareholders, subject to proration such that the cash portion
would not exceed 50% of the aggregate offer price. The
June 24, 2008 proposal stated that it was for the
acquisition of Grey Wolf alone and did not extend to the
combined Basic and Grey Wolf if the Basic Merger was
consummated. This third proposal contained a statement that it
was Precisions final unsolicited acquisition proposal to
Grey Wolf, a point that also had been emphasized by
Mr. Neveu in his call to Mr. Richards introducing the
third proposal. The June 24, 2008 proposal also contained
the following additional terms and conditions:
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Final agreement on a transaction between Grey Wolf and Precision
would be conditioned on:
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negotiation of acceptable legal documentation, which Precision
expected to contain substantially the same terms (apart from
consideration) as the Basic Merger Agreement,
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completion of focused confirmatory due diligence, which
Precision indicated would be conducted on an expedited basis,
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Grey Wolf shareholder approval, but would not be conditioned on
approval of Precisions unitholders, and
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regulatory approval under the HSR Act and other customary
approvals.
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Precision expected possible completion of evaluation, due
diligence, negotiation and signing of definitive merger
documentation within two weeks.
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Precision stated that it had Cdn$600 million of borrowing
capacity to assist it in funding of the proposed business
combination.
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Letters from Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. and Royal Bank of
Canada were attached indicating that they were highly confident
that they could arrange for, or provide financing to, Precision
as required to complete the proposed business combination,
subject in each case to numerous conditions, some of
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which were unspecified or were to be met to the satisfaction of
the lender; however, each institution indicated that their
letter should not be considered a binding commitment to provide
such financing.
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Precision stated that it was prepared to discuss adding Grey
Wolf nominees to the board of directors of PDC, the
administrator of Precision.
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On June 24, 2008, a special meeting of the board of
directors of Grey Wolf was held telephonically to review and
discuss Precisions third unsolicited acquisition proposal
received earlier that day. Also present were senior management
of Grey Wolf and representatives of UBS, Simmons &
Company, Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell.
Mr. Richards reported to the board that, as previously
approved by the board on June 16, 2008, Grey Wolfs
engagement letter with UBS had been amended so as to equalize
UBSs compensation regardless of whether Grey Wolf
consummated a merger with Basic or Precision.
Mr. Richards advised the board that due to Precisions
most recent acquisition proposal, previously-planned meetings
that week with certain Grey Wolf shareholders to solicit their
vote in favor of the Basic Merger would be postponed until the
Grey Wolf board had determined whether or not Precisions
June 24, 2008 proposal was reasonably likely to result in a
Superior Offer to the Basic Merger. Mr. Richards also
reported to the board the substance of his telephone call from
Mr. Neveu discussed in the following paragraph.
Simmons & Company made a presentation to the Grey Wolf
board (during which UBS was absent) regarding a preliminary
financial analysis of Precisions June 24, 2008
proposal. Thereafter, Simmons & Company was excused
and UBS presented its preliminary financial analysis of the
proposal. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Grey Wolf board
determined to adjourn to enable its members to consider further
the information and financial analyses received at the meeting,
and to reconvene a board meeting on June 26, 2008 to
receive additional and updated financial analyses and legal
advice before making a decision with respect to Precisions
June 24, 2008 proposal.
During the special meeting of Grey Wolfs board on
June 24, 2008, Mr. Neveu telephoned Mr. Richards
and advised him that Precisions most recent proposal was
its final offer and that if the Grey Wolf board did not accept
it Precision would await the vote of Grey Wolfs
shareholders at Grey Wolfs special meeting of shareholders
to vote on the Basic Merger. Mr. Neveu also stated that
Precision could have fully committed financing for its most
recent proposal within two weeks and that Precision expected to
be able to fully negotiate a merger agreement and conclude its
due diligence in that same two week period. Mr. Neveu told
Mr. Richards that Precision would be publicly announcing
its final offer to Grey Wolf the next day. He then read
Mr. Richards the text of the expected announcement by
Precision. Mr. Richards requested clarification of the
offer regarding the stock exchange method proposed by Precision
to value its trust units in its proposed transaction, but
Mr. Neveu stated that he was not prepared to comment beyond
the text of Precisions press release he had just read to
Mr. Richards.
On Tuesday, June 25, 2008, Grey Wolf publicly announced
that it had received Precisions third unsolicited
acquisition proposal and that Grey Wolfs board of
directors intended to evaluate Precisions proposal
consistent with its fiduciary duties and Grey Wolfs
obligations with respect to unsolicited third party offers under
the Basic Merger Agreement, which remained in effect. The same
day, Precision publicly announced that it had made the
June 24, 2008 proposal to Grey Wolf, that its June 24,
2008 proposal was fully priced, and that Precision would not
make any further revisions to its proposal. Precision also
stated that if Grey Wolfs board chose to reject
Precisions most recent proposal, Precision would suspend
all efforts to pursue a merger with Grey Wolf.
On Thursday, June 26, 2008, a special meeting of the Grey
Wolf board of directors was held telephonically in which all
members of the board participated other than Mr. Webster to
continue its review and discussion of Precisions third
unsolicited acquisition proposal of June 24, 2008. Also
present were senior management of Grey Wolf and representatives
of UBS, Simmons & Company, Porter & Hedges
and Gardere Wynne Sewell. Representatives of UBS made a
presentation to the board of its financial analysis of
Precisions June 24, 2008 proposal, after which UBS
was excused. Simmons & Company then presented its
financial analysis of the proposal. Because the price of Grey
Wolf common stock had likely been affected by both the pendency
of the Basic Merger and Precisions three publicly
announced acquisition proposals, both UBS and
Simmons & Company conducted a financial analysis to
estimate a hypothetical and illustrative price for Grey
47
Wolfs common stock premised on the assumption that Grey
Wolf common stock would have traded proportionate to an index of
selected peers absent the impact on the price of Grey Wolf
common stock of Precisions publicly announced
$10.00 per share unsolicited offer for Grey Wolf and Grey
Wolfs own publicly announced evaluation of strategic
alternatives. The Grey Wolf board also received legal advice
from Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell.
The Grey Wolf board considered that Precision had made an offer
characterized as a final business combination
proposal. Grey Wolfs board understood Precision to
have categorically foreclosed any further increase in its
June 24, 2008 proposal, both in private conversation
between Mr. Neveu and Mr. Richards on June 24,
2008 and by public announcement the following day. This refusal
to negotiate pricing of a possible merger was regarded as highly
significant. At the conclusion of its June 26, 2008
meeting, the Grey Wolf board determined that Precisions
June 24, 2008 proposal was not reasonably likely to lead to
a Superior Offer to the Basic Merger, particularly in light of
Precisions refusal to consider any further increases to
its June 24, 2008 proposal. Accordingly, all members of
Grey Wolfs board present voted to reject Precisions
June 24, 2008 proposal.
On Friday, June 27, 2008, Mr. Richards contacted
Mr. Neveu to advise that the Grey Wolf board had rejected
Precisions latest unsolicited revised proposal. PDCs
board was advised of the rejection in a telephonic meeting held
later that day. The PDC board determined not to pursue an
additional unsolicited proposal but would await the
determination of the shareholders of Basic and Grey Wolf at the
upcoming meetings on the Basic Merger. In the event that the
shareholders of Basic or Grey Wolf did not approve the proposed
merger and the Basic Merger was terminated, the PDC board
confirmed that it would recommend that Precision reapproach Grey
Wolf at that time.
Also on June 27, 2008, Grey Wolf publicly announced that
its board of directors had rejected Precisions
June 24, 2008 proposal and continued to believe that the
Basic Merger remained more consistent with its long-term
strategic plan and maximized value for Grey Wolf shareholders.
Later the same day, Precision publicly announced that it would
await the outcome of Grey Wolfs shareholders meeting on
July 15, 2008 to vote on the Basic Merger. Precision also
stated its intention to reapproach Grey Wolf if the Basic Merger
Agreement was terminated.
On July 9, 2008, Precision publicly announced that it would
immediately reapproach the board of directors of Grey Wolf with
its June 24, 2008 $10.00 per Grey Wolf share acquisition
proposal if the Basic Merger Agreement was terminated, and that
it would await the outcome of Grey Wolfs upcoming
shareholder meeting to vote on the Basic Merger. Precision
acknowledged that in the absence of a determination by the board
of directors of Grey Wolf that Precisions proposal was
reasonably likely to result in a Superior Offer to the Basic
Merger, Precision was unable to engage Grey Wolf in negotiations
and discussions in relation to its proposal, as Grey Wolf was
precluded from doing so under the terms of the Basic Merger
Agreement.
On Saturday, July 12, 2008, the Grey Wolf board of
directors held a special telephonic meeting in which
Mr. Rose was unable to participate. Mr. Webster was in
attendance, but excused himself from discussions regarding the
Basic Merger. Senior management of Grey Wolf and representatives
of UBS, Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell also
attended. Senior management reported to the board that it was a
near certainty that the Basic Merger would not be approved by
Grey Wolf shareholders based on proxy returns to date.
Mr. Richards reported that the chief executive officer of
Basic had contacted him to propose that Grey Wolf postpone its
special meeting of shareholders for two weeks during which Basic
would allow Grey Wolf to negotiate exclusively with Precision.
In exchange, Basic proposed that Grey Wolf agree that the
termination fee payable to Basic under the Basic Merger
Agreement if Grey Wolf shareholder approval was not received for
the Basic Merger be increased from $5 million to
$10 million and that the fee payable to Basic in the event
that Grey Wolf consummated a change of control transaction in
the next twelve months be increased from $30 million to
$40 million. Basic further proposed that if Grey Wolf did
not enter into an agreement with Precision at the end of such
two-week period, then Grey Wolfs special meeting of
shareholders would be held to vote on the Basic Merger
Agreement. All board members present voted to reject
Basics proposal. Thereafter, Mr. Webster rejoined the
meeting. In light of the likely failure of the shareholders of
Grey Wolf to approve the Basic Merger Agreement, the board also
discussed whether to seek merger negotiations with Precision
immediately after the then probable termination of the Basic
Merger Agreement, possibly on an exclusive basis if insisted
upon by Precision, or instead to immediately commence an overall
evaluation of
48
Grey Wolfs strategic alternatives, including a broad
solicitation of acquisition proposals for Grey Wolf.
Unanimously, the Grey Wolf board voted to proceed with an
evaluation of Grey Wolfs strategic alternatives, not to
offer any exclusive negotiation period to Precision and to
retain UBS as its financial advisor in connection the
boards evaluation of Grey Wolfs strategic
alternatives, all in the event that the Basic Merger Agreement
failed to receive Grey Wolf shareholder approval and the Basic
Merger Agreement was terminated.
On Monday, July 14, 2008, a special meeting of the Grey
Wolf board of directors was held to continue discussions
relating to Grey Wolfs strategy regarding Precision,
discuss other strategic alternatives and receive a presentation
from representatives of UBS regarding its recommendations with
respect to Grey Wolfs strategic alternatives process.
Senior management of Grey Wolf were also present, as were
representatives of Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne
Sewell. Representatives of UBS made a presentation to the board
regarding a possible strategic alternatives process, including a
preliminary valuation analysis of Grey Wolf and identification
and discussion of a number of possible financial and strategic
buyers for Grey Wolf.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2008, Grey Wolf held its special
meeting of shareholders to vote on the Basic Merger Agreement.
The Basic Merger did not receive sufficient shareholder votes
for approval and, consequently, Basic and Grey Wolf terminated
the Basic Merger Agreement that same day. Also on July 15,
2008, Grey Wolf publicly announced the decision of its board of
directors to review Grey Wolfs alternatives for enhancing
shareholder value. The announcement noted that the boards
review would include an update to Grey Wolfs existing
strategic plan and would encompass consideration of continued
internal growth by remaining independent, acquisitions, mergers,
the sale of Grey Wolf, strategic alliances, joint ventures and
financial alternatives. We refer to this as Grey Wolfs
strategic alternatives process. The engagement of
UBS as the Grey Wolf boards independent financial advisor
to assist in conducting this review was also announced. Grey
Wolf disclosed that it would take a one-time, pre-tax charge to
earnings of approximately $17.0 million (or approximately
$.05 per diluted share) during the third quarter of 2008 as a
result of the shareholder vote and related termination of the
Basic Merger Agreement.
Immediately following the conclusion of Grey Wolfs special
meeting of shareholders, Grey Wolfs board of directors
held a special meeting to discuss its strategic alternatives
process. Senior management of Grey Wolf and representatives of
UBS, Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell were
also present. UBS was authorized to immediately commence
solicitation of potential buyers for Grey Wolf. Grey Wolfs
management and legal counsel were authorized to permit Precision
access to Grey Wolfs virtual data room that had been
established for the Basic Merger to enable Precisions
representatives to begin their due diligence review of
confidential Grey Wolf information.
On the afternoon of July 15, 2008, Mr. Richards
telephoned Mr. Neveu to inform him that Precision would be
given access to confidential information in Grey Wolfs
electronic data site. Mr. Neveu requested that Grey Wolf
negotiate exclusively with Precision for a two-week period.
Mr. Richards declined, noting that the Grey Wolf board had
considered negotiating exclusively with Precision, but had
decided to continue with its strategic alternatives process.
Mr. Richards observed that Precision already had a
practical advantage over other possible bidders by having
evaluated Grey Wolf in connection with its three prior
acquisition proposals and having arranged financing for those
proposals.
Mr. Richards and Mr. Neveu met on July 16, 2008.
Mr. Neveu confirmed that Precision remained interested in a
strategic transaction with Grey Wolf but pointed out that the
stock market had moved significantly downward since
Precisions last acquisition proposal had been made. They
discussed Grey Wolfs anticipated steps pursuant to its
announced strategic alternatives review process. Precision was
provided access to Grey Wolfs electronic data site on
July 16, 2008. Precision also made its electronic data site
available to Grey Wolf on July 16, 2008.
Precision instructed its financial advisors to obtain
information about Grey Wolfs strategic alternatives
process. Several conversations between Deutsche Bank and UBS
ensued. Precision was provided with a process letter from UBS on
July 22, 2008 and the parties confirmed that their existing
mutual confidentiality agreement would continue to apply.
49
On Thursday, July 24, 2008, senior management of Grey Wolf
and Precision made confidential presentations to each other
concerning their respective companies. Also attending were the
financial advisors and US legal counsel to each company. Each
companys management and advisors responded to due
diligence questions from the management and advisors of the
other company. Precisions management and its financial
advisors addressed concerns that had been expressed by Grey Wolf
in its previous rejections of Precisions unsolicited bids
to acquire Grey Wolf, including the outlook for Canadian
drilling markets. Precisions financial advisors made a
separate presentation addressing Precisions status and
outlook as a Canadian income trust. This included discussion of
the trading markets for Canadian income trust units and the
outlook for Canadian income trusts in general, and Precision in
particular, in light of Canadian federal legislation eliminating
the favorable taxation of Canadian income trusts beginning in
2011. Also on July 24, 2008, Mr. Neveu met with three
members of the Grey Wolf board for lunch where Precisions
long-term strategy, including its views on the capital structure
of the combined companies, was discussed.
PDCs board met on August 4, 2008, to review the
results of Precisions further investigations and to
consider making another acquisition proposal to Grey Wolf. The
PDC board approved the submission of a proposal equivalent in
cash and number of Precision trust units to Precisions
June 24, 2008 proposal. The Board also mandated that an
acceptable proposal had to provide for a reasonable period of
exclusivity. Upon a unanimous recommendation from the PDC board
of directors, Precisions board of trustees also
unanimously approved the making of the revised proposal.
Mr. Neveu called Mr. Richards on August 4, 2008.
Mr. Neveu offered the equivalent of Precisions last
prior proposal in terms of cash and number of Precision trust
units, based on Precisions unit price at the time of the prior
proposal. This proposal was for $1.12 billion of cash and
40.2 million Precision trust units. Mr. Neveu stated
that this proposal would be outstanding until August 8,
2008 and that if accepted, Precision would be willing to proceed
quickly to closing. The proposal letter, sent to
Mr. Richards on August 5, 2008, included a draft
merger agreement.
On Thursday, August 7, 2008, a telephonic special meeting
of the board of directors of Grey Wolf was held to review the
status of its strategic alternatives process. Also present were
senior management of Grey Wolf and representatives of UBS,
Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell.
Representatives of UBS reported that 16 potential buyers had
been contacted by UBS on behalf of Grey Wolf, of which 11 were
possible strategic buyers and five were possible financial
buyers. Of these potential buyers, a total of eight (five
strategic and three financial) had entered into confidentiality
agreements with Grey Wolf to permit them to review confidential
information in Grey Wolfs electronic data site. Finally,
three potential strategic buyers had submitted indications of
interest to acquire Grey Wolf. Representatives of UBS presented
a preliminary financial analysis of the three indications of
interest, noting that efforts to clarify the proposals were
ongoing. The three indications of interest received were from
Company A, Company B and Precision.
Company As market capitalization was substantially smaller
than Grey Wolfs market capitalization. Company As
indication of interest dated August 4, 2008 stated
that it was a preliminary, non-binding proposal to acquire all
outstanding stock of Grey Wolf for $10.25, based on the closing
price of Grey Wolf common stock as of August 1, 2008, which
was $8.64. Company A also stated that approximately 75% of the
transaction consideration would be in cash and the remainder in
Company As stock. Company A noted that it expected that
the transaction would be taxable to Grey Wolf shareholders and
that it would be amenable to paying a smaller cash amount if
Grey Wolf felt it was beneficial. Company A stated that it did
not expect financing to be a condition to closing of its
proposed transaction and that it expected to have committed
financing in place for the transaction. No financing commitment
letters or highly confident letters were included
with Company As indication of interest, but two financial
institutions were mentioned as financing advisors and financing
sources to Company A. Company A stated that it expected that
financing could be arranged within 30 days after
discussions with the financing sources both of which, Company A
stated, had reviewed Grey Wolf in connection with the failed
merger negotiations between Company A and Grey Wolf in 2007.
Approval of the transaction by Company As stockholders
would be required.
Representatives of UBS advised the Grey Wolf board that they had
discovered in a conversation with Company As chief
executive officer that Company A would also need to obtain
approximately $500 million
50
of equity capital through a private equity investment in order
to obtain the necessary financing for its proposal, which was
not referred to in Company As indication of interest. The
board noted that Company A was carrying a high level of
indebtedness and that its proposed financing for the acquisition
of Grey Wolf would substantially exacerbate its already high
financial leverage. Of particular concern to Grey Wolfs
board was the then existing uncertainty in the credit and equity
capital markets and the verbal revelation that Company A needed
to raise $500 million in equity capital in addition to the
over $1 billion of additional indebtedness implied by its
indication of interest. These matters raised doubts as to
whether Company A would be able to complete its proposal on the
terms and within the time mentioned in its indication of
interest.
The Grey Wolf board also observed that Company As proposed
transaction was estimated by UBS to be highly dilutive to
Company As 2009 estimated earnings per share, likely in
excess of 25% per share. This cast serious doubt both as to the
value of the stock component of Company As proposal and
whether Company A would be able to obtain approval from its
stockholders for such a transaction.
Company Bs indication of interest dated August 4,
2008 stated that, based on the information available to it,
Company B believed that its acquisition price would be in
the range of approximately $9.50 per share, for each share
of Grey Wolf common stock outstanding, consisting of equal parts
of cash and Company B stock. However, Company B noted that this
offer was subject to further due diligence and that its
final offer would not be subject to any financing
contingency. Approval of the transaction by Company Bs
shareholders was not included as a condition of closing Company
Bs proposal.
The Grey Wolf board believed that Company Bs bid for Grey
Wolf was primarily a defensive move to limit Precisions
ability to compete on a larger scale against Company B in the
US. The Grey Wolf board therefore expected that if Precision
were eliminated or withdrew from bidding for Grey Wolf, Company
B would be highly motivated to either lower its price for Grey
Wolf or drop its bid for Grey Wolf altogether. If Precision were
to withdraw, the board believed that, at the very least, Company
B would have greatly enhanced bargaining power to lower its
proposal, having disrupted the Precision offer and narrowed the
competition for Grey Wolf. The Grey Wolf board also anticipated
that if Precision exited the bidding process, Company B would
quickly become aware of that fact, either by rumor or public
announcement by Precision. Precision had indicated it believed
it had an obligation to update its public disclosure if its
negotiations with Grey Wolf did not result in an agreement to
merge. UBS advised that Company B had requested additional due
diligence information and had requested that Grey Wolf make a
management presentation concerning Grey Wolf to Company B and
its advisors. Company B had pointedly stated in its indication
of interest that its offered price range was subject to further
due diligence.
Precisions indication of interest stated that it proposed
to acquire all of Grey Wolfs stock, on a fully diluted
basis, for an aggregate consideration of $1.12 billion in
cash and 40.2 million Precision trust units. It noted that
its proposal equated to $5.00 in cash and 0.18 of a Precision
trust unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock, and that
Grey Wolf shareholders would be able to elect to receive cash or
Precision trust units for their Grey Wolf shares, subject to
proration. Precisions proposal also included a financing
commitment letter from several well known financial institutions
to provide financing for the transaction. The commitment letter
offered significantly more certainty of financing than the
highly confident financing letters that had been submitted with
Precisions previous three unsolicited offers. Precision,
however, insisted in its proposal that Grey Wolf agree to
negotiate exclusively with Precision until Sunday,
August 17, 2008, during which time the two companies were
to conduct due diligence and attempt to negotiate an acquisition
agreement that would be subject to the approval of the board of
directors of Grey Wolf, the board of trustees of Precision and
the board of directors of PDC. Also included with its indication
of interest was a draft merger agreement based largely on the
Basic Merger Agreement. Precisions indication of interest
was dated Tuesday, August 5, 2008 and provided that the
period for its acceptance by Grey Wolf ended Friday,
August 8, 2008.
The Grey Wolf board noted that at the time Precision had made
its third unsolicited offer on June 24, 2008 to acquire
Grey Wolf at $10.00 per share (consisting of half cash and half
Precision trust units) Precision trust units were trading at
approximately $27.86 per trust unit. This implied that the
aggregate number of trust units being offered on June 24,
2008 by Precision as half of its proposed merger consideration
was 40.2 million trust units. Precisions current
indication of interest still offered an aggregate of
40.2 million
51
shares of trust units but, because of the subsequent decline in
the trading price of its trust units, Precisions
indication of interest was then valued at $8.76, based on the
$20.87 closing price of Precision trust units on the New York
Stock Exchange on August 6, 2008. Thus, the total amount of
cash and the total number of trust units offered by Precision
for Grey Wolf was unchanged from its third unsolicited offer.
The Grey Wolf board considered the fact that although the price
of Precision trust units had fallen by 24% from its third
unsolicited offer on June 24, 2008 to August 4, 2008,
over the same period the indexed stock prices of Grey
Wolfs peer group had dropped by over 27%, while Grey
Wolfs own stock price had fallen by only 10%.
The Grey Wolf board also considered an analysis presented by
representatives of UBS of the comparative valuation of the
shares of Grey Wolf (on a standalone basis), and the indications
of interest from Company A, Company B and Precision.
Although the indications of interest of Company A and Company B
were on their face higher than Precisions, the Grey Wolf
board of directors firmly believed that both of these
alternatives posed substantially greater risks of renegotiation
and transaction failure than did Precisions proposal. In
contrast, the Grey Wolf board noted that Precision:
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provided a detailed indication of interest;
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had remained firm in the amount of cash and number of trust
units it would pay for Grey Wolf since its June 24, 2008
unsolicited offer;
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offered Grey Wolf shareholders the choice of cash or unit merger
consideration, subject to proration;
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provided written financing commitments from nationally
recognized financing sources;
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provided a reasonable first draft merger agreement based largely
on the Basic Merger Agreement; and
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had demonstrated a genuine and sustained interest in acquiring
Grey Wolf for its strategic value since Precisions first
unsolicited offer on June 8, 2008.
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At its August 7, 2008 special meeting, the Grey Wolf board
also discussed pursuing strategic alternatives other than the
sale of the company, including declaring special dividends,
engaging in stock repurchases in addition to the share
repurchase program begun in 2007 and remaining an independent
land drilling company while aggressively adding new-built rig
capacity to its rig fleet to spur additional growth. At the
conclusion of this discussion, the Grey Wolf board directed its
advisors and management to continue consideration of merger
transactions without foreclosing the possibility of other
strategic alternatives. The board also received legal advice
from Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell.
The final matter considered by the Grey Wolf board at its
August 7, 2008 special meeting was how Grey Wolf would
respond to Precisions August 5 letter requesting that Grey
Wolf contractually agree by August 8, 2008 to negotiate
exclusively with Precision until August 17, 2008.
Mr. Richards reported that Mr. Neveu had told him
Precision would withdraw from bidding for Grey Wolf if Grey Wolf
did not agree to the exclusivity arrangement. Mr. Richards
noted that Mr. Neveu strongly suggested that Precision
would be required to publicly announce its determination to end
its pursuit of Grey Wolf. Grey Wolf legal counsel also advised
the board that Precision would likely be required by law to
publicly announce its withdrawal from bidding, because it had
publicly announced to its unitholders that it would approach
Grey Wolf with a $10.00 offer and because that prior
announcement would probably continue to adversely affect
Precisions trust unit price unless a corrective public
announcement was made by Precision. A consensus of the board was
reached to advise Precision that its offer was at the low end of
the indications of interest received and that Grey Wolf
could not agree to negotiate exclusively with Precision unless
Precision increased its offer. Representatives of UBS and
Mr. Richards advised that they believed Precision had
relatively little room to improve its offer, particularly with
respect to the cash component of the offer. Mr. Richards
was instructed to advise Mr. Neveu that Grey Wolf would not
agree to negotiate with Precision exclusively, even for the
relatively short eleven day period demanded, unless Precision
increased the number of trust units offered so that that the
total value to be received by Grey Wolf shareholders, based on
Precisions trust unit price at the time, was at least
$9.30 per Grey Wolf share. This figure equated to $5.00 in cash
and approximately 0.20 of a Precision trust unit for each Grey
Wolf share on a fully diluted basis. The Grey Wolf board also
instructed UBS to continue to seek
52
further clarification from each of Company A and Company B
regarding their respective indications of interest.
Mr. Richards called Mr. Neveu on August 8, 2008
regarding Precisions proposal. Mr. Richards advised
Mr. Neveu that Grey Wolfs board had again rejected
Precisions proposal but encouraged Precision to continue
in Grey Wolfs process. Mr. Richards asked if
Precision had room to increase its proposal and Mr. Neveu
indicated there was very little room. Mr. Neveu stated it
was Precisions view that it had undertaken a very thorough
review of Grey Wolf and that its proposal reflected full value.
Mr. Neveu said, however, that he would consult the PDC
board.
On August 8, 2008, Grey Wolf engaged Blake,
Cassels & Graydon LLP of Calgary, Alberta, which we
refer to as Blakes, as its legal advisors on
Canadian law and due diligence matters. Grey Wolf also engaged
the Transaction Assurance Group of KPMG, which we refer to as
KPMG, to assist Grey Wolf in Canadian financial
accounting and taxation due diligence matters with respect to
Precision. Over the ensuing twelve days, all of Grey Wolfs
financial, accounting and legal advisors engaged in due
diligence reviews of Precision. Grey Wolfs US and Canadian
legal advisors also negotiated the terms of a merger agreement
with Precisions US and Canadian legal counsel.
On Tuesday, August 12, 2008, Mr. Neveu telephoned
Mr. Richards to advise him that Precisions board had
authorized one final offer for Grey Wolf which would be sent to
Mr. Richards that morning. Mr. Neveu also stated that
he believed that Precision trust units had been trading at a
discount of
10-12% as a
result of its last unsolicited offer to acquire Grey Wolf. He
told Mr. Richards that Precision would withdraw from any
further negotiations to acquire Grey Wolf if Precisions
final offer was not accepted, and that Precision would publicly
announce its withdrawal. Mr. Neveu also stated that he had
been advised by legal counsel that Canadian regulatory
requirements would require Precision to announce its withdrawal.
Mr. Neveu also sought a short time frame for the offer to
be accepted and the merger agreement to be executed.
Later that morning, Grey Wolf received a revised indication of
interest from Precision. It was substantially the same as
Precisions August 5, 2008 indication of interest
except that the total number of trust units offered to Grey Wolf
shareholders on a fully diluted basis was increased by 4.5% from
40.2 million trust units to 42.0 million trust units.
This revised price equated to $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a
Precision trust unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock
outstanding on a fully diluted basis. The revised indication of
interest, however, required Grey Wolf to contractually agree to
negotiate exclusively with Precision until Wednesday,
August 20, 2008. Grey Wolf was only given until the next
day to accept Precisions final proposal.
On August 12, 2008, a special meeting of the board of
directors of Grey Wolf was held telephonically to review the
status of its strategic alternatives process, including a review
of Precisions revised indication of interest. Also present
were senior management of Grey Wolf and representatives of UBS,
Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell.
Mr. Richards reported his conversation with Mr. Neveu
earlier that morning, in which Mr. Neveu said that
Precisions board had authorized an increase in the number
of trust units offered to 42.0 million but nothing more and
that Precision would withdraw from bidding for Grey Wolf and
publicly announce that fact if Precisions final offer were
not accepted.
Representatives of UBS updated Grey Wolfs board regarding
Company As and Company Bs indications of interest.
Both Company A and Company B had clarified to UBS that they
proposed to fix the exchange ratio for the conversion of Grey
Wolfs shares into shares of their respective common stock
at the signing of a merger agreement so that the merger
consideration to be received by Grey Wolf shareholders would be
$10.25 and $9.50, respectively, as of the announcement date of
the merger. Company A continued to believe it could obtain
$500 million of equity financing to underpin the over
$1 billion of proposed debt financing required for their
offer. Company A had described to UBS the proposed structure and
terms of its proposed $500 million of equity financing for
the merger. Representatives of UBS advised that Company As
equity financing proposal was very optimistic, particularly in
view of the difficult capital markets conditions then existing.
The Grey Wolf board also expressed concern that Company As
equity financing might contain terms that would materially
dilute the ownership of former Grey Wolf shareholders in Company
A. UBS had arranged for Grey Wolf and Company A to give
management presentations of their respective businesses on
Thursday,
53
August 14, 2008. Representatives of UBS also reported that
Company D, a publicly-held drilling company, had contacted UBS
belatedly regarding Grey Wolf and might be in a position to
provide an indication of interest in a week, but UBS regarded
the probability that Company D would make a bid as low because
of the mild interest level of Company D.
The Grey Wolf board continued to believe that it was improbable
that Company A could carry out its bid for Grey Wolf on the
terms and within the time stated in its indication of interest
because its equity and debt financing plans for the bid were
unrealistic for a company of the its relatively small size and
the already highly leveraged financial condition of Company A.
The Grey Wolf board was also concerned that a merger with
Company A would not be supported by Grey Wolfs
shareholders because Company A was principally engaged in many
of the same lines of business as Basic. In connection with
soliciting proxies for the Basic Merger (which had been voted
down by Grey Wolf shareholders less than a month before)
management of Grey Wolf learned that many of Grey Wolfs
larger shareholders preferred Grey Wolf to merge with another
land-based drilling company rather than diversify by merging
with an oilfield services company such as Basic. The
Grey Wolf board felt that the same negative shareholder
sentiment could be expected if Grey Wolf announced a merger with
Company A. The Grey Wolf board also noted that Company As
proposed transaction would be highly dilutive to Company
As earnings with adverse implications for the value of the
equity component of Company As indication of interest as
well as its ability to obtain approval of the transaction by its
own shareholders.
The board also reiterated its deep concern that Company B was
very likely to renegotiate its offer downward or drop out of
bidding for Grey Wolf if Precision were no longer in the bidding
for Grey Wolf because the competitive threat to Company B posed
by Precisions acquisition of Grey Wolf would have been
eliminated. Additionally, if Grey Wolf announced a transaction
with Company B, Grey Wolfs board was concerned that
employee attrition could result that would be difficult to
rectify if a merger with Company B were not ultimately completed.
Precisions assertion that it would withdraw from the
bidding process if its pending offer was not accepted by the
next day was regarded by the Grey Wolf board as credible and
likely to occur because of the numerous bids Precision had made
for Grey Wolf, the protracted time period over which Precision
had been pursuing Grey Wolf and Precisions stated position
that the protracted discussions were depressing its trust unit
price. Faced with the imminent loss of the most credible bidder,
the Grey Wolf board concluded that the merger proposal from
Precision represented the best value reasonably obtainable for
Grey Wolf shareholders under the circumstances, particularly in
light of the high risks of transactional failure or
renegotiation inherent under the circumstances in the
indications of interest of Company A and Company B. Accordingly,
the Grey Wolf board authorized the management and advisors
of Grey Wolf to accept Precisions indication of interest
and to attempt to negotiate a merger agreement with Precision
during an exclusivity period. The board noted, however, that
Precisions draft merger agreement provided that Grey Wolf
could not hold discussions with any future unsolicited bidder
unless Grey Wolfs board determined that the unsolicited
offer was superior to the transaction with
Precision. Management and Grey Wolfs advisors were
instructed to negotiate a less restrictive provision, one which
would enable Grey Wolf to hold negotiations with unsolicited
bidders if its board concluded an unsolicited bid would be
reasonably likely to result in a superior offer.
Precision agreed to this change, and Grey Wolf executed
Precisions indication of interest on Thursday,
August 14, 2008 which contained an exclusive negotiation
period ending on August 24, 2008.
On Thursday, August 14, 2008, Mr. Neveu and
Mr. Richards met to discuss matters relating to the
proposed merger, including merger terms. Mr. Richards
stated that Grey Wolf expected to have proportional
representation on the board of PDC following the Merger and that
Grey Wolfs appointees to the PDC board would be given
membership on each of the Audit, Compensation and Corporate
Governance and Nominating Committees of PDCs board of
directors. Mr. Richards also noted that in Precisions
first draft merger agreement, all of Grey Wolfs
outstanding stock options were required by Precision to be
either fully exercised by the holder of the option or terminated
immediately prior to the merger. Mr. Richards expressed
concern that Grey Wolf might not have the unilateral contractual
right to compel the exercise or termination of the options and
that, if not, the Grey Wolf options might need to be converted
into options for Precision trust units. Mr. Richards also
stated that Grey Wolf expected the Merger Agreement to reflect
the addition of PDC
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as a party to the Merger because it had been delegated the
authority to manage and administer the affairs of Precision and
that the Merger Agreement should require Precision to neither
increase or decrease its cash distributions to unitholders
during the pendency of the Merger from its previous distribution
levels. The two executives also discussed the terms of the
existing employment agreements of Grey Wolf management and that
it was Mr. Richards view that the proposed
transaction would constitute a change of control that would
entitle the employees to certain benefits under their employment
agreements. Mr. Neveu and Mr. Richards agreed that
Mr. Neveu would personally meet with Grey Wolfs other
executive managers in the near future to discuss their possible
continuation of employment following the proposed merger.
On Monday, August 18, 2008, Grey Wolfs board of
directors held a special meeting to receive additional and
updated financial analysis from UBS regarding the strategic
alternatives process and to review and discuss the status of due
diligence and merger negotiations with Precision.
Representatives of UBS presented a preliminary comparative
financial analysis of Grey Wolf (on a standalone basis), Company
A, Company B and Precision. Based on UBSs financial
analysis and further board discussion, the Grey Wolf board
continued to believe that a merger with Precision was likely to
be the most attractive alternative for Grey Wolf shareholders.
UBS also presented its analysis of
break-up
fees in selected precedent merger transactions after which the
Grey Wolf board directed Mr. Richards to negotiate a lower
break-up fee
than the $75 million proposed by Precision in its draft
merger agreement. Preliminary due diligence reports concerning
Precision were also delivered by management, Blakes,
Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell.
On Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Mr. Neveu and
Mr. Richards discussed the status of merger negotiations.
Mr. Richards informed Mr. Neveu that Grey Wolfs
board would not accept a termination fee obligation under the
merger agreement of more than $64 million. Mr. Neveu
and Mr. Richards agreed to a 15% reduction of the
$75 million
break-up fee
initially demanded by Precision to $64 million.
On Saturday, August 23, 2008, the Grey Wolf board held a
special meeting to discuss Grey Wolfs strategic review
process and to receive reports of management and Grey
Wolfs advisors regarding a potential merger with
Precision. All directors were present in person except
Mr. Webster who participated telephonically. The Grey Wolf
board received final due diligence reports regarding Precision
from senior management, Blakes, Gardere Wynne Sewell, KPMG and
Porter & Hedges. Mr. Richards reported that
Precision had made clear its desire to retain executive
management of Grey Wolf (other than Mr. Richards) but that
Precision planned to discuss continued employment with Grey Wolf
executives only after a merger agreement with Grey Wolf had
been executed.
Representatives of UBS presented an analysis initially presented
to the Grey Wolf board on August 18, 2008 but updated for
public company trading prices of the comparative valuation of
the shares of Grey Wolf (on a standalone basis), Company A,
Company B and Precision. Following additional discussion, the
Grey Wolf board determined that in their collective business
judgment the merger transaction proposed by Precision offered
the best alternative for Grey Wolf shareholders. See
Grey Wolfs Reasons for the Merger and
Recommendation of the Grey Wolf Board of Directors
beginning on page 56.
At its August 23, 2008 meeting, the Grey Wolf board also
met in executive session from which Mr. Richards and other
members of Grey Wolf senior management were excused. During the
executive session, the Grey Wolf board discussed
Precisions recently articulated demand that
Mr. Richards enter into a post-Merger consulting agreement
as a condition to the consummation of the Merger and that the
consulting agreement would prohibit Mr. Richards from
soliciting named Grey Wolf executives for employment by
Mr. Richards or others for a period of 12 months
following the consummation of the Merger. Mr. Richards had
advised the board that if Grey Wolf agreed to enter into the
Merger Agreement with Precision, he would enter into such a
consulting agreement contemporaneously with the execution of the
Merger Agreement so as to remove its execution as a condition to
the Merger. The terms of Mr. Richards consulting
arrangement as agreed to by Precision and Mr. Richards and
approved by the Grey Wolf board at its August 23, 2008
meeting, are described under the caption
Interests of Grey Wolfs Directors and
Officers in the Merger beginning on page 87. While in
executive session, the Grey Wolf board also discussed and
approved the treatment of Grey Wolfs stock option and
restricted stock awards under the Merger Agreement, as further
described under the caption Treatment of Grey Wolf
Stock Options beginning on page 86.
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Representatives of Gardere Wynne Sewell advised the board that
this treatment of Grey Wolf stock options had been provided for
in the Merger Agreement at the insistence of Precision because
Precision could not assume Grey Wolfs stock options due to
complexities presented by its trust structure.
Blakes, Porter & Hedges and Gardere Wynne Sewell also
briefed the Grey Wolf board concerning the terms of the Merger
Agreement that had been negotiated with Precision, copies of
which had been previously distributed to the board, including
the Canadian and US taxation aspects of the transaction to Grey
Wolf and its shareholders. At the conclusion of the meeting, the
Grey Wolf board determined to reconvene the next day to consider
the approval and adoption of the proposed merger agreement with
Precision.
On August 23, 2008, PDCs board met to consider the
results of the due diligence review and the recommended
agreements and unanimously approved execution of the Merger
Agreement. Based on the recommendation of the PDC board of
directors, the Precision board of trustees also unanimously
approved execution of the Merger Agreement.
On Sunday, August 24, 2008, the Grey Wolf board held a
special meeting to consider the approval of the proposed merger
with Precision at which all board members were present in person
except Mr. Webster, Mr. Donovan and Mr. Ziegler,
all of whom participated telephonically. Porter &
Hedges advised the board of the changes to the proposed merger
agreement with Precision that had been negotiated overnight.
Representatives of UBS then reviewed with Grey Wolfs board
of directors the financial analyses of the proposed transaction
between Grey Wolf and Precision that UBS had performed. At the
conclusion of this presentation, UBS delivered its oral opinion,
which opinion was subsequently confirmed in writing, to the
effect that, as of August 24, 2008 and based upon and
subject to various assumptions, matters considered and
limitations described in the opinion, the consideration, taken
in the aggregate, to be received by holders of Grey Wolf common
stock in the Merger was fair, from a financial point of view, to
such holders. Thereafter, the Grey Wolf board of directors
unanimously determined that the form, terms and provisions of
the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby
were advisable, fair and in the best interest of Grey Wolf
shareholders, approved and adopted the Merger Agreement and
directed that it be submitted to Grey Wolf shareholders with the
boards unanimous recommendation that it be approved by
them.
Later in the morning of August 24, 2008, Mr. Neveu and
Mr. Richards signed the Merger Agreement. The directors and
executive officers of Grey Wolf also delivered to Precision
their voting agreements to support the Merger. Grey Wolf and
Precision publicly announced their execution of the Merger
Agreement before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on
Monday, August 25, 2008.
Grey
Wolfs Reasons for the Merger and Recommendation of Grey
Wolfs Board of Directors
At its meeting on August 24, 2008, after due consideration,
the Grey Wolf board of directors unanimously:
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determined that the Merger Agreement and the transactions it
contemplates are advisable, fair to and in the best interests of
Grey Wolf and its shareholders;
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approved the Merger Agreement; and
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recommended that the Grey Wolf shareholders vote for the
approval of the Merger Agreement.
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In reaching its determination to recommend the approval of the
Merger Agreement to the Grey Wolf shareholders, the Grey Wolf
board of directors consulted with Grey Wolf management, as well
as Grey Wolfs financial and legal advisors. Grey
Wolfs board of directors also considered various material
factors that are discussed below. The discussion in this section
is not intended to be an exhaustive list of the information and
factors considered by Grey Wolfs board of directors. In
view of the wide variety of factors considered in connection
with the Merger, the Grey Wolf board of directors did not
consider it practicable, nor did it attempt, to quantify or
otherwise assign relative weights to the specific material
factors it considered in reaching its decision. In addition,
individual members of the Grey Wolf board of directors may have
given different weight to different factors. The Grey Wolf board
of directors considered this information and these
56
factors, as a whole and considered the relevant information and
factors to be favorable to, and in support of, its
determinations and recommendation.
The Grey Wolf board of directors considered the following
factors as generally supporting its decision to enter into the
Merger Agreement:
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Grey Wolf had made it widely known that it was receptive to
acquisition proposals in addition to actively soliciting
indications of interest from potential acquirers:
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In the year preceding execution of the Merger Agreement, Grey
Wolf had publicly stated that it would consider acquisition
offers from third parties as a possible means to increase Grey
Wolf shareholder value. These statements had been made by widely
disseminated means, including publicly available earnings calls
and webcasts of Grey Wolf managements presentations at
investor conferences. Additionally, Grey Wolf had privately
discussed possible business combinations with other drilling and
oilfield services companies, including Basic, Precision and
Company A. Accordingly, Grey Wolfs board believed that
Grey Wolf had publicly made it known in the drilling and
oilfield service industry, and the investment community in
general, that Grey Wolf was receptive to acquisition proposals.
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The financial press had widely reported Grey Wolfs entry
into the Basic Merger Agreement, Precisions three
unsolicited offers to acquire Grey Wolf during the pendency of
the Basic Merger, Grey Wolfs responses to Precisions
unsolicited offers and the failure of Grey Wolfs
shareholders to approve the Basic Merger. The Grey Wolf board
believed that this publicity would be understood by the business
and financial community as indicating that Grey Wolf was
in play and would have resulted in the receipt of
indications of interest from any financial or strategic buyers
who might have been interested in acquiring Grey Wolf. This was
in fact the case as evidenced by the unsolicited inquiries of
Company B and Company C received after Precisions
acquisition bid for Grey Wolf became publicly known.
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Grey Wolf, with the assistance of UBS, conducted a publicly
announced review of its strategic alternatives, including a sale
of Grey Wolf. UBS contacted 16 potential strategic and financial
buyers on behalf of Grey Wolf, which resulted in the execution
of eight confidentiality agreements with interested potential
buyers. Despite these efforts and the extensive publicity that
had recently surrounded Grey Wolf, Grey Wolfs strategic
alternatives process drew only three indications of interest,
two of which (Company A and Precision) had previously engaged in
discussions with Grey Wolf.
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Since Company As and Company Bs indications of
interest for Grey Wolf had never been publicly announced, their
stock prices, unlike Precisions trust unit price, had not
been affected by their bids for Grey Wolf. An unaffected stock
price analysis was, therefore, regarded by the Grey Wolf board
as a useful consideration. Accordingly, UBS performed an
analysis at the request of the Grey Wolf board to estimate a
hypothetical and illustrative price for Grey Wolf common stock
premised on the assumption that Grey Wolf common stock would
have traded proportionate to an index of selected peers absent
the impact on the price of Grey Wolf common stock of
Precisions publicly announced $10.00 per share unsolicited
offer for Grey Wolf and Grey Wolfs own publicly announced
evaluation of strategic alternatives. Similarly, UBS performed
an analysis at the request of the Grey Wolf board in order to
estimate a hypothetical and illustrative unaffected price of
Precision trust units premised on the assumption that Precision
trust units would have traded proportionate to an index of
selected peers absent the impact on the price of Precision trust
units of Precisions public announcement that it had
proposed to offer $10.00 per share to acquire Grey Wolf.
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At the request of the Grey Wolf board, UBS estimated a
hypothetical and illustrative unaffected price for Grey Wolf
common stock and Precision trust units, in each case as of the
close of trading on August 22, 2008, the trading day
immediately preceding the date the Merger Agreement was signed,
premised on the assumption that each would have traded
proportionate to a relevant index, as described in the preceding
bullet, were it not for the public disclosures described in the
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preceding bullet. For Grey Wolf this was $7.08 per share and for
Precision it was $24.10 per trust unit. Based on this analysis,
Grey Wolfs board noted that Precisions proposed
merger consideration of $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a trust unit
per Grey Wolf share:
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would equate in value to $9.54 per Grey Wolf share based on
Precisions unaffected trust unit price;
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would be $0.04 higher than the range of approximately
$9.50 per share of Company Bs non-binding indication
of interest;
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would be $0.71 (7.5%) less than the $10.25 face amount of
Company As non-binding indication of interest; and
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represented a 34.7% premium to Grey Wolfs hypothetical and
illustrative unaffected stock price of $7.08.
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The Merger Agreement contained no financing conditions to
closing of the Merger, and Precision had fully committed
financing from financial institutions of national reputation.
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The Grey Wolf board believed that if Grey Wolf did not execute a
merger agreement with Precision, Precision (which the board
regarded as the most credible and motivated bidder) would drop
out of bidding for Grey Wolf, thus leaving Grey Wolf with only
the less attractive and riskier non-binding indications of
interest from Company A and Company B.
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The sale of Grey Wolf in the Merger offered greater certainty of
enhancing Grey Wolf shareholder value as compared to the other
strategic alternatives considered, including continuing to
operate as a standalone company and investing in numerous
new-built rigs, declaring special dividends, instituting a
significant stock buyback program and incrementally acquiring
other drilling and oilfield services businesses.
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Precision has a positive reputation in the drilling industry and
Grey Wolf expected its customers and suppliers generally to
react positively to the Merger.
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The reservations Grey Wolf had expressed earlier regarding the
acceptability of Precision as a merger partner in response to
its unsolicited offers to acquire Grey Wolf had been
subsequently satisfied by numerous
in-depth
conversations between Grey Wolfs senior management and
Grey Wolf shareholders held in the course of soliciting proxies
for the Basic Merger, and by subsequent due diligence
investigations of Precision. The Grey Wolf board considered that:
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Concerns regarding the acceptability of Precision trust units to
Grey Wolf shareholders were lessened by the fact that many of
Grey Wolfs largest shareholders generally indicated a
willingness to accept, and in some instances, indicated a
preference for, Precision trust units.
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Although Grey Wolf continued to expect the Canadian drilling
market to underperform the drilling market in the lower 48
United States in the short to medium term, this concern was
mitigated by due diligence inquiries regarding Precisions
US and international growth plans and Precisions and
analysts views of the underlying fundamentals of the
Canadian drilling and well service market.
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Uncertainty surrounding the value of Precision trust units as a
result of the loss of Precisions favorable Canadian
federal tax status scheduled to take effect in 2011 became of
less concern because of additional due diligence discussions
with Precision and its advisors and consultations with Blakes.
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Earlier concerns regarding the potential adverse impact of
Precisions cash distribution policy on its ability to
finance future growth were satisfied based on due diligence of
Precisions and Grey Wolfs combined growth plans and
capital budgets. These plans and budgets led Grey Wolfs
board to conclude that the combined company would have
sufficient liquidity to fund both the Merger and organic growth
initiatives, and that the combined company should have adequate
liquidity.
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With respect to Company As non-binding indication of
interest, the Grey Wolf board considered that:
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Company As market capitalization was less than Grey
Wolfs.
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Company A would be highly leveraged following its proposed
transaction, which had adverse implications for the value of the
stock portion of its proposed merger consideration.
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Company A did not have committed debt financing and stated that
it needed significant additional time to obtain its proposed
financing.
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Company As verbally stated plans to obtain
$500 million in private equity in order to be able to
obtain reasonable debt financing were judged to be
overly-ambitious,
could result in dilution of the ownership of Company A and would
substantially increase the chances that a merger with Company A
would not be completed.
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Company As proposed transaction would be highly dilutive
to its earnings per share with adverse implications for the
value of the stock portion of its proposed merger consideration
and Company As ability to obtain its own
shareholders approval of the transaction it proposed.
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With respect to Company Bs non-binding indication of
interest, the Grey Wolf board considered that:
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Company Bs interest in Grey Wolf was judged to be mainly
that of a spoiler to a potential transaction between
Precision and Grey Wolf. In contrast, Precision had been
persistent in its attempts to acquire Grey Wolf for its
strategic near and long term fit. Grey Wolfs board
believed that Company Bs defensive, rather than strategic,
interest in Grey Wolf made it likely that Company B would either
substantially lower its indicated merger price for Grey Wolf or
withdraw from negotiations to acquire Grey Wolf if Precision
ended its attempt to acquire Grey Wolf, thus eliminating what
was believed to be Company Bs principal motivation for
acquiring Grey Wolf.
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Company Bs non-binding indication of interest initially
indicated that its merger consideration was in a range, rather
than a firm price, and that its offer was subject to additional
due diligence.
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If Grey Wolf announced a transaction with Company B, employee
attrition could result that would be unmanageable if a merger
with Company B was not ultimately completed.
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The Grey Wolf board believed that the Merger would allow Grey
Wolf shareholders to participate in possible long-term value
created by the combination of the two companies, while at the
same time providing an immediate return to its shareholders in
the form of the merger consideration of $9.02 in cash or 0.4225
of a Precision trust unit per Grey Wolf share, subject to
proration.
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The Grey Wolf board considered the fact that the former
shareholders of Grey Wolf are expected to own approximately 25%
of Precisions outstanding trust units immediately
following the Merger, on a fully diluted basis.
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The Grey Wolf board considered that following the Merger, the
board of directors of PDC will be expanded to twelve members,
three of whom would be designated by Grey Wolf after
consultation with Precision, and that Grey Wolf would be
represented by a Grey Wolf board designee on each of PDCs
Audit, Compensation and Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committees, all as further described in Trustees,
Directors and Executive Management of the Combined
Companies beginning on page 106.
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The Grey Wolf board considered the fact that the Merger
Agreement permits Grey Wolf to negotiate with unsolicited
bidders if Grey Wolfs board believes that an unsolicited
acquisition proposal is reasonably likely to result in an offer
superior to the Merger with Precision, and to terminate the
Merger Agreement and accept an acquisition proposal superior to
the Merger, subject to payment of the termination fee.
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The Grey Wolf board considered the anticipated tax aspects of
the Merger, as summarized below under the caption
Material US Federal Income Tax Consequences of
the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust Units.
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Based on the business and financial experience of its members
and the advice of its legal advisors, the Grey Wolf board
concluded that the terms of the Merger Agreement were reasonable.
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The Grey Wolf board considered Grey Wolf senior
managements recommendation in support of the Merger.
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The Grey Wolf board considered the presentation of the financial
analyses performed by UBS and its opinion, dated August 24,
2008, to the effect that, as of such date and based upon and
subject to various assumptions, matters considered and
limitations described in the opinion, the consideration, taken
in the aggregate, to be received by holders of Grey Wolf common
stock in the Merger was fair, from a financial point of view, to
such holders, as more fully described below under the caption
Opinion of Grey Wolfs Financial
Advisor beginning on page 62.
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The Grey Wolf board also considered various negative factors and
potential risks of the Merger, including the following:
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The fact that the Merger consideration will not adjust upward or
downward to compensate for changes in the price of Precision
trust units or Grey Wolf common stock prior to the consummation
of the Merger, and that the terms of the Merger Agreement do not
include termination rights triggered expressly by a decrease in
value of Precision trust units. The Grey Wolf board determined
that this structure was appropriate and the risk acceptable in
view of the Grey Wolf boards focus on the relative
intrinsic value and financial performance of Precision, the
percentage of the combined company to be owned by former holders
of Grey Wolf common stock, and the inclusion in the Merger
Agreement of other structural protections such as the Grey Wolf
boards ability to change its recommendation in favor of
the Merger Agreement or to terminate the Merger Agreement in the
event of a material adverse change in Precisions business.
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Certain risks inherent in Precisions business and
operations, including the risks that Precisions business
was cyclical and subject to wide seasonal swings in activity.
Based on reports of management and outside advisors regarding
the due diligence process and the representations and warranties
of Precision in the Merger Agreement, the Grey Wolf board
determined that these risks were manageable as part of the
ongoing business of the combined company.
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The fact that as a result of the financing to be obtained by
Precision in connection with the Merger and the assumption by
Precision of Grey Wolfs convertible notes that are not
converted prior to the Merger, Precision will initially have
additional indebtedness. This level of indebtedness was,
however, believed reasonable and unlikely to materially retard
Precisions ability to grow or withstand down cycles in the
industry.
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The possibility that the anticipated benefits sought to be
obtained from the Merger might not be achieved in the time frame
contemplated, or at all, was considered, as well as the
possibility that the integration of the two companies could be
more time consuming and expensive than anticipated.
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The adverse impact that uncertainty pending consummation of the
Merger could have on the ability to attract, retain and motivate
key personnel until the Merger is completed.
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The provisions of the Merger Agreement placing restrictions on
Grey Wolfs operations until completion of the Merger. See
The Merger Agreement Covenants and
Agreements beginning on page 92 for further
information.
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Without taking into account the hypothetical and illustrative
unaffected price analysis of Grey Wolf common stock and
Precision trust units or the non-binding nature and risks
inherent in the indications of Company A and Company B, the
premium over Grey Wolfs closing stock price on
August 22, 2008 (the trading day immediately preceding
execution of the Merger Agreement), was approximately:
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5.0% in the case of the Merger Agreement offered by Precision;
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19.3% in the case of Company As non binding indication of
interest; and
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10.6% in the case of Company Bs non binding indication of
interest.
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The risk that entering into the Merger Agreement might result in
the loss of interest by others in acquiring Grey Wolf, including
Company A and Company B.
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The provisions of the Merger Agreement that, subject to certain
exceptions, prohibit Grey Wolf from soliciting, entering into or
participating in discussions regarding any takeover proposal and
the provisions of the Merger Agreement that require Grey Wolf to
conduct a shareholder meeting to consider adoption of the Merger
Agreement whether or not the Grey Wolf board continues to
recommend a vote in favor of the Merger, subject to the ability
to terminate the Merger Agreement to accept a superior proposal.
See The Merger Agreement Covenants and
Agreements No Solicitation beginning on
page 98.
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The provisions of the Merger Agreement relating to the potential
payment of a termination fee of $64.0 million under certain
circumstances or the payment of a $7.5 million expense
reimbursement under certain other circumstances. See The
Merger Agreement Termination, Termination Fees and
Expenses beginning on page 102.
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Under the terms of the Basic Merger Agreement, Grey Wolf will be
required to pay Basic an additional $25.0 million
termination fee if it concludes a merger with Precision (or any
other party) within one year from the termination of the Basic
Merger Agreement.
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The risk that the Merger might not be completed in a timely
manner or at all.
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The Grey Wolf board also considered the following additional
factors:
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the scope of the due diligence investigation conducted by
management, the Transactional Advisory Group of KPMG and Grey
Wolfs legal counsel and the results thereof;
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that Grey Wolf shareholders will be entitled to vote on the
Merger and to exercise dissenters rights if they disagree
with the Merger; and
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the interests that certain Grey Wolf executive officers and
directors may have with respect to the Merger in addition to
their interests as Grey Wolf shareholders. See
Interests of Grey Wolf Directors and Officers
in the Merger beginning on page 87.
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The Grey Wolf board of directors concluded that, overall, the
Merger represents the best strategic alternative available to
Grey Wolf and its shareholders and that potential benefits of
the Merger to Grey Wolf and its shareholders outweighed the
risks. The Grey Wolf board of directors realized that there can
be no assurance about future results, including results
considered or expected as described in the factors listed above.
The Grey Wolf board of directors unanimously:
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determined that the Merger is the best strategic
alternative available to Grey Wolf;
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determined that the Merger Agreement and the transactions
contemplated thereby, including the Merger, are advisable, fair
to and in the best interests of Grey Wolf and Grey Wolfs
shareholders; and
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recommends that Grey Wolf shareholders vote FOR the
proposal to approve the Merger Agreement.
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Precisions
Reasons for the Merger
One of Precisions strategic priorities is the continued
expansion of its US operations. Precision believes that the
acquisition of Grey Wolf presents a unique opportunity to
accelerate and enhance its organic US growth strategy. Grey
Wolfs existing presence in the US will expose
Precisions high-performance technology to a wider range of
customers and Precisions operating systems are expected to
enhance operating margins across both Precision and Grey
Wolfs combined customer base. Precision values the
opportunities available to the combined enterprise with
operations in every emerging shale play in North America. In
addition, the combined rig fleet, with Grey Wolfs deeper
and larger rigs, will facilitate international growth
61
for a broad range of global drilling opportunities. Grey
Wolfs safety and performance oriented culture was also
viewed as very complimentary to that of Precision and a key
feature to a successful merger.
The board of trustees of Precision believes that the Merger is
in the best interests of Precision and its unitholders. Upon a
recommendation of PDCs board of directors, the board of
trustees approved the Merger Agreement. Both boards had
discussions with PDCs senior management and
Precisions legal and financial advisors regarding a number
of factors, including the business, assets, liabilities, results
of operations, financial performance, strategic direction and
prospects of Grey Wolf and the experience of Grey Wolfs
management team and other employees. In view of the wide variety
of factors considered in connection with its evaluation of the
Merger, the Precision and PDC boards did not consider it
practicable to, and did not attempt to, quantify or otherwise
assign relative weights to the specific factors considered in
reaching this determination. The Precision board of trustees
viewed its position and recommendations as being based on all of
the information and the factors presented to and considered by
it. In addition, individual trustees may have given different
weights to different information and factors.
Opinion
of Grey Wolfs Financial Advisor
On August 24, 2008, at a meeting of the Grey Wolf board
held to evaluate the Merger, UBS Securities LLC, or UBS,
delivered to the Grey Wolf board an oral opinion, which opinion
was confirmed by delivery of a written opinion dated
August 24, 2008, to the effect that, as of that date and
based upon and subject to various assumptions, matters
considered and limitations described in its opinion, the
consideration, taken in the aggregate, to be received by holders
of Grey Wolf common stock in the Merger was fair, from a
financial point of view, to such holders.
The full text of UBS opinion describes the assumptions
made, procedures followed, matters considered and limitations on
the review undertaken by UBS. This opinion is attached as
Annex C and is incorporated herein by reference.
UBS opinion was provided for the benefit of the Grey
Wolf board in connection with, and for the purpose of, its
evaluation of the consideration to be received by holders of
Grey Wolf common stock in the Merger from a financial point of
view and does not address any other aspect of the Merger. The
opinion does not address the relative merits of the Merger as
compared to other business strategies or transactions that might
be available with respect to Grey Wolf or Grey Wolfs
underlying business decision to effect the Merger. The opinion
does not constitute a recommendation to any shareholder as to
how to vote or make any election or otherwise act with respect
to the Merger. Holders of shares of Grey Wolf common stock are
encouraged to read UBS opinion carefully in its entirety.
The following summary of UBS opinion is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the full text of UBS opinion.
In arriving at its opinion, UBS, among other things:
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reviewed certain publicly available business and financial
information relating to Grey Wolf and Precision;
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reviewed certain internal financial information and other data
relating to Grey Wolfs business and financial prospects
that were not publicly available, including financial forecasts
and estimates prepared by Grey Wolfs management that the
Grey Wolf board directed UBS to utilize for purposes of its
analysis;
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reviewed certain internal financial information and other data
relating to Precisions business and financial prospects
that were not publicly available, including financial forecasts
and estimates prepared by Precisions management, as
adjusted by Grey Wolfs management, that the Grey Wolf
board directed UBS to utilize for purposes of its analysis;
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reviewed certain estimates of synergies prepared by Grey
Wolfs management that were not publicly available that the
Grey Wolf board directed UBS to utilize for purposes of its
analysis;
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conducted discussions with members of Grey Wolfs and
Precisions senior management concerning the businesses and
financial prospects of Grey Wolf and Precision;
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62
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reviewed publicly available financial and stock market data with
respect to certain other companies UBS believed to be generally
relevant;
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compared the financial terms of the Merger with the publicly
available financial terms of certain other transactions UBS
believed to be generally relevant;
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reviewed current and historical market prices of Grey Wolf
common stock and Precision trust units;
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considered certain pro forma effects of the Merger on
Precisions financial statements;
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reviewed an August 22, 2008 draft of the Merger
Agreement; and
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conducted such other financial studies, analyses and
investigations, and considered such other information, as UBS
deemed necessary or appropriate.
|
At the request of the Grey Wolf board, UBS contacted third
parties to solicit indications of interest in a possible
transaction with Grey Wolf and held discussions with certain of
these parties prior to August 24, 2008.
In connection with its review, with the consent of the Grey Wolf
board, UBS assumed and relied upon, without independent
verification, the accuracy and completeness in all material
respects of the information provided to or reviewed by UBS for
the purpose of its opinion. In addition, with the consent of the
Grey Wolf board, UBS did not make any independent evaluation or
appraisal of any of the assets or liabilities (contingent or
otherwise) of Grey Wolf or Precision, and was not furnished with
any such evaluation or appraisal. With respect to the financial
forecasts, estimates, synergies and pro forma effects referred
to above, UBS assumed, at the direction of the Grey Wolf board,
that they had been reasonably prepared on a basis reflecting the
best currently available estimates and judgments of the
management of each of Grey Wolf and Precision as to the future
financial performance of their respective company and such
synergies and pro forma effects. In addition, UBS assumed, with
the approval of the Grey Wolf board, that the financial
forecasts and estimates, including synergies, referred to above
would be achieved at the times and in the amounts projected. UBS
also assumed, with the consent of the Grey Wolf board, that the
Merger would qualify for US federal income tax purposes as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Code, and that Precision would satisfy all the requirements of
the active trade or business test under
Section 1.367(a)-3(c)(3)
of the regulations promulgated by the US Treasury Department
under the Code at the consummation of the Merger. In addition,
UBS assumed, with the consent of the Grey Wolf board, that
Precision would constitute a business trust under the Canadian
Tax Act until January 1, 2011. UBS opinion was
necessarily based on economic, monetary, market and other
conditions as in effect on, and the information available to UBS
as of, the date of its opinion.
At the direction of the Grey Wolf board, UBS was not asked to,
nor did it, offer any opinion as to the terms, other than the
consideration to be received by holders of Grey Wolf common
stock in the Merger to the extent expressly specified in
UBS opinion, of the Merger Agreement or the form of the
Merger. In addition, UBS expressed no opinion as to the fairness
of the amount or nature of any compensation to be received by
any officers, directors or employees of any parties to the
Merger, or any class of such persons, relative to the
consideration to be received by holders of Grey Wolf common
stock in the Merger. UBS expressed no opinion as to what the
value of Precision trust units would be when issued pursuant to
the Merger or the prices at which Precision trust units or Grey
Wolf common stock would trade at any time. In rendering its
opinion, UBS assumed, with the consent of the Grey Wolf board,
that (i) the final executed form of the Merger Agreement
would not differ in any material respect from the draft that UBS
reviewed, (ii) the parties to the Merger Agreement would
comply with all material terms of the Merger Agreement and
(iii) the Merger would be consummated in accordance with
the terms of the Merger Agreement without any adverse waiver or
amendment of any material term or condition thereof. UBS also
assumed that all governmental, regulatory or other consents and
approvals necessary for the consummation of the Merger would be
obtained without any material adverse effect on Grey Wolf,
Precision or the Merger. Except as described above, the Grey
Wolf board imposed no other instructions or limitations on UBS
with respect to the investigations made or the procedures
followed by UBS in rendering its opinion. The issuance of
UBS opinion was approved by an authorized committee of UBS.
63
In connection with rendering its opinion to the Grey Wolf board,
UBS performed a variety of financial and comparative analyses
which are summarized below. The following summary is not a
complete description of all analyses performed and factors
considered by UBS in connection with its opinion. The
preparation of a financial opinion is a complex process
involving subjective judgments and is not necessarily
susceptible to partial analysis or summary description. With
respect to the selected public companies analysis and selected
transactions analysis summarized below, no company or
transaction used as a comparison was identical to Grey Wolf or
Precision or the Merger. These analyses necessarily involved
complex considerations and judgments concerning financial and
operating characteristics and other factors that could affect
the public trading or acquisition values of the companies
concerned.
UBS believes that its analysis and the summary below must be
considered as a whole and that selecting portions of its
analysis and factors or focusing on information presented in
tabular format, without considering all analyses and factors or
the full narrative description of the analyses, could create a
misleading or incomplete view of the processes underlying
UBS analyses and opinion. UBS did not draw, in isolation,
conclusions from or with regard to any one factor or method of
analysis for purposes of its opinion, but rather arrived at its
ultimate opinion based on results of all analyses undertaken by
it and assessed as a whole.
The financial forecasts and estimates of the future performance
of Grey Wolf and Precision, as prepared by the respective
managements of Grey Wolf and Precision (including, for
Precision, as adjusted by Grey Wolfs management), and the
financial forecasts and estimates of the future financial
performance of Precision pro forma for the Merger, reflecting
such financial forecasts and estimates, in or underlying
UBS analyses are not necessarily indicative of future
results or values, which may be significantly more or less
favorable than those financial forecasts and estimates. In
performing its analyses, UBS considered industry performance,
general business and economic conditions and other matters, many
of which were beyond the control of Grey Wolf or Precision.
Estimates of the financial value of companies do not purport to
be appraisals or necessarily reflect the prices at which
companies may actually be sold.
The consideration to be received by holders of Grey Wolf common
stock in the Merger was determined through negotiation between
Grey Wolf and Precision, and the decision by the Grey Wolf board
to enter into the Merger Agreement was solely that of the Grey
Wolf board. UBS opinion and financial analyses were only
one of many factors considered by the Grey Wolf board in its
evaluation of the Merger and should not be viewed as
determinative of the views of the Grey Wolf board with respect
to the Merger or the consideration to be received by holders of
Grey Wolf common stock in the Merger.
The following is a brief summary of the material financial
analyses performed by UBS and reviewed with the Grey Wolf board
on August 24, 2008 in connection with UBS opinion
relating to the Merger. The financial analyses summarized
below include information presented in tabular format. In order
to fully understand UBS financial analyses, the tables
must be read together with the text of each summary. The tables
alone do not constitute a complete description of the financial
analyses. Considering the data below without considering the
full narrative description of the financial analyses, including
the methodologies and assumptions underlying the analyses, could
create a misleading or incomplete view of UBS financial
analyses.
Selected Public Companies Analysis. UBS
compared selected financial information, ratios and multiples
for Grey Wolf to the corresponding data for the following
publicly traded companies selected by UBS:
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Nabors Industries Ltd.
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Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
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Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
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Ensign Energy Services Inc.
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Unit Corporation
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Precision
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Parker Drilling Company
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64
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Pioneer Drilling Company
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Union Drilling, Inc.
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In addition, UBS compared selected financial information,
ratios, and multiples for Precision to the corresponding data
for the following publicly traded companies selected by UBS:
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Nabors Industries Ltd.
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Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
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Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
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Unit Corporation
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Grey Wolf
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Parker Drilling Company
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Pioneer Drilling Company
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Union Drilling, Inc.
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Ensign Energy Services Inc.
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Trinidad Drilling Ltd.
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Savanna Energy Services Corp.
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For each of the companies selected by UBS, UBS reviewed, among
other information:
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the ratio of price per share or unit to estimated earnings per
share or unit, or EPS(U), for fiscal years 2008 and 2009;
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the ratio of price per share or unit to estimated cash flow per
share or unit, or CFPS(U), for fiscal years 2008 and 2009,
calculated as estimated earnings plus depreciation and deferred
taxes per share or unit; and
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the ratio of enterprise value, which was calculated as diluted
equity value based on closing stock or unit prices on
August 22, 2008, plus the book value of debt, less cash and
cash equivalents, as a multiple of EBITDA (earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for the last
twelve-month period (LTM), and estimated EBITDA for
fiscal years 2008 and 2009.
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UBS compared financial information and calculated various
multiples and ratios with respect to the selected companies
based on information it obtained from public filings for
historical information and consensus estimates provided by
Institutional Brokerage Estimate System, or IBES (a data service
that compiles estimates issued by securities analysts), for
forecasted information. The multiples and ratios of the selected
companies were calculated using common stock or unit closing
prices on August 22, 2008. The multiples and ratios of Grey
Wolf and Precision were calculated based on IBES consensus
estimates and the financial forecasts and estimates of the
respective managements of Grey Wolf and Precision referred to
above, and in the case of Precisions management financial
forecasts and estimates, as adjusted by Grey Wolfs
management as described above. The multiples and ratios of Grey
Wolf were calculated using (i) the $8.59 closing price per
share of Grey Wolf common stock on August 22, 2008 and
(ii) the consideration of $9.02 per share of Grey Wolf
common stock, composed of $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a
Precision trust unit per share of Grey Wolf common stock
calculated using the $21.35 closing price per Precision trust
unit on August 22, 2008, in each case assuming full
conversion of the Grey Wolf convertible notes. We refer to such
$5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision trust unit per share of
Grey Wolf common stock herein as the Assumed Mixed
Consideration. The multiples and ratios of Precision were
calculated using the $21.35 closing price per Precision trust
unit as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on
August 22, 2008.
65
The results of these analyses are summarized in the following
tables:
Grey
Wolf
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Price/
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Price/
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Enterprise
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EPS(U)
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CFPS(U)
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Value/EBITDA
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(x)
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(x)
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(x)
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2008E
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2009E
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2008E
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2009E
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LTM
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2008E
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2009E
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Selected Companies
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High
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18.1
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10.7
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8.8
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7.2
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7.8
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7.1
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5.6
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Mean
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12.1
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9.2
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6.3
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5.1
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6.2
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5.7
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4.6
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Median
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12.0
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9.2
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6.4
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5.1
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6.0
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5.5
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4.4
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Low
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8.3
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6.8
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4.1
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3.8
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4.6
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3.9
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3.2
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Grey Wolf
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Management Estimates at August 22, 2008 Closing Price
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13.1
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11.4
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6.9
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6.2
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5.0
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4.8
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4.3
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Management Estimates at Assumed Mixed Consideration
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13.8
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11.9
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7.2
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6.5
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5.3
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5.1
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4.6
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IBES Consensus Estimates at August 22, 2008 Closing Price
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13.1
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10.8
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7.1
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6.3
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5.0
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4.8
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4.2
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IBES Consensus Estimates at Assumed Mixed Consideration
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13.8
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11.3
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7.5
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6.6
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5.3
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5.1
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4.4
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Precision
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Price/
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Price/
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Enterprise
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EPS(U)
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CFPS(U)
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Value/EBITDA
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(x)
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(x)
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(x)
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2008E
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2009E
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2008E
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2009E
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LTM
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2008E
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2009E
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Selected Companies
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High
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18.4
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11.6
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9.0
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7.2
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11.9
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9.1
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6.5
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Mean
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13.2
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9.9
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6.5
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5.3
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6.6
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5.9
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4.7
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Median
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12.7
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10.3
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6.4
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5.1
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6.0
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5.5
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4.4
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Low
|
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8.3
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7.9
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4.1
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3.8
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4.6
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3.9
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3.2
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Precision
|
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Management Estimates (as adjusted by Grey Wolf) at
August 22, 2008 Closing Price
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8.5
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6.2
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6.2
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4.5
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7.5
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6.2
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4.0
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IBES Consensus Estimates at August 22, 2008 Closing Price
|
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9.3
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|
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6.8
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7.0
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5.2
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7.5
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6.8
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5.0
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Selected Transactions Analysis. UBS analyzed
certain publicly available financial information relating to the
following selected transactions:
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Date Announced
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Acquiror
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Target
|
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June 12, 2007
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Trinidad Energy Services Income Trust
|
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Axxis Drilling, Inc.
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March 19, 2007
|
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Hercules Offshore, Inc.
|
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TODCO
|
March 15, 2007
|
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Basic Energy Services, Inc.
|
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Sledge Drilling Holding Corp.
|
August 28, 2006
|
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Blast Energy Services, Inc.
|
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Eagle Domestic Drilling Operations, LLC
|
November 30, 2005
|
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Trinidad Energy Services Income Trust
|
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Cheyenne Drilling L.P.
|
February 1, 2005
|
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Oil States International, Inc.
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Elenburg Exploration Company, Inc.
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September 17, 2001
|
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Nabors Industries Ltd.
|
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Command Drilling Corporation
|
66
For the two selected transactions for which information was
publicly available, which were the transactions announced on
March 19, 2007 and September 17, 2001, and for the
Merger, UBS calculated equity value as a multiple of LTM cash
flow, estimated one-year forward cash flow, LTM net income and
estimated one-year forward net income. For each of the selected
transactions and for the Merger, UBS calculated, to the
extent such information was publicly available, enterprise value
as a multiple of LTM EBITDA, estimated one-year forward
EBITDA, LTM earnings before interest and taxes, or EBIT, and
estimated one-year forward EBIT. In each case, with respect to
the Merger, the full conversion of the Grey Wolf
convertible notes was assumed.
Multiples for the selected transactions were calculated based on
publicly available information at the time of the relevant
transaction, data from John S. Herold, Inc. and IBES consensus
estimates. Multiples for Grey Wolf were calculated based on
the financial forecasts and estimates of Grey Wolfs
management referred to above and were calculated using the
Assumed Mixed Consideration.
The following tables summarize the results of this analysis:
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Equity Value/
|
|
|
|
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Estimated
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-Year
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-Year
|
|
|
|
LTM
|
|
|
Forward
|
|
|
LTM
|
|
|
Forward
|
|
|
|
Cash Flow
|
|
|
Cash Flow
|
|
|
Net Income
|
|
|
Net Income
|
|
|
Median
|
|
|
8.6
|
|
|
|
7.6
|
|
|
|
11.4
|
|
|
|
9.5
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
8.6
|
|
|
|
7.6
|
|
|
|
11.4
|
|
|
|
9.5
|
|
Management Estimates at Assumed Mixed Consideration
|
|
|
7.5
|
|
|
|
6.5
|
|
|
|
15.1
|
|
|
|
11.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Enterprise Value/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-Year
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-Year
|
|
|
|
LTM
|
|
|
Forward
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forward
|
|
|
|
EBITDA
|
|
|
EBITDA
|
|
|
LTM EBIT
|
|
|
LTM EBIT
|
|
|
Median
|
|
|
5.2
|
|
|
|
2.8
|
|
|
|
7.9
|
|
|
|
5.6
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
5.1
|
|
|
|
3.3
|
|
|
|
7.9
|
|
|
|
5.6
|
|
Management Estimates at Assumed Mixed Consideration
|
|
|
5.3
|
|
|
|
4.6
|
|
|
|
7.6
|
|
|
|
6.8
|
|
Discounted
Cash Flow Analysis
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis-Grey Wolf. UBS
performed a discounted cash flow analysis of Grey Wolf on a
standalone basis using the financial forecasts and estimates
prepared by Grey Wolfs management referred to above for
the second half of fiscal year 2008 and fiscal years 2009
through 2013. UBS calculated a range of implied present values
as of June 30, 2008 of the stand-alone unlevered after-tax
free cash flows that Grey Wolf was forecasted to generate from
July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2013 using discount
rates ranging from 10.5% to 12.5%. UBS also calculated estimated
terminal values for Grey Wolf, as of December 31, 2013,
using terminal multiples ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 times estimated
EBITDA for fiscal year 2013. The estimated terminal values were
then discounted to present value as of June 30, 2008 using
discount rates ranging between 10.5% and 12.5%. For purposes of
this analysis, UBS utilized the diluted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock as of August 22, 2008 calculated using the
treasury method and assumed the full conversion of the Grey Wolf
convertible notes. This discounted cash flow analysis resulted
in a reference range of implied equity value per share of Grey
Wolf common stock of approximately $7.00 to $9.75 per share.
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis-Precision Pro Forma for the
Merger. UBS performed a discounted cash flow
analysis of Precision pro forma for the Merger reflecting
(i) the financial forecasts and estimates of the respective
managements of Grey Wolf and Precision referred to above, and in
the case of Precisions management financial forecasts and
estimates, as adjusted by Grey Wolfs management as
described above, for the second half of fiscal year 2008 and
fiscal years 2009 through 2013 and (ii) estimates of annual
pre-tax
67
synergies of $10 million, as prepared by Grey Wolf
management and referred to above. UBS calculated a range of
implied present values as of June 30, 2008 of the unlevered
after-tax free cash flows that Precision pro forma for the
Merger was forecasted to generate from July 1, 2008 through
December 31, 2013 using discount rates ranging between 9.5%
and 11.5%. UBS also calculated estimated terminal values for
Precision pro forma for the Merger, as of December 31,
2013, using terminal multiples ranging from 4.75 to 6.75 times
estimated EBITDA for fiscal year 2013. The estimated terminal
values were then discounted to present value as of June 30,
2008 using discount rates ranging between 9.5% and 11.5%. This
discounted cash flow analysis resulted in a reference range of
implied equity value per Precision trust unit of approximately
$26.50 to $40.25 per Precision trust unit.
For each combination of discount rate and terminal multiple, UBS
calculated an implied present value of equity, per share of Grey
Wolf common stock, of Precision pro forma for the Merger,
utilizing the Assumed Mixed Consideration for each share of Grey
Wolf common stock. The implied present value of equity,
per share of Grey Wolf common stock, of Precision pro forma
for the Merger was calculated by multiplying the estimated
discounted cash flow value per Precision trust unit pro forma
for the Merger by 0.1883, the number of Precision trust units
per share of Grey Wolf common stock in the Assumed Mixed
Consideration, and adding $5.00, the cash consideration per
share of Grey Wolf common stock in the Assumed Mixed
Consideration. This analysis resulted in a reference range of
implied equity value, per share of Grey Wolf common stock, of
the Assumed Mixed Consideration of approximately $10 to $12.50.
Pro Forma Financial Analyses. UBS reviewed the
potential pro forma effect of the Merger on Precisions
estimated distributable cash flow, calculated as cash flow from
operations less maintenance capital expenditures, per Precision
trust unit, or DCFPU, and estimated cash flow, calculated as net
income plus depreciation expense and deferred taxes, per
Precision trust unit, or CFPU.
UBS considered the potential pro forma effect of the Merger on
Precisions DCFPU and CFPU using the financial forecasts
and estimates prepared by the respective managements of Grey
Wolf and Precision referred to above, and in the case of
Precision managements estimates, as adjusted by Grey
Wolfs management as described above, for fiscal years 2009
and 2010. Estimated synergies were not considered for the
purposes of this analysis. This analysis indicated that the
Merger would be accretive when compared to the estimated DCFPU
and CFPU of Precision in fiscal year 2009 and dilutive when
compared to estimated DCFPU and CFPU of Precision in fiscal year
2010.
UBS also considered the potential pro forma effect of the Merger
on Precisions DCFPU and CFPU using financial forecasts and
estimates for fiscal year 2009 of Grey Wolf and Precision based
on IBES consensus estimates. For the purposes of considering the
potential pro forma effect of the Merger on Precisions
DCFPU, UBS used estimates of Precisions and Grey
Wolfs respective maintenance capital expenditures as
prepared by Grey Wolfs management and that the Grey Wolf
board directed UBS to utilize for purposes of its analysis. This
analysis indicated that the Merger would be accretive when
compared to the estimated DCFPU and CFPU of Precision in fiscal
year 2009.
Miscellaneous
Under the terms of UBS engagement, Grey Wolf has agreed to
pay UBS for its financial advisory services in connection with
the Merger an aggregate fee of $15.6 million, a portion of
which was payable in connection with UBS opinion and a
significant portion of which is contingent upon consummation of
the Merger. Grey Wolf also agreed to pay UBS a fee if Grey Wolf
receives a
break-up or
similar fee in connection with the termination of the Merger
Agreement. In addition, Grey Wolf has agreed to reimburse UBS
for its reasonable expenses, including fees, disbursements and
other charges of its counsel, and to indemnify UBS and related
parties against liabilities, including liabilities under federal
securities laws, relating to, or arising out of, its engagement.
In the past, UBS provided investment banking services to Grey
Wolf unrelated to the Merger, for which UBS received
compensation, including having acted as financial advisor to
Grey Wolf in connection with the Basic Merger. In addition, UBS
or an affiliate provided a commitment for a proposed credit
facility of Grey Wolf in connection with its proposed
combination with Basic for which UBS or its affiliate received a
68
fee. In the ordinary course of business, UBS and its affiliates
may hold or trade, for their own accounts and the accounts of
their customers, securities of Grey Wolf and Precision and,
accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short position in
such securities.
Grey Wolf selected UBS as its financial advisor in connection
with the proposed transaction because UBS is an
internationally recognized investment banking firm with
substantial experience in similar transactions. UBS is
continually engaged in the valuation of businesses and their
securities in connection with mergers and acquisitions,
leveraged buyouts, negotiated underwritings, competitive bids,
secondary distributions of listed and unlisted securities and
private placements.
Financial
Forecasts
During the course of discussions between Precision and
Grey Wolf, Grey Wolf provided Grey Wolfs
financial advisors selected, non-public, long-term financial
forecasts prepared by Grey Wolf management. These summary
forecasts for 2008 and 2009 are set forth below.
Grey Wolfs internal financial forecasts are subjective in
many respects. The forecasts reflect numerous and varying
assumptions with respect to industry performance, general
business, economic, market and financial conditions and other
matters, all of which are difficult to predict and beyond Grey
Wolfs control. The forecasts also reflect numerous
estimates and assumptions related to the business of Grey Wolf
(including with respect to the growth of certain segments of its
business) that are inherently subject to significant economic,
political, and competitive uncertainties, all of which are
difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Grey
Wolfs control. The assumptions made in preparing the
forecasts may not prove accurate, and actual results may be
materially greater or less than those set forth below. See
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements beginning on page 36.
THE FORECASTS OF GREY WOLF INCLUDED IN THIS PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY, AND ARE THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF, GREY WOLF MANAGEMENT. THE ACCOMPANYING
FORECASTS RELATED TO GREY WOLF WERE NOT PREPARED WITH A VIEW
TOWARD PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OR WITH A VIEW TOWARD COMPLYING WITH
THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS WITH RESPECT TO FORECASTS, BUT, IN
THE VIEW OF GREY WOLF MANAGEMENT, WERE PREPARED ON A REASONABLE
BASIS, REFLECT THE BEST ESTIMATES AND JUDGMENTS AVAILABLE AT THE
TIME THE FORECASTS WERE PREPARED, AND PRESENT, TO GREY WOLF
MANAGEMENTS KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF AT THE TIME THE
INFORMATION WAS PREPARED, THE EXPECTED COURSE OF ACTION AND THE
EXPECTED FUTURE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF GREY WOLF. HOWEVER,
THESE FORECASTS ARE NOT FACT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS
BEING NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS, AND READERS OF
THIS PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO PLACE UNDUE
RELIANCE ON THE FORECASTS. NEITHER KPMG LLP NOR ANY OTHER
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS HAVE COMPILED, EXAMINED OR PERFORMED ANY
PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO THE FORECASTS CONTAINED HEREIN, NOR
HAVE THEY EXPRESSED ANY OPINION OR ANY OTHER FORM OF
ASSURANCE ON SUCH FORECASTS OR THEIR ACHIEVABILITY, AND ASSUME
NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR, AND DISCLAIM ANY ASSOCIATION WITH, THE
FORECASTS.
THE INCLUSION OF THE FORECASTS IN THIS PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS AN INDICATION
THAT GREY WOLF OR ITS OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS CONSIDER THE
FORECASTS TO BE AN ACCURATE PREDICTION OF FUTURE EVENTS OR
NECESSARILY ACHIEVABLE. IN LIGHT OF THE UNCERTAINTIES INHERENT
IN FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION OF ANY KIND, GREY WOLF CAUTIONS
YOU AGAINST RELYING ON THIS INFORMATION. NONE OF GREY WOLF OR
ITS OFFICERS OR DIRECTORS INTEND TO UPDATE OR REVISE THE
FORECASTS TO REFLECT CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTING AFTER THE DATE THEY
WERE PREPARED OR TO REFLECT THE OCCURRENCE OF FUTURE EVENTS,
EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED BY LAW. SEE CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS BEGINNING
ON PAGE 37.
69
Grey
Wolfs Forecasts
Grey Wolfs forecasts are based on the following material
underlying assumptions (US$):
|
|
|
|
|
the annual average number of its marketed rig fleet would be
122 rigs in 2008 and 125 rigs in 2009;
|
|
|
|
the average number of rigs working would be 106 rigs in
2008 and 115 rigs in 2009;
|
|
|
|
the consolidated average dayrate would be $22,477 per rig day in
2008 and $23,367 per rig day in 2009;
|
|
|
|
the total cash operating costs would be $538.6 million in
2008 and $616.1 million in 2009; and
|
|
|
|
total capital expenditures would be $165.4 million in 2008
and $185.4 million in 2009.
|
Forecasts
of Grey Wolfs Results (US$ in millions)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
$
|
869.0
|
|
|
$
|
984.3
|
|
Operating Income:
|
|
$
|
220.2
|
|
|
$
|
251.0
|
|
Net Income:
|
|
$
|
137.0
|
|
|
$
|
159.4
|
|
Material
US Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning
Precision Trust Units
The discussion under this Material US Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision
Trust Units section of this document, insofar as it
relates to matters of US federal income tax law and to the tax
consequences of the Merger, is the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP,
subject to the limitations and qualifications referenced in the
discussion. This discussion is based on the Code, Treasury
regulations, judicial authorities, published positions of the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and other applicable
authorities, all as currently in effect and all of which are
subject to change or differing interpretations (possibly with
retroactive effect). This discussion is limited to US Holders
(as defined below) and Non-US Holders (as defined below) that
hold their shares of Grey Wolf common stock (or Precision trust
units, where applicable) as capital assets for US federal income
tax purposes (generally, assets held for investment). This
discussion does not address all of the tax consequences that may
be relevant to a particular Grey Wolf shareholder or to Grey
Wolf shareholders that are subject to special treatment under US
federal income tax laws, such as:
|
|
|
|
|
financial institutions;
|
|
|
|
insurance companies;
|
|
|
|
tax-exempt organizations;
|
|
|
|
S-corporations or other pass-through entities;
|
|
|
|
dealers in securities or currencies;
|
|
|
|
persons whose functional currency is not the US dollar;
|
|
|
|
traders in securities that elect to use a mark to market method
of accounting;
|
|
|
|
persons who are not citizens or residents of the US;
|
|
|
|
persons that hold Grey Wolf common stock as part of a straddle,
hedge, constructive sale or conversion transaction;
|
|
|
|
US Holders who acquired their shares of Grey Wolf common stock
through the exercise of an employee stock option or otherwise as
compensation; and
|
|
|
|
US persons who actually or constructively own 10 percent or
more of the total combined voting power of Precision voting
securities.
|
70
If a partnership or other entity taxed as a partnership for US
federal income tax purposes holds Grey Wolf common stock,
the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will
depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the
partnership. Partnerships and partners in such a partnership
should consult their tax advisers about the tax consequences of
the Merger to them.
This discussion does not address the tax consequences of the
Merger under state, local or foreign tax laws. No assurance can
be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would
not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences
set forth below.
Holders of Grey Wolf common stock should consult with their own
tax advisors as to the tax consequences of the Merger in their
particular circumstances, including the applicability and effect
of the alternative minimum tax and any state, local or foreign
and other tax laws and of changes in those laws.
For purposes of this section, the term US Holder
means a beneficial owner of Grey Wolf common stock (or Precision
trust units, where applicable) that for US federal income tax
purposes is:
|
|
|
|
|
a citizen or resident of the US;
|
|
|
|
a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for US
federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under
the laws of the US or any state or the District of Columbia;
|
|
|
|
an estate that is subject to US federal income tax on its income
regardless of is source; or
|
|
|
|
a trust, the substantial decisions of which are controlled by
one or more US persons and which is subject to the primary
supervision of a US court, or a trust that validly has elected
under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a US
person for US federal income tax purposes.
|
For purposes of this section, the term Non-US Holder
means a beneficial owner of Grey Wolf common stock (or Precision
trust units, where applicable) that is not a US Holder or a
partnership (or other entity taxed as a partnership for US
federal income tax purposes).
Treatment
of Precision and Precision Trust Units
Precision has elected to be classified as a corporation for US
federal income tax purposes. For US federal income tax purposes,
the Precision trust units will represent equity interests in a
corporation.
Tax
Consequences of the Merger Generally
Precision and Grey Wolf have structured the Merger to qualify as
a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the Code. It is a condition to Precisions obligation to
complete the Merger that Precision receive an opinion of its
counsel, Mayer Brown LLP, dated the closing date of the Merger,
substantially to the effect that (i) the Merger will be
treated as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code and (ii) each of Precision,
Grey Wolf and Merger Sub will be a party to such reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code. It is a
condition to Grey Wolfs obligation to complete the Merger
that Grey Wolf receive an opinion of its counsel,
Porter & Hedges L.L.P., dated the closing date of the
Merger, substantially to the effect that (i) the Merger
will be treated as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code and (ii) each of Precision,
Grey Wolf and Merger Sub will be a party to such reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code. In
rendering these opinions, counsel will require and rely upon
reasonable assumptions and representations contained in letters
and certificates to be received from Precision and Grey Wolf.
None of the tax opinions given in connection with the Merger or
the opinions described below will be binding on the IRS. Neither
Precision nor Grey Wolf intends to request any ruling from the
IRS as to the US federal income tax consequences of the Merger.
Consequently, no assurance can be given that the IRS will not
assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary
to any of those set forth below. In addition, if any of the
representations or assumptions upon which those opinions are
based is inconsistent with the actual facts, the US federal
income tax consequences of the Merger could be adversely
affected.
71
As a result of the Merger qualifying as a reorganization within
the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, no gain or loss
will be recognized by Precision or Grey Wolf. The following
material US federal income tax consequences will result from the
Merger:
Fractional
Units
If a US Holder receives cash in lieu of a fractional Precision
trust unit, subject to the discussion below regarding possible
dividend treatment, it will generally recognize capital gain or
loss equal to the difference between the cash received in lieu
of such fractional Precision trust unit and the portion of its
adjusted tax basis in Grey Wolf common stock surrendered that is
allocable to such fractional Precision trust unit. The capital
gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the
holding period for the Grey Wolf common stock exchanged for cash
in lieu of the fractional Precision trust unit is more than one
year as of the date of the Merger.
Exchange
of Grey Wolf Common Stock Solely for Precision Trust
Units
Subject to application of Section 367 of the Code and the
rules applicable to 5%-US Holders (defined below), for a US
Holder who exchanges all of its shares of Grey Wolf common stock
solely for Precision trust units in the Merger, no gain or loss
will be recognized.
Exchange
of Grey Wolf Common Stock Solely for Cash
For a US Holder who exchanges all of its Grey Wolf common stock
solely for cash in the Merger, a capital gain or loss equal to
the difference between the amount of cash received and the
holders tax basis in the Grey Wolf common stock generally
will be recognized.
Any capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital
gain or loss if the US Holder held the Grey Wolf common
stock for more than one year at the time the Merger is
completed. Long-term capital gain recognized by an individual
generally is subject to a maximum US federal income tax rate of
15%. Other capital gains generally are subject to a maximum US
federal income tax rate of 35%. The deductibility of capital
losses is subject to limitations.
Exchange
of Grey Wolf Common Stock for Combination of Precision Trust
Units and Cash
Subject to application of Section 367 of the Code and the
rules applicable to 5%-US Holders, for a US Holder who exchanges
shares of Grey Wolf common stock for a combination of Precision
trust units and cash, a gain (but not loss) will be recognized,
and the gain recognized will be equal to the lesser of
(i) the excess, if any, of the amount of cash plus the fair
market value of any Precision trust units received in the
Merger, over such US Holders tax basis in the shares of
Grey Wolf common stock surrendered by the US Holder in the
Merger, or (ii) the amount of cash received in the Merger.
For a US Holder who acquired different blocks of Grey Wolf
common stock at different times and at different prices,
realized gain or loss generally must be calculated separately
for each identifiable block of shares exchanged in the Merger,
and a loss realized on the exchange of one block of shares
cannot be used to offset a gain realized on the exchange of
another block of shares.
If a US Holder has differing bases or holding periods in respect
of Grey Wolf common stock, the US Holder should consult its
tax advisor prior to the exchange with regard to identifying the
bases or holding periods of the particular Precision trust units
received in the Merger.
Any capital gain generally will be long-term capital gain if the
US Holder held the Grey Wolf common stock for more than one year
at the time the Merger is completed. Long-term capital gain of
an individual generally is subject to a maximum US federal
income tax rate of 15%. Other capital gains may be taxed at
regular rates of up to 35%.
In some cases, such as if the US Holder actually or
constructively owns Precision trust units immediately before the
Merger, such gain could be treated as having the effect of the
distribution of a dividend, under the
72
tests set forth in Section 302 of the Code, in which case
such gain would be treated as ordinary dividend income. These
rules are complex and dependent upon the specific factual
circumstances particular to each US Holder. Consequently,
each US Holder that may be subject to those rules should consult
its tax advisor as to the application of these rules to the
particular facts relevant to such US Holder.
Treatment
of 5%-US Holders
Special rules apply with respect to US Holders that are
5%-US Holders, including additional requirements in
order for such 5%-US Holders to qualify for the nonrecognition
treatment described above. A 5%-US Holder for this purpose is
any US Holder that directly or indirectly owns at least five
percent of either the total voting power or the total value of
Precision immediately after the Merger. Any US Holder that may
be a 5%-US Holder should consult its tax advisor as to the
application of these rules in its particular circumstances.
Application
of Section 367 of the Code
Section 367(a) of the Code and the applicable Treasury
Regulations thereunder provide that where a US shareholder
exchanges stock in a US corporation for stock in a
non-US corporation in a transaction that would otherwise
constitute a nonrecognition transaction, the US shareholder is
required to recognize gain, but not loss, realized on such
exchange unless certain requirements are met. While Precision
and Grey Wolf generally expect such requirements to be met, one
such requirement is that the value of Precision equal or exceed
the value of Grey Wolf as of the closing date of the Merger.
Whether this requirement is met cannot be known until the
closing date of the Merger. Precision and Grey Wolf intend to
seek a ruling from the IRS to the effect that US Holders of Grey
Wolf common stock will not be subject to gain recognition on
account of Section 367 of the Code even if the value of
Precision is less than Grey Wolf as of the closing date of the
Merger, but no assurance can be given that such ruling will
ultimately be obtained. Obtaining such ruling is not a condition
to the closing of the Merger.
If the value of Precision equals or exceeds that of Grey Wolf as
of the closing date of the Merger, the US federal income tax
treatment of the Merger to US Holders will be as described in
the preceding paragraphs of this discussion. Alternatively, if
as of the closing date the value of Grey Wolf exceeds that of
Precision, and if Precision and Grey Wolf are not able to obtain
the IRS ruling described in the preceding paragraph, a US Holder
of Grey Wolf common stock would recognize gain (but not loss) in
an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the amount of cash
plus the fair market value as of the closing date of the Merger
of any Precision trust units received in the Merger, over such
US Holders tax basis in the shares of Grey Wolf common
stock surrendered by the US Holder in the Merger. Any gain so
recognized would generally be long-term capital gain if the US
Holder has held the Grey Wolf common stock for more than one
year at the time the Merger is completed. Long-term capital gain
of an individual generally is subject to a maximum US federal
income tax rate of 15%. Other capital gains may be taxed at
regular rates of up to 35%.
For a US Holder who acquired different blocks of Grey Wolf
common stock at different times and at different prices,
realized gain or loss generally must be calculated separately
for each identifiable block of shares exchanged in the Merger,
and a loss realized (but not recognized) on the exchange of one
block of shares cannot be used to offset a gain realized on the
exchange of another block of shares. If a US Holder has
differing bases or holding periods in respect of Grey Wolf
common stock, the US Holder should consult its tax advisor prior
to the exchange with regard to identifying the bases or holding
periods of the particular Precision trust units received in the
Merger.
Treatment
of Non-US Holders who Exchange Grey Wolf Common Stock in the
Merger
For a Non-US Holder who exchanges its Grey Wolf common stock in
the Merger, its tax consequences, including the computation of
capital gain or loss, will generally be determined in the same
manner as that of a US Holder, except as otherwise described
below.
A Non-US Holder generally will not be subject to US federal
income tax on any gain recognized with respect to the Merger
unless (i) such gain is effectively connected with a trade
or business of the
73
Non-US Holder
in the US (or, if certain income tax treaties apply, is
attributable to a permanent establishment), (ii) Grey Wolf
is a US real property holding corporation (as defined below) at
any time within the shorter of the five-year period ending on
the date on which the Merger is consummated or such
Non-US Holders
holding period in its Grey Wolf common stock or (iii) the
Non-US Holder is an individual who is present in the US for a
period or periods aggregating 183 or more days in the taxable
year of the exchange and certain other conditions are met. In
such cases, a Non-US Holder will generally be subject to US
federal income tax on such gain in the same manner as a US
Holder. In addition, a Non-US Holder that is a corporation may
be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or lesser rate
under an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively
connected income (other than income that is effectively
connected income solely by virtue of clause (ii), above).
Generally, a corporation is a US real property holding
corporation if the fair market value of its US real
property interests, as defined in the Code and applicable
Treasury regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate
fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and
its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business.
Grey Wolf does not believe that it is or has been a US real
property holding corporation within the last five years and does
not expect to become a US real property holding corporation
prior to the date of closing the Merger.
In addition, if a Non-US Holder receives a cash payment in the
Merger in exchange for some or all of its Grey Wolf common stock
that, as discussed above, has the effect of a distribution of a
dividend for US federal income tax purposes, then such cash
payment may be subject to 30% withholding unless (i) such
Non-US Holder is eligible for a reduced rate of withholding with
respect to dividend income under an applicable income tax treaty
or (ii) amounts paid to the Non-US Holder in the Merger are
effectively connected with the conduct of a US trade or
business. If amounts paid to the Non-US Holder in the Merger are
effectively connected with the conduct of a US trade or
business, no such withholding will be required and such amounts
will be taxed at the same graduated rates applicable to US
persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In general, a
Non-US Holder must furnish an IRS
Form W-8BEN
or IRS
Form W-8ECI
in order to establish its eligibility for any of the foregoing
exemptions or rate reductions.
The rules relating to Non-US Holders are complex and dependent
on the specific factual circumstances particular to each Non-US
Holder. Consequently, each Non-US Holder should consult its tax
advisor as to the US federal income tax consequences relevant to
such Non-US Holder.
Treatment
of Dissenters
The tax consequences to a Grey Wolf shareholder who exercises
dissenters rights with respect to such shares and receives
payment for its Grey Wolf common stock in cash generally will
not depend on the qualification of the Merger as a
reorganization for federal income tax purposes. A US Holder that
receives cash pursuant to the exercise of dissenters
rights generally will recognize a capital gain or loss for
federal income tax purposes, measured by the difference between
the holders basis in such shares and the amount of cash
received (other than the amount of cash received, if any, that
is or is deemed to be interest for federal income tax purposes
(which amount will be taxed as ordinary income)). In the case of
a US Holder that is an individual, capital gain that is
recognized in taxable years beginning before January 1,
2011 is generally taxed at a maximum rate of 15% if the Grey
Wolf common stock was held for greater than one year. The
deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
If a Non-US Holder receives cash pursuant to the exercise of
dissenters rights, then, subject to the exceptions
described above in the second paragraph under the heading
Treatment of Non-US Holders Who Exchange Grey
Wolf Common Stock in the Merger, that Non-US Holder
generally will not be subject to US federal income tax on any
gain recognized.
Tax
Basis and Holding Period
A US Holders aggregate tax basis in the Precision trust
units received in the Merger will equal its aggregate tax basis
in the Grey Wolf common stock surrendered in the Merger,
increased by the amount of taxable gain or dividend income, if
any, recognized in the Merger, and decreased by the amount of
cash, if
74
any, received in the Merger. The holding period for the shares
of Precision trust units received in the Merger generally will
include the holding period for the Grey Wolf common stock
exchanged therefor. However, if a US Holder recognizes gain
under Section 367 of the Code with respect to the Merger,
the US Holders holding period for the Precision trust
units that such holder receives will begin on the closing date
of the Merger.
Information
Reporting and Backup Withholding
Cash payments received in the Merger by a Grey Wolf shareholder
may, under certain circumstances, be subject to information
reporting and backup withholding at a rate of 28% of the cash
payable to the holder, unless the holder provides proof of an
applicable exemption or furnishes its taxpayer identification
number (in the case of individuals, their social security
number) or provides a certification of foreign status on IRS
Form W-8BEN
or other appropriate form, and otherwise complies with all
applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. Any
amounts withheld from payments to a holder under the backup
withholding rules are not additional tax and will be allowed as
a refund or credit against the Grey Wolf shareholders
US federal income tax liability, provided the required
information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Reporting
Requirements
A Grey Wolf shareholder who receives Precision trust units as a
result of the Merger will be required to retain records
pertaining to the Merger. Each holder of Grey Wolf common stock
who is required to file a US tax return and who is a
significant holder that receives Precision trust
units in the Merger will be required to file a statement with
the shareholders US federal income tax return setting
forth such holders basis in the Grey Wolf common stock
surrendered and the fair market value of the Precision trust
units and cash, if any, received in the Merger. A
significant holder is a Grey Wolf shareholder who,
immediately before the Merger, owned at least 5% of the
outstanding stock of Grey Wolf.
Failure
to Qualify as a Reorganization
If the Merger is not treated as a reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, then
(i) each holder of Grey Wolf common stock will recognize
gain or loss equal to the difference between the sum of the fair
market value of the Precision trust units and the amount of cash
received in the Merger (including cash received in lieu of
fractional Precision trust units) and its tax basis in the Grey
Wolf shares surrendered in exchange therefor, (ii) each US
Holder generally will be subject to US federal income tax on
such recognized gain, and (iii) subject to the exceptions
described above in the second paragraph under the heading
Treatment of Non-US Holders who Exchange Grey
Wolf Common Stock in the Merger.
Non-US Holders
generally will not be subject to US federal income tax on any
gain recognized.
In addition, if the Merger is not treated as a
reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code, Grey Wolf will be subject to
tax on the deemed sale of its assets to Merger Sub, with any
gain or loss for this purpose measured by the difference between
Grey Wolfs tax basis in its respective assets and the fair
market value of the respective consideration deemed to be
received therefor, or, in other words, the cash and Precision
trust units conveyed in the Merger plus the amount of Grey
Wolfs liabilities. This gain or loss would be reported on
Grey Wolfs final tax returns, along with any other income
or loss for that period and subject to the effect of any tax
carryovers, and Merger Sub would become liable for any such tax
liability by virtue of the Merger.
Ownership
by US Holders of Precision Trust Units
Dividends
and Distributions
Subject to the passive foreign investment company and controlled
foreign corporation rules discussed below, US Holders of
Precision trust units will include in gross income the gross
amount of any distributions paid, before reduction for Canadian
withholding taxes, by Precision out of its current or
accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for US federal
income tax purposes, as dividend income when the dividend is
actually or constructively received by the US Holder.
Distributions in excess of current and accumulated
75
earnings and profits, as determined for US federal income tax
purposes, will be treated as a return of capital to the extent
of the US Holders basis in its Precision trust units and
thereafter as capital gain.
Currently, dividends paid by a qualified foreign
corporation to individual US Holders who also meet certain
holding period requirements will be taxable at a maximum tax
rate of 15% (5% for individuals in lower tax brackets).
Precision expects that it will constitute a qualified foreign
corporation for US federal income tax purposes and that
distributions it makes to individual US Holders of Precision
trust units that are treated as dividends for US federal income
tax purposes will be treated as qualified dividend income
eligible for such reduced maximum rates, provided the applicable
holding period requirements are met. If distributions by
Precision do not qualify for this reduced maximum rate, US
Holders will be subject to tax on such distributions at ordinary
income rates (currently at a maximum rate of 35%). In addition,
under current law, the preferential tax rate for qualified
dividend income will not be available for taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2010.
Distributions by Precision that are treated as dividends for US
federal income tax purposes generally will not be eligible for
the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to
US corporations in respect of dividends received from
certain other corporations. The amount of such distributions
included in income of a US Holder of Precision trust units
will be the US dollar value of the Canadian dollar payments
made, determined at the spot Canadian dollar/US dollar exchange
rate on the date such distribution is included in the income of
the US Holder, regardless of whether the payment is in fact
converted into US dollars. Generally, any gain or loss resulting
from currency exchange fluctuations during the period from the
date such a distribution is included in income to the date such
distribution is converted into US dollars will be treated as
ordinary income or loss and will not be eligible for the special
tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income. Such gain or
loss will generally be income from sources within the US for
foreign tax credit limitation purposes.
Distributions by Precision that are treated as dividends for US
federal income tax purposes will be income from sources outside
the US for foreign tax credit limitation purposes. Depending on
the US Holders circumstances, such dividends may be
passive category or general category
income for foreign tax credit limitation purposes. Subject to
certain limitations, Canadian tax withheld with respect to
distributions by Precision to a US Holder of Precision trust
units and paid over to Canada will generally be creditable
against the US Holders US federal income tax liability. As
discussed below, withholding of Canadian tax is imposed at a 25%
rate (reduced to 15% for recipients that are residents of the US
eligible for benefits under the Canada-US Tax Convention) both
on cash and non-cash distributions by Precision to persons that
are not Canadian residents. However, as any non-cash
distributions by Precision generally will not be included in
income for US federal income tax purposes, such Canadian tax
withholding may exceed a US Holders allowable foreign tax
credit for the taxable year of the distribution. To the extent a
refund of the tax withheld is available to a US Holder under the
laws of Canada or under the income tax treaty between the US and
Canada, the amount of tax withheld that is refundable will not
be eligible for credit against the US Holders US federal
income tax liability, whether or not the refund is actually
obtained. The foreign tax credit limitation rules are complex
and dependent on the specific factual circumstances particular
to each US Holder of Precision trust units. Consequently, each
US Holder of Precision trust units should consult its tax
advisor as to the US federal income tax consequences relevant to
such US Holder.
Transfers
of Precision Trust Units
Subject to the passive foreign investment company and controlled
foreign corporation rules discussed below, a US Holder of
Precision trust units that sells or otherwise disposes of
Precision trust units generally will recognize capital gain or
loss for US federal income tax purposes equal to the difference
between the US dollar value of the amount realized and the
holders tax basis, determined in US dollars, in the
Precision trust units. Any capital gain or loss generally will
be long-term capital gain or loss if the US Holder had a holding
period for the Precision trust units of more than one year at
the time of the sale or other disposition. Long-term capital
gain recognized by an individual generally is subject to a
maximum US federal income tax rate of 15%. Other capital gains
generally are subject to a maximum US federal income tax rate of
35%. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to
limitations. Gain realized by a US Holder from a sale or other
76
disposition of Precision trust units will generally be treated
as income from US sources for foreign tax credit limitation
purposes.
Additional
US Federal Income Tax Considerations Under the Passive Foreign
Investment Company Rules
Precision believes that Precision trust units should not be
treated as stock of a passive foreign investment company for US
federal income tax purposes, but this conclusion is a factual
determination made annually and thus may be subject to change.
In general, Precision would be a passive foreign investment
company with respect to a US Holder if, for any taxable year in
which the US Holder held Precision trust units, at least 75% of
the gross income of Precision for the taxable year is passive
income or at least 50% of the value, determined on the basis of
a quarterly average, of Precisions assets is attributable
to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive
income. If Precision were to be treated as a passive foreign
investment company, then unless a US Holder makes a
mark-to-market election, gain realized on the sale or other
disposition of Precision trust units would in general not be
treated as capital gain. Instead, a US Holder would be treated
as if the holder had realized such gain and certain excess
distributions ratably over the holders holding
period for the shares and would be taxed at the highest tax rate
in effect for each such year to which the gain was allocated,
together with an interest charge in respect of the tax
attributable to each such year.
Additional
US Federal Income Tax Considerations Under the Controlled
Foreign Corporation (CFC) Rules
Under certain circumstances, a US Holder who directly or
indirectly owns 10% or more of the voting power of a foreign
corporation that is a CFC (generally a foreign corporation in
which 10% US shareholders own more than 50% of the voting power
of the foreign corporation) for an uninterrupted period of
30 days or more during a taxable year and who holds any
shares of the foreign corporation on the last day of the
corporations tax year must include in gross income for US
federal income tax purposes its pro rata share of certain income
of the CFC even if such share is not distributed to such US
Holder. Precision believes that it will not be a CFC immediately
after the Merger, but this could change in the future.
Ownership
by Non-US Holders of Precision Trust Units
A Non-US Holder generally will not be subject to US federal
income tax on dividends received from Precision or on any gain
recognized on a sale or other disposition of Precision trust
units unless (i) such income is effectively connected with
a trade or business of the Non-US Holder in the US (or, if
certain income tax treaties apply, is attributable to a
permanent establishment), or (ii) with respect to gain
recognized on a sale or other disposition of Precision trust
units, the Non-US Holder is an individual who is present in the
US for a period or periods aggregating 183 or more days in
the taxable year of the exchange and certain other conditions
are met. In such cases, a Non-US Holder generally will be
subject to US federal income tax on such income in the same
manner as a US Holder. In addition, a Non-US Holder that is a
corporation may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30%
(or lesser rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on such
effectively connected income.
Material
Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of
Owning Precision Trust Units
The discussion under this Material Canadian Federal Income
Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision Trust
Units section of this document, insofar as it relates to
matters of Canadian federal income tax law and to the tax
consequences of the Merger, constitutes the opinion of Felesky
Flynn LLP, Canadian federal income tax counsel (Canadian
Tax Counsel) for Precision, subject to the limitations and
qualifications referenced in the discussion, with respect to
material Canadian federal income tax consequences under the
Canadian Tax Act as of the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus to holders of the Grey Wolf common stock
who hold such Grey Wolf common stock as capital property, deal
with Precision and Grey Wolf at arms length, are not
affiliated with Precision or Grey Wolf, and who will hold
Precision trust units as capital property, all for purposes of
the Canadian Tax Act and who dispose of their Grey Wolf common
stock pursuant to the Merger and as consideration receive cash,
Precision trust units or some combination of cash and Precision
trust units. The implications of the Canadian Tax Act will be
different for holders who are
77
residents of Canada (Canadian Holders) and those who
are not residents of Canada (Non-Canadian Holders)
for purposes of the Canadian Tax Act.
Generally, Grey Wolf common stock and Precision trust units
should be considered capital property to a Canadian Holder
provided the holder does not use or hold such common stock or
trust units, as the case may be, in the course of carrying on a
business of buying or selling securities and provided the holder
does not acquire them in one or more transactions considered to
be an adventure or concern in the nature of trade.
This summary is not applicable to a holder of Grey Wolf common
stock that is a financial institution, a
specified financial institution, nor is it
applicable to a holder an interest in which would be a tax
shelter investment, all as defined in the Canadian Tax Act.
This summary is based upon the facts set out in this proxy
statement/prospectus, the provisions of the Canadian Tax Act and
accompanying Regulations in force as of the date of proxy
statement/prospectus, relevant specific proposals to amend the
Canadian Tax Act that have been publicly announced by the
Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date of this proxy
statement/prospectus (Proposed Amendments) and
Canadian Tax Counsels understanding of the current
published administrative and assessing the policies of the
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This summary
specifically assumes that Grey Wolf is a corporation that is not
resident in Canada for purposes of the Canadian Tax Act and that
materially less than 50% of Grey Wolfs assets have not
been at any time in the 60 months that ends at the time of
the Merger, and at the time of the Merger will not be, any
combination of real property situated in Canada, Canadian
resource property or timber resource property for purposes of
the Canadian Tax Act, nor will more than 50% of the fair market
value of a Grey Wolf share be derived from such property. This
summary is not exhaustive of all possible Canadian federal
income tax consequences and, except for the Proposed Amendments,
does not take into account or anticipate any changes in the law,
whether by legislative, government or judicial actions or
changes in the administrative and assessing practices of the
CRA. This summary does not take into account provincial,
territorial or foreign tax consideration, which may differ
significantly from those discussed herein. No assurance can be
given that the Proposed Amendments will be enacted as currently
proposed or at all.
This summary is of a general nature and is not intended to
be, nor should it be construed to be, legal or tax advice or
representations to any particular holder of Grey Wolf common
stock or Precision trust units. Holders of Grey Wolf common
stock and prospective holders of Precision trust units should
consult their own tax advisors in respect of the consequences to
them of the Merger and their acquisition and holding of
Precision trust units having regard to their particular
circumstances.
Canadian
Holders
The
Merger
Pursuant to the Merger, Canadian Holders of Grey Wolf common
stock will dispose of such shares and receive cash, Precision
trust units, or a combination of cash and Precision trust units
as consideration for such Grey Wolf common stock. Canadian
Holders of Grey Wolf common stock so disposed of will realize a
capital gain (or capital loss) equal to the difference between
(i) the sum of the cash consideration received in the
Merger and the fair market value of the Precision trust units
received in the Merger and (ii) the sum of the Canadian
Holders adjusted cost base for purposes of the Canadian
Tax Act of the Grey Wolf common stock disposed of and any
reasonable costs of disposition. The taxation of capital gains
and capital losses is described below under Taxation of
Capital Gains and Capital Losses of Canadian Holders. The
cost (and adjusted cost base) to a Canadian Holder of the
Precision trust units acquired as consideration for Grey Wolf
common stock disposed of in the Merger will be the fair market
value of a Precision trust unit at the time of the Merger,
subject to being averaged with the cost (and adjusted cost base)
to a Canadian holder of any Precision trust units held prior to
the Merger.
The Canadian federal income tax consequences to a Canadian
Holder who exercises dissenters rights and disposes of
Grey Wolf common stock and receives payment in cash, generally
will be the same as a Canadian Holder that disposes of Grey Wolf
common stock pursuant to the Merger, as outlined herein.
78
Taxation
of Trust Unit Distributions to Canadian Holders
Income from Precision Trust Units Prior to Application
of SIFT Legislation
This portion of the summary describes the taxation of
distributions on Precision trust units prior to the application
of the SIFT legislation. For a discussion of how distributions
would be taxed under the SIFT legislation, see below under the
heading SIFT Legislation.
Until the SIFT legislation begins to apply to Precision, income
of a Canadian Holder from Precision trust units should be
considered to be income from property for the purposes of the
Canadian Tax Act and any loss of Precision for the purposes of
the Canadian Tax Act cannot be allocated to and treated as a
loss of a Canadian Holder. A Canadian Holder will generally be
required to include in computing income for a particular
taxation year the portion of the net income of Precision for a
taxation year, including taxable dividends and net realized
taxable capital gains, that is paid or payable to the Canadian
Holder in that particular taxation year, whether such amount is
payable in cash or in kind.
Provided that appropriate designations are made by Precision,
such portions of its net taxable capital gains and taxable
dividends as are paid or payable to a Canadian Holder will
effectively retain their character and be treated as such in the
hands of the Canadian Holder for purposes of the Canadian Tax
Act. The non-taxable portion of net realized capital gains of
Precision that is paid or payable to a Canadian Holder in a year
will not be included in computing the holders income for
the year and will not reduce the adjusted cost basis of the
holders trust units. Any other amount in excess of the net
income of Precision that is paid or payable by Precision to a
Canadian Holder in a year will generally not he included in the
Canadian Holders income for the year. However, where such
an amount becomes payable to a Canadian Holder, other than as
proceeds of disposition of a Precision trust unit, the adjusted
cost base of trust units held by such Canadian Holder will
generally be reduced by such amount.
A Canadian Holder that throughout the relevant taxation year is
a Canadian-controlled private corporation, as
defined in the Canadian Tax Act, may be liable to pay an
additional refundable tax of
62/3%
on certain investment income, including taxable capital gains
and certain income from Precision.
Income From Precision Trust Units on Application of SIFT
Legislation
Under the SIFT legislation, which is not expected to apply to
Precision until January 1, 2011 (provided Precision only
experiences normal growth before then),
distributions by Precision to Canadian Holders of
Precisions income from non- portfolio properties (which is
expected to comprise all or substantially all of the income of
Precision) and taxable capital gains from dispositions of
non-portfolio properties would be treated as eligible dividends
from a taxable Canadian corporation. Therefore, in the case of
an individual Canadian Holder, such distributions would qualify
for the
gross-up and
dividend tax treatment applicable to eligible dividends received
from taxable Canadian corporations, and in the case of a
corporate Canadian Holder such distributions generally would be
eligible for the inter-corporate dividend deduction. A Canadian
Holder that is a private corporation or a
subject corporation (as defined in the Canadian Tax
Act) generally would be required to pay a
331/3%
refundable tax on such distributions under Part IV of the
Canadian Tax Act to the extent such distributions were
deductible in computing its taxable income.
Amounts distributed in excess of the income of Precision are not
affected by the SIFT legislation, and will continue to not be
included in the Canadian Holders income and, except to the
extent they constituted the non-taxable portion of any net
realized capital gains of Precision, will reduce the adjusted
cost base of the holders Precision trust units.
Taxation
of Capital Gains and Capital Losses of Canadian
Holders
Under the Canadian Tax Act, one half of any capital gain
realized by a Canadian Holder will be included in such
holders income as a taxable capital gain. Subject to
certain specific rules in the Canadian Tax Act, one half of any
capital loss realized by a Canadian Holder generally is deducted
from any taxable capital gains realized by such holder in the
year of disposition and any excess may be deducted from taxable
capital gains realized in the three preceding taxation years or
in any subsequent taxation year.
79
A Canadian Holder that throughout the relevant taxation year is
a Canadian-controlled private corporation, as
defined in the Canadian Tax Act, may be liable to pay an
additional refundable tax of
62/3%
on certain investment income, including taxable capital gains.
A Canadian Holder that is a corporation or a corporation that is
a member of a partnership or a beneficiary of a trust that
directly or indirectly owns Grey Wolf common stock and that
realize a capital loss should consult their own tax advisors.
Minimum
Tax
Capital gains realized on the disposition of capital property
such as Grey Wolf common stock may increase a Canadian
Holders liability for minimum tax if the holder is an
individual.
Non-Canadian
Holders
The
Merger
For Canadian federal income tax purposes, the Merger and the
exercise of dissenters rights in respect thereof,
generally should not be a taxable transaction for persons who
are Non-Canadian Holders.
Taxation
of Trust Unit Distributions to Non-Canadian
Holders
Until the SIFT legislation begins to apply to Precision, all
income of Precision determined in accordance with the Canadian
Tax Act (except taxable capital gains) paid or credited by
Precision in a taxation year to a Non-Canadian Holder will
generally be subject to Canadian withholding tax at a rate of
25%, subject to a reduction in such rate under an applicable tax
treaty or convention, whether such income is paid or credited in
cash or in Precision trust units. The rate of Canadian
withholding tax generally is reduced to 15% in respect of
amounts that are paid or credited by Precision to a Non-Canadian
Holder that is a resident of the US for the purposes of the
Canada-United States Income Tax Convention, (1980), as amended
(the Canada-US Tax Convention). Under the SIFT
legislation, commencing January 2011 (provided there has been
only normal growth of Precision before then), such
distributions will be characterized as taxable dividends and as
such similarly will be subject to Canadian withholding tax at a
rate of 25%, unless such rate is reduced under the provisions of
an applicable treaty or convention. A Non-Canadian Holder that
is a resident of the US who is entitled to claim the benefit of
the Canada-US Tax Convention will generally be entitled to have
the rate of withholding tax reduced to 15%, and to 0.0% for
certain US tax exempt Non-Canadian Holders.
Precision is required to maintain a special TCP gains
balance account to which it will add its capital gains
from dispositions after March 22, 2004 of taxable
Canadian property (as defined in the Canadian Tax Act),
and from which it will deduct its capital losses from
dispositions of such property and the amount of all TCP
gains distributions (as defined in the Canadian Tax Act)
made by it in previous taxation years. If Precision pays an
amount to a Non-Canadian Holder, makes a designation to treat
that amount as a taxable capital gain of the Non-Canadian Holder
and the total of all such amounts designated by Precision in a
taxation year to Non-Canadian Holders and any partnerships which
are not Canadian partnerships for the purposes of
the Canadian Tax Act exceeds 5% of all such designated amounts,
such portion of that amount as does not exceed the Non-Canadian
Holders pro rata portion of Precisions TCP
gains balance account (as defined in the Canadian Tax Act)
for the taxation year effectively will be subject to the same
Canadian withholding tax as described above for distributions of
income (other than net realized capital gains).
Disposition of Precision Trust Units Held by
Non-Canadian Holders
A Non-Canadian Holder will be subject to taxation in Canada in
respect of a capital gain realized on the disposition of
Precision trust units only if such units constitute
taxable Canadian property, as defined in the
Canadian Tax Act, and the Non-Canadian Holder is not afforded
relief under an applicable income tax treaty or convention.
Precision trust units normally should not be taxable Canadian
property at the time of the disposition provided that:
(i) the Non-Canadian Holder, persons with whom the Non-
Resident Holder does not deal at arms length (within the
meaning of the Canadian Tax Act), or the Non-Canadian Holder
together with such persons, did not own 25% or more of the
issued Precision trust units at any time during the
60-month
80
period preceding the time of the disposition;
(ii) Precision is a mutual fund trust at the time of the
disposition; and (iii) Precision trust units are not
otherwise deemed to be taxable Canadian property.
A Non-Canadian Holder whose Precision trust units constitute
taxable Canadian property generally will realize a capital gain
(or capital loss) on the redemption or disposition of such units
equal to the amount by which the proceeds of disposition exceed
(or are less than) the aggregate of: (i) such Non-Canadian
Holders adjusted cost base of its Precision trust units so
disposed, determined immediately before the redemption or
disposition; and (ii) any reasonable costs of disposition,
and generally will be subject to tax under the Canadian Tax Act
in respect of any such capital gain in the same manner as a
Canadian Holder. See Taxation of Capital Gains
and Capital Losses of Canadian Holders.
Anticipated
Accounting Treatment
Precision intends to account for the Merger as a purchase of
Grey Wolf for both Canadian and US financial accounting
purposes. Accordingly, the aggregate fair value of the
consideration paid by Precision in connection with the Merger
will be allocated to Grey Wolfs assets based on their fair
values as of the completion of the Merger, and the results of
operations of Grey Wolf will be included in Precisions
consolidated results of operations only for periods subsequent
to the completion of the Merger.
Regulatory
Matters
Under the HSR Act and the rules that have been promulgated under
that act, acquisitions of a sufficient size may not be
consummated unless information has been furnished to the
Antitrust Division of the DOJ and to the FTC and applicable
waiting period requirements have been satisfied or early
termination of the waiting period has been granted. The
acquisition of Grey Wolf common stock pursuant to the Merger is
subject to the HSR Act.
Precision and Grey Wolf filed on September 11, 2008 with
the Antitrust Division of the DOJ and the FTC, a
Hart-Scott-Rodino
Notification and Report Form with respect to the acquisition of
the Grey Wolf common stock by Precision. On September 26,
2008, the FTC notified Precision and Grey Wolf that early
termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act had been
granted.
Because Precision is a foreign corporation, the President of the
United States has the authority to block the Merger if he
determines that the Merger threatens to impair the national
security of the United States. On September 15, 2008,
Precision and Grey Wolf jointly and voluntarily filed a
notification to CFIUS, which examines proposed foreign
acquisitions and makes recommendations to the President. The
CFIUS process can, by statute, take up to 90 days. On
October 17, 2008, CFIUS issued a letter stating that it had
concluded its action, having found no national security issues
sufficient to warrant future investigation.
Merger
Fees, Costs and Expenses
Precision and Grey Wolf will incur significant transaction and
Merger-related integration costs in connection with the Merger.
Precision and Grey Wolf expect to pay transaction costs of
approximately $110 million in the aggregate, excluding both
change of control severance payments to some of their departing
employees and the $25 million termination fee that Grey
Wolf will be required to pay to Basic upon consummation of the
Merger. These transaction fees include investment banking, legal
and accounting fees and expenses, expenses associated with the
financing of the Merger, SEC filing fees, printing expenses,
mailing expenses and other related charges. These amounts are
preliminary estimates that are subject to change. A portion of
the transaction costs will be incurred regardless of whether the
Merger is consummated. Precision and Grey Wolf will each pay its
own transaction costs, except that they will share equally
certain filing, printing, costs related to financing the Merger
and other costs and expenses. Precision and Grey Wolf also
expect to incur costs associated with integrating the operations
of the two companies. Precision and Grey Wolf are in the early
stages of assessing the magnitude of these integration costs. In
addition, upon consummation of the Merger, pursuant to the terms
of the Basic Merger Agreement, Grey Wolf will pay Basic
$25 million as the balance of the termination fee.
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Consideration
to be Received in the Merger
As a result of the merger, each Grey Wolf shareholder will have
the right, with respect to each share of Grey Wolf common stock
held, to elect to receive merger consideration consisting of
either cash or Precision trust units, subject to adjustments and
certain other limitations described below.
Grey Wolf shareholders of record may specify different elections
with respect to different shares held by them. For example, if a
Grey Wolf shareholder has 100 shares, the shareholder could
make a cash election with respect to 50 shares and a unit
election with respect to the other 50 shares. Procedures
for making your election and returning the form of election are
described more fully below under Election and
Exchange Procedures. Also, the letter of transmittal and
form of election accompanying this proxy statement/prospectus
contain complete instructions on how to make your election.
If you are not a shareholder of record, such as if you hold
your shares in street name through a broker or bank,
you should contact your broker or bank for the applicable
election procedures.
Election
and Exchange Procedures
Cash
Election
The Merger Agreement provides that each Grey Wolf shareholder
who makes a valid cash election will have the right to receive,
in exchange for each share of Grey Wolf common stock for which a
valid cash election is made (referred to as a Cash
Election Share), an amount in cash equal to the Per Share
Cash Consideration, subject to the adjustments described below.
The Per Share Cash Consideration is an amount equal
to $9.02 in cash.
Unit
Election
The Merger Agreement provides that each Grey Wolf shareholder
who makes a valid unit election will have the right to receive,
in exchange for each share of Grey Wolf common stock for which a
valid unit election is made (referred to as a Unit
Election Share), 0.4225 of a Precision trust unit, subject
to the adjustments described below. We sometimes refer to the
number of Precision trust units to be received with respect to
each Unit Election Share (absent the adjustments described
below) as the Per Share Unit Consideration. 0.4225
of a Precision trust unit per share of Grey Wolf common stock is
referred to as the Exchange Ratio.
No
Election
Shareholders who do not make an election to receive cash or
Precision trust units in the Merger will have the right to
receive, in exchange for each share of Grey Wolf common stock
with respect to which no election is made (referred to as a
No Election Share), the Per Share Cash
Consideration, the Per Share Unit Consideration or a combination
thereof as described below. If you are a Grey Wolf shareholder
and your elections are not received by the exchange agent by the
election deadline, or if your form of election is improperly
completed
and/or is
not signed, you will be deemed not to have made an election and
your shares of Grey Wolf common stock will be considered No
Election Shares.
Proration
Adjustment if Cash Consideration is Oversubscribed
The cash component of the total consideration (referred to as
the Available Cash Consideration) to be paid by
Precision in the Merger is approximately $1.115 billion. If
the aggregate amount of cash payable with respect to all Cash
Election Shares (the Elected Cash Consideration) and
in respect of Grey Wolf shareholders who exercise their
dissenters rights (the Dissenting Cash
Consideration) is greater than the Available Cash
Consideration then:
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each Unit Election Share and No Election Share will be converted
into the right to receive the Per Share Unit
Consideration; and
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each Cash Election Share will be converted into the right to
receive (i) an amount in cash (without interest) equal to
the product of (a) the Per Share Cash Consideration
multiplied by (b) a fraction, the
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numerator of which will be the difference between the Available
Cash Consideration and the Dissenting Cash Consideration and the
denominator of which will be the Elected Cash Consideration (the
Cash Fraction) and (ii) a number of Precision
trust units equal to (x) the Exchange Ratio multiplied by
(y) one minus the Cash Fraction.
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Proration
Adjustment if Cash Consideration is
Undersubscribed
If the sum of the Elected Cash Consideration and the Dissenting
Cash Consideration is less than the Available Cash Consideration
(such difference referred to as the No Election Available
Cash), then each Cash Election Share will be converted
into the right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration, and:
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if the No Election Value (as described below) is less than the
No Election Available Cash, then:
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each No Election Share will be converted into the right to
receive the Per Share Cash Consideration; and
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each Unit Election Share will be converted into the right to
receive (i) an amount in cash (without interest) equal to
(x) the difference between the No Election Available Cash
and the No Election Value divided by (y) the number of Unit
Election Shares and (ii) a number of Precision trust units
equal to the product of (x) the Exchange Ratio and
(y) one minus the quotient obtained by dividing the amount
of cash payable under clause (i) of this paragraph by the
Per Share Cash Consideration.
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if the No Election Value (as described below) is greater than or
equal to the No Election Available Cash, then:
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on a pro rata basis, a number of No Election Shares equal to
(i) the No Election Available Cash divided by the Per Share
Cash Consideration multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of No Election
Shares and the denominator of which shall be the number of
No Election Shares plus the number of Notes Shares (as defined
below) will be converted into the right to receive the Per Share
Cash Consideration, with the remainder of No Election Shares
being converted into the right to receive the Per Share Unit
Consideration; and
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each Unit Election Share will be converted into the right to
receive the Per Share Unit Consideration.
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The No Election Value is equal to the product of
(i) the Per Share Cash Consideration multiplied by
(ii) the number of No Election Shares plus the number of
shares of Grey Wolf common stock underlying convertible notes
which have not been converted by the election deadline (the
Notes Shares).
Examples
of Proration Adjustments of Merger Consideration
For example, if all the Grey Wolf shareholders make a valid
cash election, there are no dissenting shareholders and all
the Grey Wolf convertible notes have been converted, each Cash
Election Share would be entitled to the following (all numbers
in these examples are rounded to the third decimal point):
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$9.02 (the Per Share Cash Consideration) multiplied by
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0.5543, which is the resulting fraction with
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$1.115 billion as the numerator (the difference between the
Available Cash Consideration and the Dissenting Cash
Consideration) and
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$2.0115 billion as the denominator (the Elected Cash
Consideration),
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meaning that each Cash Election Share would be entitled to $5.00
in cash, and
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a number of Precision trust units equal to
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0.4225, the Exchange Ratio, multiplied by
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0.4457, which is 1 minus the fraction calculated above of 0.5543,
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meaning that each Cash Election Share would be entitled to
0.1883 of a Precision trust unit,
for a total of $5.00 in cash plus 0.1883 of a Precision trust
unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock.
If all the Grey Wolf shareholders make a valid unit
election, there are no dissenting shareholders and all the
Grey Wolf convertible notes have been converted, each Unit
Election Share would be entitled to the following:
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$1.115 billion (the difference between the No Election
Available Cash and the No Election Value) divided by
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223 million (which would be the number of Unit Election
Shares),
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meaning that each Unit Election share would be entitled to $5.00
in cash and
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a number of Precision trust units equal to
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0.4225 (the Exchange Ratio) multiplied by
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0.4457, which is 1 minus the quotient obtained by dividing the
amount of cash payable to each Unit Election Share, which would
be $5.00, by the Per Share Cash Consideration, which would be
$9.02,
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meaning that each Cash Election Share would be entitled to
0.1883 of a Precision trust unit,
for a total of $5.00 in cash plus 0.1883 of a Precision trust
unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock.
If 60% of the Grey Wolf shareholders make a valid cash
election, there are no dissenting shareholders and all the
Grey Wolf convertible notes have been converted, each Unit
Election Share and each No Election Share would be entitled to
the 0.4225 of a Precision trust unit (the Exchange Ratio) and
each Cash Election Share would be entitled to the following:
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$9.02, the Per Share Cash Consideration, multiplied by
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0.9238, which is the resulting fraction with
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$1.115 billion as the numerator (the difference between the
Available Cash Consideration and the Dissenting Cash
Consideration), and
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$1.207 billion as the denominator (the Elected Cash
Consideration),
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meaning that each Cash Election Share would be entitled to $8.33
in cash, and
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a number of Precision trust units equal to
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0.4225 (the Exchange Ratio) multiplied by
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0.0762, which is one minus the fraction calculated above of
0.9238,
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meaning that each Cash Election Share would be entitled to
0.0322 of a Precision trust unit,
for a total of $8.33 in cash plus 0.0322 of a Precision trust
unit for each share of Grey Wolf common stock.
Elections
as to Form of Consideration; Form of Election
Grey Wolf shareholders who wish to elect the type of
consideration they will receive in the Merger, should carefully
review and follow the instructions set forth in the letter of
transmittal and form of election accompanying this proxy
statement/prospectus. The letter of transmittal and form of
election allows Grey Wolf shareholders to make a cash or stock
election in respect of each share of Grey Wolf common stock that
they hold. Grey Wolf shareholders may specify different
elections with respect to different shares held by them. To make
a valid election, each Grey Wolf shareholder must submit a
properly completed letter of transmittal and form of election,
together with stock certificates. If you do not return your
letter of transmittal and form of
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election by the election deadline, you will be paid, in exchange
for each No Election Share that you hold, the Per Share Cash
Consideration, the Per Share Unit Consideration or a combination
thereof as described above.
Unless otherwise designated on the election form or agreed by
Precision and Grey Wolf and publicly announced, the election
deadline will be 5:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the
second business day prior to the effective time of the Merger.
Precision and Grey Wolf will publicly announce the anticipated
election deadline at least 5 business days prior to the
anticipated effective time of the Merger.
If you wish to elect the type of Merger consideration you will
receive in the Merger, you should carefully review and follow
the instructions set forth in the letter of transmittal and form
of election. If it is determined that any purported cash
election or unit election was not properly made, the purported
election will be deemed to be of no force or effect and the
holder making the purported election will be deemed not to have
made an election for these purposes, unless a proper election is
subsequently made on a timely basis. Grey Wolf shareholders
who hold their shares of Grey Wolf common stock in street
name or through a bank, broker or other nominee will be
subject to the procedures established by, and should follow the
instructions of, their bank, broker or other nominee for making
an election with respect to such shares of Grey Wolf common
stock.
Generally, an election may be revoked, but only by written
notice received by the exchange agent prior to the election
deadline. In addition, an election may be changed, but only upon
receipt by the exchange agent prior to the election deadline of
a properly completed and signed revised form of election. Grey
Wolf shareholders will not be entitled to make, revoke or change
any election following the election deadline. Shares of Grey
Wolf common stock as to which the holder has not made a valid
election prior to the election deadline, including as a result
of revocation of an election, will be deemed to have made no
election.
Conversion
of Shares; Exchange of Grey Wolf Common Stock
The conversion of Grey Wolf common stock into the right to
receive the Merger consideration will occur automatically at the
effective time of the Merger. After the effective time of the
Merger, the exchange agent will exchange certificates
representing shares of Grey Wolf common stock for the Merger
consideration to be received in the Merger pursuant to the terms
of the Merger Agreement.
Accompanying this proxy statement/prospectus is a letter of
transmittal and form of election. The letter of transmittal and
form of election contains an election form with instructions on
how to surrender shares of Grey Wolf common stock in exchange
for the consideration that the holder of such shares is entitled
to receive under the Merger Agreement. A letter of transmittal
and form of election will be properly completed only if
accompanied by certificates, or evidence of shares in book entry
form, representing all shares of Grey Wolf common stock covered
by the letter of transmittal and form of election (or
appropriate evidence as to the loss, theft or destruction of
that certificate, appropriate evidence as to the ownership of
that certificate by the claimant, or a guaranteed delivery of
such shares and appropriate and customary indemnification, as
described in the letter of transmittal and form of election).
Computershare Trust Company, N.A. will be the exchange agent in
the Merger and will receive your letter of transmittal and form
of election, exchange your shares of Grey Wolf common stock for
the Merger consideration and perform other duties as specified
in the Merger Agreement. Precision will deposit, or cause to be
deposited, with the exchange agent the aggregate number of
Precision trust units to be issued as Merger consideration
pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the aggregate amount of cash
to be paid as Merger consideration pursuant to the Merger
Agreement and sufficient cash, when and as needed, to pay cash
in lieu of fractional Precision trust units in accordance with
the Merger Agreement.
Upon surrender of a certificate or transfer of uncertificated
shares representing the Grey Wolf common stock for cancellation
to the exchange agent, together with the letter of transmittal
and form of election described above, duly executed and
completed in accordance with the instructions that accompany the
letter of transmittal and form of election, the holder will be
entitled to receive (i) Precision trust units and/or
(ii) a check representing the amount of cash consideration
and cash in lieu of a fractional Precision trust unit, if any,
and unpaid distributions, if any, the holder has the right to
receive pursuant to the provisions of the Merger
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Agreement, after giving effect to any required withholding tax
and other reductions. Surrendered shares will then be canceled.
No interest will be paid or accrued on the cash consideration to
be received in the Merger, cash in lieu of a fractional trust
unit and unpaid distributions, if any, payable to holders of
Grey Wolf common stock. Further, no other distributions declared
or made after the effective time of the Merger with respect to
Precision trust units with a record date after the effective
time of the Merger will be paid to the holder of any shares of
Grey Wolf common stock that have not been surrendered or
transferred to the exchange agent with respect to the Precision
trust units issuable upon the surrender or transfer until such
surrender or transfer.
In the event of a transfer of ownership of Grey Wolf common
stock that is not registered in the transfer records of Grey
Wolf, the proper number of Precision trust units, together with
a check for the cash consideration and cash to be paid in lieu
of a fractional trust unit and unpaid distributions, if any, may
be issued to the transferee if the certificate or uncertificated
share representing such Grey Wolf common stock is presented to
the exchange agent, accompanied by all documents required to
evidence and effect such transfer and to evidence that any
applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid.
Any former shareholders of Grey Wolf who have not surrendered
their Grey Wolf common stock within one year after the effective
time of the Merger should only look to Precision, not the
exchange agent, for their Precision trust units, their cash
consideration and cash in lieu of a fractional share and for any
unpaid distributions and distributions on the Precision trust
units deliverable to those former shareholders pursuant to the
Merger Agreement.
Withholding
The exchange agent will be entitled to deduct and withhold from
the cash consideration the amounts it is required to deduct and
withhold under any US federal, Canadian, state, local or foreign
tax law. These amounts will be treated as having been paid to
the Grey Wolf shareholders from whom they were withheld.
Effect of
Conversion of Grey Wolf Convertible Notes
The holders of Grey Wolfs convertible notes will be
entitled to a special conversion privilege entitling them to
convert the principal amount of their convertible notes into
Grey Wolf common stock for a period beginning 15 business days
prior to, and ending two business days prior to, the anticipated
effective time of the Merger. If converted, the holders of Grey
Wolfs convertible notes will be entitled to receive one
share of Grey Wolf common stock for each $6.45 of principal
amount of Grey Wolfs 3.75% convertible notes that is
converted, and one share of Grey Wolf common stock for each
$6.51 of principal amount of Grey Wolfs floating rate
convertible notes that is converted.
Treatment
of Grey Wolf Stock Options
Holders of vested options granted under a Grey Wolf equity
incentive plan can exercise their options any time prior to the
Merger and will participate in the Merger in the same manner as
other Grey Wolf shareholders. At the effective time of the
Merger, all outstanding options, except for those granted under
the Grey Wolf, Inc. 2003 Incentive Plan (2003 Incentive
Plan), that have not been exercised will be cancelled.
Each option granted under the 2003 Incentive Plan that is
outstanding at the effective time of the Merger will be assumed
by Precision and converted into a unit appreciation right
pursuant to a plan to be adopted by Precision. Each unit
appreciation right will have the same terms as the
previously-held Grey Wolf stock option, including vesting and
expiration, but will be settled in cash based upon the
difference between the strike price (derived from the exercise
price of the option as adjusted for the Merger) and the fair
market value of the Precision trust unit on the date of exercise.
Voting
Agreements
Each of the directors and executive officers of Grey Wolf
entered into a voting agreement with Precision to vote his
shares in favor of the approval of the Merger Agreement and not
dispose of or pledge his shares of
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Grey Wolf common stock, except for existing pledges. The voting
agreements will terminate if the Merger Agreement is terminated
or upon mutual consent of that individual and Precision. This
summary does not purport to be complete, and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the voting agreements, a form of which
is included as Annex B to, and is incorporated by
reference in, this proxy statement/prospectus. As this summary
may not contain all of the information that is important to you,
you are urged to carefully read the form of voting agreement in
its entirety.
Appraisal
Rights
Article 5.12 of the TBCA grants dissenters rights to
shareholders who are required, by the terms of a Merger, to
accept any consideration other than shares of stock in the
surviving company, shares of stock listed on a national
securities exchange or cash received as payment for fractional
shares. Because Grey Wolf shareholders may receive cash as part
of their Merger consideration, Grey Wolf shareholders will have
appraisal rights as a result of the Merger. The full text of
Article 5.12 of the TBCA is attached to this proxy
statement/prospectus as Annex D.
Interests
of Grey Wolf Directors and Officers in the Merger
You should be aware that some Grey Wolfs directors and
executive officers have interests in the Merger as directors or
officers that are different from, or in addition to, the
interests of other Grey Wolf shareholders.
Governance
Structure and Management Positions
Upon consummation of the Merger, the board of directors of PDC,
which is the administrator of Precision and has been delegated
the responsibility for the management and general administration
of the affairs of Precision, will be expanded to consist of
twelve members, three of whom are current members of Grey
Wolfs board of directors (Frank M. Brown, William T.
Donovan and Trevor M. Turbidy). Precision is in discussions with
certain executive officers of Grey Wolf regarding prospective
positions as executive officers of PDC. More information
regarding the directors and executive officers that have been
designated or selected is set forth in Trustees, Directors
and Executive Management of the Combined Companies
Executive Management of PDC beginning on page 109.
Change
of Control Payments Under Executive Severance Plan and
Employment Agreements
Any Grey Wolf executive officer whose employment is terminated
under certain circumstances after the effective time of the
Merger will be entitled to severance benefits under his
employment agreement. Similarly, the officers covered by the
Grey Wolf Executive Severance Plan, established in November 2001
(the Executive Severance Plan), shall be entitled to
severance benefits under the Executive Severance Plan as
described below.
The purpose of the Executive Severance Plan is to provide those
executive officers of Grey Wolf who have not entered into
employment agreements with Grey Wolf economic protection in the
event of termination of employment by the company without cause,
or by the executive officer with good reason, within
6 months prior to or 12 months after a Change in
Control (as defined in the Executive Severance Plan). The
Merger would be a change of control under the Executive
Severance Plan. Pursuant to the terms of the Executive Severance
Plan, in the event of such a termination a participant will
receive a severance payment equal to one and one half times the
sum of: (i) the participants annual salary, plus
(ii) a bonus equal to thirty percent of such annual salary.
Grey Wolf is a party to employment agreements with Thomas P.
Richards, David W. Wehlmann, David J. Crowley, Robert
J. Proffit, Edward S. Jacob III, Forrest M. Conley, Jr.,
Joseph C. Hopewell and Ronald G. Hale which contain provisions
that provide for severance payments to the executive. If the
employment of any of these executive officers is terminated by
Grey Wolf during the one-year (two-year in the case of
Mr. Richards) period immediately following the consummation
of the Merger for any reason other than death, disability or
cause, as defined below, or if the executive
terminates his employment due to a
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constructive termination without cause, as defined
below, the former officer will be entitled to receive the
following from the surviving company:
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a severance payment equal to the product of three times (three
and three quarters times in the case of Mr. Richards) the
sum of the executives current base salary and a bonus
equal to 50% (100% in the case of Mr. Richards) of the
executives base salary;
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for varying periods of time following the executives date
of termination (depending on the executives age and years
of service with Grey Wolf), medical and welfare benefits equal
to those benefits which would have been provided to such
executive if the executives employment had not been
terminated;
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all stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units or
other stock-based awards held by the executive that are not
vested, will vest (restricted stock held by executives vests on
a change of control irrespective of termination); and
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in the event any payment or distribution to the executive would
be subject to the federal excise tax imposed by
section 4999 of the Code on excess parachute
payments, the executive will be made whole by Grey Wolf
for any such payments.
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For purposes of these employment agreements, constructive
termination without cause includes, in relevant part, the
following events:
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a failure to elect or reelect or to appoint or reappoint the
executive to the office he currently holds with Grey Wolf or
other material change of the executives functions, duties
or responsibilities which change would reduce the ranking or
level, dignity, responsibility, importance or scope of the
executives position from the position and attributes he
currently holds;
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the assignment or reassignment of the executive to a location
not within fifty miles of Grey Wolfs current location;
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the liquidation, dissolution, consolidation or merger of Grey
Wolf, or transfer of all or substantially all of its assets,
other than a transaction in which a successor corporation with a
net worth substantially the same as or greater than that of Grey
Wolf assumes the executives employment agreement and all
obligations and undertakings of Grey Wolf thereunder;
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a reduction in the executives annual salary;
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a change in control;
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the failure of Grey Wolf to continue to provide the executive
with office space, related facilities and secretarial assistance
that are commensurate with the executives responsibilities
to and position with Grey Wolf;
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the notification by Grey Wolf of Grey Wolfs intention not
to observe or perform one or more of the obligations of Grey
Wolf under the executives employment agreement;
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the failure by Grey Wolf to indemnify, pay or reimburse the
executive at the time and under the circumstances required by
the executives employment agreement;
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the occurrence of any other material breach of the
executives employment agreement by Grey Wolf or any of its
subsidiaries; or
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the delivery of notice by the Company in accordance with the
executives employment agreement hereof that it desires to
terminate the executives employment agreement.
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For purposes of these employment agreements, termination for
cause includes, in relevant part, termination for
any of the following reasons:
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chronic alcoholism or controlled substance abuse;
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an act of proven fraud or dishonesty on the part of the
executive with respect to Grey Wolf;
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knowing and material failure by the executive to comply with
material applicable laws and regulations relating to the
business of Grey Wolf;
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the executives material and continuing failure to perform
(as opposed to unsatisfactory performance) his duties or a
material breach by the executive of his employment agreement
except, in each case, where such failure or breach is caused by
the illness or other similar incapacity or disability of the
executive; or
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conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or a felony.
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Mr. Richards will not be continuing as an employee of
Precision or its affiliates after the effective time of the
Merger, and thus, in connection with the Merger,
Mr. Richards will receive approximately $4.9 million
after the closing of the Merger. Also pursuant to his employment
agreement, Mr. Richards will be entitled to a prorated portion
of his 2008 bonus. In addition, all of his unvested options and
restricted stock automatically will vest and any other
conditions to these awards will be deemed satisfied upon closing
of the Merger. Additionally, Mr. Richards and his spouse
will be provided certain health care insurance benefits for each
of their lives.
Consulting
Agreement
At the insistence of Precision, Mr. Richards entered into a
consulting agreement with Merger Sub which will be effective
upon consummation of the Merger. Under the terms of the
consulting agreement, he will be paid a consulting fee at a
monthly rate of $25,000 for the first three months of the
agreement. The agreement will terminate on the first anniversary
of the effective time of the Merger.
Director
Ownership Interests
Steven A. Webster, a director of Grey Wolf, beneficially owns
500 Precision trust units.
Listing
of Precision Trust Units
It is a condition to the consummation of the Merger that
(i) the Toronto Stock Exchange shall have conditionally
approved the additional listing of the Precision trust units to
be issued pursuant to the Merger, and (ii) the New York
Stock Exchange shall have approved the additional listing of the
Precision trust units to be issued pursuant to the Merger,
subject to official notice of issuance. The Toronto Stock
Exchange has conditionally approved the additional listing of
the Precision trust units to be issued pursuant to the Merger,
subject to Precision fulfilling the requirements of such
exchange. The New York Stock Exchange has approved the listing
of the Precision trust units to be issued pursuant to the
Merger, subject to official notice of issuance.
Deregistration
and Delisting of Grey Wolf Stock
If the Merger is consummated, Grey Wolf will delist its common
stock from the American Stock Exchange, and may deregister its
common stock under the Exchange Act. The shareholders of Grey
Wolf will become holders of Precision trust units, and their
rights as unitholders will be governed by Alberta law and by
Precisions Declaration of Trust.
Grey Wolf may cease filing periodic reports pursuant to the
Exchange Act with the SEC following deregistration of their
common stock, subject to securities laws requirements and Grey
Wolfs obligations under their respective debt instruments.
Grey
Wolfs Dividend Policy
Grey Wolf has never declared a dividend on its common stock.
Grey Wolfs bank credit facilities restrict its ability to
declare or pay any dividend on, or make similar payments with
respect to, its capital stock. In addition, the Merger Agreement
prohibits Grey Wolf from declaring, setting aside or paying any
dividend with respect to its capital stock while the Merger is
pending.
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Precisions
Distribution Policy
Precisions board of trustees has adopted a policy of
making regular cash distributions on or about the 15th day
following the end of each calendar month to holders of Precision
trust units of record on the last business day of each such
calendar month or such other date as determined from time to
time by the board of trustees. In addition, Precisions
Declaration of Trust provides that, an amount equal to net
income of Precision not already paid to holders of Precision
trust units in the year will become payable on December 31 of
each year, such that Precision will not be liable for ordinary
income taxes for such year. Please refer to Certain
Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations Taxation
of the Trust on pages 46 and 47 of the 2005 Special
Meeting Information Circular which is incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4 of the Current Report on
Form 6-K
filed by Precision with the SEC on October 5, 2005.
Precisions board of trustees reviews Precisions
distribution policy from time to time. The actual amount
distributed is dependent on various economic factors and
distributions are declared at the discretion of Precisions
board of trustees. The actual cash flow available for
distribution to holders of Precision trust units is a function
of numerous factors, including Precisions, PDLPs and
PDCs financial performance; debt covenants and
obligations; working capital requirements; upgrade and expansion
capital expenditure requirements for the purchase of property,
plant and equipment; and the number of Precision trust units and
exchangeable units of PDLP issued and outstanding.
As a result of the aforementioned factors, distributions may be
increased, reduced or suspended entirely. The market value of
Precision trust units may deteriorate if Precision decreases or
suspends cash distributions in the future. Refer to the heading
Risk Factors beginning on page 25 hereof.
Under the terms of Precisions Declaration of Trust,
Precision is required to make distributions to holders of
Precision trust units in amounts at least equal to its taxable
income. Distributions may be monthly or special and in cash or
in Precision trust units (in-kind) at the discretion
of Precisions board of trustees. To the extent that
additional cash distributions are paid and capital expenditure
or investment programs are not adjusted, debt levels may
increase. In the event that a distribution in the form of
Precision trust units is declared, the terms of Precisions
Declaration of Trust requires that the outstanding trust units
be consolidated immediately subsequent to the distribution. The
number of outstanding Precision trust units would remain at the
number outstanding immediately prior to the unit distribution
and an amount equal to the distribution would be allocated to
the holders of Precision trust units. For greater clarity,
holders of Precision trust units do not receive additional trust
units during an in-kind issuance and consolidation
process.
Resale of
Precision Trust Units
US
Resale Requirements
The Precision trust units issuable under the terms of the Merger
Agreement will not be subject to any restrictions on transfer
arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act), except for units issued to any Grey
Wolf shareholder who becomes an affiliate of
Precision for purposes of Rule 144 under the Securities
Act. Persons who may be deemed affiliates of Precision for such
purposes include individuals or entities that control, are
controlled by, or are under common control with Grey Wolf and
may include directors and executive officers of Grey Wolf.
This document does not constitute a registration statement
covering resales of shares by persons who are otherwise
restricted from selling their shares under Rules 144 and
145 of the Securities Act.
Canadian
Resale Requirements
The Precision trust units to be issued to holders of Grey Wolf
common stock under the Merger will be issued in reliance on
exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements of
applicable Canadian securities laws, and the Precision trust
units will generally be freely tradeable (other than
as a result of any control block restrictions which
may arise by virtue of the ownership thereof) under applicable
Canadian securities laws.
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THE
MERGER AGREEMENT
The following summary of the Merger Agreement is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Merger
Agreement, which is incorporated by reference and attached as
Annex A to this proxy statement/prospectus. The
rights and obligations of the parties are governed by the
express terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and not by
this summary or any other information contained in this proxy
statement/prospectus. We urge you to read the Merger Agreement
carefully and in its entirety, as well as this proxy
statement/prospectus, before making any decisions regarding the
Merger.
The Merger Agreement has been included with this proxy
statement/prospectus to provide you additional information
regarding its terms. The Merger Agreement sets forth the
contractual rights of Precision and Grey Wolf but is not
intended to be a source of factual, business or operational
information about Precision or Grey Wolf. That kind of
information can be found elsewhere in this proxy
statement/prospectus and in the other filings each of Precision
and Grey Wolf makes with the SEC, which are available as
described in Where You Can Find More Information.
As a shareholder, you are not a third party beneficiary of
the Merger Agreement and therefore you may not directly enforce
any of its terms or conditions. The parties
representations, warranties and covenants were made as of
specific dates and only for purposes of the Merger Agreement and
are subject to important exceptions and limitations, including a
contractual standard of materiality different from that
generally relevant to investors. In addition, the
representations and warranties may have been included in the
Merger Agreement for the purpose of allocating risk between
Precision and Grey Wolf, rather than to establish matters as
facts. Certain of the representations, warranties and covenants
in the Merger Agreement are qualified by information each of
Precision and Grey Wolf filed with the SEC prior to the date of
the Merger Agreement, as well as by disclosure letters each of
Precision and Grey Wolf delivered to the other party in
connection with the signing the Merger Agreement. The disclosure
letters have not been made public because, among other reasons,
they include confidential or proprietary information. The
parties believe, however, that all information material to a
shareholders decision to approve the Merger is included or
incorporated by reference in this document.
You should also be aware that none of the representations or
warranties has any legal effect among the parties to the Merger
Agreement after the effective time of the Merger, nor will the
parties to the Merger Agreement be able to assert the inaccuracy
of the representations and warranties as a basis for refusing to
close the transaction unless all such inaccuracies as a whole
would give rise to the failure of certain closing conditions.
Furthermore, you should not rely on the covenants in the
Merger Agreement as actual limitations on the respective
businesses of Precision and Grey Wolf, because either party may
take certain actions that are either expressly permitted in the
confidential disclosure letters to the Merger Agreement or as
otherwise consented to by the appropriate party, which may be
given without prior notice to the public.
Execution
of the Merger Agreement
On August 24, 2008, Grey Wolf, Precision, PDC and Merger
Sub entered into the Merger Agreement. Under the terms of the
Merger Agreement, Grey Wolf will merge with and into Merger Sub,
with Merger Sub continuing as the surviving corporation.
The
Closing and the Effective Time of the Merger
Unless otherwise agreed by the parties to the Merger Agreement,
the closing of the Merger will take place in Houston, Texas at
the offices of Mayer Brown LLP as soon as practicable after
10:00 a.m., local time, on the first business day
immediately following the day on which all of the applicable
conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement have been satisfied
or waived, except for those conditions that by their nature
cannot be satisfied until the closing, but subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of those conditions or at such other time
and place as Precision and Grey Wolf agree in writing. As soon
as practicable following the satisfaction or waiver of such
conditions, at the closing, the parties to the Merger Agreement
shall cause a properly executed
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certificate of merger and articles of merger (the
Certificate of Merger) meeting the requirements of
Article 5.04 of the TBCA to be filed in accordance
therewith. The Merger shall become effective upon the issuance
of the Certificate of Merger under the TBCA, in each case by the
Secretary of State of the State of Texas, or at such time
thereafter as is agreed to by Precision and Grey Wolf and
provided in the Certificate of Merger.
Merger
Consideration to be Received in the Merger
Consideration
to be Received in the Merger
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, shareholders of Grey
Wolf may elect to receive either cash or Precision trust units
in exchange for their Grey Wolf common stock. Each share of Grey
Wolf common stock will be converted, at the option of the
holder, into $9.02 in cash or 0.4225 of a Precision trust unit,
subject to proration. The maximum amount of cash to be paid by
Precision will be approximately $1.115 billion, and the
maximum number of Precision trust units will be approximately
42.0 million. These amounts take into account shares of
Grey Wolf common stock issuable upon the conversion of Grey
Wolfs convertible debt securities and the exercise of Grey
Wolf stock options, which, together with Grey Wolfs issued
and outstanding common stock, totals approximately
223 million fully-diluted shares of Grey Wolf common stock.
The consideration described herein represents approximately a
4.5% increase in the aggregate number of Precision trust units
offered to Grey Wolf shareholders since July 9, 2008, the
date of Precisions last public announcement of its
intention to acquire Grey Wolf. Upon consummation of the Merger,
shareholders of Grey Wolf will own approximately 25% of the
combined company, assuming that all outstanding Grey Wolf
convertible notes are converted into Grey Wolf common stock
prior to the Merger.
Adjustment
to the Exchange Ratio
If, between the date of the Merger Agreement and the effective
time of the Merger, the number of outstanding shares of Grey
Wolf or the outstanding Precision trust units shall have been
increased, decreased, changed into or exchanged for a different
number of shares or trust units, whether by reason of any
reclassification, recapitalization, stock or unit split,
split-up,
combination or exchange of shares or trust units or a stock or
unit dividend or distribution or dividend or distribution
payable in other securities shall be declared with a record date
within such period, or any similar event shall have occurred,
the Merger consideration shall be appropriately adjusted to
provide to the holders of shares of Grey Wolf common stock the
same economic effect as contemplated by the Merger Agreement.
Covenants
and Agreements
Interim
Operations
Each of Precision and Grey Wolf has agreed to customary
covenants that place restrictions on it and its subsidiaries
until the effective time of the Merger. Except as set forth in
the disclosure letters provided by each of Precision and Grey
Wolf, as expressly permitted or contemplated by the Merger
Agreement, as required by applicable laws or with the written
consent of the other party, each of Precision and Grey Wolf has
agreed that it will:
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conduct its operations and cause each of its subsidiaries to
conduct its operations in all material respects in the usual,
regular and ordinary course in substantially the same manner as
previously conducted;
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use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with past
practice to:
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preserve intact its business organization and goodwill,
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keep available the services of its executive officers, directors
and key employees, and
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preserve their relationships with customers, suppliers, agents
and creditors;
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not amend or propose to amend its organizational documents;
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not adjust, split, combine, reclassify or dispose of any of its
equity securities;
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not issue any shares or trust units of its capital stock or
other equity securities, effect any stock split or otherwise
change its capitalization as it existed on the date of the
Merger Agreement, except pursuant to the exercise of options
existing on the date of the Merger Agreement, pursuant to Grey
Wolfs Rights Agreement, as amended, upon the conversion of
any of Grey Wolfs outstanding convertible notes in
accordance with their terms or pursuant to the grant or exercise
of awards granted after the date of the Merger Agreement and
expressly permitted (i) under the Merger Agreement,
(ii) pursuant to Sections 3.6 and 5.7 of
Precisions Declaration of Trust and (iii) upon the
exchange or redemption of the exchangeable trust units;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, grant any
option, warrant, conversion right or other right not existing on
the date of the Merger Agreement to acquire or otherwise with
respect to shares of its capital stock or other equity
securities, or grant or issue any restricted stock or
securities, except for awards under the Precision or Grey Wolf
benefit plans in existence as of the date of the Merger
Agreement to any newly hired employees in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practices, as long as the vesting
or exercisability of any award made after the date of the Merger
Agreement does not accelerate as a result of the pendency,
approval or consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Merger Agreement;
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not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of its
capital stock or the capital stock of any of its subsidiaries,
except (i) by or among direct or indirect wholly-owned
subsidiaries, (ii) pursuant to the terms of the Grey Wolf
convertible notes (iii) pursuant to Article 6 of
Precisions Declaration of Trust and (iv) shares
withheld to satisfy tax withholding requirements;
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not liquidate,
wind-up,
dissolve or adopt any plan to liquidate,
wind-up or
dissolve;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, sell,
lease, license or otherwise dispose of, any assets (including
capital stock of subsidiaries) that are, individually or in the
aggregate, material to it and its subsidiaries as a whole,
except:
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sales of surplus or obsolete equipment,
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sales of other assets in the ordinary course of business or
sales of assets pursuant to contractual rights existing as of
the date of the Merger Agreement that were entered into in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practices,
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sales, leases or other transfers between itself and its wholly
owned subsidiaries or between such subsidiaries, or
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sales, dispositions or divestitures required by or in
conformance with applicable laws in order to permit or
facilitate the consummation of the Merger in accordance with the
terms of the Merger Agreement;
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not willfully or intentionally breach any representation or
warranty set forth in the Merger Agreement or take any action
that is reasonably likely to materially delay or impair the
ability of the parties to the Merger Agreement to consummate the
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement;
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not enter into any contract or obligation with respect to any of
the foregoing.
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In addition to the mutual covenants of the parties, Grey Wolf
has also agreed that it will:
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not declare, set aside or pay any dividend on or make other
distributions or payment with respect to any shares of its
capital stock;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, amend or
modify any option, warrant, conversion right or other right to
acquire shares of its capital stock existing on the date of the
Merger Agreement;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, increase
any compensation or benefits, award or pay any bonuses,
establish any bonus plan or arrangement or enter into, amend or
extend any employment
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or consulting agreement with any former, present or future
officers, directors or employees, except in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practices;
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with respect only to Grey Wolf, not, and will not permit any of
its subsidiaries to, adopt any new employee benefit plan or
agreement (including any stock option, stock benefit or stock
purchase plan) or amend any existing employee benefit plan in
any material respect, except as expressly required or permitted
by the Merger Agreement;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, permit any
holder of an option or other award to acquire Grey Wolf common
stock to have shares withheld upon exercise, vesting or payment
for tax purposes, in excess of the number of shares needed to
satisfy the minimum federal and state tax withholding
requirements;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, sell,
lease, license or otherwise dispose of, any assets (including
capital stock of subsidiaries) that are, individually or in the
aggregate, material to it and its subsidiaries as a whole,
except arms-length sales or transfers for aggregate
consideration not exceeding $30 million;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, acquire or
agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by
purchasing an equity interest in or a substantial portion of the
assets of, or by any other manner, any business or any
corporation, partnership, association or other business
organization or division thereof, except in each case for
acquisitions that:
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with respect to Grey Wolf, are not in excess of $50 million
aggregate cash consideration less the aggregate amount of any
unbudgeted capital expenditures made pursuant to the terms of
the Merger Agreement, and
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would not require historical or pro forma financial statements
with respect to such acquisitions to be included in this proxy
statement prospectus;
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not make any loans, advances, capital contributions to or
investments in any person, other than to its wholly-owned
subsidiaries or from its wholly-owned subsidiaries, customer
loans and advances to employees consistent with past practices
or short-term investment of cash in the ordinary course of
business in accordance with its cash management procedures;
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not terminate or amend any material contract or waive or assign
any of its rights under a material contract in a manner that
would be materially adverse to it, or enter into any material
contract other than customer contracts entered into in the
ordinary course of business;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, incur any
indebtedness in excess of $7.5 million in the aggregate, or
guarantee any such indebtedness, issue or sell any debt
securities or warrants or rights to acquire any of its or its
subsidiarys debt securities, or guarantee any debt
securities of others, except for borrowings from its credit
facility in the ordinary course of business, borrowings to repay
or repurchase its other indebtedness or borrowings in respect of
intercompany debt;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, create any
material liens or encumbrances (other than certain permitted
liens) on any of its property or, enter into any material
leases, except in the ordinary course of business or with or
between its subsidiaries;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to:
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make or rescind any material tax election,
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settle or compromise any material tax claim or
controversy, or
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materially change its methods of reporting relating to taxes
from those employed in the preparation of its tax return for the
most recent taxable year for which a return has been filed;
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not incur or commit to any capital expenditures that in the
aggregate exceed its capital expenditure budget by more than
$50 million in the aggregate less the aggregate amount
actually spent on acquisitions as permitted by the Merger
Agreement;
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not enter into any material new line of business;
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not enter into any contract that subjects Precision or any of
its subsidiaries to any material non-compete or similar
agreement;
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not, and will cause its subsidiaries not to, change any material
accounting principle or practice used by it except as required
by a change in generally accepted accounting principles;
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engage in any transaction or enter into any agreement with an
affiliate of Grey Wolf; and
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not compromise, settle or grant any waiver or release related to
any litigation or proceeding, other than settlements or
compromises of such litigation or proceedings where the full
amount to be paid is covered by insurance or where the amount to
be paid does not exceed $3 million individually or
$7.5 million in the aggregate.
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In addition to the mutual covenants of the parties, Precision
has also agreed that it will:
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not cease or suspend making distributions (including
corresponding distributions by PDLP) to the holders of Precision
trust units (and holders of exchangeable Precision trust units)
distributions by PDLP to Precision and payment of dividends and
interest and repayment of outstanding indebtedness by PDC and
PDLP, in each case in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with past practices;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, sell,
lease, license or otherwise dispose of, any assets (including
capital stock of subsidiaries) that are, individually or in the
aggregate, material to it and its subsidiaries as a whole,
except arms-length sales or transfers for aggregate
consideration not exceeding $120 million;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, acquire or
agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by
purchasing an equity interest in or a substantial portion of the
assets of, or by any other manner, any business or any
corporation, partnership, association or other business
organization or division thereof, except in each case for
acquisitions that:
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with respect to Precision, are not in excess of
$120 million aggregate cash consideration less the
aggregate amount of any unbudgeted capital expenditures made
pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, and
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would not require historical or pro forma financial statements
with respect to such acquisitions to be included in this proxy
statement prospectus;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, incur any
indebtedness in excess of $30 million in the aggregate, or
guarantee any such indebtedness, issue or sell any debt
securities or warrants or rights to acquire any of its or its
subsidiarys debt securities, or guarantee any debt
securities of others, except in connection with the financing to
be put in place in connection with the Merger, for borrowings
from its credit facility in the ordinary course of business not
to exceed $25 million, borrowings to repay or repurchase
its other indebtedness or borrowings in respect of intercompany
debt;
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not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, create any
material liens or encumbrances (other than certain permitted
liens) on any of its property, except in the ordinary course of
business or with or between its subsidiaries; and
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not incur or commit to any capital expenditures that in the
aggregate exceed its capital expenditure budget by more than
$200 million in the aggregate less the aggregate amount
actually spent on acquisitions as permitted by the Merger
Agreement.
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Regulatory
Filings and Related Matters
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Precision and Grey Wolf have
also agreed to take all action and do all things necessary,
appropriate or desirable under applicable law (including the HSR
Act) so as to enable the closing to occur as soon as reasonably
practicable including:
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using commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary
waivers, consents and approvals;
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identifying and making any necessary regulatory filings;
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using reasonable best efforts to avoid the entry of, or to have
vacated or terminated, any decree, order, ruling or injunction
that would restrain, prevent or delay the consummation of the
Merger;
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furnishing each other with information and reasonable assistance
that the other party reasonably requests in connection with the
preparation of necessary filings, registrations or submissions
of information to any governmental authorities;
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responding promptly to requests for additional information made
by the FTC or the DOJ and causing the waiting periods under the
HSR Act to terminate or expire at the earliest possible date
after the initial HSR filing;
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promptly notifying each other of any communication from any
authority concerning the Merger and permit the other party to
review in advance any proposed communication to any authority
concerning the Merger; and
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not participating or agreeing to participate in any meeting or
discussion with any authority in respect to any filing,
investigation or other inquiry about the Merger unless the other
party is consulted in advance and, to the extent allowed, given
the opportunity to attend and participate.
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Precision, Grey Wolf, and their respective subsidiaries are not
required to take or agree to dispose of any of their respective
assets or to limit their freedom of action with respect to any
of their businesses, to obtain any approvals or to remove any
antitrust-related impediments to the Merger, except those
actions, to which the other party agrees, that are conditioned
upon the consummation of the Merger and that, individually or in
the aggregate, do not have or cause and would not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a material adverse effect on Precision
after the Merger.
Additional
Agreements
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each of Precision and Grey
Wolf also has agreed to:
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to the extent permitted by law, provide the other party
reasonable access to its properties, records, files,
correspondence, audits and other information;
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to the extent permitted by law and applicable stock exchange
listing arrangements, consult with one another before issuing
any press releases and other announcements regarding the Merger;
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promptly prepare and file this proxy statement/prospectus,
promptly respond to any comments made by the SEC and ensure that
the information provided by each of them for inclusion in this
proxy statement/prospectus will not include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit a material fact required to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, at the time of the mailing of
this proxy statement/prospectus and at the time of the special
meetings of the shareholders of Grey Wolf;
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use its commercially reasonable best efforts to have timely
delivered to the other party comfort letters from
its independent public accounting firm; and
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pay all costs and expenses incurred by them in connection with
the Merger Agreement, regardless of whether the Merger is
consummated, other than costs that are specified to be shared or
reimbursed under the Merger Agreement.
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Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and in addition to the
applicable covenants of Precision listed above, Precision and
PDC have agreed:
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to prepare and submit to the New York Stock Exchange and the
Toronto Stock Exchange listing applications covering the
Precision trust units issuable in connection with the Merger;
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to cause Merger Sub, for a period of six years after the
effective time of the Merger, to indemnify, defend, hold
harmless and advance expenses to, to the greatest extent
permitted by law, each person who is, or has been at any time
prior to the effective time of the Merger, an officer, director,
employee, controlling shareholder or agent of Grey Wolf or its
subsidiaries, from any damages based in or arising out of the
fact that such person was serving in such capacity and
pertaining to any matter existing or arising out of actions or
omissions (or alleged actions or omissions) occurring at or
prior to the effective time of the Merger;
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to cause Merger Sub to honor all indemnification agreements,
advancement and expenses and exculpation agreements or other
obligations of Grey Wolf with respect to any of the current or
former officers and directors of Grey Wolf (including under Grey
Wolfs certificate of incorporation or bylaws) in effect as
of the date of the Merger Agreement;
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to cause Merger Sub, for a period of at least six years after
the effective time of the Merger, to use reasonable best efforts
to maintain officers and directors liability
insurance covering the individuals who are covered by Grey
Wolfs existing officers and directors
liability insurance policies at the effective time of the Merger
on terms substantially no less advantageous to such individuals
than the existing policies, provided that Merger Sub will not be
required to pay an annual premium in excess of 250% of the last
annual premium paid by Grey Wolf prior to the date of the Merger
Agreement, but in such case will purchase as much coverage as
reasonably obtainable for such amount;
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to cause Merger Sub, after the Merger, to continue the
employment of all the Grey Wolf employees, and, until after
December 31, 2009, to provide each continuing employee with
a salary or hourly wage rate (as the case may be), bonus
opportunity, and employee benefits (excluding certain retiree
medical benefits as well as stock options, equity award plans
and similar benefits, except as otherwise provided in the Merger
Agreement);
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to cause Precision and Merger Sub to administer and perform the
Grey Wolf, Inc. Employee Severance Plan established on
August 8, 2008, without amending or terminating such plan
prior to its expiration in any way that would negatively impact
its beneficiaries prior to the first anniversary of the closing
date of the Merger;
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to cause Merger Sub to credit, for each continuing employee, the
appropriate period of employment and service (based on the
employees employment with Grey Wolf) for purposes of
determining the continuing employees eligibility to join,
vesting and benefit accrual under certain corresponding employee
benefit plans, programs, policies or similar arrangements of
Merger Sub or its subsidiaries;
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to cause Merger Sub to waive, for each continuing employee and
his or her covered dependents, as well as use commercially
reasonable best efforts to cause any relevant third parties to
waive, any pre-existing medical condition limitations existing
as of the date of the Merger, but only to the extent such
pre-existing medical condition would have been covered by Merger
Subs group health plan if it were not a pre-existing
medical condition, and only to the extent that such pre-existing
medical condition limitations would not have applied under Grey
Wolfs group health plan immediately prior to the
Merger; and
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to cause Merger Sub to use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to offer each continuing employee coverage under a group
health plan which credits each continuing employee towards the
deductibles, co-insurance and maximum out of pocket provisions
imposed under such group health plan, for the year of the
Merger, with any applicable expenses already incurred during
such year under Grey Wolfs group health plan.
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No
Solicitation
The Merger Agreement provides that during the period from the
date of the Merger Agreement until the effective time of the
Merger or the earlier termination of the Merger Agreement,
subject to limited exceptions described below, Grey Wolf will
not, and will cause its subsidiaries and representatives not to:
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solicit, initiate, encourage or facilitate (including by way of
furnishing or disclosing non-public information) any inquiries,
offers or proposals that constitute, or are reasonably likely to
lead to, another acquisition proposal;
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engage in discussions or negotiations with, furnish or disclose
any non-public information or data relating to itself or any of
its subsidiaries to, or in response to a request, give access to
the properties, assets or books and records of itself or any of
its subsidiaries to, any person who has made or may be
considering making another acquisition proposal or take any
action that may otherwise lead to another acquisition proposal;
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approve, endorse or recommend another acquisition
proposal; or
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enter into any agreement in principle, letter of intent,
arrangement, understanding or other contract relating to another
acquisition proposal.
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Except as permitted below, each party is required to cease and
terminate all solicitations, discussions, negotiations or other
activity with any person with respect to another acquisition
proposal or which could reasonably be expected to lead to
another acquisition proposal and will inform its subsidiaries
and representatives to do the same.
Nothing in the Merger Agreement prevents Grey Wolf, prior to
obtaining its required shareholder approval of the Merger
Agreement, from doing any of the following, subject to
compliance with notifications to the other party with respect to
the receipt of any third party acquisition proposal as described
below:
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engaging in discussions or negotiations with, furnishing or
disclosing any information or data relating to itself or any of
its subsidiaries to, or in response to a request therefore,
giving access to the properties, assets or books and records of
itself or its subsidiaries to, any third party who has made an
unsolicited bona fide written acquisition proposal after the
date of the Merger Agreement that did not result from a
violation of its no solicitation covenant, provided that prior
to doing any of the foregoing (i) its board of directors
determines that the acquisition proposal is reasonably likely to
result in a superior proposal (as defined in the Merger
Agreement) and (ii) that such person has the financial and
legal capacity to consummate such acquisition proposal and,
provided further, that such party executes a confidentiality
agreement with the third party with material terms that are no
more favorable than those contained in the confidentiality
agreement between Precision and Grey Wolf;
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withdrawing or amending (or publicly proposing to withdraw or
amend) the approval, recommendation or declaration of
advisability by its board of directors or any committee thereof
of the Merger Agreement, the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement, provided that, if such
withdrawal or amendment (i) does not involve a third party
acquisition proposal, the board determines that the failure to
take such actions is reasonably likely to be inconsistent with
its fiduciary duties, or (ii) does involve a third party
acquisition proposal, the board determines that such alternative
proposal constitutes a superior proposal and it complies with
the five business day renegotiation period described below;
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recommending, adopting or approving (or publicly proposing to
recommend, adopt or approve) another acquisition proposal so
long as the board determines that such alternative proposal
constitutes a superior proposal and it complies with the five
business day renegotiation period described below; or
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entering into any agreement, including any agreement in
principle, which constitutes, relates to, is intended to lead to
or could reasonably be expected to lead to another acquisition
proposal so long as the board determines that such alternative
proposal constitutes a superior proposal and complies with
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the five business day renegotiation period; and, provided
further, that concurrently with entering into such an agreement,
it terminates the Merger Agreement and pays the $64 million
termination fee.
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Upon receipt of an acquisition proposal or an inquiry that is
likely to lead to an acquisition proposal from a third party,
Grey Wolf has agreed to inform Precision within 24 hours of
receipt of the acquisition proposal, the identity of the third
party making the acquisition proposal and the material terms and
conditions of the acquisition proposal. Grey Wolf has agreed to
promptly provide Precision with written notice of any changes in
the price or form of consideration or other material changes in
the status or terms of the acquisition proposal.
Grey Wolf, upon a board determination that an acquisition
proposal is a superior proposal, has agreed to notify Precision
of such determination, at which time Precision has five business
days to submit a revised offer to enable the transaction to
proceed, and any amendments to the acquisition proposal in
response to a revised offer triggers an additional
three-business day renegotiation period for Precision to submit
another revised offer.
Nothing contained in the no-solicitation provisions of the
Merger Agreement prohibits Grey Wolf or its board of directors
from taking and disclosing to their respective shareholders a
position with respect to another acquisition proposal pursuant
to
Rule 14d-9
and 14e-2(a)
under the Exchange Act or from making any similar disclosure, in
either case to the extent required by applicable law.
Representations
and Warranties
Precision, PDC and Merger Sub, on the one hand, and Grey Wolf,
on the other hand, have made customary representations and
warranties in the Merger Agreement which are substantially
reciprocal. The representations and warranties of each of Grey
Wolf, Precision, PDC and Merger Sub have been made solely for
the benefit of the other party or parties and such
representations and warranties should not be relied on by any
other person. In addition, such representations and warranties:
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are qualified in their entirety by the information filed by the
applicable party with the SEC or the Canadian Securities
Regulatory Authorities or SEDAR (and publicly available) prior
to the date of the Merger Agreement, excluding any risk-factor
disclosure, disclosure of risks in any forward-looking
statements disclaimer and other statements that are
predictive or forward looking in nature. Accordingly, the
representations and warranties should be read with consideration
given to the entirety of public disclosure regarding the parties
as set forth in their respective SEC and Canadian Securities
Regulatory Authorities filings;
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have been further qualified by information exchanged by the
parties in connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement;
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will not survive after the effective time of the Merger and
cannot be the basis for any claims under the Merger Agreement by
the other party or parties after termination of the Merger
Agreement;
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are in certain cases subject to a materiality standard described
in the Merger Agreement which may differ from what may be viewed
as material by you;
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are in certain cases, qualified by the knowledge of the parties
making such representations and warranties; and
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were made only as of the date of the Merger Agreement or such
other date as is specified in the Merger Agreement and are
subject to more recent developments.
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Each of Grey Wolf, Precision, PDC and Merger Sub has made
representations and warranties regarding, among other things:
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the organization, good standing and foreign qualification of the
parties and the corporate authority to own, operate and lease
their respective properties and to carry on their respective
businesses as currently conducted;
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the authorization, execution, delivery and enforceability of the
Merger Agreement and related matters;
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capitalization;
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subsidiaries;
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compliance with laws and possession of permits;
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whether each partys execution and delivery of the Merger
Agreement or consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby causes any:
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conflict with such partys organizational documents or the
organizational documents of its subsidiaries;
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material agreements of such party or such partys
subsidiaries being declared void;
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breach or default, or the creation of any liens, or otherwise
result in a detriment to such party or such partys
subsidiaries under any agreements of such party or such
partys subsidiaries; or
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violation of applicable law;
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the documents and reports that the parties have filed with the
SEC;
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litigation;
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whether certain events, changes or effects have occurred from
December 31, 2007 to the date of the Merger Agreement;
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taxes;
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environmental matters;
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intellectual property matters;
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brokers fees and similar fees;
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beneficial ownership of the other partys capital stock;
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the shareholder votes
and/or
director approval required in connection with the adoption of
Merger Agreement;
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undisclosed liabilities;
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material contracts;
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improper payments;
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investment company status; and
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lack of orders suspending the sale or ceasing the trading of the
parties securities.
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In addition, Grey Wolf has made other representations and
warranties about itself to Precision, PDC and Merger Sub
regarding, among other things:
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employee benefit plans;
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labor matters;
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insurance;
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receipt of opinion from financial advisor;
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ownership and condition of assets;
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the amendment of certain agreements related to a certain rights
plan of Grey Wolf;
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Canadian assets and operations; and
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takeover statutes and rights plans.
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In addition, each of Precision, PDC and Merger Sub have made
other representations and warranties to Grey Wolf regarding,
among other things:
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reporting issuer status, listing; and
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mutual fund trust status.
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None of these representations and warranties will survive after
the effective time of the Merger.
Conditions
to the Merger
Mutual
Conditions to Each Partys Obligation to Effect the
Merger
The obligation of each of Precision, PDC, Grey Wolf and Merger
Sub to complete the Merger are subject to the satisfaction or
waiver of the following conditions:
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Grey Wolf has obtained its shareholders approval of the
Merger Agreement;
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Precision has received written notice from CFIUS of its
determination pursuant to the Exon-Florio Amendment not to
undertake an investigation of the transaction contemplated by
the Merger Agreement;
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any waiting period applicable to the completion of the Merger
under the HSR Act has expired or been terminated;
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no governmental authority has taken any action that prohibits
the consummation of the Merger;
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no decree, order or injunction of a governmental authority
prohibits the consummation of the Merger;
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the SEC has declared the registration statement, of which this
proxy statement/prospectus forms a part, to be effective, and no
stop order concerning the registration statement is in effect
(and no similar action has been taken by any Canadian securities
regulatory authority with respect to Precision or the Precision
trust units), and all necessary approvals under state securities
laws or applicable Canadian securities laws related to the
issuances or trading of the Precision trust units to be issued
in the Merger have been received;
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the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange have
authorized for listing the Precision trust units to be issued
pursuant to the Merger, subject to official notice of issuance;
and
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the parties have obtained all required governmental consents,
except where the failure to obtain any such consents has not had
and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a material
adverse effect on Precision assuming the Merger has taken place.
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For purposes of the Merger Agreement, the term material
adverse effect means, with respect to any party, a
material adverse effect on the business, results of operations
or condition (financial or otherwise) of such party and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except to the extent any such
effect results from:
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changes in the industry in which such person operates or in the
economy or the financial, securities or credit markets in the US
or elsewhere in the world, including any regulatory or political
conditions or developments, or any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or declared or undeclared acts of war, terrorism,
insurrection or natural disasters that do not disproportionately
affect the business, results of operations or condition
(financial or otherwise) of such person, relative to other
industry participants, in any material respect;
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changes in law, GAAP or the interpretation thereof (after the
date of the Merger Agreement) that do not disproportionately
affect the business, results of operations or condition
(financial or otherwise) of such person, relative to other
industry participants, in any material respect;
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the execution or public disclosure of the Merger Agreement or
the consummation or the pendency of the transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement;
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any change in the price or trading volume of the stock of such
party (but not any change or effect underlying such change in
prices or volume);
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any legal proceedings made or brought by any of the current or
former shareholders of such party arising out of or related to
the Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated
thereby; or
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the failure of a party to meet any published analyst estimates
or expectations regarding such persons revenue, earnings
or other financial performance or results of operations for any
period or any failure to meet internal budgets, plans or
forecasts regarding its revenues, earnings or other financial
performance or results of operations (but not any change or
occurrence underlying such failure).
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Additional
Conditions to Each Partys Obligation to Effect the
Merger
In addition to the conditions described above, neither
Precision, PDC or Merger Sub, on the one hand, nor Grey Wolf, on
the other hand, is obligated to effect the Merger unless the
following conditions are satisfied or waived by that party on or
before the closing date:
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subject to certain materiality standards, the representations
and warranties of the other party are true and correct as of the
date of the Merger Agreement and as of the closing date (except
to the extent such representations and warranties expressly
relate to an earlier date, in which case as of such earlier
date);
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the other party has performed in all material respects its
covenants and agreements under the Merger Agreement;
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since the date of the Merger Agreement, no event, occurrence or
development has occurred that has had or caused or would
reasonably be expected to have or cause a material adverse
effect on the other party; and
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such partys US tax counsel has provided the US tax opinion
described under The Merger Material US Federal
Income Tax Consequences of the Merger and of Owning Precision
Trust Units beginning on page 70.
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Termination,
Termination Fees and Expenses
Subject to certain qualifications set forth in the Merger
Agreement, the Merger Agreement may be terminated by written
notice at any time prior to the effective time of the Merger in
any of the following ways:
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By mutual written consent.
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By either Grey Wolf or Precision if:
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the Merger has not been consummated by February 28, 2009
(through no fault of the terminating party);
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any governmental authority shall have issued an order or taken
any other action permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the consummation of the Merger or making
consummation of the Merger illegal, and such order or other
action shall have become final and nonappealable (through no
fault of the terminating party); or
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the Merger Agreement shall not have been approved by the
required vote of Grey Wolf shareholders in the manner required
by the Merger Agreement.
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there has been a material breach by Grey Wolf of its
representations and warranties in the Merger Agreement that is
incapable of being cured within 30 days following receipt
of written notice from Precision of such breach;
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Grey Wolf has failed to comply in any material respect with any
of its covenants or agreements contained in the Merger
Agreement, which failure to comply is incapable of being cured
within 30 days following written notice from Precision of
such failure;
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Grey Wolf shall have breached in any material respect any of its
non-solicitation obligations (or certain related obligations)
under the Merger Agreement, or Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf board
(or any committee thereof) publicly announces its intention to
do any of the same;
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Grey Wolf shall have entered into any acquisition agreement or
similar arrangement (excluding the Merger Agreement), which
constitutes, relates to, is intended to lead to or could
reasonably be expected to lead to an alternative acquisition
proposal, or Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf board (or any committee
thereof) publicly announces its intention to do any of the same;
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the Grey Wolf Board withdraws (or amends or modifies in a manner
adverse to Precision), or publicly proposes to so withdraw (or
amend or modify), the approval, recommendation or declaration of
advisability of the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement; or
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the Grey Wolf Board recommends, adopts or approves, or publicly
proposes to recommend, adopt or approve, an alternative
acquisition proposal.
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there has been a material breach by Precision of its
representations and warranties in the Merger Agreement that is
incapable of being cured within 30 days following receipt
of written notice from Grey Wolf of such breach;
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Precision has failed to comply in any material respect with any
of its covenants or agreements contained in the Merger
Agreement, which failure to comply is incapable of being cured
within 30 days following receipt of written notice from
Grey Wolf of such failure; or
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prior to the approval of the Merger by the required Grey Wolf
shareholder vote in the manner required by the Merger Agreement,
Grey Wolf elects to enter into an alternative acquisition
agreement as permitted by (and not in violation of) the Merger
Agreement; provided, however, that in order to so terminate
(i) Grey Wolf must not have otherwise breached any of its
non-solicitation or other related obligations under the Merger
Agreement, (ii) Grey Wolf must simultaneously pay in full
the termination payment required by the Merger Agreement and
(iii) Grey Wolf must provide Precision with a written
acknowledgment from each other relevant party that such party is
aware of the amounts due Precision under the Merger Agreement
and that such party irrevocably waives any right it may have to
litigate, sue or bring any claim to contest such amounts.
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Grey Wolf will pay to Precision a termination fee in the amount
of $64 million if the Merger Agreement is terminated
(i) due to the Merger Agreement not being approved by the
required vote of Grey Wolf shareholders, and prior to the
applicable Grey Wolf shareholder meeting the Grey Wolf board
makes a recommendation or other acquisition proposal that is
inconsistent with the approval of the Merger Agreement,
(ii) by Precision due to Grey Wolfs breach of any of
its non-solicitation obligations (or certain related
obligations) under the Merger Agreement, or (iii) by Grey
Wolf due to Grey Wolfs election to enter into an
alternative acquisition agreement as permitted by (and not in
violation of) the Merger Agreement. Grey Wolf shall also be
subject to such $64 million termination fee if the Merger
Agreement is terminated due to (a) the failure of the
Merger Agreement to gain approval by the required vote of Grey
Wolf shareholders, or (b) the non-consummation of the
Merger Agreement by February 28, 2009, so long as the
following two conditions are met:
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prior to such termination, there has been a publicly announced
acquisition proposal to acquire Grey Wolf; and
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within 365 days of such termination, any Grey Wolf company
enters into any definitive agreement with respect to or
consummates any acquisition proposal, regardless of whether such
acquisition proposal is the same as was publicly announced prior
to termination.
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103
Should the Merger Agreement be terminated by either party due to
the failure of the Merger Agreement to gain approval by the
required vote of Grey Wolf shareholders, but such termination
does not trigger the $64 million termination fee, the
Merger Agreement provides that Grey Wolf will pay to Precision
$7.5 million as a reasonable estimate of Precisions
expenses.
Amendment;
Extensions and Waivers
The parties may amend the Merger Agreement, by action taken or
authorized by their boards of directors, at any time before or
after approval of the Merger by the shareholders of Grey Wolf.
After the shareholders approve the Merger Agreement, however, no
amendment to the Merger Agreement may be made that by law
requires the further approval of shareholders unless that
further approval is obtained.
Governing
Law
The Merger Agreement is governed by and will be construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas
without regard to the conflicts of law provisions of Texas law
that would cause the laws of other jurisdictions to apply.
104
FINANCING
OF THE MERGER
In connection with, but not as a condition to, the Merger, PDC
has entered into a commitment letter with Royal Bank of Canada,
RBC Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank AG Cayman Islands
Branch, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., HSBC Bank Canada, HSBC
Bank USA, National Association and The Toronto-Dominion Bank
that provides for (i) senior secured credit facilities (the
Senior Secured Facilities) from certain financial
institutions comprised of $800 million of term loan
facilities (the Term Loans) and a $400 million
revolving credit facility (the Revolving Facility)
and (ii) $400 million (reduced by the amount of Grey
Wolfs convertible notes that PDC determines on or prior to
the closing date of the Merger will not be converted or redeemed
on or after the closing date) in cash proceeds from the issuance
of debt securities in a Rule 144A or other private
placement or, if PDC is unable to issue the full amount of the
debt securities at or prior to the closing date, from a senior
unsecured facility (the Senior Unsecured Facility).
The availability of the Senior Secured Facilities and the Senior
Unsecured Facility to Precision and its subsidiaries is subject
to the satisfaction of a number of customary conditions which
Precision expects to be satisfied.
The Term Loans shall consist of (i) a five-year term loan
facility in the amount of $400 million (the loans
thereunder, the Tranche A Term Loans) and
(ii) a 5.75-year term loan facility in the amount of
$400 million (the loans thereunder, the
Tranche B Term Loans). The Tranche A Term
Loans shall be repayable in quarterly installments in aggregate
annual amounts equal to 5% of the original principal amount
thereof in the first year following the closing date, 10% of the
original principal amount thereof in the second year following
the closing date, 10% of the original principal amount thereof
in the third year following the closing date and 15% of the
original principal amount thereof in the fourth year following
the closing date, with the balance payable on the final maturity
date thereof. The Tranche B Term Loans shall be repayable
in quarterly installments in an aggregate annual amount equal to
1% of the original principal amount thereof, with the balance
payable on the final maturity date thereof. The Term Loans shall
also be subject to mandatory prepayments from proceeds of debt
issuances and asset dispositions by Precision, PDC or their
subsidiaries, subject to customary exceptions to be agreed upon
and from a leverage-based portion of excess cash flow. The
proceeds of the Term Loans shall be used to finance a portion of
the Merger (including expenses related thereto and the
refinancing of the convertible notes after the closing date).
The Revolving Facility shall be a five-year revolving facility
in the amount of $400 million available on a revolving
basis, including a portion available for letters of credit,
during the period commencing on the closing date and ending on
the date that is five years after the closing date. The proceeds
of the Revolving Facility shall be used to finance the working
capital needs and general corporate purposes of Precision, PDC,
and their respective subsidiaries; provided, however, that not
more than $100 million (exclusive of any letters of credit
that need to be issued on the closing date to replace any
letters of credit of Grey Wolf), or such higher amount as may be
agreed between PDC and the applicable financial institutions,
plus any additional amounts necessary to finance any original
issue discount in respect of the Term Loans, may be used to
finance the Merger and the refinancing of indebtedness and
payment of fees and expenses in connection therewith.
If PDC is unable to issue the full amount of the debt securities
at or prior to the closing date, certain financial institutions
have agreed to provide the Senior Unsecured Facility in the
amount of $400 million (reduced by the amount of the
convertible notes that PDC determines on or before the closing
date of the Merger will not be converted or redeemed on or after
the closing date). The Senior Unsecured Facility will initially
mature 12 months following the closing date but the
maturity may be extended to the eighth anniversary of the
closing date subject to the compliance with certain conditions
including no payment default under the Senior Unsecured Facility
and no acceleration under the Senior Unsecured Facility, the
Term Loans or the Revolving Facility. The Senior Unsecured
Facility shall also be subject to mandatory prepayments from the
net cash proceeds of debt issuances and asset sales, subject to
customary exceptions to be agreed upon. Any proceeds of the
Senior Unsecured Facility shall be used to finance a portion of
the Merger (including the refinancing of the convertible notes
after the closing date). In order to complete a successful
syndication of the Senior Secured Facilities and the Senior
Unsecured Facility, the financial institutions are entitled, in
consultation with PDC, to change certain of the proposed terms
of the facilities, including requiring the Senior Unsecured
Facility (or the debt securities) to be secured by a second lien
on the collateral securing the Senior Secured Facilities.
105
TRUSTEES,
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT OF
THE COMBINED COMPANIES
The board of trustees of Precision has delegated the management
and general administration of the affairs of Precision to PDC
pursuant to the terms of an administration agreement.
Biographical information concerning members of Precisions
board of trustees and PDCs board of directors and
executive management of the combined companies is set forth
below. Other information with respect to such persons is
included in Precisions
Form 40-F
for the year ended December 31, 2007 and proxy circular for
its 2007 annual meeting of unitholders and Grey Wolfs
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and
Definitive Proxy Statement for its 2008 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders. See Where You Can Find More
Information beginning on page 136.
Board of
Trustees of Precision
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Position with
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Current
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Name
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Age
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Precision
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Affiliation
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Robert J.S. Gibson
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Trustee
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Precision
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Allen R. Hagerman, FCA
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Trustee
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Precision
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Patrick M. Murray
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Trustee
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Precision
|
|
Robert J.S. Gibson has been a trustee of Precision since
September 2005. Mr. Gibson has been President of a private
investment firm, Stuart & Company Limited, since 1973
and is also Managing Director of Alsten Holdings Ltd. He also
serves on the board of Cash Store Financial Services Inc.
Mr. Gibson also serves on the board of directors of PDC.
Allen R. Hagerman, FCA has been a trustee of Precision
since May 2007. Mr. Hagerman currently holds the position
of Executive Vice President, Canadian Oil Sands Limited.
Mr. Hagerman is a member of the Canadian Institute of
Chartered Accountants. He also serves on the board of EPCOR
Power LP and Absolute Completion Technologies Ltd.
Mr. Hagerman also serves of the board of directors of PDC.
Patrick M. Murray has been a trustee of Precision since
September 2005. Mr. Murray served as Chairman and CEO of
Dresser Inc. from 2001 until retiring in May 2007. For the
period 1997 through 2000, Mr. Murray served as President of
Halliburton Companys Dresser Equipment Group and Senior
Vice President, Strategic Initiatives of Dresser Industries,
Inc. Mr. Murray also serves on the boards of Harvest
Natural Resources, Inc., Rancher Energy Corp., Wellstream
International, PLC, the Maguire Energy Institute, the World
Affairs Council of Dallas/Forth Worth, and the Board of Regents
of Seton Hall University. He is also a member of the American
Petroleum Institute and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Mr. Murray also serves on the board of directors of PDC.
106
Board of
Directors of PDC(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Position with
|
|
Current
|
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
PDC
|
|
Affiliation(5)
|
|
W.C. (Mickey) Dunn(3)(4)
|
|
|
55
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Brian A. Felesky, CM, Q.C.(4)
|
|
|
64
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Robert J.S. Gibson(2)(4)
|
|
|
61
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Allen R. Hagerman, FCA(2)
|
|
|
57
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Stephen J.J. Letwin(3)
|
|
|
52
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Patrick M. Murray(2)
|
|
|
65
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Frederick W. Pheasey(3)
|
|
|
65
|
|
|
Director
|
|
PDC
|
Robert L. Phillips(3)(4)
|
|
|
57
|
|
|
Director, Chairman
of the Board
|
|
PDC
|
Kevin A. Neveu
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
Director, Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
PDC
|
Frank M. Brown
|
|
|
64
|
|
|
Director
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
William T. Donovan
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
Director
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
Trevor M. Turbidy
|
|
|
40
|
|
|
Director
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Each directors term of office expires not later than the
close of business at the next annual meeting of Precision, or
until successors are appointed or directors vacate their office. |
|
(2) |
|
Member of the Audit Committee. Following the Merger, the
committee is expected to have one member who is a Grey Wolf
nominee to PDCs board of directors. |
|
(3) |
|
Member of the Compensation Committee. Following the Merger, the
committee is expected to have one member who is a Grey Wolf
nominee to PDCs board of directors. |
|
(4) |
|
Member of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.
Following the Merger, the committee is expected to have one
member who is a Grey Wolf nominee to PDCs board of
directors. |
|
(5) |
|
None of the Grey Wolf directors is currently affiliated with
Precision or any of its affiliates. |
W.C. (Mickey) Dunn has been a director of PDC since
September 1992. Mr. Dunn serves as the Chairman of the
Board of True Energy Trust, was a founding shareholder and
director of Cash Store Financial Services, Inc., and a director
of Vero Energy Inc. Previously, Mr. Dunn was President and
Chief Executive Officer of Cardium Service and Supply Limited,
Cardium Tool Services Inc. and Colorado Silica Sand Inc.
Brian A. Felesky, CM, Q.C. has been a director of PDC
since December 2005. Mr. Felesky is Counsel to Felesky
Flynn LLP, a law firm specializing in tax and trust law, is a
Co-Chair of Homefront (a domestic abuse charitable
organization), Vice-Chair of Canada West Foundation, a member of
the Senate of Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a board member
of the Calgary Stampede Foundation and Awali (a teacher training
program in East Africa). Mr. Felesky also serves on the
boards of Suncor Energy, Inc., EPCOR Power LP, Temple Energy and
Resin Systems Inc.
Robert J.S. Gibson has been a director of PDC since June
1996 and a trustee of Precision since November 2005. See
information regarding trustees of Precision set forth above.
Allen R. Hagerman, FCA has been a director of PDC since
December 2006 and a trustee of Precision since May 2007. See
information regarding trustees of Precision set forth above.
Stephen J.J. Letwin has been a director of PDC since
December 2006. Mr. Letwin currently holds the position of
Managing Director, Enbridge Energy Partners and is Executive
Vice President, Gas Transportation & International of
Enbridge Inc. From April 2003 to May 2006, he served Enbridge
Inc. as Group Vice President, Gas Strategy &
Corporate Development. Prior thereto, Mr. Letwin served
Enbridge as Group Vice President, Distribution &
Services since September 2000. Mr. Letwin also serves on
the boards of Mancal Corporation, Gaz Metro LP, Enbridge
Energy Company, Inc., Enbridge Energy Management, LLC, Alliance
Pipeline, Vector Pipeline, and Compania Logistrica de Hidro
Carbons, C.L.H., S.A., Spain.
107
Patrick M. Murray has been a director of PDC since July
2002 and a trustee of Precision since November 2005. See
information regarding trustees of Precision set forth above.
Frederick W. Pheasey has been a director of PDC since
July 2002. Mr. Pheasey is the founder and continues to be a
director of Dreco Energy Services Ltd., which was acquired by
National Oilwell, Inc. in 1997. Mr. Pheasey served as
Executive Vice President and a director of National Oilwell,
Inc. from 1997 to 2004 and continued to serve on the board of
National Oilwell, Inc. to May 2005. Mr. Pheasey has been a
director of Precision since July 2002.
Robert L. Phillips has been a director of PDC since May
2004 and was appointed as Chairman of the board of directors in
August 2007. Mr. Phillips was most recently President and
Chief Executive Officer of BCR Group of Companies from 2001 to
2004. Previously, he was Executive Vice President at MacMillan
Bloedel Limited (1999 2001), President and Chief
Executive Officer of PTI Group Inc. (1998
1999) and President and Chief Executive Officer of Dreco
Energy Services Ltd. (1994 1998). He also serves on
the boards of several other major Canadian corporations.
Kevin A. Neveu is Chief Executive Officer of PDC and has
been a director since August 2007. Mr. Neveu was previously
President of the Rig Solutions Group of National Oilwell Varco
in Houston, where he was responsible for the sales, service,
design and manufacturing of drilling equipment and rig packages
for land and offshore clients worldwide. Over the past
25 years, Mr. Neveu has held executive management
positions with National Oilwell Varco and its predecessor
companies in the oilfield services sector in London, Moscow,
Houston, Edmonton and Calgary. Mr. Neveu is a graduate of
the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta.
Mr. Neveu also serves on the board of RigNet.
Frank M. Brown has been a director of Grey Wolf since May
2000. From January 2006, Mr. Brown has been a private
consultant in the Alaskan oil and gas industry, and since
October 2006, he has served as Chief Executive Office of ZRB
Resources, LLC, a private exploration and production company in
Alaska. From September 2000 until September 2005, Mr. Brown
served as President of Fairweather International, Inc. He served
as Senior Vice President of ARCO Alaska, Inc. from 1994 until
his retirement in 1999. Prior to that, Mr. Brown was
President of ARCO Long Beach Company from 1992 to 1994 and
served as President of THUMS Long Beach Company from 1990 to
1992. Mr. Brown was employed for 29 years by ARCO and
related companies, all of which were engaged in the exploration
and production of oil and gas. He served as Co-Chairman of the
Alaska Highway Natural Gas Policy Council from
2001-2002.
William T. Donovan has been a director of Grey Wolf since
June 1997. Since April 2006, Mr. Donovan has served as
Chairman of the board of Rockland Industrial Holdings, LLC, a
Wisconsin entity engaged in manufacturing wood flooring products
for the truck trailer and domestic container industries. From
1997 to 2005, Mr. Donovan served as President, Chief
Executive Officer and was a director of Total Logistics, Inc., a
Wisconsin corporation, which engaged in various operating and
investment activities and as a director of various private
industrial companies. Mr. Donovan previously served as
President, Chief Financial Officer, and was a director, of
Christiana Companies, Inc., prior to its merger with Weatherford
International, Inc. in February 1999. From 1980 to 1998,
Mr. Donovan was a Principal and Managing Director of
Lubar & Co., a private investment and venture capital
firm. Prior to joining Lubar & Co., Mr. Donovan
was an officer with Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company
from 1976 until 1980, where he specialized in merger and
acquisition financing.
Trevor M. Turbidy has been a director of Grey Wolf since
December 2005. Mr. Turbidy serves as an Energy Industry
Advisor with Avista Capital Partners. Prior to joining Avista,
Mr. Turbidy served as President and Chief Executive Officer
of Trico Marine Services, Inc., a marine support and
transportation company, from August 2005 until July 2007, and
from August 2003 until August 2005, he served as Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer of Trico. From November 2000 until
May 2002, Mr. Turbidy served as a Director in the
Investment Banking Department of Credit Suisse First Boston.
From 1991 until November 2000, Mr. Turbidy held various
positions in the Investment Banking Department of Donaldson,
Lufkin & Jenrette.
108
Executive
Management of PDC
The executive officers of PDC serve at the pleasure of
PDCs board of directors. PDCs executive officers are
as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
|
Position with the Company
|
|
Kevin A. Neveu
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
Gene C. Stahl
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
President & Chief Operating Officer
|
Douglas J. Strong
|
|
|
48
|
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
Darren J. Ruhr
|
|
|
43
|
|
|
Vice President Corporate Services &
Corporate Secretary
|
Kenneth J. Haddad
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
Vice President, Business Development
|
Joanne L. Alexander
|
|
|
41
|
|
|
Vice President and General Counsel
|
Kevin A. Neveu is Chief Executive Officer of PDC. See
information regarding directors of PDC set forth above.
Gene C. Stahl is President & Chief Operating
Officer of PDC. President & Chief Operating Officer,
Precision Drilling Corporation since 2005; Vice President,
Precision Rentals
2003-2005;
General Manager, Ducharme Rentals/Big D Rentals
2002-2003.
Douglas J. Strong is Chief Financial Officer of PDC.
Chief Financial Officer, Precision Drilling Corporation since
2005; Chief Financial Officer, Precision Diversified Services
Ltd.
2001-2005,
Group Controller, Precision Drilling Corporation
2001-2005.
Darren J. Ruhr is Vice President, Corporate
Services & Corporate Secretary. Vice President,
Corporate Services & Corporate Secretary, Precision
Drilling Corporation since 2005; Director, Information
Technology, Real Estate & Travel, Precision Drilling
Corporation
2003-2005;
Director, Information Technology, Precision Drilling Corporation
2000-2003.
Kenneth J. Haddad is Vice President, Business Development
of PDC. Vice President, Business Development, Precision Drilling
Corporation since 2008; Director, Mergers &
Acquisitions, Halliburton Company,
2002-2008.
Joanne Alexander is Vice President and General Counsel of
PDC. Vice President and General Counsel, Precision Drilling
Corporation since 2008; General Counsel, Marathon Oil Canada
Corporation
2007-2008;
Vice President & General Counsel, Western Oil Sands
Inc. 2007; General Manager, Stakeholder Engagement &
Regulatory Affairs, ConocoPhillips Canada Ltd. 2006; Vice
President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Burlington Resources
Canada Ltd.
2000-2006.
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
On September 4, 2008, Howard G. Ahrens filed a class action
petition in a case Howard G. Ahrens, On Behalf of Itself and
All Others Similarly Situated vs. Grey Wolf, Inc., Frank M.
Brown, William T. Donovan, Thomas P. Richards, Robert E. Rose,
Trevor Turbidy, Steven A. Webster, and William R. Zeigler
(Cause
No. 2008-53565),
in the District Court of Harris County, Texas
127th Judicial
District. The petitioner alleges that he is a shareholder of
Grey Wolf. This lawsuit alleges that Grey Wolfs board of
directors breached their fiduciary duties owed to Grey
Wolfs shareholders in connection with the Merger by, among
other things, failing to take steps to maximize the value of
Grey Wolf to its public shareholders. Additionally, the
plaintiff alleges that Grey Wolf aided and abetted the alleged
breach of fiduciary duty by the Grey Wolf board of directors.
The plaintiff seeks to enjoin the Merger and also asks for other
relief, including an award of attorneys and experts
fees. This litigation is in its very early stages; however
Grey Wolf believes that this lawsuit is without merit and
intends to defend the lawsuit vigorously.
On September 4, 2008, H. Alan Caplan filed a shareholder
derivative petition in a case styled H. Alan Caplan v.
Steven A. Webster, William R. Ziegler, Frank M. Brown, William
T. Donovan, Thomas P. Richards, Robert E. Rose, Trevor Turbidy
and Grey Wolf, Inc.; Cause
No. 2008-53888;
In the 165th District Court of Harris County. The plaintiff
asserts that he is a shareholder of Grey Wolf. This lawsuit
alleges that Grey Wolf
109
and Grey Wolfs directors, in connection with Grey
Wolfs proposed merger with Precision, collectively and
individually breached their fiduciary duties of loyalty, good
faith, candor and care. The lawsuit further alleges that, in
connection with the proposed merger with Precision, Grey Wolf
and Grey Wolfs directors acted with negligence
and/or gross
negligence in (i) failing to maximize shareholder value and
(ii) failing to adequately consider previous bona fide
offers for Grey Wolf. The plaintiff seeks an award of monetary
damages for all losses
and/or
damages suffered by Grey Wolf as a result of the allegations
contained in the lawsuit and an award of attorneys and
experts fees. This litigation is in its very early stages
as no defendant has been required to answer as yet; however Grey
Wolf believes that this lawsuit is without merit and intends to
defend the lawsuit vigorously.
On September 11, 2008, Charles J. Crane filed a shareholder
derivative petition in a case styled Charles J. Crane
Derivatively On Behalf of Grey Wolf vs. Thomas P. Richards,
William R. Ziegler, William T. Donovan, Steven A. Webster,
Robert E. Rose, Frank M. Brown, Trevor M. Turbidy;
Precision Drilling Trust, Precision Drilling Corporation,
and Precision Lobos Corporation (Cause
No. 2008-55129),
in the 269th District Court of Harris County. The plaintiff
asserts that he is a shareholder of Grey Wolf. This lawsuit
alleges that Grey Wolfs directors breached their fiduciary
duties owed to Grey Wolfs shareholders in connection with
the Merger by, among other things, permitting Precision to
attempt to eliminate the public shareholders equity
interest in Grey Wolf pursuant to a defective sales process and
permitting Precision to buy Grey Wolf for an unfair price. The
plaintiff then alleges that Precision and Merger Sub aided and
abetted this alleged breach of fiduciary duty by Grey
Wolfs directors. The plaintiff seeks to enjoin the Merger
and also asks for other relief, including an award of
attorneys and experts fees. This litigation is in
its very early stages as no defendant has been served or
required to answer as yet; however Grey Wolf and Precision each
believe that this lawsuit is without merit and each intend to
defend the lawsuit vigorously.
BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP OF GREY WOLF SECURITIES
Management
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
beneficial ownership of the Grey Wolf common stock by
(i) all directors of Grey Wolf, (ii) all executive
officers of Grey Wolf, and (iii) all directors and
executive officers as a group.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares Beneficially Owned
|
|
|
|
at October 21, 2008
|
|
|
|
Number(1)
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Thomas P. Richards
|
|
|
1,099,542
|
(2)
|
|
|
*
|
|
William R. Ziegler
|
|
|
1,572,283
|
(3)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Frank M. Brown
|
|
|
154,000
|
(4)
|
|
|
*
|
|
William T. Donovan
|
|
|
710,938
|
(5)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Robert E. Rose
|
|
|
246,000
|
(6)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Trevor M. Turbidy
|
|
|
51,000
|
(7)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Steven A. Webster
|
|
|
2,550,773
|
(8)
|
|
|
1.4
|
|
David J. Crowley
|
|
|
323,369
|
(9)
|
|
|
*
|
|
David W. Wehlmann
|
|
|
388,595
|
(10)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Edward S. Jacob, III
|
|
|
445,012
|
(11)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Robert J. Proffit
|
|
|
133,223
|
(12)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Donald J. Guedry, Jr.
|
|
|
116,747
|
(13)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Directors and Executive Officers as a group (12 persons
named above)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.3
|
%
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Indicates less than one percent. |
|
(1) |
|
Each person has sole voting and investment power with respect to
the shares of Grey Wolf common stock listed, except as otherwise
specified. |
110
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Includes 108,857 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Richards, 488,272 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power and 502,413 shares of Grey Wolf common stock
underlying currently exercisable options. |
|
(3) |
|
Includes 1,352,949 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned
by Mr. Ziegler, 44,334 restricted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock as to which he has sole voting power but no
dispositive power and 175,000 shares of Grey Wolf common
stock underlying currently exercisable options. All shares of
Grey Wolf common stock owned by Mr. Ziegler are held
in margin accounts. |
|
(4) |
|
Includes 9,666 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Brown, 44,334 restricted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock as to which he has sole voting power but no
dispositive power and 100,000 shares of Grey Wolf common
stock underlying currently exercisable options. |
|
(5) |
|
Includes 223,944 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Donovan, 44,334 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power, 250,000 shares of Grey Wolf common stock underlying
currently exercisable options, 168,660 shares of Grey Wolf
common stock beneficially owned through Cambridge Associates,
L.P., a Wisconsin limited partnership (Cambridge),
of which Mr. Donovan is a general partner,
22,000 shares of Grey Wolf common stock beneficially owned
by family members living in the same household and
2,000 shares held in trust of which Mr. Donovan is the
sole trustee. Mr. Donovan disclaims beneficial ownership of
114,056 shares owned by Cambridge, 22,000 shares owned
by family members and 2,000 shares held by a trust. |
|
(6) |
|
Includes 26,666 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Rose, 44,334 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power and 175,000 shares of Grey Wolf common stock
underlying currently exercisable options. |
|
(7) |
|
Includes 6,666 shares of Grey Wolf common stocked owned by
Mr. Turbidy and 44,334 restricted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock as to which he has sole voting power but no
dispositive power. |
|
(8) |
|
Includes 2,331,439 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned
by Mr. Webster, 44,334 restricted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock as to which he has sole voting power but no
dispositive power and 175,000 shares of Grey Wolf common
stock underlying currently exercisable options. |
|
(9) |
|
Includes 54,036 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Crowley and 269,333 restricted shares of Grey Wolf
common stock as to which Mr. Crowley has sole voting power
but no dispositive power. |
|
(10) |
|
Includes 62,656 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Wehlmann, 174,555 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power and 151,384 shares of Grey Wolf common stock
underlying currently exercisable options. |
|
(11) |
|
Includes 45,844 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Jacob, 130,650 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power, 268,412 shares of Grey Wolf common stock underlying
currently exercisable options and 106 shares of Grey Wolf
common stock held in the 401(k) Plan. |
|
(12) |
|
Includes 19,537 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Proffit, 86,733 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power and 26,953 shares of Grey Wolf common stock
underlying currently exercisable options. |
|
(13) |
|
Includes 22,930 shares of Grey Wolf common stock owned by
Mr. Guedry, 47,910 restricted shares of Grey Wolf common
stock as to which he has sole voting power but no dispositive
power, 43,588 shares of Grey Wolf common stock underlying
currently exercisable options and 2,319 shares of Grey Wolf
common stock held in the Grey Wolf 401(k) Plan. |
111
Certain
Shareholders of Grey Wolf
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
beneficial ownership of the Grey Wolf common stock by each
person, other than Grey Wolfs directors and executive
officers, who are known by Grey Wolf to beneficially own more
than 5% of the outstanding shares of Grey Wolf common stock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares Beneficially Owned
|
Name and Address of Beneficial
|
|
at October 21, 2008
|
Owner, Identity of Group
|
|
Number
|
|
Percent
|
|
FMR Corp.(1)
|
|
|
20,035,947
|
|
|
|
10.9
|
|
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Caxton International Limited(2)
|
|
|
12,462,611
|
|
|
|
7.0
|
|
12 Church Street
Hamilton HM11, Bermuda
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Black River Asset Management LLC(3)
|
|
|
9,350,000
|
|
|
|
5.1
|
|
12700 Whitewater Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55343
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Renaissance Technologies, LLC(4)
|
|
|
9,171,200
|
|
|
|
5.0
|
|
800 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
As reported on Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on
January 10, 2008. |
|
(2) |
|
As reported on Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on
September 5, 2008. |
|
(3) |
|
As reported on Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on
February 14, 2008. |
|
(4) |
|
As reported on Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on
February 13, 2008. |
112
BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP OF PRECISION SECURITIES
Management
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
beneficial ownership of the Precision trust units by
(i) all directors of PDC and trustees of Precision,
(ii) the chief executive officer and each of the other
executive officers of PDC, and (iii) all directors,
trustees and executive officers as a group.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trust Units Beneficially Owned at October 21, 2008
|
|
|
|
Number(1)(2)
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
W.C. (Mickey) Dunn
|
|
|
19,528
|
(3)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Brian A. Felesky, CM, Q.C.
|
|
|
16,643
|
(4)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Robert J.S. Gibson
|
|
|
69,747
|
(5)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Allen R. Hagerman, FCA
|
|
|
17,469
|
(6)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Stephen J.J. Letwin
|
|
|
5,076
|
(7)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Patrick M. Murray
|
|
|
42,118
|
(8)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Frederick W. Pheasey
|
|
|
59,386
|
(9)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Robert L. Phillips
|
|
|
17,380
|
(10)
|
|
|
*
|
|
Kevin A. Neveu
|
|
|
80,000
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Gene C. Stahl
|
|
|
30,091
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Douglas J. Strong
|
|
|
31,000
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Darren J. Ruhr
|
|
|
10,000
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Kenneth J. Haddad
|
|
|
3,000
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Joanne L. Alexander
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Directors and Executive Officers as a group (14 persons
named above)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
* Indicates less than one percent.
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Each person has sole voting and investment power with respect to
the Precision trust units listed, except as otherwise specified. |
|
(2) |
|
For addition information on Precisions deferred trust
units, please see its Information Circular dated April 4,
2007, in
Form 6-K
filed with the SEC on April 16, 2007. |
|
(3) |
|
Includes 3,928 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Dunn has no voting power and no
dispositive power. |
|
(4) |
|
Includes 8,943 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Felesky has no voting power and
no dispositive power. |
|
(5) |
|
Includes 6,547 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Gibson has no voting power and
no dispositive power. |
|
(6) |
|
Includes 9,469 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Hagerman has no voting power
and no dispositive power. |
|
(7) |
|
Includes 5,076 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Letwin has no voting power and
no dispositive power. |
|
(8) |
|
Includes 2,118 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Murray has no voting power and
no dispositive power. |
|
(9) |
|
Includes 9,386 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Pheasey has no voting power and
no dispositive power. |
|
(10) |
|
Includes 5,880 units of fully vested deferred Precision
trust units as to which Mr. Phillips has no voting power
and no dispositive power. |
113
Certain
Unitholders of Precision
As of October 21, 2008, there were no persons who were
known by Precision to beneficially own more than 5% of the
outstanding Precision trust units.
Description
of Precision Capital Structure
For a discussion of Precisions capital structure please
refer to page 31 of Precisions Annual Information
Form, which was filed with the SEC as an Annual Report on
Form 40-F
on March 28, 2008.
114
UNAUDITED
PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The accompanying unaudited pro forma condensed combined
financial statements have been prepared by management of PDC,
administrator of Precision, for inclusion in the registration
statement on
Form F-4
related to the acquisition of Grey Wolf to reflect the
combination of Precision and Grey Wolf as further described in
Note 1 Basis of presentation.
UNAUDITED
PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED BALANCE SHEET AS AT JUNE 30,
2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
|
Precision
|
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
|
Combined
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
ASSETS
|
Current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
6,988
|
|
|
$
|
313,061
|
|
|
$
|
(323,585
|
)(5h)
|
|
|
$
|
6,988
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,524
|
(5i)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Restricted cash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
867
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
867
|
|
Accounts receivable, net
|
|
|
170,504
|
|
|
|
159,091
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
329,595
|
|
Other current assets
|
|
|
8,150
|
|
|
|
12,968
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,118
|
|
Income tax recoverable
|
|
|
3,841
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,841
|
|
Current deferred tax assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,037
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,037
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
189,483
|
|
|
|
492,024
|
|
|
|
(313,061
|
)
|
|
|
|
368,446
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax recoverable
|
|
|
57,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,000
|
|
Property, plant and equipment, net of depreciation
|
|
|
1,202,001
|
|
|
|
781,952
|
|
|
|
750,000
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
2,733,953
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
337,534
|
|
|
|
10,377
|
|
|
|
582,046
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
919,580
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(10,377
|
)(5l)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other intangible assets, net of amortization
|
|
|
267
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
94,780
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
95,047
|
|
Other non-current assets, net
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,598
|
|
|
|
(4,400
|
)(5j)
|
|
|
|
73,198
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,000
|
(5h)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL ASSETS
|
|
$
|
1,786,285
|
|
|
$
|
1,304,951
|
|
|
$
|
1,155,988
|
|
|
|
$
|
4,247,224
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND UNITHOLDERS/SHAREHOLDERS
EQUITY
|
Current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
$
|
95,955
|
|
|
$
|
122,481
|
|
|
$
|
20,500
|
(5k)
|
|
|
$
|
309,552
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
63,800
|
(5j)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,816
|
(5i)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions payable
|
|
|
16,052
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,052
|
|
Current portion of long term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,000
|
(5h)
|
|
|
|
24,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
112,007
|
|
|
|
122,481
|
|
|
|
115,116
|
|
|
|
|
349,604
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term incentive plan payable
|
|
|
8,565
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,565
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
103,042
|
|
|
|
275,000
|
|
|
|
827,144
|
(5h)
|
|
|
|
930,185
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(275,000
|
)(5n)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other long-term liabilities
|
|
|
36,409
|
|
|
|
19,605
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56,015
|
|
Deferred income tax
|
|
|
142,795
|
|
|
|
162,349
|
|
|
|
321,016
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
626,160
|
|
Unitholders temporary equity
|
|
|
3,089,756
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
893,228
|
(4)
|
|
|
|
4,142,940
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
159,956
|
(5m)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,819
|
|
|
|
(19,819
|
)(5l)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
399,619
|
|
|
|
(399,619
|
)(5l)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treasury stock, at cost
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(124,550
|
)
|
|
|
124,550
|
(5l)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income
|
|
|
(66,412
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(66,412
|
)
|
Retained earnings (deficit)
|
|
|
(1,639,877
|
)
|
|
|
430,628
|
|
|
|
(430,628
|
)(5l)
|
|
|
|
(1,799,833
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(159,956
|
)(5m)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND UNITHOLDERS/SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY
|
|
$
|
1,786,285
|
|
|
$
|
1,304,951
|
|
|
$
|
1,155,988
|
|
|
|
$
|
4,247,224
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
115
UNAUDITED
PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
|
Precision
|
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Combined
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
477,858
|
|
|
$
|
418,229
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
896,087
|
|
Costs and expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses
|
|
|
260,164
|
|
|
|
243,461
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
503,625
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
37,499
|
|
|
|
54,753
|
|
|
|
50
|
(5a)
|
|
|
98,187
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(30,630
|
)(5b)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23,137
|
(5c)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,378
|
(5d)
|
|
|
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
36,326
|
|
|
|
16,833
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
53,159
|
|
Loss on sale of assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
|
(50
|
)(5a)
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
(159
|
)
|
|
|
(4,478
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,637
|
)
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
4,412
|
|
|
|
6,046
|
|
|
|
(6,046
|
)(5e)
|
|
|
44,436
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,467
|
(5f)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,557
|
(5f)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
139,616
|
|
|
|
101,564
|
|
|
|
(39,863
|
)
|
|
|
201,317
|
|
Income tax provision (benefit)
|
|
|
13,900
|
|
|
|
37,943
|
|
|
|
(13,303
|
)(5g)
|
|
|
38,540
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
125,716
|
|
|
$
|
63,621
|
|
|
$
|
(26,560
|
)
|
|
$
|
162,777
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic income per unit/share
|
|
$
|
1.00
|
|
|
$
|
0.36
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted income per unit/share
|
|
$
|
1.00
|
|
|
$
|
0.31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average units/shares outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
175,886
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
167,758
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
125,785
|
|
|
|
219,687
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
167,785
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
116
UNAUDITED
PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical
|
|
|
Pro Forma
|
|
|
|
Precision
|
|
|
Grey Wolf
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Combined
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
940,454
|
|
|
$
|
906,577
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,847,031
|
|
Costs and expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses
|
|
|
480,937
|
|
|
|
513,847
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
994,784
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
72,990
|
|
|
|
97,361
|
|
|
|
(175
|
)(5a)
|
|
|
194,204
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(50,428
|
)(5b)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47,700
|
(5c)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,756
|
(5d)
|
|
|
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
52,182
|
|
|
|
29,439
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
81,621
|
|
Gain on sale of assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(175
|
)
|
|
|
175
|
(5a)
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
(517
|
)
|
|
|
(13,202
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,719
|
)
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
7,337
|
|
|
|
13,910
|
|
|
|
(13,910
|
)(5e)
|
|
|
86,699
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
68,933
|
(5f)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,429
|
(5f)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
327,525
|
|
|
|
265,397
|
|
|
|
(89,480
|
)
|
|
|
503,442
|
|
Income tax provision (benefit)
|
|
|
5,790
|
|
|
|
95,505
|
|
|
|
(31,058
|
)(5g)
|
|
|
70,237
|
|
Net income before discontinued operations
|
|
|
321,735
|
|
|
|
169,892
|
|
|
|
(58,422
|
)
|
|
|
433,205
|
|
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax
|
|
|
2,755
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,755
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
324,490
|
|
|
$
|
169,892
|
|
|
$
|
(58,422
|
)
|
|
$
|
435,960
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic income per unit/share
|
|
$
|
2.58
|
|
|
$
|
0.93
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted income per unit/share
|
|
$
|
2.58
|
|
|
$
|
0.79
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average units/shares outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
182,006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
167,758
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
|
125,760
|
|
|
|
225,649
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
167,760
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
117
PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
As at and for the six months ended June 30, 2008 and as at
and for the year ended December 31, 2007 (Thousands of
US $, except per share amounts)
|
|
Note 1
|
Basis of
presentation
|
The accompanying unaudited pro forma condensed combined
financial statements (the Statements) have been
prepared by management of Precision for inclusion in the
registration statement on Form F-4 related to the
acquisition (the Grey Wolf Acquisition) of Grey Wolf
as described in note 2 below. The statements are prepared
and reported in US dollars in accordance with US GAAP. The
accounting policies used in the compilation of the Statements
are those described in Precisions audited consolidated
financial statements as at and for the year ended
December 31, 2007.
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined Statements of
Operations have been prepared assuming the Grey Wolf Acquisition
had occurred on January 1, 2007. The unaudited pro forma
condensed combined Balance Sheet has been prepared assuming the
Grey Wolf Acquisition occurred on June 30, 2008.
The Statements have been prepared using the following
information:
(i) audited consolidated financial statements of Precision
for the year ended December 31, 2007;
(ii) audited consolidated financial statements of Grey Wolf
for the year ended December 31, 2007;
(iii) unaudited consolidated financial statements of
Precision as at and for the six months ended June 30, 2008
including the related reconciliation of the unaudited interim
financial statements to US GAAP;
(iv) unaudited consolidated financial statements of Grey
Wolf as at and for the six months ended June 30, 2008; and
(v) such other supplementary information as was considered
necessary to reflect the Grey Wolf Acquisition and related
financing in the Statements.
The Statements should be read in conjunction with the historical
consolidated financial statements of Precision and Grey Wolf as
at and for the six months ended June 30, 2008 and as at and
for the year ended December 31, 2007. The financial
statements of Precision are prepared in accordance with Canadian
GAAP. However, Note 16 to the audited financial statements
of Precision for the year ended December 31, 2007 includes
a reconciliation of the Canadian GAAP financial statements to US
GAAP. A reconciliation of Precisions Canadian GAAP
unaudited interim financial statements as at and for the six
months ended June 30, 2008 to US GAAP has been filed with
Canadian and US regulatory authorities.
Precisions consolidated financial statements are presented
in Canadian dollars. The consolidated financial statements of
Precision are reported in US dollars within the unaudited
pro forma condensed combined financial statements. The
presentation of Precisions consolidated financial
statements in US dollars was applied retrospectively
whereby Precisions assets and liabilities were converted
to US dollars at the period end rate of exchange and the
statements of earnings were converted to US dollars at the
average rate for the period. Exchange gains and losses in the
translation were included in accumulated other comprehensive
income.
The Statements do not include the anticipated financial benefits
from such items as potential cost savings or synergies arising
from the Grey Wolf Acquisition, nor are they necessarily
indicative of the results of operations or the financial
position that would have resulted had the Grey Wolf Acquisition
been effected on the dates indicated, or the results that may be
obtained in the future.
The Statements have been prepared for illustrative purposes
only. Actual amounts recorded once the purchase price allocation
is finalized will depend on a number of factors and may differ
materially from those
118
PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST
NOTES TO
THE UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
recorded in these Statements. Certain elements of Grey
Wolfs consolidated financial statements have been
reclassified to conform to Precisions US GAAP presentation
(Note 4).
|
|
Note 2
|
Description
of transaction
|
On August 24, 2008, Precision and Grey Wolf entered into
the Merger Agreement whereby Precision will acquire all the
outstanding shares of common stock of Grey Wolf. Each share of
Grey Wolf common stock will be converted, at the option of the
holder, into $9.02 in cash or 0.4225 of a Precision trust unit,
subject to proration. The maximum amount of cash to be paid by
Precision translates to $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision
trust unit, for each share of Grey Wolf common stock. The pro
forma statements have been prepared using the following
significant assumptions:
|
|
|
|
|
All of the Grey Wolf convertible notes will convert prior to
acquisition resulting in approximately an additional
42.0 million shares of Grey Wolf common stock being
outstanding.
|
|
|
|
An estimated 223 million shares of Grey Wolf common stock
will be outstanding on the acquisition date, including the
shares issued on conversion of the convertible senior notes and
on the exercise of vested Grey Wolf options issued per the 1996
incentive plan. Grey Wolf stock options issued and outstanding
per the 2003 incentive plan are assumed to be converted into
Precision stock appreciation rights. The pro forma financial
statements have assumed that each Grey Wolf share will be
acquired for $5.00 in cash and 0.1883 of a Precision trust unit
which will result in cash consideration of $1.1 billion.
|
|
|
|
The cash consideration paid by Precision, net of the cash
acquired, will be financed by additional credit facilities with
an estimated borrowing cost of approximately 8% per annum.
|
|
|
|
Accrual of approximately $64 million of costs by Grey Wolf
for severance, advisory, legal and other related costs
immediately prior to the acquisition.
|
|
|
Note 3
|
Significant
accounting policies
|
The accounting policies used in the preparation of the
Statements are those set out in Precisions audited
consolidated financial statements as at and for the year ended
December 31, 2007. In the opinion of management, these
statements include all adjustments necessary for fair
presentation in accordance with US GAAP.
Management of Precision has reviewed the accounting policies of
Grey Wolf and believes that they are materially consistent with
Precisions US GAAP accounting policies except for
depreciation of drilling and related equipment. Grey Wolf
depreciates drilling and related equipment on a straight line
basis with estimated lives ranging from 3 to 15 years.
Precision depreciates drilling and related equipment on a unit
of production basis over an estimated 5,000 operating days. An
adjustment has been made in the Statements to adjust Grey Wolf
depreciation expense on drilling equipment to be consistent with
Precision.
119
PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST
NOTES TO
THE UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
For purposes of preparing the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial statements, Precision has prepared its
financial statements in accordance with US GAAP. A
reconciliation of Precisions Canadian dollar, Canadian
GAAP balance sheet at June 30, 2008 to US dollars and US
GAAP is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Precision As
|
|
|
US GAAP
|
|
|
|
|
|
Precision
|
|
|
|
Reported
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Translation
|
|
|
US GAAP
|
|
|
|
(Cdn$)
|
|
|
(Cdn$)
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
(US$)
|
|
|
|
(Thousands)
|
|
|
Current assets
|
|
|
192,988
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3,505
|
)
|
|
|
189,483
|
|
Other non-current assets
|
|
|
58,055
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,055
|
)
|
|
|
57,000
|
|
Property, plant and equipment
|
|
|
1,224,238
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(22,237
|
)
|
|
|
1,202,001
|
|
Intangibles
|
|
|
272
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5
|
)
|
|
|
267
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
280,749
|
|
|
|
63,029
|
|
|
|
(6,244
|
)
|
|
|
337,534
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL ASSETS
|
|
|
1,756,302
|
|
|
|
63,029
|
|
|
|
(33,046
|
)
|
|
|
1,786,285
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities
|
|
|
104,693
|
|
|
|
9,386
|
|
|
|
(2,072
|
)
|
|
|
112,007
|
|
Long-term incentive plan payable
|
|
|
8,723
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(158
|
)
|
|
|
8,565
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
104,948
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,906
|
)
|
|
|
103,042
|
|
Deferred income taxes
|
|
|
190,916
|
|
|
|
(45,479
|
)
|
|
|
(2,642
|
)
|
|
|
142,795
|
|
Other long-term liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37,083
|
|
|
|
(674
|
)
|
|
|
36,409
|
|
Temporary equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,146,916
|
|
|
|
(57,160
|
)
|
|
|
3,089,756
|
|
Unitholders capital
|
|
|
1,442,476
|
|
|
|
(1,442,476
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contributed surplus
|
|
|
742
|
|
|
|
(742
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(96,196
|
)
|
|
|
(1,641,659
|
)
|
|
|
97,978
|
|
|
|
(1,639,877
|
)
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(66,412
|
)
|
|
|
(66,412
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND UNITHOLDERS EQUITY
|
|
|
1,756,302
|
|
|
|
63,029
|
|
|
|
(33,046
|
)
|
|
|
1,786,285
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A reconciliation of Precisions Canadian dollar, Canadian
GAAP statements of earnings for the six months ended
June 30, 2008 and the year ended December 31, 2007 to
US dollars and US GAAP is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
(Thousands)
|
|
|
Net earnings as reported Canadian GAAP (Cdn$)
|
|
|
128,005
|
|
|
|
345,776
|
|
US GAAP adjustments (Cdn$)
|
|
|
(283
|
)
|
|
|
35
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net earnings as reported US GAAP (Cdn$)
|
|
|
127,722
|
|
|
|
345,811
|
|
Translation adjustments
|
|
|
(2,006
|
)
|
|
|
(21,321
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net earnings US GAAP (US$)
|
|
|
125,716
|
|
|
|
324,490
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note 4
|
Pro forma
purchase consideration
|
The Grey Wolf Acquisition will be accounted for using the
purchase method of accounting. Accordingly, Grey Wolfs
identifiable assets and liabilities will be measured at their
estimated fair values on the date of acquisition and the
difference between these fair values and the price paid for Grey
Wolf will be recorded on the balance sheet as goodwill. The
results of operations of Grey Wolf will be included in the
consolidated
120
PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST
NOTES TO
THE UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
financial statements of Precision from the date of acquisition.
Certain adjustments have been reflected in the Statements to
illustrate the effects of purchase accounting. The Statements
account for the cost of the acquisition and allocation of
proceeds as follows, according to managements preliminary
estimate:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consideration
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
$
|
1,117,729
|
|
Trust units
|
|
|
893,228
|
|
Acquisition costs
|
|
|
20,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
2,031,457
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allocation of Consideration
|
|
|
|
|
Working capital, including cash of $323 million
|
|
$
|
309,451
|
|
Property, plant and equipment
|
|
|
1,531,952
|
|
Intangible assets
|
|
|
94,780
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
16,198
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
582,046
|
|
Deferred income tax
|
|
|
(483,365
|
)
|
Other long-term liabilities
|
|
|
(19,605
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
2,031,457
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intangible assets are comprised of the estimated value
associated with the acquired customer relationships, contracts
and Grey Wolf brand.
The acquired working capital includes $11 million of cash
received on the exercise of Grey Wolf stock options (Note 5(i)),
a $7 million liability for the Grey Wolf stock options that
are converted into cash settled trust unit appreciation awards
(Note 5(i)) and a $64 million liability for Grey Wolf
transaction costs (Note 5(j)).
In these statements, management has made a preliminary
allocation to the fair value of the acquired assets and
liabilities, this allocation could change materially when final
purchase accounting is performed and the resulting differences
could have a material impact on the financial statements.
In December 2007, FASB issued SFAS 141(R), Business
Combinations. The new standard, which will be effective for
business combinations occurring after December 31, 2008,
will require transaction costs to be expensed as incurred. If
the acquisition is completed subsequent to December 31,
2008, the allocation of the purchase consideration will be
difference under SFAS 141(R).
An independent appraisal firm has been engaged to assist in
finalizing the allocation of the purchase price. The preliminary
purchase price allocations are subject to change based on
finalization of the fair values of the tangible and intangible
assets acquired and liabilities assumed as described above.
|
|
Note 5
|
Pro forma
adjustments
|
The
Statements incorporate the following adjustments:
Adjustments
to the statements of earnings
a. Reclassification of Grey Wolfs Gain/Loss on
Sale of Assets to Depreciation and
Amortization to provide consistency with Precisions
presentation.
121
PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST
NOTES TO
THE UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
b. Record depreciation adjustments converting Grey
Wolfs basis of depreciation for drilling equipment from
straight line to unit of production, which is used by Precision.
c. Record depreciation associated with the increase in
property, plant and equipment that resulted from the allocation
of the purchase price consideration.
d. Record amortization associated with the acquired
intangible assets on a straight line basis over their estimated
lives. The estimated life of the intangible assets is
2-10 years.
e. Eliminate the interest expense recorded by Grey Wolf
with respect to the convertible notes that are assumed to be
converted prior to the acquisition.
f. Record the interest expense related to additional debt
assumed to finance the acquisition at an estimated rate of 8%
per annum. In addition, record the amortization of the
$57 million of debt issue costs associated with the debt
financing over an estimated 5 years. If the interest rate
on the debt increased by 0.125%, interest expense would increase
by $1 million per year.
g. Recognition of the current and future income tax effects
of pro forma adjustments at an average rate of approximately 35%
(combined Canadian and US effective tax rate).
Adjustments
to the balance sheet
h. Total debt was increased by $851 million to finance
the cash portion of the acquisition, net of the
$313 million of cash acquired and $11 million of cash
received on the exercise of Grey Wolf stock options. The current
portion of the debt of $24 million has been included in
current liabilities. Debt issue costs of $57 million are
included in other assets.
i. Vested Grey Wolf options issued under various plans were
assumed to be exercised prior to the acquisition resulting in an
additional 2 million shares of Grey Wolf common stock being
outstanding at the time of the acquisition. Included in the
working capital acquired upon the acquisition is
$11 million of cash received upon the exercise of these
options. Unvested options outstanding in Grey Wolf were assumed
to be converted to Precision cash settled trust unit
appreciation awards which resulted in the recognition of an
additional $7 million liability on the date of acquisition.
j. Recognize the estimated Grey Wolf transaction costs of
$64 million which include severance, advisory, legal, the
break-up fee on a prior transaction and other related costs. In
addition, deferred costs included in the other assets of Grey
Wolf of $4 million were not assigned value in the purchase
price allocation.
k. Recognize the estimated Precision transaction costs of
$21 million.
l. Record the elimination of Grey Wolfs equity and
pre-acquistion goodwill.
m. Revalue the Precision trust units issued to Grey Wolf
shareholders from $21.22 per unit, the amount used for
accounting purposes in the purchase price allocation, to
$25.02 per unit representing the redemption amount as at
the date of the balance sheet. This adjustment results in a
$160 million increase to temporary equity with a
corresponding increase in the deficit.
n. The convertible debt in Grey Wolf is assumed to be
converted into approximately 42.0 million common shares of
Grey Wolf common stock prior to the acquisition.
122
PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST
NOTES TO
THE UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
|
|
Note 6
|
Earnings
per Precision trust unit
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
June 30, 2008
|
|
December 31, 2007
|
|
|
(Thousands, except per unit amounts)
|
|
Pro forma net earnings
|
|
$
|
162,777
|
|
|
$
|
435,960
|
|
Weighted average units outstanding in Precision
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
|
|
125,758
|
|
Additional units issued upon acquisition
|
|
|
42,000
|
|
|
|
42,000
|
|
Pro forma weighted average units
|
|
|
167,758
|
|
|
|
167,758
|
|
Pro forma net earnings per unit
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
Diluted units outstanding in Precision
|
|
|
125,785
|
|
|
|
125,760
|
|
Additional units issued upon acquisition
|
|
|
42,000
|
|
|
|
42,000
|
|
Pro forma diluted units
|
|
|
167,785
|
|
|
|
167,760
|
|
Pro forma diluted net earnings per unit
|
|
$
|
0.97
|
|
|
$
|
2.60
|
|
123
COMPARISON
OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS
The rights of holders of Grey Wolf common stock are currently
governed by the laws of Texas and the articles of incorporation
and bylaws of Grey Wolf, each as amended to date. As a result of
the Merger, holders of Grey Wolf common stock who receive
Precision trust units will have the rights and privileges of
such units governed by Precisions Declaration of Trust,
which governs the business and affairs of Precision and which is
construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Alberta
and the federal laws of Canada. There is no statute, code, rule,
regulation or policy of any governmental authority that
regulates, in any material respect, the relationship between a
trust such as Precision and its beneficiaries. As a result, the
principal rights of the holders of Precision trust units are
contained primarily in Precisions Declaration of Trust
while aspects of the common law of the Province of Alberta and
Canadian federal common law are also applicable. There are
material differences in the rights and privileges of unitholders
of an Alberta unincorporated open-ended investment trust such as
Precision and those of shareholders of a Texas corporation such
as Grey Wolf.
The following is a summary of the material differences between
the rights of holders of Grey Wolf common stock and those of
holders of Precision trust units as of the date hereof. These
differences arise from differences between Texas law and
Canadian law and between Grey Wolfs organizational
documents and Precisions Declaration of Trust.
This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to applicable Texas and Canadian law
and the organizational documents of Grey Wolf and
Precisions Declaration of Trust. Copies of the amended and
restated articles of incorporation and bylaws of Grey Wolf and
Precisions Declaration of Trust were previously filed with
the SEC. See Where You Can Find More Information
beginning on page 136.
Limited
Liability of Shareholders and Unitholders
Grey
Wolf
Grey Wolf, as a Texas corporation under the TBCA, is a unique
legal entity separate and apart from those who own it. Under
Texas law, the liability of a holder of Grey Wolf common stock
for the debts or liabilities of Grey Wolf is generally limited
to the amount of the shareholders investment in Grey Wolf
common stock.
Precision
Under the Income Trusts Liability Act (Alberta), a holder
of Precision trust units will not be, as a beneficiary, liable
for any act, default, obligation or liability of the trustees of
Precision. In addition, Precisions Declaration of Trust
provides that no holder of Precision trust units will be subject
to any liability in connection with the assets, obligations,
activities or affairs of Precision or any actual or alleged act
or omission of the trustees of Precision. The Precision
Declaration of Trust provides that in the event that a court
determines that holders of Precision trust units are subject to
any such liabilities, the liabilities are to be satisfied out of
that unitholders share of the assets of Precision
represented by the unitholders Precision trust units.
Voting
Rights Generally
Grey
Wolf
The TBCA generally requires the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the shares having voting power represented, in
person or by proxy, at the meeting and voting for or against or
expressly abstaining on any matter, to decide all matters,
except for certain matters for which the TBCA default rules set
a different voting requirement, such as the approval of a merger
(discussed below). As permitted by Texas law, Grey Wolfs
organizational documents reduce the affirmative vote required to
authorize any action, including a merger, to a majority of the
outstanding shares entitled to vote other than the election of
directors. In accordance with the TBCA and Grey Wolfs
organizational documents, Grey Wolfs directors are elected
by a plurality of the votes cast by the holders of shares
entitled to vote in the election of directors.
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Pursuant to the TBCA, a quorum will be present with respect to
any meeting of Grey Wolfs shareholders if the holders of a
majority of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting are
represented at the meeting in person or by proxy.
To bring a matter before an annual meeting or to nominate a
candidate for director, a shareholders notice of the
proposed matter or nomination must be received at Grey
Wolfs principal executive office not less than 60 and not
more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the
mailing to shareholders of the notice of meeting for the
immediately preceding annual meeting. In the event that the date
of the annual meeting is changed by more than 30 days from
the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual
meeting, the shareholders notice must be received at Grey
Wolfs principal executive office no later than the close
of business on the 10th day following the earlier of the
date on which a written statement setting forth the date of the
meeting was mailed to shareholders or the date on which it is
first disclosed to the public. In the case of a special meeting
at which directors are to be elected, a shareholder nomination
notice must be received at Grey Wolfs principal executive
office not less than 50 nor more than 120 days prior to the
date of the meeting.
Unless the board of directors requires a different vote, Texas
law generally requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding shares entitled to vote to
approve a merger, and if any class of shares is entitled to vote
as a class on the approval of a merger, the affirmative vote of
the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares in each class.
Similar voting requirements apply for statutory share exchanges
or conversions. Texas law does not require a vote by the
shareholders of the surviving corporation of a merger under
certain circumstances where, among other things, the number of
shares to be issued is less than 20% of the outstanding shares
prior to the transaction. In addition, Texas law does not
require a vote by the shareholders of a corporation in
connection with a merger with another corporation that owns at
least 90% of each class of its capital stock. However, as
discussed above, Grey Wolfs organizational documents
specifically provide that the affirmative vote of a majority of
the outstanding shares entitled to vote will decide all matters,
including mergers, other than the election of directors, put
before the Grey Wolf shareholders.
Precision
Each Precision trust unit entitles its holder to one vote on
each resolution put forth at any meeting of the holders of
Precision trust units or in respect of any written resolution of
the holders of Precision trust units. Each proposal is
classified as either an Ordinary Resolution or
Special Resolution, and can be passed only as
described below. Precisions Declaration of Trust allows
for the creation of Precision special voting units which enables
Precision to provide voting rights to holders of units, shares
or other securities which are convertible into or exchangeable
for Precision trust units. Holders of Precision special voting
units are not entitled to any interest or share in the
distributions or net assets of Precision and are only entitled
to the number of votes at meetings of Precision trust
unitholders as is equal to the number of Precision trust units
into which the convertible or exchangeable securities to which
their Precision special voting units relate are convertible or
exchangeable.
An Ordinary Resolution for purposes of
Precisions Declaration of Trust is a resolution proposed
to be passed as an ordinary resolution at a meeting of holders
of Precision trust units duly convened for that purpose and
passed by the affirmative vote of more than 50% of the votes
cast on the resolution by unitholders represented at the
meeting. Holders of Precision trust units are entitled to pass
Ordinary Resolutions that bind Precision only with respect to
(i) the election or removal of a trustee of Precision,
(ii) the appointment or removal of auditors and
(iii) the exercise of voting rights attached to the voting
securities of the general partner of PDLP held by Precision as
contemplated in Precisions Declaration of Trust.
A Special Resolution for purposes of
Precisions Declaration of Trust is a resolution proposed
to be passed as a special resolution at a meeting of holders of
Precision trust units duly convened for that purpose and passed
by the affirmative vote of more than
662/3%
of the votes cast on the resolution by unitholders represented
at the meeting. Approval of the holders of Precision trust units
by Special Resolution is required with respect to
(i) amendments of Precisions Declaration of Trust,
(ii) the termination of Precision, (iii) the sale of
all or substantially all of the assets of Precision,
(iv) the dissolution of Precision prior to the end of its
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term and (v) the ratification of any trust unitholder
rights plan, distribution reinvestment plan, trust unit purchase
plan, trust unit option plan, incentive option plan or other
compensation plan which requires the approval of the holders of
the Precision trust units.
Given that (i) PDLP is the sole shareholder of PDC and is
entitled to appoint persons to the board of directors of PDC and
(ii) Precision holds all of the voting shares of the
general partner of PDLP, the holders of Precision trust units
elect the board of directors of PDC by Ordinary Resolution at
each annual meeting of the unitholders, and the trustees of
Precision ensure that appropriate steps are taken by the general
partner on behalf of PDLP to act upon the election by the
holders of Precision trust units.
Meetings
of the Shareholders and Unitholders
Grey
Wolf
In accordance with the TBCA, the date, time and place of the
Grey Wolf annual meeting is determined by the Grey Wolf board of
directors, and notice of the Grey Wolf annual meeting must be
mailed to the Grey Wolf shareholders no less than 10 and no more
than 60 days prior to the meeting.
Except as otherwise required by law or Grey Wolfs articles
of incorporation, special meetings of the Grey Wolf shareholders
may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman of
the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, by a
resolution approved by a majority of the entire Grey Wolf board
of directors or by the holders of at least 50% of all the shares
entitled to vote at the meeting.
Precision
Precisions Declaration of Trust provides that meetings of
the holders of Precision trust units must be called and held
for, among other matters, the election of Precisions
trustees, the appointment or removal of the auditors of
Precision, the approval of all significant amendments to
Precisions Declaration of Trust, the sale of all or
substantially all of Precisions assets and the dissolution
or termination of Precision. Annual meetings of the holders of
Precision trust units are required to be held for, among other
things, the election of Precision trustees and the appointment
of the auditors of Precision.
A meeting of Precision unitholders may be convened at any time
and for any purpose by the trustees of Precision and must be
convened, except in certain circumstances, if requisitioned by
the holders of not less than 5% of all votes entitled to be
voted at a meeting of the holders of Precision trust units. A
requisition must, among other things, be in writing and state in
reasonable detail the business purpose for which the meeting is
to be called. Only Precision unitholders of record may attend
and vote at meetings, but may do so either in person or by proxy
(and a proxyholder need not be a holder of Precision trust
units). Two persons present in person or represented by proxy
and representing in the aggregate at least 5% of the votes
attached to all outstanding Precision trust units constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business at all such meetings.
Precisions Declaration of Trust contains provisions as to
the notice required and other procedures with respect to the
calling and holding of meetings of the holders of Precision
trust units in accordance with the requirements of applicable
laws. In particular, Precisions Declaration of Trust
requires notice of all meetings of Precision unitholders to be
provided by unregistered mail, postage prepaid, mailed at least
21 days and not more than 50 days prior to the
meeting. For the purpose of determining the holders of Precision
trust units who are entitled to vote or act at any meeting, the
trustees of Precision may fix a date not more than 60 days
and not less than 21 days prior to the date of any meeting
of Precision unitholders as a record date for the determination
of Precision unitholders entitled to vote at the meeting, and
any unitholder who was a unitholder at the time so fixed will be
entitled to vote at the meeting even though that unitholder has
since that time disposed of his or her Precision trust units,
and no holder of Precision trust units who becomes a unitholder
after that time will be entitled to vote at the meeting. In the
event that the trustees of Precision do not fix a record date
for any meeting of Precision unitholders, the record date for
the meeting will be the business day immediately proceeding the
date upon which notice of the meeting is given to the
unitholders as provided by Precisions Declaration of Trust.
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Action by
Written Consent In Lieu of a Meeting
Grey
Wolf
As permitted by the TBCA, shareholders of Grey Wolf may act by
written consent in lieu of a meeting of the shareholders so long
as the written consent has been signed by the holder or holders
of all the shares entitled to vote with respect to the action
that is the subject of the consent.
Precision
A resolution in writing executed by holders of Precision trust
units holding more than
662/3%
of the votes attached to outstanding Precision trust units at
any time is valid and binding for all purposes of
Precisions Declaration of Trust, as if the unitholders had
exercised at that time all of the voting rights to which they
were then entitled under Precisions Declaration of Trust
in favor of the resolution at a meeting of Precision unitholders
duly called for that purpose.
Amendments
to Governing Documents
Grey
Wolf
Under the TBCA, a corporations board of directors and
shareholders may amend the corporations articles of
incorporation if (i) the board of directors sets forth the
proposed amendment in a resolution and directs that it be
submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders, and
(ii) the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares
entitled to vote thereon approve it by an affirmative vote. Grey
Wolfs articles of incorporation do not contain any special
provisions regarding amendments, generally, except that:
(i) the articles may not be amended in any manner which
would materially and adversely alter the powers, preferences or
special rights of the Series B Preferred Stock without the
affirmative vote of the holders of at least
662/3%
of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock
voting as a single class and (ii) the provision in the
articles of incorporation relating to amendments to Grey
Wolfs bylaws cannot be amended without the affirmative
vote of 75% of the holders of all shares of Grey Wolf stock
entitled to vote, voting as a single class.
The Grey Wolf board of directors is expressly and exclusively
empowered to adopt, amend or repeal Grey Wolfs bylaws.
Precision
Approval of the unitholders by Special Resolution is required to
amend Precisions Declaration of Trust, provided, however,
that Precisions trustees may, at any time and without the
consent, approval or ratification of any of the Precision
unitholders, amend Precisions Declaration of Trust
(i) for the purpose of ensuring Precisions continuing
compliance with applicable laws, regulations or policies of any
governmental authority, (ii) in a manner which, in the
opinion of the trustees of Precision, provides additional
protection for the holders of Precision trust units,
(iii) in a manner which, in the opinion of the trustees of
Precision, is necessary or desirable in light of changes in
Canadian tax laws, (iv) to remove any conflicts or
inconsistencies in Precisions Declaration of Trust or to
make minor corrections which are, in the opinion of the
Precision trustees, necessary or desirable and not prejudicial
to the holders of Precision trust units, or (v) to change
the situs of, or the laws governing, Precision which, in the
opinion of the Precision trustees, is desirable in order to
provide Precision unitholders with the benefit of any
legislation limiting their liability.
Dissenters/Appraisal
Rights
Grey
Wolf
Under the TBCA and Grey Wolfs organizational documents, a
shareholder generally has the right to dissent from any merger
to which Grey Wolf is a party, from any sale of all or
substantially all of Grey Wolfs assets or from any plan of
exchange, and to receive fair value for such shareholders
shares. However,
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dissenters rights are not available with respect to a plan
of merger in which there is a single surviving corporation or
with respect to any plan of exchange if:
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the shares held by the shareholder are part of a class, shares
of which are listed on a national securities exchange or NASDAQ
or held of record by not less than 2,000 holders on the record
date fixed to determine the shareholders entitled to vote on the
plan of merger or the plan of exchange;
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the shareholder is not required by the terms of the plan of
merger or plan of exchange to accept for the shareholders
shares any consideration that is different than the
consideration (other than cash in lieu of fractional shares) to
be provided to any other holder of shares of the same class or
series held by the shareholder; and
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the shareholder is not required by the terms of the plan of
merger or plan of exchange to accept for the shareholders
shares any consideration other than:
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(i)
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shares of a corporation that, immediately after the effective
time of the merger or exchange, will be part of a class of
shares that are:
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(a)
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listed, or authorized for listing upon official notice of
issuance, on a national securities exchange,
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(b)
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approved for quotation as a national market security on
NASDAQ, or
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(c)
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held of record by not less than 2,000 holders;
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(ii)
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cash in lieu of fractional shares otherwise entitled to be
received, or
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(iii)
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any combination of (i) and (ii).
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Precision
Under the Precision Declaration of Trust, the holders of
Precision trust units have no dissenters, appraisal or
similar rights in connection with a merger, a sale of all or
substantially all of Precisions assets or from any plan of
exchange.
Derivative
and Oppression Actions
Grey
Wolf
Under Texas law, a Grey Wolf shareholder may not institute a
derivative proceeding without first making a demand upon the
corporation. A court will be required to dismiss the proceeding
if:
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a majority of the independent and disinterested directors of the
corporation constituting a quorum of the whole board;
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a committee of the board consisting of two or more independent
and disinterested directors; or
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one or more persons who are independent and disinterested and
appointed by the court at the recommendation of the corporation,
determines in good faith, after conducting a reasonable inquiry,
that the continuation of the derivative proceeding is not in the
best interests of the corporation.
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Precision
Holders of Precision trust units do not have the statutory
rights normally associated with ownership of shares of a
corporation, and thus do not have the statutory right to bring
oppression or derivative actions under
the Canada Business Corporations Act or the Business
Corporations Act (Alberta) (ABCA).
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Payment
of Dividends and Distributions
Grey
Wolf
Under Texas law, the board of directors of a corporation may
authorize, and the corporation may pay, dividends, or make other
distributions, including redemptions or repurchases of stock.
However, except in limited circumstances, no distribution may be
made if after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation
would be insolvent or the distribution exceeds the surplus of
the corporation. Under Texas law, surplus means the
excess of the net assets of a corporation over its stated
capital. Grey Wolf has never declared a dividend on its common
stock. Grey Wolfs bank credit facilities restrict its
ability to declare or pay any dividend on, or make similar
payments with respect to, its capital stock.
Precision
The trustees of Precision have adopted a policy of making
regular cash distributions on or about the 15th day
following the end of each calendar month to the holders of the
Precision trust units of record on the last business day of each
calendar month. The actual amount distributed is dependent on
various economic factors and distributions are declared at the
discretion of the Precision trustees. Accordingly, distributions
may be increased, reduced or suspended entirely. Distributions
are paid from Precisions cash flow, which is
defined in Precisions Declaration of Trust as the sum of
(i) all cash amounts which are received by Precision for,
or in respect of, any applicable distribution period, including,
without limitation, interest, dividends, distributions, proceeds
from the disposition of securities, returns of capital and
repayments of indebtedness and (ii) the proceeds of any
issuance of Precision trust units or any other securities, net
of the expenses of distribution and, if applicable, the use of
proceeds of any the issuance for the intended purpose, less the
sum of (A) all amounts which relate to the redemption of
Precision trust units and which have become payable in cash by
Precision in the applicable distribution period and any expenses
of Precision in the distribution period and (B) any other
amounts (including taxes) required by law to be deducted,
withheld or paid by Precision in the distribution period.
Precisions Declaration of Trust also provides that an
amount equal to net income of Precision not already paid to
holders of Precision trust units in the year will become payable
on December 31 of each year such that Precision will not be
liable for ordinary Canadian federal income taxes for the year.
In the event the trustees of Precision determine that Precision
does not have available cash in an amount sufficient to make
payment of the full amount of any distribution which has been
declared to be payable on the due date for the payment, the
payment may, at the option of the Precision trustees, include
the issuance of additional Precision trust units, or fractions
of trust units, if necessary, having a value equal to the
difference between the amount of the distribution and the amount
of cash which has been determined by the trustees to be
available for the payment of the distribution. Immediately after
any pro rata distribution of additional trust units to all
holders of trust units in payment of all or any part of any
distribution, the number of the outstanding trust units will
automatically be consolidated such that each holder will hold
after the consolidation the same number of trust units as the
holder held before the distribution of additional trust units.
The Precision trustees may deduct or withhold from distributions
payable to any holder of Precision trust units all amounts
required by law to be withheld from the distribution, whether
those distributions are in the form of cash, additional trust
units or otherwise. In the event of a distribution in the form
of additional trust units or property other than cash, the
Precision trustees may sell trust units or other property of
those Precision unitholders to pay those withholding taxes and
to pay all of the Precision trustees reasonable expenses
with regard thereto.
Redemption Rights
Grey
Wolf
Texas law does not grant any redemption rights, or require that
any redemption rights be granted, to shareholders of a Texas
corporation, and Grey Wolf shareholders have no such rights to
redeem shares of Grey Wolf.
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Precision
Precision trust units are redeemable at any time on demand upon
delivery to Precision by a holder of Precision trust units of a
duly completed and properly executed notice requesting
redemption. Upon receipt of a notice to redeem trust units by
Precision, the holder will cease to have any rights with respect
to the trust units tendered for redemption (other than the right
to receive the redemption payment therefor, unless the
redemption payment is not made as required), including the right
to receive any distributions which are declared payable on a
date subsequent to the day of receipt by Precision of the
applicable redemption notice.
Upon receipt by Precision of a notice to redeem Precision trust
units, the tendering unitholder will thereafter be entitled to
receive a price per trust unit equal to the lesser of:
(i) 90% of the market price per trust unit on
the principal stock exchange on which the trust units are listed
during the period of the last 10 trading days immediately prior
to the date on which the trust units were tendered for
redemption; and (ii) the closing market price
on the principal stock exchange on which the trust units are
listed on the date that the trust units were tendered for
redemption. The aggregate redemption price payable by Precision
in respect of the trust units surrendered for redemption during
any calendar month will be satisfied by way of a cash payment on
the last day of the calendar month following the month in which
the applicable trust units were tendered for redemption.
Holders of Precision trust units will not receive cash upon the
redemption of their Precision trust units if:
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the total amount payable by Precision in respect of such trust
units and all other trust units tendered for redemption in the
same calendar month exceeds Cdn$50,000 (provided that the
trustees of Precision may, in their sole discretion, waive such
limitation in respect of all trust units tendered for redemption
in any calendar month);
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at the time such Precision trust units are tendered for
redemption, the outstanding trust units are not listed for
trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange or traded or quoted on any
stock exchange or market which the Precision trustees consider,
in their sole opinion, provides representative fair market value
prices for the trust units;
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the normal trading of Precision trust units is suspended or
halted on any stock exchange on which the Precision trust units
are listed for trading on the date that such trust units
tendered for redemption were tendered to Precision for
redemption or for more than five trading days during the
10 day trading period prior to the date on which such trust
units were tendered for redemption; or
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the redemption of Precision trust units will result in the
delisting of the trust units on the principal stock exchange on
which the trust units are listed.
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If a holder of Precision trust units is not entitled to receive
cash upon the redemption of trust units as a result of one or
more of the foregoing limitations, then each trust unit tendered
for redemption will, subject to any applicable regulatory
approvals, be redeemed by way of a distribution in specie of the
assets held by Precision, which may include notes or other
assets.
Fiduciary
Duties of Directors and Trustees
Grey
Wolf
Texas law provides that a directors fiduciary obligation
encompasses the duty of care, the duty of loyalty and the duty
of obedience to the corporation. The TBCA expressly permits a
director to consider the long-term as well as the short-term
interests of a corporation and its shareholders when considering
the best interests of the corporation, including, in the case of
an acquisition proposal, the possibility that those interests
may be best served by the continued independence of the
corporation.
Precision
The trustees of Precision, in exercising the powers and
authority conferred upon them under Precisions Declaration
of Trust, are required to act honestly and in good faith with a
view to the best interests of
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Precision and in connection therewith are required to exercise
the degree of care, diligence and skill that a reasonably
prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. The
Precision Declaration of Trust provides that the duties and
standard of care of the Precision trustees are intended to be
similar to, and not to be any greater than, those imposed on a
director of a corporation governed by the ABCA.
If a trustee or an officer of Precision is a party to a material
contract or transaction or proposed material contract or
transaction with Precision, or is a director or officer or
employee of, or has a material interest in, any person who is a
party to a material contract or transaction or proposed material
contract or transaction with Precision, the trustee or officer
of Precision, as the case may be, is required to disclose in
writing to the Precision trustees or request to have entered in
the minutes of meetings of trustees the nature and extent of
such interest and refrain from voting on any resolution to
approve the contract or transaction in question unless the
contract or transaction is: (i) one relating primarily to
his or her remuneration as a trustee, officer, employee or agent
of Precision; (ii) one for indemnity or for the purchase of
liability insurance; or (iii) one with any affiliate of
Precision.
Indemnification
of Officers, Directors and Trustees
Grey
Wolf
Pursuant to its articles of incorporation and bylaws, Grey Wolf
is required to indemnify its officers and directors and may
indemnify its employees and agents to the maximum extent allowed
under Texas law. Under Texas law, Grey Wolf is permitted to
provide advancement of expenses and indemnification against
judgments, penalties, fines, settlement and reasonable expenses
actually incurred by a person in connection with proceedings
against such person because the person served as a director,
officer employee or agent of Grey Wolf if it is determined in
accordance with Article 2.02 of the TBCA that the person
(i) acted in good faith, (ii) reasonably believed that
his conduct in his official capacity as director or officer was
in Grey Wolfs best interest or, with respect to conduct in
other capacities, was not opposed to Grey Wolfs best
interest and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding,
had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In
addition, indemnification is not permitted if the person is
found liable to Grey Wolf or if the person is found liable on
the basis that he received an improper personal benefit.
Precision
Each trustee, former trustee, officer and former officer of
Precision is entitled to be indemnified and reimbursed out of
the assets of Precision in respect of any and all taxes,
penalties or interest in respect of unpaid taxes or other
governmental charges imposed upon the applicable trustee or
officer (or former trustee or officer) as a result of the
persons performance of his or her duties under
Precisions Declaration of Trust and in respect of any and
all costs, charges and expenses, including amounts paid to
settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred in
respect of any civil, criminal or administrative action or
proceeding to which the trustee or officer (or former trustee or
officer) is made a party by reason of being or having been a
trustee or officer of Precision or, at the request of Precision,
a director, trustee or officer of any subsidiary entity of
Precision; provided that no trustee, former trustee, officer or
former officer will be indemnified out of the assets of
Precision in respect of unpaid taxes or other governmental
charges or in respect of costs, charges and expenses that arise
out of or as a result or in the course of his or her failure to
act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests
of Precision, or out of or as a result of or in the course of
his or her failure to exercise that degree of care, diligence or
skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in
comparable circumstances or, in the case of a criminal or
administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by monetary
penalty, where such person did not have reasonable grounds for
believing that his or her conduct was lawful.
Pursuant to the administration agreement between Precision and
PDC, PDC and any person who is serving or will have served as a
director, officer or employee of PDC will be indemnified and
saved harmless by Precision (in each case in relation to
services provided in respect of or for the benefit of such
party) from and against all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, obligations, costs and expenses (including
judgments, fines, penalties amounts paid in settlement and
counsel and accountants fees) of whatsoever kind and
nature
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incurred by, borne by or asserted against any of such
indemnified parties in any way arising from or related in any
manner to the administration agreement or the provision of
services thereunder, unless such indemnified party is found
liable for or guilty of fraud, willful default or gross
negligence.
Liability
of Directors, Officers, Employees and Trustees
Grey
Wolf
Under Texas law, a corporation has the power to indemnify and
limit the liability of directors, officers, employees and agents
of the corporation with respect to certain liabilities and to
purchase and maintain liability insurance for those persons.
Accordingly, no director of Grey Wolf will be liable to Grey
Wolf or its shareholders for an act or omission in the
directors capacity as director except for: (i) a
breach of the directors duty of loyalty to Grey Wolf or
its shareholders, (ii) an act or omission not in good faith
that constitutes a breach of duty of the director to Grey Wolf
or an act or omission that involves intentional misconduct or
knowing violation of the law, (iii) a transaction from
which the director received an improper benefit, whether or not
the benefit resulted from an action taken within the scope of
the directors office or (iv) an act or omission for
which the liability of a director is expressly provided by
applicable statutes. If Texas law is amended to authorize
corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal
liabilities of directors, then the liability of a director of
Grey Wolf will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent
permitted by such laws, as so amended.
Precision
Precisions Declaration of Trust contains a number of
provisions limiting the liability of the trustees of Precision.
The Precision trustees will not be liable to any Precision
unitholder or any other person, in tort, contract or otherwise,
for any action taken or not taken in good faith in reliance on
any documents that are, prima facie, properly executed; for any
depreciation of, or loss to, Precision incurred by reason of the
sale of any asset or security; for the loss or disposition of
money or securities; or any action or failure to act of any
other person to whom the Precision trustees have delegated any
of their duties under Precisions Declaration of Trust; or
for any other action or failure to act (including failure to
compel in any way any former trustee to redress any breach of
trust or any failure by any person to perform his or her duties
under or delegated to them, under Precisions Declaration
of Trust), unless, in each case, such liabilities arise out of a
breach of the Precision trustees standard of care,
diligence and skill or breach of the restrictions on the
trustees powers as set out in Precisions Declaration
of Trust.
If the trustees of Precision have retained an appropriate
expert, advisor or legal counsel with respect to any matter
connected with their duties under Precisions Declaration
of Trust, the trustees may act or refuse to act based on the
advice of such expert, advisor or legal counsel, and the
trustees will not be liable for and will be fully protected from
any loss or liability occasioned by any action or refusal to act
based on the advice of such expert, advisor or legal counsel. In
the exercise of the powers, authorities or discretion conferred
on the Precision trustees under Precisions Declaration of
Trust, the trustees are and will be conclusively deemed to be
acting as trustees of Precisions assets and will not be
subject to any personal liability for any debts, liabilities,
obligations, claims, demands, judgments, costs, charges or
expenses against or with respect to Precision or
Precisions assets.
Under the ABCA, PDC may indemnify a present or former director
or officer or a person who acts or acted at PDCs request
as a director or officer of a body corporate of which PDC is or
was a shareholder or creditor, and his or her heirs and legal
representatives, against all costs, charges and expenses,
including an amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a
judgment, reasonably incurred by him or her in respect of any
civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which
he or she is made a party by reason of being or having been a
director or officer of PDC or that body corporate, if the
director or officer acted honestly and in good faith with a view
to the best interests of PDC, and, in the case of a criminal or
administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a
monetary penalty, had reasonable grounds for believing that his
or her conduct was lawful. Such indemnification may be in
connection with a derivative action only with court approval. A
director or officer is entitled to indemnification from PDC as a
matter of right if he or she was
132
substantially successful on the merits in the persons
defense of the action or proceeding, fulfilled the conditions
set forth above, and is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnify. Moreover, as discussed above, in certain
circumstances, Precision is obligated to hold harmless and
indemnify directors, officers and employees of PDC pursuant to
the terms of the administration agreement between PDC and
Precision.
Applicable
Anti-Takeover Laws and Provisions
Grey
Wolf
The TBCA contains a provision limiting business combinations
with affiliated shareholders but, as permitted by the TCBA, Grey
Wolf elected not to be covered by such provision. Grey
Wolfs shareholder rights plan expired by its terms on
September 18, 2008.
Precision
The laws of the Province of Alberta do not contain specific
anti-takeover provisions with respect to business transactions.
However, the policies of Canadian securities regulatory
authorities contain certain requirements relating to takeover
bids, mergers and interested shareholder transactions. In
particular, Multilateral Instrument
61-101
Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special
Transactions imposes certain requirements on, among other
things, business combinations and related
party transactions. Multilateral Instrument
61-101
requires detailed disclosure in any proxy material sent to
security holders in connection with any transaction to which
they relate, including, subject to certain exceptions, the
inclusion of a formal valuation of the subject matter of the
transaction and any non-cash consideration offered. Multilateral
Instrument
61-101 also
requires, subject to certain exceptions, that the minority
shareholders of an issuer separately approve the transaction by
a simple majority.
Precisions Declaration of Trust contains provisions to the
effect that if a takeover bid is made for the Precision trust
units and not less than 90% of the trust units (including trust
units issuable upon the conversion, exercise or exchange of any
securities exchangeable into trust units but not including any
trust units held on the date of the take-over bid by or on
behalf of, or issuable to, the offeror or an affiliate or
associate of the offeror) are taken up and paid for by the
offeror, the offeror will be entitled to acquire the Precision
trust units held by unitholders who did not accept the take-over
bid on the terms offered by the offeror.
Access to
Corporate Records
Grey
Wolf
Under Texas law, any person who has been a Grey Wolf shareholder
for at least six months immediately preceding such
shareholders demand, or is the holder of at least 5% of
all the outstanding shares of Grey Wolf, upon written demand
stating the purpose thereof, has the right to examine, in person
or by agent, accountant, or attorney, at any reasonable time or
times, for any proper purpose, Grey Wolfs relevant books
and records of account, minutes and share transfer records, and
to make extracts therefrom. Upon the written request of any
shareholder of Grey Wolf, Grey Wolf is required to mail to such
shareholder its annual statements for its last fiscal year
showing in reasonable detail its assets and liabilities and the
results of its operations and the most recent interim
statements, if any, which have been filed in a public record or
otherwise published. Grey Wolf is allowed a reasonable time to
prepare such annual statements.
Precision
Each holder of Precision trust units has the right to obtain, on
demand and without fee, from the head office of Precision a copy
of Precisions Declaration of Trust and any amendments
thereto relating to the Precision trust units held by that
unitholder. Precision is required to send (or make available if
sending is not required under applicable securities laws) to
holders of Precision trust units the audited financial
statements of Precision and the unaudited interim financial
statements of Precision within the periods prescribed by
securities legislation.
133
Directors
and Trustees Generally
Grey
Wolf
Texas law provides that the board of directors of a corporation
must consist of at least one member, with the precise number of
directors of a corporation fixed by or in the manner provided in
the corporations articles of incorporation or bylaws.
Consistent with Texas law and Grey Wolfs articles of
incorporation and bylaws, Grey Wolf currently has seven
directors. The Grey Wolf bylaws provide that the number of
directors can be increased or decreased from time to time by the
board of directors of Grey Wolf.
Subject to the rights of holders of preferred stock to elect
additional directors under certain circumstances, there are
three classes of Grey Wolf directors, designated Class I,
Class II and Class III, as nearly equal in number as
possible. One class of directors is elected each year, and the
term of each class of directors expires at the third succeeding
annual meeting of shareholders after their election by the
shareholders.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Grey Wolf
preferred stock outstanding, vacancies and newly created
directorships may be filled by the vote of a majority of the
remaining directors in office, even though less than a quorum,
or by the sole remaining director. As prescribed by the
organizational documents of Grey Wolf in accordance with the
TBCA, (i) a majority of the total number of Grey Wolf
directors then in office constitutes a quorum at any meeting of
directors, and (ii) the affirmative vote of a majority of
directors present at meeting at which there is a quorum
constitutes action by the Grey Wolf board of directors.
Precision
Precisions Declaration of Trust provides for a board of
trustees consisting of at least three and no more than 11
trustees, with the number of trustees (which presently remains
at three) within such range being fixed by resolution of the
Precision trustees. A majority of the trustees must be residents
of Canada (within the meaning of the Income Tax Act
(Canada)). Precisions trustees are generally elected
at each annual meeting of the holders of the Precision trust
units, and may be elected at special meetings, to hold office
for a term expiring at the close of the next annual meeting of
Precision unitholders following such an election.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) if no trustees are
elected at the annual meeting of the holders of Precision trust
units held immediately before the term of office of the
applicable trustees expires, the existing trustees will continue
to hold office until their successors have been elected or
appointed or they cease to hold office, and (ii) the
trustees of Precision may, between annual meetings of Precision
unitholders, appoint one or more additional trustees for a term
to expire (subject to further appointment) at the close of the
next annual meeting of Precision unitholders, provided that the
number of additional trustees so appointed will not at any time
exceed one-third of the number of trustees who held office at
the expiration of the immediately preceding annual meeting of
Precision unitholders.
A quorum of Precision trustees may fill a vacancy among such
trustees, except a vacancy resulting from an increase in the
number of trustees or from a failure to appoint the minimum
number of trustees fixed by or pursuant to the Declaration of
Trust. If there is not a quorum of trustees, or if there has
been a failure to elect or appoint the minimum number of
trustees required by or pursuant to the Declaration of Trust,
the trustees then in office are required to call a special
meeting of Precision trust unitholders to fill the vacancy and,
if they fail to call a meeting or if there are no trustees then
in office, the meeting may be called by any unitholder. A
Precision trustee elected or appointed to fill a vacancy holds
office until the close of the next annual meeting of
unitholders, subject to the trustee ceasing to hold office on an
earlier date as provided in the Declaration of Trust.
The quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the
trustees of Precision is a majority of the number of trustees
then holding office, provided that a majority of participating
trustees are residents of Canada within the meaning of the
Income Tax Act (Canada). Every question before the
trustees of Precision is decided by a majority of the votes
cast, and in cases of equality of votes, the chairman of the
meeting is not entitled to a second or casting vote. The powers
of the trustees may be exercised by resolution passed at a
134
meeting at which a quorum is present or by resolution in writing
signed by all Precision trustees who would be entitled to vote
on that resolution at a meeting of the trustees.
Removal
of Directors and Trustees
Grey
Wolf
Under Texas law, unless removed in accordance with the
provisions of the bylaws or the articles of incorporation, a
director holds office until his death or until his successor has
been elected and qualified. A Grey Wolf director may be removed
from office only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote
of the holders of at least
662/3%
of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of
capital stock of Grey Wolf entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors, voting together as a single class;
provided, however, these requirements do not apply to directors
elected by holders of preferred stock.
Precision
A trustee of Precision ceases to hold office when:
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he or she dies or resigns;
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he or she is removed in accordance with Precisions
Declaration of Trust; or
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he or she ceases to be duly qualified to act as a trustee as
required by Precisions Declaration of Trust.
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The resignation of a Precision trustee becomes effective on the
later of (i) 30 days from the date a written
resignation is received by Precision, and (ii) the date
specified in the resignation. The holders of Precision trust
units may remove any trustee or trustees from office by a
resolution approved by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting
of Precision unitholders called for that purpose. A vacancy
created by the removal of a Precision trustee may be filled at
the meeting at which the trustee is removed or, if not so
filled, may, in certain circumstances, be filled by a quorum of
Precision trustees.
135
GREY WOLF
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
Under Grey Wolfs bylaws, business transacted at the
special meeting is limited to the purposes stated in the notice
of the special meeting, which is provided at the beginning of
this proxy statement/prospectus. If the Merger is completed,
there will be no future meetings of Grey Wolfs
shareholders. Pending consummation of the Merger, Grey Wolf does
not intend to conduct any further annual meetings of
shareholders. If the Merger is not consummated, Grey Wolf will
promptly hold its 2008 annual meeting of shareholders. Pursuant
to
Rule 14a-8
of the Exchange Act, Grey Wolf shareholders who desire to submit
a proposal for inclusion in Grey Wolfs proxy statement for
its 2008 annual meeting, if held, should submit their proposal a
reasonable time before Grey Wolf begins to print and send its
proxy materials for such meeting. Pursuant to Grey Wolfs
bylaws, a shareholder must provide notice to Grey Wolf at its
principal executive office of its intention to bring business
before the annual meeting not later than the close of business
on the 10th day following the earlier of (i) the date
on which a written statement setting forth the date of the 2008
annual meeting was mailed to shareholders or (ii) the date
on which the date of the 2008 annual meeting is publicly
announced.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Precision as of
December 31, 2007 and 2006 and for each of the years in the
three-year period ended December 31, 2007, and the
assessment of effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2007, incorporated in this
proxy statement/prospectus by reference have been so
incorporated in reliance on the reports of KPMG LLP, independent
accountants, given on the authority of that firm as experts in
accounting and auditing. KPMG LLP is, and during all the periods
for which financial statements have been presented in this proxy
statement/prospectus has acted as, auditor for Precision.
The consolidated financial statements and schedule of Grey Wolf
as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and for each of the years
in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007, and
managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007
have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the
reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting
firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority
of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit
report covering the December 31, 2007 consolidated
financial statements refers to a change in the method of
accounting for income taxes as of January 1, 2007, and
accounting for stock-based compensation plans as of
January 1, 2006.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the issuance of the Precision trust units to be
issued pursuant to the Merger will be passed upon for Precision
by Bennett Jones LLP, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Certain US federal income tax consequences relating to the
Merger will be passed upon for Grey Wolf by Porter &
Hedges, L.L.P., Houston, Texas, and for Precision by Mayer Brown
LLP, Houston, Texas. Felesky Flynn LLP, Canadian tax counsel to
Precision, will issue an opinion concerning certain Canadian
income tax consequences of the Merger.
WHERE YOU
CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Precision and Grey Wolf file reports, proxy statements and other
information with the Securities and Exchange Commission as
required by the Exchange Act. Precision is a foreign
private issuer and, under the rules adopted under the
Exchange Act, is exempt from some of the requirements of that
Act, including the proxy and information provisions of
Section 14 and the reporting and liability provisions
applicable to officers, directors and significant shareholders
under Section 16 of that Act.
You may read and copy reports, proxy statements and other
information filed by Precision and Grey Wolf with the Securities
and Exchange Commission at the Securities and Exchange
Commission public reference room located at
100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C.
20549.
You may obtain information on the operation of the Public
Reference Room by calling the Securities and Exchange Commission
at
1-800-SEC-0330.
You may also obtain copies of the materials described above at
136
prescribed rates by writing to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, Public Reference Section, 100 F Street,
N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy
statements and other information, including those filed by
Precision and Grey Wolf, at
http://www.sec.gov.
You may also access the SEC filings and obtain other information
about Precision and Grey Wolf through the websites maintained by
Precision and Grey Wolf at
http://www.precisiondrilling.com
and
http://www.gwdrilling.com,
respectively. The information contained in those websites is not
incorporated by reference in, or in any way part of, this proxy
statement/prospectus.
Precision files reports, statements and other information with
the Canadian provincial and territorial securities regulatory
authorities. Precisions filings are also electronically
available to the public from the Canadian System for Electronic
Document Analysis and Retrieval, the Canadian equivalent of the
SECs EDGAR system, at
http://www.sedar.com.
After the Merger, Precision will furnish to you the same
periodic reports that it currently furnishes to Precision
unitholders in the same manner, including audited annual
consolidated financial statements and unaudited quarterly
consolidated financial statements, unless you notify Precision
or your bank, broker or other nominee, as the case may be, of
your desire not to receive these reports, as well as proxy
statements and related materials for annual and special meetings
of unitholders. In addition, you will be able to request
Precisions
Form 40-F.
Precision has filed a registration statement on
Form F-4
to register with the SEC the Precision trust units to be issued
in the Merger. This document is a part of that registration
statement and constitutes the prospectus of Precision in
addition to being a proxy statement for the Grey Wolf
shareholders.
As allowed by SEC rules, this proxy statement/prospectus does
not contain all the information you can find in the registration
statement on
Form F-4
filed by Precision and the exhibits to the registration
statement. In addition, the SEC allows us to incorporate
by reference information into this proxy
statement/prospectus, which means that we can disclose important
information to you by referring you to other documents filed
separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by
reference is deemed to be part of this proxy
statement/prospectus, except for any information superseded by
information included directly in this proxy
statement/prospectus. This proxy statement/prospectus
incorporates by reference the documents set forth below that
Precision and Grey Wolf have previously filed with the SEC.
These documents contain important information about the
companies and their financial condition.
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Precision Filings with the SEC
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(File No. 1-14534)
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Period and/or Filing Date
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Annual Report on
Form 40-F
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For the year ended December 31, 2007, as filed March 28, 2008
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Report of Foreign Issuer on
Form 6-K
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March 28, 2008 (2 filings), April 8, 2008, April 9, 2008, April
15, 2008, April 18, 2008, April 23, 2008, May 5, 2008, May 9,
2008 (2 filings), May 12, 2008, May 21, 2008, June 10, 2008,
June 17, 2008, June 19, 2008, June 25, 2008, June 30, 2008,
July 7, 2008, July 10, 2008, July 18, 2008, July 22, 2008, July
23, 2008, August 8, 2008, August 20, 2008, August 25, 2008,
August 29, 2008, September 2, 2008, September 10, 2008,
September 19, 2008, September 25, 2008,
September 29, 2008, September 30, 2008,
October 10, 2008, October 20, 2008 and
October 23, 2008
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137
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Grey Wolf Filings with the SEC
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(File No. 1-08226)
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Period and/or Filing Date
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Annual Report on
Form 10-K
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For the year ended December 31, 2007, as filed February 28, 2008
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Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q
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For the quarter ended March 31, 2008, as filed May 6, 2008
and for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, as filed August 6, 2008
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Current Reports on
Form 8-K
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Filed March 4, 2008, April 2, 2008, April 22, 2008, May 1, 2008,
June 6, 2008, June 10, 2008, June 12, 2008, June 17, 2008, June
19, 2008, June 25, 2008, June 27, 2008, July 2, 2008, July 8,
2008 (2 filings), July 9, 2008, July 15, 2008, August 1, 2008,
August 27, 2008, September 24, 2008 and October 10,
2008
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All documents filed by Precision and Grey Wolf under
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from
the date of this proxy statement/prospectus to the date of the
Grey Wolf special meeting will also be deemed to be incorporated
into this proxy statement/prospectus by reference. To the extent
that any information contained in any such Current Report on
Form 8-K,
or any exhibit thereto, was furnished to, rather than filed
with, the SEC, such information or exhibit is specifically not
incorporated by reference into this proxy/statement prospectus.
In addition, the description of the Precision trust units
contained in Precisions registration statements under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference.
You may also obtain copies of any document incorporated in this
proxy statement/prospectus, without charge, by requesting them
in writing or by telephone from the appropriate company at the
following addresses:
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Precision Drilling Trust
4200,
150-6th Avenue
S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3Y7
(403) 716-4500
Attention: Investor Relations
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Grey Wolf, Inc.
10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77042
(713) 435-6100
Attention: Investor Relations
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You may also obtain documents incorporated by reference in this
proxy statement/prospectus by requesting them in writing or by
telephone from the information agent:
Georgeson, Inc.
199 Water Street
26th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10038
Banks and Brokers call
(212) 440-9800
Grey Wolf shareholders call toll-free
(800) 561-3540
If you would like to request documents, please do so by
December 2, 2008 to receive them before the special
meeting. If you request any incorporated
documents from us, we will mail them to you by first class mail,
or another equally prompt means, within one business day after
we receive your request.
Neither Precision nor Grey Wolf has authorized anyone to give
any information or make any representation about the Merger that
is different from, or in addition to, that contained in this
proxy statement/prospectus or in any of the materials that are
incorporated by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus.
Therefore, if anyone does give you information of this sort, you
should not rely on it. If you are in a jurisdiction where offers
to exchange or sell, or solicitations of offers to exchange or
purchase, the securities offered by this proxy
statement/prospectus are unlawful, or if you are a person to
whom it is unlawful to make these types of offers, then the
offer presented in this proxy statement/prospectus does not
extend to you. The information contained in this proxy
statement/prospectus speaks only as of the date of this document
unless the information specifically indicates that another date
applies.
138
ANNEX A
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY AND AMONG
PRECISION DRILLING TRUST,
GREY WOLF, INC.
PRECISION DRILLING CORPORATION
AND
PRECISION LOBOS CORPORATION
DATED AUGUST 24, 2008
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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A-1
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Section 1.1
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Defined Terms
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A-1
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Section 1.2
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References and Titles
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A-13
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ARTICLE II THE MERGER
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A-13
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Section 2.1
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The Merger
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A-13
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Section 2.2
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Closing
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A-13
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Section 2.3
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Governing Instruments of the Surviving Corporation
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A-14
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Section 2.4
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Directors of the Surviving Corporation and PDC
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A-14
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Section 2.5
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Certain Officers of the Surviving Corporation
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A-14
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Section 2.6
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Effect on Grey Wolf Equity Securities
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A-14
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Section 2.7
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Election Procedures
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A-18
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Section 2.8
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Effect on Grey Wolf Debt Securities
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A-19
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Section 2.9
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Exchange of Certificates
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A-19
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Section 2.10
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Adjustment of Exchange Ratio
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A-21
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Section 2.11
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Withholding
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A-21
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ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF GREY WOLF
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A-21
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Section 3.1
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Corporate Existence; Good Standing; Corporate Authority
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A-22
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Section 3.2
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Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreements
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A-22
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Section 3.3
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Capitalization
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A-22
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Section 3.4
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Subsidiaries
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A-23
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Section 3.5
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Compliance with Laws; Permits
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A-24
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Section 3.6
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No Conflict; Consents
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A-24
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Section 3.7
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SEC Documents
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A-25
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Section 3.8
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Litigation
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A-26
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Section 3.9
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Absence of Certain Changes
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A-26
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Section 3.10
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Taxes
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A-27
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Section 3.11
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Employee Benefit Plans
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A-28
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Section 3.12
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Labor Matters
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A-30
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Section 3.13
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Environmental Matters
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A-30
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Section 3.14
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Intellectual Property
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A-31
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Section 3.15
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Insurance
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A-31
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Section 3.16
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No Brokers
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A-31
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Section 3.17
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Opinion of Financial Advisor
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A-31
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Section 3.18
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Precision Trust Unit Ownership
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A-31
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Section 3.19
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Vote Required; Board of Director Approval
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A-32
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Section 3.20
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Ownership and Condition of Assets
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A-32
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Section 3.21
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Undisclosed Liabilities
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A-32
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Section 3.22
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Material Contracts
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A-32
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Section 3.23
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State Takeover Statutes
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A-33
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Section 3.24
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Improper Payments
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A-33
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Section 3.25
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Amendment to Grey Wolf Rights Agreement
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A-33
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Section 3.26
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Canadian Assets and Operations
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A-34
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A-i
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Page
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Section 3.27
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No Orders
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A-34
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Section 3.28
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Investment Company Act
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A-34
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Section 3.29
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No Other Representations or Warranties
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A-34
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
PRECISION, PDC AND LOBOS
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A-34
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Section 4.1
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Existence; Good Standing; Authority
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A-34
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Section 4.2
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Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreements
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A-35
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Section 4.3
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Capitalization
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A-35
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Section 4.4
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Subsidiaries
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A-36
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Section 4.5
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Compliance with Laws; Permits
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A-36
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Section 4.6
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No Conflict; Consents
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A-37
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Section 4.7
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Securities Filings
|
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A-38
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Section 4.8
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Litigation
|
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A-39
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Section 4.9
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Absence of Certain Changes
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A-39
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Section 4.10
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Taxes
|
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A-39
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Section 4.11
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Environmental Matters
|
|
|
A-41
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Section 4.12
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Intellectual Property
|
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|
A-41
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Section 4.13
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No Brokers
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A-42
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Section 4.14
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Grey Wolf Share Ownership
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|
A-42
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Section 4.15
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Board Approval
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A-42
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Section 4.16
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Undisclosed Liabilities
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A-42
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Section 4.17
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Material Contracts
|
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A-42
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Section 4.18
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Improper Payments
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A-42
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Section 4.19
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Reporting Issuer Status, Listing
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A-43
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Section 4.20
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Mutual Fund Trust Status
|
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A-43
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Section 4.21
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No Orders
|
|
|
A-43
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Section 4.22
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Investment Company Act
|
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A-43
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Section 4.23
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No Other Representations or Warranties
|
|
|
A-43
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ARTICLE V COVENANTS
|
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A-43
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Section 5.1
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Business in Ordinary Course
|
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A-43
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Section 5.2
|
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Conduct of Grey Wolf Business Pending Closing
|
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A-44
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Section 5.3
|
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Conduct of Precision Business Pending Closing
|
|
|
A-46
|
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Section 5.4
|
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Access to Assets, Personnel and Information
|
|
|
A-48
|
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Section 5.5
|
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No Solicitation by Grey Wolf
|
|
|
A-50
|
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Section 5.6
|
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Shareholders Meeting
|
|
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A-52
|
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Section 5.7
|
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Registration Statement and Proxy Statement/Prospectus
|
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A-52
|
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Section 5.8
|
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NYSE and TSX Listing
|
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A-54
|
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Section 5.9
|
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Regulatory Filings
|
|
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A-54
|
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Section 5.10
|
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Rule 16b-3
Approval
|
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A-55
|
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Section 5.11
|
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Taking of Necessary Action; Further Action
|
|
|
A-55
|
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Section 5.12
|
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Public Announcements
|
|
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A-56
|
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Section 5.13
|
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Notification of Certain Matters
|
|
|
A-56
|
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Section 5.14
|
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Payment of Expenses
|
|
|
A-56
|
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Section 5.15
|
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Indemnification and Insurance
|
|
|
A-56
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A-ii
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|
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|
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|
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Page
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Section 5.16
|
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Surviving Corporation Employee Matters
|
|
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A-58
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Section 5.17
|
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Tax Matters
|
|
|
A-59
|
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Section 5.18
|
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Continuing Obligation to Call, Hold and Convene
Shareholders Meeting; No Other Vote
|
|
|
A-60
|
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Section 5.19
|
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Control of Other Partys Business
|
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A-60
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Section 5.20
|
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Financing
|
|
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A-60
|
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Section 5.21
|
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Rights Agreement; State Takeover Laws
|
|
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A-60
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ARTICLE VI CONDITIONS
|
|
|
A-61
|
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Section 6.1
|
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Conditions to Each Partys Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
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A-61
|
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Section 6.2
|
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Conditions to Obligations of Precision, PDC and Lobos
|
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A-61
|
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Section 6.3
|
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Conditions to Obligation of Grey Wolf
|
|
|
A-62
|
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ARTICLE VII TERMINATION
|
|
|
A-63
|
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Section 7.1
|
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Termination Rights
|
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A-63
|
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Section 7.2
|
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Effect of Termination
|
|
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A-64
|
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Section 7.3
|
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Fees and Expenses
|
|
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A-64
|
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ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS
|
|
|
A-65
|
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Section 8.1
|
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Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties
|
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A-65
|
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Section 8.2
|
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Amendment
|
|
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A-65
|
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Section 8.3
|
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Notices
|
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A-65
|
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Section 8.4
|
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Counterparts
|
|
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A-66
|
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Section 8.5
|
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Severability
|
|
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A-66
|
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Section 8.6
|
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Entire Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries
|
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A-67
|
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Section 8.7
|
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Applicable Law
|
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|
A-67
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Section 8.8
|
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Jurisdiction
|
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A-67
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Section 8.9
|
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Specific Performance
|
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A-67
|
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Section 8.10
|
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No Remedy in Certain Circumstances
|
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A-67
|
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Section 8.11
|
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Assignment
|
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A-68
|
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Section 8.12
|
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Waivers
|
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|
A-68
|
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Section 8.13
|
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Confidentiality Agreement
|
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|
A-68
|
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Section 8.14
|
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Incorporation
|
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A-68
|
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Section 8.15
|
|
Acknowledgement
|
|
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A-68
|
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Section 8.16
|
|
Time of Essence
|
|
|
A-68
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibits
|
|
|
|
Exhibit 2.3(a)
|
|
Lobos Charter
|
Exhibit 2.3(b)
|
|
Lobos Bylaws
|
Exhibit 2.5
|
|
Certain Officers of the Surviving Corporation
|
Exhibit 3.3
|
|
Grey Wolf Voting Agreements
|
|
|
|
Schedules
|
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Schedule A
|
|
Directors and Executive Officers Executing Voting Agreements
|
A-iii
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
This Agreement and Plan of Merger (as amended, supplemented or
modified from time to time, this Agreement),
dated as of August 24, 2008, is by and among PRECISION
DRILLING TRUST, an Alberta unincorporated open-ended investment
trust (Precision), GREY WOLF, INC., a Texas
corporation (Grey Wolf), PRECISION DRILLING
CORPORATION, a corporation amalgamated under the laws of the
Province of Alberta and the administrator of Precision
(PDC) and PRECISION LOBOS CORPORATION, a
Texas corporation (Lobos) and a direct,
wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision.
WHEREAS, the board of trustees of Precision and the
boards of directors of each of PDC, on behalf of PDC and on
behalf of Precision in PDCs capacity as administrator of
Precision, Lobos and Grey Wolf have approved this Agreement and
the merger of Grey Wolf with and into Lobos, with Lobos
continuing as the surviving corporation, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions of this Agreement and the Texas
Business Corporation Act, as amended, or any successor law
thereto (the TBCA) and the Texas Corporation
Law, as amended, or any successor law thereto (the
TCL);
WHEREAS, the board of trustees of Precision and the
boards of directors of each of PDC, on behalf of PDC and on
behalf of Precision in PDCs capacity as administrator of
Precision, Lobos and Grey Wolf have determined that this
Agreement, the merger herein provided for, and the other
transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best
interests of their respective companies and their unitholders
and shareholders, respectively; and
WHEREAS, for U.S. federal income Tax purposes, it is
intended that the Merger qualify as a reorganization
involving Precision and Grey Wolf within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the Code);
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing
and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
set forth in this Agreement, the parties to this Agreement (each
a Party, and collectively, the
Parties) agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Defined
Terms.
(a) As used in this Agreement, capitalized terms shall have
the meanings set forth below:
Acquisition Proposal means any Contract,
proposal, offer or other inquiry or indication of interest
(regardless of whether in writing and regardless of whether
delivered to the shareholders) relating to any of the following
(other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
the Merger): (a) any merger, reorganization, share
exchange, take-over bid, tender offer, recapitalization,
consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or other business
combination, purchase or similar transaction or series of
transactions, directly or indirectly, involving 20% or more of
the assets, net revenues or net income of Grey Wolf and the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (b) the sale, lease,
exchange, transfer or other disposition, directly or indirectly,
of any business or assets that generate 20% or more of the
consolidated net revenues or net income, or of assets
representing 20% or more of the book value of the consolidated
assets, of Grey Wolf and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or any license, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge or
other agreement or arrangement having a similar economic effect,
in each case in a single transaction or a series of related
transactions; or (c) any direct or indirect acquisition of
beneficial ownership (as defined in Section 13(d) of
the Exchange Act) or any direct or indirect acquisition of the
right to acquire beneficial ownership (as defined in
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) by any Person or
any group (as defined in the Exchange Act) of 20% or
more of the shares of any class of the issued and outstanding
Equity Interests of Grey Wolf, whether in a single transaction
or a series of related transactions.
A-1
Administration Agreement means that certain
Administration Agreement between Precision and PDC dated as of
November 7, 2005, as amended on April 22, 2008.
Affiliate means, with respect to any Person,
each other Person that, directly or indirectly, Controls, is
Controlled by or is under common Control with such Person.
AMEX means the American Stock Exchange LLC.
Applicable Canadian Securities Laws means,
collectively, and as the context may require, the applicable
securities legislation of each of the provinces and territories
of Canada, and the rules, regulations, instruments, orders and
policies published or promulgated thereunder, as such may be
amended from time to time prior to the Effective Time.
Applicable Law means with respect to any
Person, any international, national, federal, state, provincial,
territorial, local or foreign statute, code, ordinance, rule,
regulation, by-law, consent, approval, judgment, Order,
ordinance, protocol, directive or other authorization, treaty,
convention, or governmental requirement of any Governmental
Authority that is binding upon, or applicable to, such Person.
Available Cash Consideration means
$1,115,380,707.
Beneficial Owner means, with respect to a
security, any Person who, directly or indirectly, through any
contract, relationship or otherwise, has or shares (a) the
power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security,
(b) the power to dispose of, or to direct the disposition
of, such security or (c) the ability to profit or share in
any profit derived from a transaction in such security.
Benefit Plan means any qualified or
non-qualified employee benefit plan, program, policy, practice,
agreement, Contract or other arrangement, regardless of whether
written, regardless of whether
U.S.-based,
including any employee welfare benefit plan within
the meaning of Section 3(1) of ERISA (including
post-retirement medical and life insurance), any employee
pension benefit plan within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA (regardless of whether such
plan is subject to ERISA), including any multiemployer plan (as
defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA) or multiple
employer plan (within the meaning of Section 413(c)
of the Code), any employment or severance agreement or other
arrangement, and any employee benefit, bonus, incentive,
deferred compensation, profit sharing, vacation, stock, stock
purchase, stock option, severance, change of control, fringe
benefit or other plan, program, policy, practice, agreement,
Contract, or other arrangement, regardless of whether subject to
ERISA and regardless of whether funded.
Business Day means any day other than a
Saturday, Sunday or any day on which banks in (i) the State
of New York are authorized or required by federal law to be
closed in New York, New York, or (ii) the Province of
Alberta are authorized or required by law to be closed in
Calgary, Alberta.
Canadian GAAP means generally accepted
accounting principles, as recognized by the Canadian Institute
of Chartered Accountants, applied on a consistent basis.
Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities
means, collectively, the securities commission or similar
regulatory authorities in each of the provinces or territories
of Canada.
Certificates means certificates representing
shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock or Precision Trust Units,
as applicable.
CFIUS means The Committee on Foreign
Investments in the United States.
Competition Act means the Competition
Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-34, as amended.
Confidentiality Agreement means the
Confidentiality Agreement, dated as of February 13, 2008,
between Precision and Grey Wolf.
Contract means any agreement, arrangement,
commitment or instrument, written or oral, including, without
limitation, any loan or credit agreement or other agreement
evidencing Indebtedness,
A-2
promissory note, bond, mortgage, indenture, guarantee, permit,
lease, sublease, license, agreement to render services, or other
agreement, arrangement, commitment or instrument evidencing
rights or obligations of any kind or nature, including all
amendments, modifications, supplements and options relating
thereto.
Control (and related terms) means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management policies of a Person,
whether through the ownership of stock, by contract, credit
arrangement or otherwise.
Disclosure Letter means, as applicable, the
Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter or the Precision Disclosure Letter.
DOJ means the United States Department of
Justice.
Election Deadline means 5:00 p.m., local
time in Houston, Texas, on the second Business Day prior to the
Effective Time.
Environmental, Health and Safety Laws means
any present or future Applicable Laws relating to
(a) emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases
of Hazardous Materials into the environment, including into
ambient air, soil, sediments, land surface or subsurface,
buildings or facilities, surface water, groundwater,
publicly-owned treatment works, or septic systems, (b) the
generation, treatment, storage, disposal, use, handling,
manufacturing, recycling, transportation or shipment of
Hazardous Materials, (c) occupational health and
safety, or (d) the pollution of the environment, solid
waste handling, treatment or disposal, reclamation or
remediation activities, or protection or restoration of, or
damage to, the environment, environmentally sensitive areas or
natural resources.
Equity Interests means (a) with respect
to a corporation, any and all shares, interests, participation,
phantom stock plans or arrangements or other equivalents
(however designated) of corporate stock, including all common
stock, preferred stock and other equity and voting interests,
and warrants, options, calls, subscriptions or other convertible
securities or other rights to acquire any of the foregoing,
(b) with respect to a partnership, limited liability
company, trust or similar Person, any and all units, membership
or other interests, including rights to purchase, warrants,
options, calls, subscriptions or other equivalents of, or other
interests convertible into, any beneficial or legal ownership
interest in such Person.
ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any regulations
promulgated pursuant thereto.
ERISA Affiliate means any trade or business,
regardless of whether incorporated, which is required to be
treated as a single employer together with an entity pursuant to
Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the
Code or Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange Ratio means 0.4225 Precision
Trust Units per share of Grey Wolf Common Stock.
Exon-Florio Amendment means
Section 721 of Title VII of the Defense
Production Act of 1950, as amended.
FCPA means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
of 1977.
Financing means the debt
and/or
equity financing(s) to be completed by Precision
and/or the
Precision Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including the debt financing set
forth in the commitment letter dated August 24, 2008, from
Royal Bank of Canada, RBC Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank AG
Cayman Islands Branch, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.,
HSBC Bank Canada, HSBC Bank USA National Association and
Toronto-Dominion Bank, to provide senior secured credit
facilities comprised of $800 million of term loan
facilities and a $400 million
A-3
revolving credit facility as well as a $400 million senior
unsecured facility, as such commitment letter may be amended,
supplemented or replaced from time to time.
FTC means the United States Federal Trade
Commission.
Governmental Authority means any national,
state, provincial, territorial, regional, local, county, parish
or municipal government, domestic or foreign, any agency, board,
bureau, commission, court, tribunal, subdivision, department or
other governmental or regulatory authority or instrumentality,
or any arbitrator in any case that has jurisdiction over any of
the Grey Wolf Companies or Precision Companies, as the case may
be, or any of their respective properties or assets.
Grey Wolf 1996 Stock Plan means the Grey
Wolf, Inc. 1996 Employee Stock Option Plan.
Grey Wolf 2003 Stock Plan means the Grey
Wolf, Inc. 2003 Incentive Plan.
Grey Wolf 3.75% Notes Indenture means
the Indenture dated as of May 7, 2003, between
Grey Wolf, The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.
and the guarantors party thereto pursuant to which Grey Wolf
issued $150,000,000 principal amount of the Grey Wolf
3.75% Notes, and all supplemental indentures thereto.
Grey Wolf Benefit Plan means a Benefit Plan
(a) providing benefits to (i) any current or former
employee, officer or director of Grey Wolf or any of the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates or (ii) any
beneficiary or dependent of any such employee, officer or
director that is sponsored, maintained or contributed to by Grey
Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates or
to which Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries or ERISA
Affiliates is a party or is obligated to contribute, or
(b) with respect to which Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries or ERISA Affiliates has any liability, whether
direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise.
Grey Wolf Board means the board of directors
of Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf Common Stock means the common
stock, par value $0.10 per share, of Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf Companies means Grey Wolf and each
of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries.
Grey Wolf Credit Agreement means the
Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of January 14, 1999,
among Grey Wolf Drilling, LP (as borrower), Grey Wolf (as
guarantor), The CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc. (as agent) and
various financial institutions (as lenders), as amended.
Grey Wolf Derivative Security Holder means
the holder of a Grey Wolf Option or a Grey Wolf Convertible Note.
Grey Wolf Dissenting Shareholder means any
holder of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock who does not vote in
favor of the Merger (or consent thereto in writing) and who is
entitled to demand and prior to the Grey Wolf Meeting files with
Grey Wolf a written objection to the Merger, setting out that
the right to dissent of such holder of shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock will be exercised if the Merger becomes effective,
and otherwise complies in all respects with, the provisions of
Article 5.12 of the TBCA required to be complied with by
such holder prior to the Grey Wolf Meeting.
Grey Wolf Dissenting Shares means any shares
of Grey Wolf Common Stock held by a Grey Wolf Dissenting
Shareholder as of the Effective Time.
Grey Wolf Employees means the individuals who
are employed as employees by Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time who remain
employed as employees of the Surviving Corporation or any of its
Subsidiaries immediately after the Effective Time.
Grey Wolf Floating Rate Notes Indenture means
the Indenture dated as of March 31, 2004, between Grey
Wolf, The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. and the
guarantors party thereto pursuant to which Grey Wolf issued
$125,000,000 principal amount of the Grey Wolf Floating Rate
Contingent Convertible Senior Notes.
A-4
Grey Wolf Leased Real Property means all real
property leased by Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries.
Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect means a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf Meeting means a meeting of the
shareholders of Grey Wolf duly called and held for the purposes
set forth in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
Grey Wolf Options means, collectively, Grey
Wolf 1996 Options and Grey Wolf 2003 Options.
Grey Wolf Owned Real Property means all real
property owned by Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries.
Grey Wolf Preferred Stock means shares of
preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, of Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf Proposal means the proposal to
approve this Agreement which proposal is to be presented to the
shareholders of Grey Wolf in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and
voted on at the Grey Wolf Meeting.
Grey Wolf Real Property means Grey Wolf
Leased Real Property and Grey Wolf Owned Real Property.
Grey Wolf Representative means a
Representative of Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries.
Grey Wolf Restricted Stock means the shares
of restricted Grey Wolf Common Stock issued pursuant to a Grey
Wolf Stock Plan.
Grey Wolf Senior Notes Indentures means the
Grey Wolf 3.75% Notes Indenture and the Grey Wolf
Floating Rate Notes Indenture.
Grey Wolf Stock Plans means (a) the Grey
Wolf 1996 Stock Plan and (b) the Grey Wolf 2003 Stock Plan.
Grey Wolf Subsidiary means a Subsidiary of
Grey Wolf.
Grey Wolf Subsidiary Charter Documents means
the certificate of incorporation, articles of incorporation,
certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership,
bylaws, limited liability company agreement, operating
agreement, partnership agreement or other governing or
organizational documents of each of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries.
Hazardous Materials means any chemical,
pollutant, contaminant, material, waste or substance regulated
by any Governmental Authority under Environmental, Health and
Safety Law, including, but not limited to, any hazardous waste,
hazardous substance, toxic substance, radioactive material
(including any naturally occurring radioactive material),
asbestos-containing materials in any form or condition,
polychlorinated biphenyls in any form or condition, or
petroleum, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum products or any
fraction or byproducts thereof.
Income Tax Act means the Income Tax Act
(Canada), R.S.C. 1985, c. 1
(5th Supp.),
as amended, including the regulations promulgated thereunder, as
amended from time to time.
Indebtedness of any Person means and includes
any obligations consisting of (a) the outstanding principal
amount of and accrued and unpaid interest on, and other payment
obligations for, borrowed money, or payment obligations issued
or incurred in substitution or exchange for payment obligations
for borrowed money, (b) amounts owing as deferred purchase
price for property or services, including earn out
payments, (c) payment obligations evidenced by any
promissory note, bond, debenture, mortgage or other debt
instrument or debt security, (d) commitments or obligations
by which such Person assures a creditor against loss, including
contingent reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of
credit, (e) payment obligations secured by a Lien, other
than a Permitted Lien, on assets or properties of such
A-5
Person, (f) obligations to repay deposits or other amounts
advanced by and owing to third parties, (g) obligations
under capitalized leases, (h) obligations under any
interest rate, currency or other hedging agreement or
derivatives transaction, (i) guarantees or other contingent
liabilities with respect to any amounts of a type described in
clauses (a) through (h) above, and (j) any change
of control payments or prepayment premiums, penalties, charges
or equivalents thereof with respect to any indebtedness,
obligation or liability of a type described in clauses (a)
through (i) above that are required to be paid at the time
of, or the payment of which would become due and payable solely
as a result of, the execution of this Agreement or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
at such time, in each case determined in accordance with
U.S. GAAP, or, in the case of Precision, Canadian GAAP;
provided, however, that Indebtedness shall not
include accounts payable to trade creditors and accrued expenses
arising in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practices and shall not include the endorsement of negotiable
instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business.
Intellectual Property means all United States
and foreign (a) patents and patent applications and all
reissues, renewals, divisions, extensions, provisionals,
continuations and continuations in part thereof,
(b) inventions (regardless of whether patentable),
invention disclosures, trade secrets, proprietary information,
industrial designs and registrations and applications, mask
works and applications and registrations therefor,
(c) copyrights and copyright applications and corresponding
rights, (d) trade dress, trade names, logos, URLs, common
law trademarks and service marks, registered trademarks and
trademark applications, registered service marks and service
mark applications, (e) domain name rights and
registrations, (f) databases, customer lists, data
collections and rights therein, and (g) confidentiality
rights or other intellectual property rights of any nature, in
each case throughout the world.
Joint Lead Arrangers means Deutsche Bank
Securities Inc. and RBC Capital Markets.
Lien means any lien, mortgage, security
interest, indenture, deed of trust, pledge, deposit,
restriction, burden, license, lease, sublease, right of first
refusal, right of first offer, charge, privilege, easement,
right of way, reservation, option, preferential purchase right,
right of a vendor under any title retention or conditional sale
agreement, or other arrangement substantially equivalent
thereto, in each case regardless of whether relating to the
extension of credit or the borrowing of money.
Lobos Common Stock means the common stock,
par value $0.10 per share, of Lobos.
Material Adverse Effect means, with respect
to any Person, a material adverse effect on the business,
results of operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) of
such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except to
the extent any such effect results from: (a) changes in the
industry in which such Person or its Subsidiaries operate or in
the economy or the financial, securities or credit markets in
the U.S. or elsewhere in the world, including any
regulatory or political conditions or developments, or any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declared or undeclared
acts of war, terrorism, insurrection or natural disasters, that
do not disproportionately affect the business, results of
operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of such Person
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other
industry participants, in any material respect (b) the
execution or public disclosure of this Agreement or the
consummation or the pendency of the transactions contemplated
hereby, (c) fluctuations in the price or trading volume of
shares of any trading stock of such Person (provided,
however, that the exception in this clause (c) shall
not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that any fact,
circumstance, event, change, effect or occurrence underlying
such fluctuation has resulted in, or contributed to, a Material
Adverse Effect), (d) changes in Applicable Law or in
U.S. GAAP, or, in the case of Precision, Canadian GAAP, (or
the interpretation thereof) after the date hereof that do not
disproportionately affect the business, results of operations or
condition (financial or otherwise) of such Person and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other industry
participants, in any material respect, (e) any legal
proceedings made or brought by any of the current or former
holders of Equity Interests of such Person (or on their behalf
or on behalf of such Persons) arising out of or related to this
Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or
(f) any failure by such Person to meet any published
analyst estimates or expectations regarding such Persons
revenue, earnings or other financial performance or results of
A-6
operations for any period or any failure by such Person to meet
its internal budgets, plans or forecasts regarding its revenues,
earnings or other financial performance or results of operations
(provided, however, that the exception in this
clause (f) shall not prevent or otherwise affect a
determination that any fact, circumstance, event, change, effect
or occurrence underlying such failure has resulted in, or
contributed to, a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such
Person).
Notes Shares means the number of shares of
Grey Wolf Common Stock that the Grey Wolf Convertible Notes that
have not been converted at least two Business Days before the
Closing Date are convertible into following the Effective Time
in accordance with the terms of the Grey Wolf Senior Notes
Indentures.
NYSE means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
Order means any order, writ, fine,
injunction, decree, judgment, award, ruling or enforceable
determination of any Governmental Authority.
PDC Common Shares means the common shares in
the capital of PDC.
PDLP means Precision Drilling Limited
Partnership, a limited partnership formed under the laws of the
Province of Manitoba.
PDLP Exchangeable Units means the
Class B limited partnership units of PDLP that are
exchangeable for Precision Trust Units on a one-for-one
basis.
Per Share Cash Consideration means $9.02.
Permitted Distributions means
(i) distributions by Precision (and the corresponding
distributions by PDLP) to the holders of Precision
Trust Units (and PDLP Exchangeable Units, respectively),
(ii) distributions by PDLP to Precision and (iii) the
payment of dividends and interest and the repayment of
outstanding indebtedness by PDC to PDLP, in each case in the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices.
Permitted Liens means (a) Liens for
Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies that
are not yet due and payable or that are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves
in accordance with U.S. GAAP, or, in the case of Precision,
Canadian GAAP, have been established and described in the
applicable Disclosure Letter, (b) Liens in connection with
workmens compensation, unemployment insurance or other
social security, old age pension or public liability obligations
not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in
accordance with U.S. GAAP, or, in the case of Precision,
Canadian GAAP, have been established and described in the
applicable Disclosure Letter, (c) operators,
vendors, suppliers, carriers,
warehousemens, repairmens, mechanics,
workmens, materialmens, or construction Liens
(during repair or upgrade periods) or other like Liens arising
by operation of Applicable Law in the ordinary course of
business or statutory landlords Liens, each of which is in
respect of obligations that have not been outstanding more than
90 days (so long as no action has been taken to file or
enforce such Liens within said
90-day
period) or which are being contested in good faith, or
(d) any other Lien, encumbrance or other imperfection of
title that does not materially affect the value or use of the
property subject thereto.
Person means any natural person, corporation,
company, limited or general partnership, joint stock company,
joint venture, association, limited liability company, trust,
bank, trust company, land trust, business trust or other entity
or organization.
Precision Benefit Plan means a Benefit Plan
(a) providing any benefits to (i) any current or
former employee, officer, director or trustee of Precision or
any of the Precision Subsidiaries or (ii) any beneficiary
or dependent of any such employee, officer, director or trustee
that is sponsored, maintained or contributed to by Precision or
any of the Precision Subsidiaries; or (b) with respect to
which Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries has any
liability, whether direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise.
A-7
Precision Board means the board of trustees
of Precision.
Precision Companies means Precision and each
of the Precision Subsidiaries.
Precision Declaration of Trust means the
declaration of trust of Precision dated as of September 22,
2005 between Robert J.S. Gibson, H. Garth Wiggins and Patrick M.
Murray, as initial trustees, and Brian E. Roberts, as initial
unitholder, as amended.
Precision Leased Real Property means all real
property leased by Precision or any of the Precision
Subsidiaries.
Precision Material Adverse Effect means a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to Precision.
Precision Owned Real Property means all real
property owned by Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries.
Precision Real Property means the Precision
Leased Real Property and the Precision Owned Real Property.
Precision Representatives means a
Representative of Precision or the Precision Subsidiaries.
Precision Special Voting Units means the
special voting units of Precision, as presently constituted,
authorized and issued pursuant to the Precision Declaration of
Trust.
Precision Subsidiary means a Subsidiary of
Precision. For the avoidance of doubt, PDC, PDLP and Lobos and
each of their respective Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be a
Precision Subsidiary.
Precision Subsidiary Charter Documents means
the certificate of incorporation, articles of incorporation,
certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership,
bylaws, limited liability company agreement, operating
agreement, partnership agreement or other governing or
organizational documents of each of the Precision Subsidiaries.
Precision Trust Units means the trust
units of Precision, as presently constituted, each representing
an equal, undivided beneficial interest in Precision.
Precision Unit Appreciation Rights means unit
appreciation rights that entitle the holder thereof to receive,
in cash, a value equal to the product of (i) the difference
between the per unit closing sales price of the Precision
Trust Units on the NYSE on the date of exercise, as
reported in the Wall Street Journal, and the exercise price of
such unit appreciation right; and (ii) and the number of
units specified in such unit appreciation right agreement.
Proxy Statement/Prospectus means a proxy
statement in definitive form relating to the Grey Wolf Meeting,
which proxy statement will be included in the prospectus
contained in the Registration Statement.
Registration Statement means the Registration
Statement on
Form F-4
under the Securities Act and to be filed by Precision with
respect to the Precision Trust Units issuable in the Merger.
Representative means any trustee, director,
officer, employee, agent, advisor (including legal, accounting
and financial advisors) or other representative.
Responsible Officers means (a) for
Precision and PDC, each of the Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of PDC,
and (b) for Grey Wolf, each of the Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Grey Wolf.
SEC means the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of
1933, as amended.
SEDAR means the System for Electronic
Document Analysis and Retrieval of the Canadian Securities
Administrators.
A-8
SOX means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Subsidiary means for any Person at any time
(a) any corporation of which such Person owns, either
directly or through its Subsidiaries, more than 50% of the total
combined voting power of all classes of voting securities of
such corporation, or (b) any partnership, association,
joint venture, limited liability company or other business
organization, regardless of whether such constitutes a legal
entity, in which such Person directly or indirectly owns more
than 50% of the total Equity Interests.
Superior Proposal means a bona fide written
Acquisition Proposal (with all percentages used in the
definition of Acquisition Proposal increased to 50% for purposes
of this definition) made by a Third Party after the date of
this Agreement through the Effective Time (or such earlier date
that this Agreement is terminated in accordance with the terms
set forth herein), if the Grey Wolf Board determines in good
faith and after consultation with a financial advisor of
national reputation, and taking into account all legal,
financial, regulatory and other aspects of the Acquisition
Proposal that such Acquisition Proposal (a) would, if
consummated in accordance with its terms, be more favorable,
from a financial point of view, to the holders of the Grey Wolf
Common Stock than the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (taking into account any amounts payable pursuant to
Section 7.3 and any Precision Revised Offer made
under Section 5.5(e), as the case may be),
(b) contains conditions which are all reasonably capable of
being satisfied in a timely manner, and (c) is not subject
to any financing contingency or, to the extent financing for
such proposal is required, that such financing is then committed
in writing by financially sound financial institutions of
national reputation.
Tax or Taxes (including
with correlative meaning, Taxable) means
(a) any federal, foreign, state, provincial, territorial,
municipal, or local tax, including any income, gross income,
gross receipts, ad valorem, excise, sales, use, value added,
admissions, business, occupation, license, franchise, margin,
capital, net worth, customs, premium, real property, personal
property, intangibles, capital stock, transfer, profits,
windfall profits, environmental, severance, fuel, utility,
payroll, social security, employment insurance, unemployment
insurance, social insurance, pension plan, employment,
withholding, disability, stamp, rent, recording, registration,
alternative minimum, unclaimed property, add-on minimum, or
other tax, assessment, duty, fee, levy, premium, contribution or
other governmental charge of any kind whatsoever imposed by a
Governmental Authority (a Tax Authority),
together with and including, without limitation, any and all
interest, fines, penalties, assessments and additions to tax
resulting from, relating to, or incurred in connection with any
such tax or any contest or dispute thereof, (b) any
liability for the payment of any amount of the type described in
the immediately preceding clause (a) as a result of being a
member of a consolidated, affiliated, unitary or combined group
with any other corporation or entity at any time prior to and
through the Closing Date, and (c) any liability for the
payment of any amount of the type described in the preceding
clauses (a) or (b) as a result of a contractual
obligation to any other Person or of transferee, successor or
secondary liability.
Tax Law means all Applicable Laws with
respect to Taxes.
Tax Return means any report, return,
estimate, election, designation, form, document, declaration or
other information (including any attached schedules and any
amendments to such report, return, document, declaration or
other information) required to be supplied to or filed with any
Tax Authority with respect to any Tax, including an information
return and any document with respect to or accompanying
payments, deposits or estimated Taxes, or with respect to or
accompanying requests for the extension of time in which to file
any such report, return, document, declaration or other
information.
Third Party means a Person other than any of
the Grey Wolf Companies or any of the Precision Companies.
Treasury Regulations means the regulations
promulgated by the United States Treasury Department under the
Code.
A-9
TSX means the Toronto Stock Exchange.
U.S. means the United States of America.
U.S. GAAP means generally accepted
accounting principles, as recognized by the U.S. Financial
Accounting Standards Board (or any generally recognized
successor) applied on a consistent basis.
Uncertificated Shares means shares of Grey
Wolf Common Stock that are held in book-entry form.
A-10
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Term
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Section
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Acquisition Agreement
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Section 5.5(c)(ii)
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Acquisition Proposal Recommendation
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Section 5.5(c)(ii)
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Adverse Recommendation Change
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Section 5.5(c)(ii)
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Agreement
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Preamble
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Antitrust Laws
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Section 5.9(g)
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Cash Election Shares
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Section 2.7(b)
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Cash Fraction
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Section 2.6(a)(iv)(1)(B)
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Certificate of Merger
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Section 2.1(b)
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Claim
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Section 5.15(b)
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Closing
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Section 2.2
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Closing Date
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Section 2.2
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Code
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Recitals
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Continuing Employees
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Section 5.16(a)
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Dissenting Cash Consideration
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Section 2.6(a)(iv)(1)
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Effective Time
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Section 2.1(b)
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Elected Cash Consideration
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Section 2.6(a)(iv)(1)
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Election Form Record Date
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Section 2.7(a)
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Election Form
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Section 2.7(a)
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Election Period
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Section 2.7(b)
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Exchange Agent
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Section 2.9(a)
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Exchange Fund
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Section 2.9(a)
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Grey Wolf
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Preamble
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Grey Wolf 1996 Options
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Section 2.6(d)(i)
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Grey Wolf 2003 Options
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Section 2.6(d)(ii)
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Grey Wolf 1996 Plan
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Section 3.3(a)
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Grey Wolf 2003 Plan
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Section 3.3(a)
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Grey Wolf 3.75% Notes
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Section 3.3(b)
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Grey Wolf Bylaws
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Section 3.1
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Grey Wolf Charter
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Section 3.1
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Grey Wolf Charter Documents
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Section 3.1
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Grey Wolf Convertible Notes
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Section 3.3(b)
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Grey Wolf Designated Director
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Section 2.4(a)
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Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter
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Preamble to Article 3
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Grey Wolf Financial Statements
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Section 3.7(a)
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Grey Wolf Floating Rate Notes
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Section 3.3(b)
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Grey Wolf Information
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Section 5.4(b)
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Grey Wolf Material Contracts
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Section 3.22(a)
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Grey Wolf Permits
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Section 3.5(b)
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Grey Wolf Regulatory Filings
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Section 3.6(b)
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Grey Wolf Reports
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Section 3.7(a)
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Grey Wolf Rights
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Section 3.3(a)
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Grey Wolf Rights Agreement
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Section 3.3(a)
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Grey Wolf Voting Agreement
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Section 3.3(c)
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Term
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Section
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Grey Wolf Voting Debt
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Section 3.3(b)
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HSR Act
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Section 3.6(b)
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Indemnified Parties
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Section 5.15(b)
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International Plans
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Section 3.11(l)
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IRS
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Section 3.11(a)
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Junior Preferred Stock
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Section 3.3(a)
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Letter of Transmittal
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Section 2.9(b)
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Lobos
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Preamble
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Lobos Bylaws
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Section 2.3
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Lobos Charter
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Section 2.3
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Lobos Charter Documents
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Section 2.3
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Mailing Date
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Section 2.7(a)
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Merger
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Section 2.1(a)
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Merger Consideration
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Section 2.6(a)
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No Election Available Cash
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Section 2.6(a)(iv)(2)(B)
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No Election Shares
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Section 2.7(b)
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No Election Value
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Section 2.6(a)(iv)(2)(B)
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Notification and Report Forms
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Section 3.6(b)
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Optionholder
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Section 2.6(d)(vi)
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Parties
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Recitals
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Party
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Recitals
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PDC
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Preamble
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PDC Board
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Section 2.4(a)
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PDC Charter Documents
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Section 4.1
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Per Share Unit Consideration
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Section 2.6(a)(i)
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Precision
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Preamble
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Precision Disclosure Letter
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Preamble to Article IV
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Precision Financial Statements
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Section 4.7(a)
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Precision Information
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Section 5.4(a)
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Precision Material Contracts
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Section 4.17
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Precision Permits
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Section 4.5(b)
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Precision Regulatory Filings
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Section 4.6(b)
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Precision Reports
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Section 4.7(a)
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Precision Revised Offer
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Section 5.5(e)(ii)
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Precision Voting Debt
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Section 4.3(b)
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Regulatory Filings
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Section 5.9(a)
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Related Documents
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Section 3.2(a)
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Required Grey Wolf Vote
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Section 3.19
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Surviving Corporation
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Section 2.1(a)
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TBCA
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Recitals
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TCL
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Recitals
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Termination Date
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Section 7.1(b)(i)
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Unit Election Shares
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Section 2.7(b)
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A-12
Section 1.2 References
and Titles.
(a) All references in this Agreement to Exhibits,
Schedules, Articles, Sections, subsections and other
subdivisions refer to the corresponding Exhibits, Schedules,
Articles, Sections, subsections and other subdivisions of or to
this Agreement, unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles
appearing at the beginning of any Articles, Sections,
subsections or other subdivisions of this Agreement are for
convenience only, do not constitute any part of this Agreement,
and shall be disregarded in construing the language hereof. The
words this Agreement, herein,
hereby, hereunder and
hereof, and words of similar import, refer to this
Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section,
subsection or subdivision unless expressly so limited. The words
this Article and this Section, and words
of similar import, refer only to the Article, Section or
subsection hereof in which such words occur.
(b) The word or is not exclusive, and the word
including (in its various forms) means including
without limitation. Pronouns in masculine, feminine or neuter
genders shall be construed to state and include any other
gender, and words, terms and titles (including terms defined
herein) in the singular form shall be construed to include the
plural and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires.
(c) As used in the representations and warranties contained
in this Agreement, the phrase to the knowledge of
the representing Party or known to a representing
Party shall mean to the actual knowledge (and not constructive
or imputed knowledge) of one or more of the Responsible Officers
of the representing Party.
(d) The Parties have participated jointly in negotiating
and drafting this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or a
question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement
shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties, and no
presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or
disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any
provision(s) of this Agreement.
(e) All references to dollar or $
shall mean U.S. dollars.
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
Section 2.1 The
Merger.
(a) The Merger. Upon the terms and
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
at the Effective Time, Grey Wolf shall be merged with and into
Lobos (the Merger) in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement, and the separate corporate
existence of Grey Wolf shall thereupon cease. Lobos shall be the
surviving corporation in the Merger and, after the Merger, Lobos
shall be referred to from time to time herein as the
Surviving Corporation. The Merger shall have
the effects specified herein, in the TBCA and in the TCL.
(b) Filings for the Merger; Effective
Time. As soon as practicable following the
satisfaction or waiver (subject to Applicable Laws) of the
conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Closing, the
Parties hereto shall cause a properly executed certificate of
merger and articles of merger meeting the requirements of
Article 5.04 of the TBCA and Section 10.151 of the TCL
(the Certificate of Merger) to be filed in
accordance therewith. The Merger shall become effective (the
Effective Time) upon the issuance of the
Certificate of Merger under the TBCA and the acceptance of the
filing of the Certificate of Merger under the TCL, in each case
by the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, or at such time
thereafter as is agreed to by Precision and Grey Wolf and
provided in such Certificate of Merger.
Section 2.2 Closing. Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the closing of
the Merger (the Closing) shall take place
(a) at the offices of Mayer Brown LLP, 700 Louisiana,
Suite 3400, Houston Texas as soon as practicable after
10:00 A.M., local time, on the first Business Day
immediately following the day on which all of the conditions set
forth in Article VI have been satisfied or waived
(by the party entitled to waive the condition) (except for those
conditions that by their nature cannot be satisfied until the
Closing,
A-13
but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions)
or (b) at such other time, date or place as Precision and
Grey Wolf may agree in writing. The date on which the Closing
occurs is hereinafter referred to as the Closing
Date.
Section 2.3 Governing
Instruments of the Surviving Corporation. At the
Effective Time, the certificate of formation of Lobos shall be
in the form set forth on Exhibit 2.3(a) (the
Lobos Charter), and shall remain the
certificate of formation of the Surviving Corporation until
thereafter amended as provided by the TCL and the Lobos Charter.
At the Effective Time, the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
shall be in the form set forth on Exhibit 2.3(b)
(the Lobos Bylaws, and together with the
Lobos Charter, the Lobos Charter Documents),
and shall remain the bylaws of Lobos until thereafter amended as
provided by the TCL and the Lobos Charter Documents.
Section 2.4 Directors
of the Surviving Corporation and PDC.
(a) The board of directors of Lobos immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall continue to be the board of directors
of the Surviving Corporation from the Effective Time until their
respective successors have been duly elected or appointed.
(b) At the Effective Time, the board of directors of PDC
(the PDC Board) shall consist of twelve
members that Precision and PDC shall cause to be comprised of
three current members of the Grey Wolf Board designated by Grey
Wolf (each a Grey Wolf Designated Director),
after consultation with Precision and before mailing of the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
(c) If prior to the Effective Time, any Grey Wolf
Designated Director is unwilling or unable to serve (or to
continue to serve) as a director of PDC as a result of illness,
death, resignation or any other reason, then, any replacement
for such Person shall be selected by the Grey Wolf Board, after
consultation with Precision, and such replacement shall
constitute a Grey Wolf Designated Director.
(d) At the Effective Time, one Grey Wolf Designated
Director shall become a member of the Audit Committee, a second
Grey Wolf Designated Director shall become a member of the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a third Grey
Wolf Designated Director shall become a member of the
Compensation Committee of the PDC Board, as determined by the
Nominating and Governance Committee of the PDC Board in light of
the requirements of the PDC Board and the committees of the PDC
Board, the qualifications and experience of the Grey Wolf
Designated Directors, the recommendations of Grey Wolf and the
requirements of Applicable Canadian Securities Laws, the TSX and
the NYSE.
(e) Precision shall ensure that appropriate steps are taken
by the general partner of PDLP, on behalf of PDLP, to nominate
the Grey Wolf Designated Directors for election to the PDC Board
at the first annual meeting of the holders of Precision
Trust Units held following the Closing Date.
Section 2.5 Certain
Officers of the Surviving Corporation. At the
Effective Time, the individuals listed on
Exhibit 2.5 hereto shall have the executive officer
positions with the Surviving Corporation set forth opposite
their respective names, and each such executive officer shall
serve until such executive officers successor shall be
elected and qualified or such executive officers earlier
death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. If,
at or before the Effective Time, any such Person is unable or
unwilling to serve as an executive officer of the Surviving
Corporation in the capacity set forth on
Exhibit 2.5, then a substitute executive officer
shall be selected by the board of directors of the Surviving
Corporation after the Effective Time.
Section 2.6 Effect
on Grey Wolf Equity Securities.
(a) Grey Wolf Common Stock. At the
Effective Time, subject to the provisions of this
Article II, each share of Grey Wolf Common Stock
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time,
or that is deemed to be issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective Time under the terms of the Grey Wolf
Senior Notes Indentures in connection with the conversion
procedures for the Grey Wolf Convertible Notes, and the Grey
Wolf Options (other than Grey Wolf Dissenting Shares and shares
of Grey
A-14
Wolf Common Stock to be cancelled without payment of any
consideration therefor pursuant to Section 2.6(c)), shall
represent the right to receive the following consideration
(collectively, the Merger Consideration):
(i) each Unit Election Share shall be converted into the
right to receive the number of Precision Trust Units equal
to the Exchange Ratio (the Per Share Unit
Consideration), subject to adjustment in accordance
with this Section 2.6(a) and
Section 2.10;
(ii) each Cash Election Share shall be converted into the
right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration in cash,
without interest, subject to adjustment in accordance with this
Section 2.6(a) and Section 2.10;
(iii) each No Election Share shall be converted into the
right to receive the Per Share Unit Consideration
and/or the
Per Share Cash Consideration in cash, without interest, as
provided in this Section 2.6(a) below, subject to
adjustment in accordance with Section 2.10;
(iv) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:
(1) the sum of (i) the product of (x) the total
number of Cash Election Shares and (y) the Per Share Cash
Consideration (such product being the Elected Cash
Consideration) that would be paid upon conversion of
the Cash Election Shares in the Merger plus (ii) the
product of (x) the total number of Grey Wolf Dissenting
Shares and (y) the Per Share Cash Consideration (the
Dissenting Cash Consideration) exceeds the
Available Cash Consideration, then:
(A) each Unit Election Share and each No Election Share
shall be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Unit
Consideration; and
(B) each Cash Election Share shall be converted into the
right to receive (i) an amount of cash (without interest)
equal to the product of (w) the Per Share Cash
Consideration multiplied by (x) a fraction, the numerator
of which shall be the difference between the Available Cash
Consideration and the Dissenting Cash Consideration and the
denominator of which shall be the Elected Cash Consideration
(the fraction described in this clause (x) being referred
to as the Cash Fraction) and (ii) a
number of Precision Trust Units equal to the product of
(y) the Exchange Ratio multiplied by (z) one
(1) minus the Cash Fraction; or
(2) the sum of the Elected Cash Consideration and the
Dissenting Cash Consideration is less than the Available Cash
Consideration, then:
(A) each Cash Election Share shall be converted into the
right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration;
(B) if (a) the product of (x) the number of No
Election Shares plus the number of the Notes Shares and
(y) the Per Share Cash Consideration (the No
Election Value) equals or exceeds (b) the
difference between the Available Cash Consideration and the sum
of the Elected Cash Consideration and the Dissenting Cash
Consideration (the No Election Available
Cash), then (i) on a pro rata basis, a number of
No Election Shares equal to (1) the No Election Available
Cash divided by the Per Share Cash Consideration multiplied by
(2) a fraction the numerator of which shall be the number
of No Election Shares and the denominator of which shall be the
number of No Election Shares plus the number of Notes Shares
shall each be converted into the right to receive the Per Share
Cash Consideration, with the remainder of the No Election Shares
each being converted into the right to receive the Per Share
Unit Consideration and (ii) each Unit Election Share shall
be converted into the right to receive the Per Share Unit
Consideration; and
(C) if the No Election Value is less than the No Election
Available Cash, then (i) each No Election Share shall be
converted into the right to receive the Per Share Cash
Consideration and (ii) each Unit Election Share shall be
converted into the right to receive (a) an amount of cash
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(without interest) equal to (x) the difference between the
No Election Available Cash and the No Election Value divided by
(y) the number of Unit Election Shares and (b) a
number of Precision Trust Units equal to the product of
(x) the Exchange Ratio and (y) one (1) minus the
fraction determined by dividing the amount of cash determined
pursuant to the preceding clause (a) by the Per Share Cash
Consideration.
(3) the sum of the Elected Cash Consideration and the
Dissenting Cash Consideration equals the Available Cash
Consideration, then:
(A) each Cash Election Share shall be converted into the
right to receive the Per Share Cash Consideration; and
(B) each Unit Election Share and No Election Share shall be
converted into the right to receive the Per Share Unit
Consideration; and
(v) notwithstanding the definition of Available Cash
Consideration, Precision shall have the option, in its sole
discretion, to increase the amount of the Available Cash
Consideration to any amount up to and including the amount of
the sum of the Elected Cash Consideration and the Dissenting
Cash Consideration plus the product of (1) the No Election
Shares and (2) the Per Share Cash Consideration;
provided that Precision may not increase the
Available Cash Consideration to an amount that, in the
reasonable opinion of counsel to Precision and counsel to Grey
Wolf, would cause such counsel to be unable to render the
opinions described in Section 6.2(d) and
Section 6.3(d), respectively.
(b) From and after the Effective Time, the Grey Wolf Common
Stock converted into the Merger Consideration pursuant to this
Article II shall no longer remain outstanding and shall
automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and each
holder of a Certificate previously representing any such Grey
Wolf Common Stock or Uncertificated Shares shall thereafter
cease to have any rights with respect to such securities, except
the right to receive (i) the Merger Consideration to which
such holder may be entitled pursuant to this
Section 2.6, (ii) any dividends and other
distributions in accordance with Section 2.9(c) and
(iii) any cash to be paid in lieu of any fractional
Precision Trust Units in accordance with
Section 2.9(e).
(c) Grey Wolf Treasury Stock. At the
Effective Time, all shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock that are
held immediately prior to the Effective Time by Grey Wolf or any
of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries shall be cancelled and no payment
shall be made in respect thereof.
(d) Grey Wolf Stock Options.
(i) All holders of Grey Wolf 1996 Options will be given the
opportunity to exercise any such options, to the extent that the
option is outstanding, for a reasonable period which is at least
10 days prior to the Effective Time. Any such holder who
exercises an outstanding Grey Wolf 1996 Option prior to the
Effective Time shall be eligible to participate in the Merger as
a holder of record of Grey Wolf Common Stock in accordance with
Section 2.7 and the other terms and conditions of
this Agreement. Any Grey Wolf 1996 Options that are outstanding
as of the Effective Time shall be terminated as of the Effective
Time such that, as of the Effective Time, no Grey Wolf 1996
Options shall be outstanding. Grey Wolf shall provide notice of
the termination to each holder of a Grey Wolf 1996 Option and
shall take all actions necessary to effect such termination. For
purposes of this Agreement, Grey Wolf 1996
Options means options to acquire shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock identified in Section 3.3(b) of the Grey
Wolf Disclosure Letter that (A) were issued under the Grey
Wolf 1996 Stock Plan or (B) that are nonqualified stock
options issued pursuant to agreements with non-employee
directors and not issued under either Grey Wolf Stock Plan.
(ii) All options to acquire shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock (A) identified in Section 3.3(b) of the Grey
Wolf Disclosure Letter that were issued under the Grey Wolf 2003
Stock Plan, (B) that are issued after the date hereof under
the Grey Wolf 2003 Stock Plan or (C) that are otherwise
issued after the date hereof, only if issued in accordance with
Section 5.2(d) (collectively, the Grey Wolf
2003 Options) shall, in each case set forth in clauses
(A), (B) and (C) of this paragraph, to the extent they
are
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outstanding as of the Effective Time, be converted into
Precision Unit Appreciation Rights pursuant to the terms of
Section 2.6(d)(iii). Holders of Grey Wolf 2003
Options who exercise outstanding Grey Wolf 2003 Options prior to
the Effective Time shall be eligible to participate in the
Merger as a holder of record of Grey Wolf Common Stock in
accordance with Section 2.7 and the other terms and
conditions of this Agreement.
(iii) Grey Wolf 2003 Options that are not exercised prior
to the Effective Time pursuant to Section 2.6(d)(ii)
and that remain outstanding as of the Effective Time shall be
converted into Precision Unit Appreciation Rights pursuant to
this Section 2.6(d)(iii). Each Precision Unit
Appreciation Right into which an outstanding Grey Wolf 2003
Option is converted (A) shall be subject to the same term
and vesting schedule as applied to the corresponding Grey Wolf
2003 Option; (B) shall be settled in cash; (C) shall
have an exercise price per unit equal to the exercise price per
share of Grey Wolf Common Stock applicable under the
corresponding Grey Wolf 2003 Option immediately prior to the
Effective Time divided by the Exchange Ratio (the exercise price
per unit determined by the foregoing being rounded up to the
nearest whole cent); and (D) shall apply to that number of
Precision Trust Units equal to the number of shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock subject to the corresponding Grey Wolf 2003 Option
as of the Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio
(rounded down to the nearest whole unit). Precision shall
establish a plan pursuant to which the Precision Unit
Appreciation Rights will be issued, which plan shall include
terms and conditions that are substantially similar in all
material respects to the terms and conditions of the Grey Wolf
2003 Stock Plan as applied to the Grey Wolf 2003 Options taking
into account the provisions of this Section 2.6(d)(iii)
and the difference in the nature of the awards. Precision shall
take all necessary actions to ensure that the plan is effective
as of the Effective Time. It is intended that the conversion of
Grey Wolf 2003 Options into Precision Unit Appreciation Rights
shall be effected in a manner which is consistent with
sections 424(a) and 409A of the Code and such conversion
shall be effected in such manner, including a reasonable good
faith interpretation by Precision of guidance under
section 409A that the Precision Trust Units constitute
service recipient stock within the meaning of section 409A
and applicable guidance, and the provisions of this
Section 2.6(d) shall be interpreted accordingly.
(iv) As soon as practicable following the Effective Time,
Precision shall deliver to the holders of Grey Wolf 2003 Options
to be converted into Precision Unit Appreciation Rights pursuant
to this Section 2.6(d) appropriate notices setting forth
such holders rights with respect to such Precision Unit
Appreciation Rights and the agreements evidencing the grants of
such Precision Unit Appreciation Rights effective as of the
Effective Time.
(v) From and after the date of this Agreement, Grey Wolf
and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries shall not take any action to
provide for (A) the acceleration of the exercisability of
any Grey Wolf Option in connection with the Merger or otherwise,
unless such acceleration is already provided for under the terms
of such Grey Wolf Options or change in control agreements in
existence on the date of this Agreement, or (B) the
extension of the term or period of exercise of any Grey Wolf
Option.
(vi) The holders of outstanding Grey Wolf Options (each an
Optionholder) shall be given the ability to
elect to exercise Grey Wolf Options contingent on the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. If an Optionholder
elects to exercise a Grey Wolf Option contingent on the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, at the
Optionholders election, any Merger Consideration to which
such Optionholder is otherwise entitled under this Agreement
shall be reduced by the sum of (A) the aggregate exercise
price of the Grey Wolf Options that are so exercised, and
(B) the amount of any withholding taxes attributable to the
such exercise, with any such reduction first being made from any
Merger Consideration payable in cash and, if such cash Merger
Consideration is not sufficient to satisfy the obligations, from
any Merger Consideration payable in Precision Trust Units.
Grey Wolf shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to
encourage each holder of Grey Wolf Options who intends to
exercise Grey Wolf Options prior to the Effective Time to
deliver a notice of option exercise to Grey Wolf at least
two Business Days prior to the Effective Time.
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(e) Grey Wolf Restricted Stock. At the
Effective Time, each share of Grey Wolf Restricted Stock that is
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall vest
in full and the restrictions thereon shall lapse, and, as of the
Effective Time, each share of Grey Wolf Common Stock that was
formerly Grey Wolf Restricted Stock shall be entitled to receive
the Merger Consideration determined in accordance with
Section 2.6 based on the holders election in
accordance with Section 2.7; provided,
however, that, upon the lapsing of restrictions with
respect to each share of Grey Wolf Restricted Stock, Grey Wolf
shall be entitled to deduct and withhold such amounts as may be
required to be deducted and withheld under the Code and any
applicable state or local Tax Law with respect to the lapsing of
such restrictions.
(f) Grey Wolf Dissenting Shares. Grey
Wolf Dissenting Shares shall not be converted into or represent
the right to receive any Merger Consideration, but instead shall
represent only the right to receive the amount determined
pursuant to the provisions of Article 5.12 of the TBCA. At
the Effective Time, any Grey Wolf Dissenting Shareholder shall
not thereafter be entitled to vote or exercise any other rights
of a shareholder except the right to receive payment for such
Grey Wolf Dissenting Shareholders Grey Wolf Dissenting
Shares in accordance with Article 5.12 of the TBCA. If a
Grey Wolf Dissenting Shareholder has so failed to perfect or
lost his right to receive, or has effectively withdrawn his
demand for, the amount determined under Article 5.12 of the
TBCA, the shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock held by such holder
shall cease to be Grey Wolf Dissenting Shares and shall
entitle such holder to receive the Merger Consideration in
respect of such shares as received by the No Election Shares
pursuant to Section 2.6(a), and promptly following
the occurrence of such event and upon the surrender of the
Certificate(s) representing such shares, the Exchange Agent and
the Surviving Corporation shall deliver to such holder the
Merger Consideration in respect of such shares. Grey Wolf shall
comply with those provisions of Article 5.12 of the TBCA
which are required to be performed by Grey Wolf prior to the
Effective Time to the reasonable satisfaction of Precision. Grey
Wolf shall give Precision (i) prompt notice of any written
demands to exercise dissenters rights and (ii) an
opportunity to participate at its own expense in all
negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for fair
value under the TBCA. Grey Wolf shall not, except with the prior
written consent of Precision (such consent not to be
unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), voluntarily make
any payment with respect to demands for fair value under the
TBCA or offer to settle or settle any such claims.
Section 2.7 Election
Procedures.
(a) Not less than thirty (30) days prior to the
anticipated Effective Time (the Mailing
Date), an election form in such form as Precision
shall specify and as shall be reasonably acceptable to Grey Wolf
(the Election Form) shall be mailed to each
holder of record of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock as of five
(5) Business Days prior to the Mailing Date (the
Election Form Record Date) and Grey Wolf
Derivative Security Holders with respect to Grey Wolf Derivative
Securities that have not been exercised or converted, as
applicable, as of the Election Form Record Date and which
are exercisable prior to the Effective Time.
(b) Each Election Form shall permit the holder (or the
Beneficial Owner through appropriate and customary documentation
and instructions) of Grey Wolf Common Stock and each Grey Wolf
Derivative Security Holder to specify (i) the number of
shares of such holders Grey Wolf Common Stock with respect
to which such holder elects to receive the Per Share Unit
Consideration (the Unit Election Shares),
(ii) the number of shares of such holders Grey Wolf
Common Stock with respect to which such holder elects to receive
the Per Share Cash Consideration (the Cash Election
Shares) or (iii) that such holder makes no
election with respect to such holders Grey Wolf Common
Stock (the No Election Shares). Any Grey Wolf
Common Stock with respect to which the Exchange Agent does not
receive an effective, properly completed Election Form during
the period from the Mailing Date to the Election Deadline (the
Election Period) shall be deemed to be No
Election Shares. Precision and Grey Wolf shall publicly announce
the anticipated Election Deadline at least five
(5) Business Days prior to the anticipated Effective Time.
If the Effective Time is delayed to a subsequent date, the
Election Deadline shall be similarly delayed to a subsequent
date, and Precision shall promptly announce any such delay and,
when determined, the rescheduled Election Deadline.
(c) Precision shall make available one or more Election
Forms as may reasonably be requested from time to time by all
Persons who become holders (or Beneficial Owners) of Grey Wolf
Common Stock or
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Grey Wolf Stock Options during the Election Period, and
Grey Wolf shall provide to the Exchange Agent all information
reasonably necessary for it to perform as specified herein.
(d) Any election made pursuant to this
Section 2.7 shall have been properly made only if
the Exchange Agent shall have actually received a properly
completed Election Form during the Election Period. Any Election
Form may be revoked or changed by the Person submitting such
Election Form, by written notice received by the Exchange Agent
during the Election Period. In the event an Election Form is
revoked during the Election Period, the shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock represented by such Election Form shall become No
Election Shares, except to the extent (if any) a subsequent
election is properly made during the Election Period with
respect to any or all of such shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement and of the Election Form,
the Exchange Agent shall have reasonable discretion to determine
whether any election, revocation or change has been properly or
timely made and to disregard immaterial defects in the Election
Forms, and any good faith decisions of the Exchange Agent
regarding such matters shall be binding and conclusive. None of
Precision or Grey Wolf or the Exchange Agent shall be under any
obligation to notify any Person of any defect in an Election
Form.
Section 2.8 Effect
on Grey Wolf Debt Securities. Effective as of the
Effective Time, Surviving Corporation shall execute and deliver
supplemental indentures whereby it shall agree to be bound by
the conversion provisions of each of the Grey Wolf Senior Notes
Indentures and take all other action necessary, such that
following the Effective Time, each outstanding Grey Wolf
Convertible Note will be convertible into the kind and amount of
Merger Consideration, in accordance with Section 2.6
and Section 2.7, that a holder of such Grey Wolf
Convertible Note would have had the right to receive had such
Grey Wolf Convertible Note been converted into Grey Wolf Common
Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time as No Election
Shares. At or before the Effective Time, Grey Wolf shall comply
with all other provisions of the Grey Wolf Senior Notes
Indentures relating to the Merger and the assumption by the
Surviving Corporation of the obligations under the Grey Wolf
Senior Notes Indentures in connection with the Merger.
Section 2.9 Exchange
of Certificates.
(a) Prior to the Effective Time, Precision shall appoint a
bank or trust company reasonably satisfactory to Precision and
Grey Wolf to act as exchange agent (the Exchange
Agent). Precision shall deposit, or cause to be
deposited with the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of the
holders of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock for exchange in
accordance with this Article II,
(i) Certificates representing the aggregate number of
Precision Trust Units to be issued as Merger Consideration
pursuant to Section 2.6(a) and
Section 2.8 and delivered pursuant to this
Section 2.9 in exchange for outstanding shares of
Grey Wolf Common Stock (including shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock issued as a result of the exercise of Grey Wolf Stock
Options prior to the Effective Time), the Grey Wolf Restricted
Stock and the Grey Wolf Convertible Notes, (ii) cash in the
aggregate amount of the cash portion of the Merger Consideration
pursuant to Section 2.6(a) and
Section 2.8, and (iii) when and as needed,
Precision shall provide the Exchange Agent cash sufficient to
pay cash in lieu of fractional Precision Trust Units (such
cash and Certificates for Precision Trust Units, together
with any dividends or distributions with respect thereto, being
hereinafter referred to as the Exchange Fund).
(b) Promptly after the Effective Time, Precision shall
cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of shares of
Grey Wolf Common Stock (including holders of shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock acquired as a result of the exercise of Grey Wolf
Stock Options prior to the Effective Time) and the Grey Wolf
Restricted Stock: (i) a letter of transmittal (the
Letter of Transmittal), which shall specify
that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title
shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates or transfer
of the Uncertificated Shares to the Exchange Agent and shall be
in such form and have such other provisions as Precision may
reasonably specify, and (ii) instructions for use in
effecting the surrender of the Certificates or transfer of the
Uncertificated Shares in exchange for Precision
Trust Units, the cash portion of the Merger Consideration,
any unpaid dividends and distributions on Precision Trust Units
in accordance with this Section 2.9 and cash in lieu
of fractional Precision Trust Units in accordance with this
Section 2.9. Upon surrender of a Certificate or transfer
of the Uncertificated Shares for cancellation to the Exchange
Agent together with such Letter of Transmittal, duly executed
and completed in accordance with the instructions
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thereto, the holder of such Grey Wolf Common Stock or Grey Wolf
Restricted Stock shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor (A) Precision Trust Units, and (B) a
check representing the amount of cash (including the cash
portion of the Merger Consideration and cash in lieu of
fractional units, if any), and unpaid dividends and
distributions (if any), which such holder has the right to
receive pursuant to the provisions of this
Article II, after giving effect to any required
withholding tax and other reductions, and, if applicable, the
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. No
interest will be paid or accrued on the cash portion of the
Merger Consideration, cash in lieu of fractional shares and
unpaid dividends and distributions, if any, payable to holders
of Grey Wolf Common Stock. In the event of a transfer of
ownership of Grey Wolf Common Stock that is not registered in
the transfer records of Grey Wolf, the proper number of
Precision Trust Units, together with a check for the cash
portion of the Merger Consideration, as the case may be, and
cash to be paid in lieu of fractional units and unpaid dividends
and distributions (if any), may be issued to such a transferee
if the Certificate or Uncertificated Share representing such
Grey Wolf Common Stock is presented to the Exchange Agent,
accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect
such transfer and to evidence that any applicable stock transfer
taxes have been paid. The Precision Trust Units
constituting part of the Merger Consideration shall be
certificated.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement,
no dividends or other distributions declared or made after the
Effective Time with respect to Precision Trust Units with a
record date after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder
of any unsurrendered Certificate or any Uncertificated Shares
not transferred with respect to the Precision Trust Units
issuable upon surrender of such Certificate or transfer of such
Uncertificated Share as a result of the conversion provided in
this Article II until such Certificate is
surrendered or Uncertificated Share is transferred as provided
herein. Following such surrender or transfer, there shall be
paid, without interest, to the Person in whose name such
Precision Trust Units have been registered,
(i) promptly after the time of such surrender or transfer,
the amount of any cash payable in lieu of fractional Precision
Trust Units to which such Person is entitled pursuant to
this Section 2.9 and the amount of all dividends or
other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time
and paid prior to the time of such surrender or transfer with
respect to such Precision Trust Units, and (ii) at the
appropriate payment date, the amount of all dividends or other
distributions with a record date after the Effective Time and
prior to the time of such surrender or transfer and with a
payment date subsequent to the time of such surrender or
transfer payable with respect to such Precision Trust Units.
(d) After the Effective Time there shall be no transfers on
the stock transfer books of Grey Wolf of the shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock which were outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates or
Uncertificated Shares are presented to Precision, the presented
Certificates or Uncertificated Shares shall be cancelled and
exchanged for Precision Trust Units, the cash portion of
the Merger Consideration, and cash in lieu of fractional units
and unpaid dividends or distributions, if any, deliverable in
respect thereof pursuant to this Agreement in accordance with
the procedures set forth in this Article II.
(e) No fractional Precision Trust Units shall be
issued pursuant to this Agreement. All fractional Precision
Trust Units that a holder of shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock would otherwise be entitled to receive as a result of the
Merger shall be aggregated and if a fractional share results
from such aggregation, such holder shall be entitled to receive,
in lieu thereof, an amount in cash without interest equal to
such fraction of a Precision Trust Unit multiplied by the
closing sale price of a Precision Trust Unit on the NYSE on
the trading day immediately preceding the Effective Time.
(f) Any portion of the Exchange Fund (including the
proceeds of any investments thereof and any Certificates for
Precision Trust Units) that remains undistributed to the
former shareholders of Grey Wolf one year after the Effective
Time shall be delivered to Precision. Any former shareholders of
Grey Wolf who have not theretofore complied with this
Section 2.9 shall thereafter look only to Precision
for their Precision Trust Units, their cash portion of the
Merger Consideration, and cash in lieu of fractional Precision
Trust Units and for any unpaid dividends and distributions,
if any, on the Precision Trust Units deliverable to such
former shareholder pursuant to this Agreement.
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(g) None of Precision, Grey Wolf, the Exchange Agent or any
other Person shall be liable to any Person for any portion of
the Exchange Fund properly delivered to a public official
pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar
laws.
(h) In the event any Certificate shall have been lost,
stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that
fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen
or destroyed and, if required by Precision, the posting by such
Person of a bond in such reasonable amount as Precision may
direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against
it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will
issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificate, Precision Trust Units, the cash portion of the
Merger Consideration, and cash in lieu of fractional Precision
Trust Units and unpaid dividends and distributions, if any,
on the Precision Trust Units, as provided in this
Section 2.9, deliverable in respect thereof pursuant
to this Agreement.
(i) If any portion of the cash portion of the Merger
Consideration is to be paid to a Person other than the Person in
whose name the surrendered Certificate is registered, it shall
be a condition to such payment that (i) either such
Certificate shall be properly endorsed or shall otherwise be in
proper form for transfer and (ii) the Person requesting
such payment shall pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or
other Taxes required as a result of such payment to a Person
other than the registered holder of such Certificate or
establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such
Tax has been paid or is not payable.
Section 2.10 Adjustment
of Exchange Ratio. If, between the date of this
Agreement and the Effective Time (and in each case, only as
permitted by Section 5.2), the outstanding shares of
Grey Wolf Common Stock or the outstanding Precision
Trust Units shall have been increased, decreased, changed
into or exchanged for a different number of shares or units or
different class, in each case, by reason of any
reclassification, recapitalization, stock or unit split,
split-up,
combination or exchange of shares or units or a stock or unit
dividend or distribution or dividend or distribution payable in
other securities shall be declared with a record date within
such period, or any similar event shall have occurred, the
Merger Consideration (and as a result, the Exchange Ratio, the
Per Share Unit Consideration, the Per Share Cash Consideration
and any other similarly depending items) shall be appropriately
adjusted to provide to the holders of Grey Wolf Common Stock the
same economic effect as contemplated by this Agreement prior to
such event.
Section 2.11 Withholding. Each
of Precision and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct
and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant
to this Agreement to any Person pursuant to this
Article II such amounts as are required to be
deducted or withheld under the Code, the Income Tax Act or any
provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law with respect to the
making of such payment (including withholding Precision
Trust Units). Any such withheld amounts shall be treated
for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to such
Person in respect of whom such deduction and withholding was
made.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF GREY WOLF
As an inducement for Precision, PDC and Lobos to enter into this
Agreement, Grey Wolf hereby makes the following representations
and warranties to Precision, PDC and Lobos; provided,
however, that such representations and
warranties shall be subject to and qualified by: (a) the
disclosure letter delivered by Grey Wolf to Precision as of
the date hereof (each section of which qualifies the
correspondingly numbered representation and warranty or covenant
to the extent specified therein) (the Grey Wolf
Disclosure Letter) (it being understood that
(i) the disclosure of any fact or item in any section of
the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter shall, should the existence of
such fact or item be relevant to any other section, be deemed to
be disclosed with respect to that other section to the extent
that such disclosure is made in a manner that makes its
relevance to the other section reasonably apparent and
(ii) the disclosure of any matter or item in the Grey Wolf
Disclosure Letter shall not be deemed to constitute an
acknowledgement that such matter or item is required to be
disclosed therein or is material to a representation or warranty
set forth in this Agreement and shall not be used as a basis for
interpreting the terms material,
materially, materiality, Grey Wolf
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Material Adverse Effect or any word or phrase of
similar import and does not mean that such matter or item, alone
or together with any other matter or item, would constitute a
Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect); and (b) information
contained in the Grey Wolf Reports (excluding any exhibits
thereto and excluding disclosures under Risk
Factors and other forward-looking or predictive
statements) filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof (but
only to the extent that such disclosure on its face appears to
constitute information that would reasonably be deemed a
qualification or exception to the following representations and
warranties).
Section 3.1 Corporate
Existence; Good Standing; Corporate
Authority. Grey Wolf is a corporation duly
incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the
Applicable Laws of the State of Texas. Grey Wolf is duly
qualified to conduct business and is in good standing (to the
extent such concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) in each
jurisdiction in which the ownership, operation or lease of its
property or the nature of Grey Wolfs business requires
such qualification, except for jurisdictions in which any
failures to be so qualified or to be in good standing,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect. Grey Wolf has all requisite corporate
power and authority to own or lease and operate its properties
and assets and to carry on its business as it is currently being
conducted. Grey Wolf has delivered to Precision true, accurate
and complete copies of the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation (including any and all Certificates of
Designations), as amended to date (the Grey Wolf
Charter), and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of Grey
Wolf, as amended to date (the Grey Wolf
Bylaws, and together with the Grey Wolf Charter, the
Grey Wolf Charter Documents), and each Grey
Wolf Charter Document is in full force and effect, has not been
amended or modified and has not been terminated, superseded or
revoked. Grey Wolf is not in violation of the Grey Wolf Charter
Documents.
Section 3.2 Authorization,
Validity and Effect of Agreements.
(a) Grey Wolf has the requisite corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and all other
agreements, instruments, certificates and documents contemplated
hereunder (collectively, the Related
Documents) to which it is, or will become, a party, to
perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to
consummate the Merger and all other transactions contemplated
hereunder and thereunder, subject to the approval of the Grey
Wolf Proposal by Grey Wolfs shareholders. The execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Related
Documents and the consummation of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder have been
duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on behalf of
Grey Wolf, and no other corporate proceedings by Grey Wolf are
necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or the Related Documents or to consummate the Merger
and the other transactions contemplated hereunder or under the
Related Documents, except for the approval of the Grey Wolf
Proposal by Grey Wolfs shareholders, the filing of the
Certificate of Merger pursuant to the TBCA and the TCL and the
Governmental Authority applications and approvals described in
Section 3.6(b).
(b) This Agreement and each of the Related Documents to
which Grey Wolf is a party have been or will be duly executed by
Grey Wolf and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery hereof and thereof by Precision and Lobos to the extent
a party hereof and thereof, constitute the valid and legally
binding obligations of Grey Wolf, enforceable against Grey Wolf
in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
Applicable Laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies
of creditors generally and to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or
at law). Grey Wolf has taken all action necessary to render the
restrictions set forth in Article 13.03 of the TBCA
inapplicable to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section 3.3 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized capital stock of Grey Wolf consists of
500,000,000 shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock and
1,000,000 shares of Grey Wolf Preferred Stock,
200,000 shares of which have been designated as Grey Wolf
Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock and 250,000 shares
of which have been designated as Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock (the Junior Preferred
Stock). As of the close of business on August 21,
2008, there were 198,271,783 issued and outstanding shares of
Grey Wolf Common Stock (including 2,683,067 shares of
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Grey Wolf Restricted Stock), 19,333,954 shares of Grey
Wolf Common Stock held by Grey Wolf in its treasury, and no
issued or outstanding shares of Grey Wolf Preferred Stock. The
shareholders of Grey Wolf previously approved a 1996 Employee
Stock Option Plan, as amended (the Grey Wolf 1996
Plan), and a 2003 Incentive Plan, as amended (the
Grey Wolf 2003 Plan). As of August 21,
2008, 680,560 shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock were
reserved for future issuance pursuant to outstanding Grey Wolf
1996 Options under the Grey Wolf 1996 Plan,
2,619,838 shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock were reserved
for future issuance pursuant to outstanding Grey Wolf 2003
Options granted under the Grey Wolf 2003 Plan,
700,500 shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock were reserved for
future issuances pursuant to outstanding Grey Wolf Options not
granted under a plan and 178,938 shares of Junior Preferred
Stock were reserved for future issuance pursuant to that certain
Rights Agreement between Grey Wolf and American Stock
Transfer and Trust dated September 21, 1998 (the
Grey Wolf Rights Agreement). Pursuant to the
Grey Wolf Rights Agreement, each outstanding share of Grey Wolf
Common Stock is accompanied by one Junior Preferred Stock
Purchase Right (the Grey Wolf Rights)
entitling the holder thereof to purchase, subject to the terms
and conditions thereof, Equity Interests of Grey Wolf. As of
August 21, 2008, there were no shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock remaining available for the grant of awards under Grey
Wolf 1996 Plan and 5,412,524 shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock remaining available for the grant of awards under Grey
Wolf 2003 Plan. There are no outstanding or authorized stock
appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or other
similar rights with respect to Grey Wolf. All shares of Grey
Wolf Common Stock are, and all shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock
which may be issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time as permitted under this Agreement shall be when
issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock and not
subject to any preemptive rights.
(b) Grey Wolf has no outstanding bonds, debentures,
promissory notes or other Indebtedness that are convertible into
or exercisable for Equity Interests, except for Grey Wolfs
3.75% Contingent Convertible Senior Notes due 2023 (the
Grey Wolf 3.75% Notes) and Grey
Wolfs Floating Rate Contingent Convertible Senior Notes
due 2024 (the Grey Wolf Floating Rate Notes,
and together with the Grey Wolf 3.75% Notes, the
Grey Wolf Convertible Notes). Grey Wolf has
no outstanding bonds, debentures, promissory notes or other
Indebtedness, the holders of which have the right to vote with
the shareholders of Grey Wolf on any matter (collectively, the
Grey Wolf Voting Debt). As of the date of
this Agreement, except as set forth in this
Section 3.3, Grey Wolf and the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries have not issued, sold, granted or delivered, are
not obligated to issue, sell, grant or deliver (or to cause to
be issued, sold, granted or delivered), and are not a party to
any Contract or other obligation to issue, sell, grant or
deliver, any Equity Interest (including, without limitation, any
securities, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments,
agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any kind pursuant to
which a Person is entitled to acquire an Equity Interest) or
Grey Wolf Voting Debt of any nature or any additional shares of
capital stock or any other Equity Interest in Grey Wolf or any
Grey Wolf Subsidiary. Section 3.3(b) of the Grey
Wolf Disclosure Letter sets forth a true, correct and complete
list of all outstanding Grey Wolf Options and Grey Wolf
Restricted Stock as of August 21, 2008, including grantee
name and exercise price (if any). Except under the respective
terms of Grey Wolf Convertible Notes and the Grey Wolf Rights,
there are no outstanding or authorized (i) contractual or
other obligations of Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
Equity Interest of Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries or any such securities or agreements referred to in
the prior sentence or (ii) voting trusts or similar
agreements to which Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of the
capital stock of Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries.
(c) Grey Wolf has received from each of the directors and
executive officers of Grey Wolf set forth on Schedule A an
executed voting agreement substantially in the form attached
hereto as Exhibit 3.3 (the Grey Wolf Voting
Agreements). Grey Wolf has delivered to Precision
true, correct and complete executed copies of the Grey Wolf
Voting Agreements.
Section 3.4 Subsidiaries.
(a) Each Grey Wolf Subsidiary is a corporation, limited
partnership or other legal entity duly organized or constituted
and validly existing under the Applicable Laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation, organization
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or formation. Each Grey Wolf Subsidiary has all requisite
corporate, limited liability company, partnership or other
business power and authority to own or lease and operate its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently
conducted, except (with respect to foreign Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries only) as would have an immaterial effect on Grey
Wolf and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each Grey
Wolf Subsidiary is duly qualified to conduct business and is in
good standing (to the extent such concept exists in the relevant
jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction in which the ownership or
lease and operation of its property or the nature of its
business requires such qualification, except for jurisdictions
in which any failures to be so qualified or to be in good
standing, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or
caused and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect. All of the outstanding shares
of capital stock of, or other Equity Interests in, each Grey
Wolf Subsidiary are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable and are owned, directly or indirectly, by Grey
Wolf (except for Equity Interests representing an immaterial
ownership required under the Applicable Laws of any foreign
jurisdiction to be owned by others), free and clear of all
Liens, except for Permitted Liens and Liens granted under the
Grey Wolf Credit Agreement.
(b) Section 3.4(b) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter sets forth all Grey Wolf Subsidiaries and the percentage
Equity Interest of such Grey Wolf Subsidiary held, directly or
indirectly, by Grey Wolf. Grey Wolfs Subsidiaries are
not in violation of their respective Grey Wolf Subsidiary
Charter Documents.
Section 3.5 Compliance
with Laws; Permits. Except for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect, and except for (x) matters
relating to Taxes, which are treated exclusively in
Section 3.10, (y) matters relating to Grey Wolf
Benefit Plans, which are treated exclusively under
Section 3.11 and (z) matters arising under
Environmental, Health and Safety Laws, which are treated
exclusively in Section 3.13:
(a) Neither Grey Wolf nor any Grey Wolf Subsidiary is in
violation of any Applicable Law relating to the ownership or
operation of any of its assets or businesses, and no Claim is
pending or, to the knowledge of Grey Wolf, threatened with
respect to any such matters;
(b) Grey Wolf and each Grey Wolf Subsidiary hold all
permits, licenses, certifications, variations, exemptions,
Orders, franchises, registrations, filings, approvals,
authorizations or other required grant of operating authority
required by any Governmental Authority necessary for the conduct
of their respective businesses (the Grey Wolf
Permits). All Grey Wolf Permits are in full force and
effect and there exists no default thereunder or breach thereof,
and Grey Wolf has no notice or knowledge that such Grey Wolf
Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course after the
Effective Time. No Governmental Authority has given, or to the
knowledge of Grey Wolf, threatened to give, notice of any action
to terminate, cancel or reform any Grey Wolf Permits; and
(c) Grey Wolf and each Grey Wolf Subsidiary possess all
Grey Wolf Permits required for the present ownership or lease,
as the case may be, and operation of all Grey Wolf Real
Property, and there exists no default or breach with respect to,
and no Person, including any Governmental Authority, has taken
or, to the knowledge of Grey Wolf, threatened to take, any
action to terminate, cancel or reform any such Grey Wolf
Permit pertaining to Grey Wolf Real Property.
Section 3.6 No
Conflict; Consents.
(a) Except as disclosed in Section 3.6(a) of the Grey
Wolf Disclosure Letter, the execution and delivery by Grey Wolf
of this Agreement and the Related Documents, the performance of
the obligations of Grey Wolf hereunder and thereunder and the
consummation by Grey Wolf of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby in accordance with
the terms hereof and thereof will not (i) conflict with or
result in a breach of any provisions of the Grey Wolf Charter
Documents, (ii) conflict with or result in a breach of any
provisions of the Grey Wolf Subsidiary Charter Documents,
(iii) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any
provision of, constitute a default (or an event which, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default)
under, impair Grey Wolfs rights under, alter the rights or
obligations of third
A-24
parties under, result in the termination of or in a right of
termination or cancellation of, give rise to a right of purchase
under, or accelerate the performance required by, any Grey Wolf
Material Contract or other Contract, (iv) result in the
creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of
the properties or assets of Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries under any Grey Wolf Material Contract or by which
Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries or any of their
properties is bound or affected, (v) result in any Grey
Wolf Material Contract being declared void, voidable, or without
further binding effect, (vi) otherwise result in a
detriment to Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any
Grey Wolf Material Contract or other Contract by which Grey
Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries is bound or to which
any of their properties is subject or (vii) (assuming that the
consents and approvals referred to in Section 3.6(b)
are duly and timely made or obtained and that the Grey Wolf
Proposal is approved by the requisite vote of the Grey Wolf
shareholders) contravene, conflict with or constitute a
violation of any provision of any Applicable Law binding upon or
applicable to Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries,
other than, in the cases of clauses (ii) through (vii), any
such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults, impairments,
alterations, terminations, cancellations, purchase rights,
accelerations, Liens, voidings or detriments that, individually
or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and would not
reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material
Adverse Effect.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery by Grey Wolf of this
Agreement or any Related Document nor the consummation by Grey
Wolf of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof
will require any consent, approval or authorization of, notice
to or filing or registration with any Governmental Authority,
other than (i) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with
the Secretary of State of the State of Texas and appropriate
documents required to be filed as a result of the Merger with
the relevant Governmental Authorities in the states and foreign
jurisdictions in which Grey Wolf, Lobos or any other Grey
Wolf Subsidiary is qualified to conduct business, (ii) the
filing of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus with the SEC in
accordance with the Exchange Act and the filing and
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (iii) filings
required under the
U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR
Act), including the filing of forms and other
documents with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the DOJ as
required by the HSR Act (Notification and Report
Forms), (iv) filings required under federal and
state securities or Blue Sky laws, applicable
non-U.S. laws
or the rules of the AMEX or NYSE and (v) any other
applicable filings or notifications under the antitrust,
competition or similar Applicable Laws of foreign jurisdictions
((i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) collectively, the
Grey Wolf Regulatory Filings), except for any
failures to obtain any such consent, approval or authorization
or to make any such filing, notification or registration that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.7 SEC
Documents.
(a) Grey Wolf has filed with the SEC all documents required
to be so filed by it since January 1, 2007 pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 14(a) and 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, and has made available to Precision each
registration statement, periodic or other report, proxy
statement, schedule or information statement (other than
preliminary materials) it has so filed, each in the form
(including exhibits and any amendments thereto) filed with the
SEC (collectively, the Grey Wolf Reports). As
used in this Section 3.7, the term file
shall include any reports on
Form 8-K
furnished to the SEC. As of its respective date or, if amended
by a subsequent filing prior to the date hereof, on the date of
such filing, each Grey Wolf Report complied in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act,
SOX and the rules and regulations thereunder and did not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading. Each of the
consolidated balance sheets included in or incorporated by
reference into the Grey Wolf Reports (including the related
notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects
the consolidated financial position of Grey Wolf and the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries as of its date, and each of the consolidated
statements of operations, cash flows and changes in
shareholders equity included in or incorporated by
reference into the Grey Wolf Reports (including any related
notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects
the results of operations, cash flows or changes in
shareholders equity, as the
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case may be, of Grey Wolf and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries for the
periods set forth therein (such consolidated balance sheets and
consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and changes in
shareholders equity, each including the notes and
schedules thereto, the Grey Wolf Financial
Statements). The Grey Wolf Financial Statements
(i) complied as to form in all material respects with the
published rules and regulations of the SEC and (ii) were
prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP consistently applied
during the periods involved, except as may be noted in the Grey
Wolf Financial Statements or as permitted by
Form 10-Q
or
Form 8-K.
(b) Grey Wolf has not entered into or modified any loans or
arrangements with its officers and directors in violation of
Section 402 of SOX. Grey Wolf has established and
maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal
controls over financial reporting (as such terms are defined in
paragraphs (e) and (f), respectively, of
Rule 13a-15
under the Exchange Act) as required by
Rule 13a-15
under the Exchange Act. Grey Wolfs disclosure controls and
procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that all material
information required to be disclosed by Grey Wolf in the reports
that it files under the Exchange Act are recorded, processed,
summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the
rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such material
information is accumulated and communicated to the management of
Grey Wolf as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure and to make the certifications required
pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of SOX. The
management of Grey Wolf has completed its assessment of the
effectiveness of Grey Wolfs internal controls over
financial reporting in compliance with the requirements of
Section 404 of SOX for the year ended
December 31, 2007, and such assessment concluded that such
controls were effective. To the knowledge of Grey Wolf, it has
disclosed, based on its most recent evaluations, to
Grey Wolfs outside auditors and the audit committee
of the Grey Wolf Board (i) all significant deficiencies in
the design or operation of internal controls over financial
reporting and any material weaknesses, which have more than a
remote chance to materially adversely affect Grey Wolfs
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data
(as defined in
Rule 13a-15(f)
of the Exchange Act) and (ii) any fraud, regardless of
whether material, that involves management or other employees
who have a significant role in Grey Wolfs internal
controls over financial reporting.
(c) Since January 1, 2007, to the knowledge of Grey
Wolf, neither Grey Wolf nor any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
nor any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or
representative of Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
has received or otherwise had or obtained knowledge of any
material complaint, allegation, assertion or Claim, whether
written or oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices,
procedures, methodologies or methods of Grey Wolf or any of the
Grey Wolf Subsidiaries, including any material complaint,
allegation, assertion or Claim that Grey Wolf or any of the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries has a material weakness (as such
terms are defined in the Public Accounting Oversight
Boards Auditing Standard No. 2, as in effect on the
date hereof), in Grey Wolfs internal controls over
financial reporting.
Section 3.8 Litigation. Except
(a) matters relating to Tax matters, which are treated
exclusively under Section 3.10, (b) matters
relating to Grey Wolf Benefit Plans, which are treated
exclusively under Section 3.11 and (c) matters
arising under Environmental, Health and Safety Laws, which are
treated exclusively under Section 3.13, there is no
litigation, arbitration, mediation, action, suit, Claim,
proceeding or investigation, whether legal or administrative,
pending against Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
or, to Grey Wolfs knowledge, threatened against Grey
Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries or any of their
respective assets, properties or operations, at Applicable Law
or in equity, before or by any Governmental Authority or any
Order of any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the
aggregate, and taking into consideration the aggregate amounts
reserved for any such matters in Grey Wolfs consolidated
balance sheet at December 31, 2007, has had or caused or
would reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.9 Absence
of Certain Changes. From December 31, 2007
to the date of this Agreement, except as described in the Grey
Wolf Reports, there has not been (a) any event or
occurrence that has had or caused or would reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect,
(b) any material change by Grey Wolf or any of the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries, when taken as a whole, in any of its
accounting methods, principles or practices or any of its Tax
methods, practices or elections, (c) any
A-26
declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or
distribution in respect of any capital stock or other Equity
Interest of Grey Wolf or any redemption, purchase or other
acquisition of any of its Equity Interests except for
repurchases of Grey Wolf Common Stock pursuant to Grey
Wolfs previously announced stock repurchase program and
shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock that were withheld to satisfy
federal withholding requirements upon vesting of Grey Wolf
Restricted Stock, or (d) except in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practices, any increase in or
establishment of any bonus, insurance, severance, deferred
compensation, pension, retirement, profit sharing, stock option,
stock purchase or other employee benefit plan.
Section 3.10 Taxes.
(a) Except for such matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or caused and would not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect:
(i) The Grey Wolf Companies have timely filed, or have
caused to be timely filed on their behalf, all Tax Returns
required to be filed by or on behalf of the Grey Wolf Companies
(including any Tax Return required to be filed by an affiliated,
consolidated, combined, unitary or similar group that included
the Grey Wolf Companies) in the manner prescribed by Applicable
Law. All such Tax Returns are complete and correct. The Grey
Wolf Companies have timely paid (or Grey Wolf has paid on each
Grey Wolf Subsidiarys behalf) all Taxes due and
owing, and, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the most recent
Grey Wolf Financial Statements contained in the Grey Wolf
Reports reflect a reserve (excluding any reserve for deferred
Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and
Tax income) for all Taxes payable by the Grey Wolf Companies for
all Taxable periods and portions thereof through the date of
such Grey Wolf Financial Statements.
(ii) No Tax Return of the Grey Wolf Companies is under
audit or examination by any Tax Authority, and no written or, to
the knowledge of Grey Wolf, unwritten notice of such an audit or
examination has been received by the Grey Wolf Companies. There
is no assessed deficiency, refund litigation, proposed
adjustment or matter in controversy with respect to any Taxes
due and owing by the Grey Wolf Companies.
(iii) Since December 31, 2007, the Grey Wolf Companies
have not made or rescinded any election relating to Taxes or
settled or compromised any Claim, action, suit, litigation,
proceeding, arbitration, investigation, audit or controversy
relating to any Taxes, or, except as may be required by
Applicable Law, made any change to any of their methods of
reporting income or deductions for federal income Tax purposes
from those employed in the preparation of their most recently
filed federal Tax Returns.
(iv) The Grey Wolf Companies do not have any liability for
any Tax under Treasury Regulation
Section 1.1502-6
or any similar provision of any other Tax Law, except for Taxes
of the Grey Wolf Companies and the affiliated group of which
Grey Wolf is the common parent, within the meaning of Section
1504(a)(1) of the Code or any similar provision of any other
Tax Law.
(v) There is no agreement or other document extending, or
having the effect of extending, the period of assessment or
collection of any material Taxes and no power of attorney with
respect to any such Taxes has been executed or filed with any
Tax Authority by or on behalf of the Grey Wolf Companies.
(vi) Except for statutory Liens for Taxes not yet due, no
Liens for Taxes exist with respect to any assets or properties
of the Grey Wolf Companies.
(vii) Except for any agreements or arrangements
(A) with customers, vendors, lessors or similar persons
entered into in the ordinary course of business or
(B) among the Grey Wolf Companies, none of the Grey Wolf
Companies is a party to or bound by any Tax sharing agreement,
Tax indemnity obligation or agreement or arrangement with
respect to Taxes (including any advance pricing agreement,
closing agreement or other agreement relating to Taxes with any
Tax Authority).
(viii) The Grey Wolf Companies have complied with all
Applicable Law relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes
(including withholding of Taxes pursuant to
Sections 1441, 1442 and 3402 of
A-27
the Code or similar provisions of any other Tax Law) and have,
within the time and the manner prescribed by applicable Tax Law,
withheld from and paid over to the proper Tax Authorities all
amounts required to be so withheld and paid over under
applicable Tax Law.
(ix) None of the Grey Wolf Companies is or has been a
United States real property holding corporation within the
meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code.
(x) None of the Grey Wolf Companies shall be required to
include in a Taxable period ending after the Closing Date any
item of income that accrued in a prior Taxable period but was
not recognized in any prior Taxable period as a result of the
installment method of accounting, the long-term contract method
of accounting, the cash method of accounting or
Section 481 of the Code or comparable provisions of
any other Tax Law.
(xi) None of the Grey Wolf Companies has participated in
any reportable transaction as defined in Treasury
Regulation
Section 1.6011-4.
(b) Since December 31, 2005, none of the Grey Wolf
Companies has been a distributing corporation or a
controlled corporation in connection with a
distribution described in Section 355 of the Code.
(c) None of the Grey Wolf Companies knows of any fact,
agreement, plan, or other circumstance, or has taken or failed
to take any action, that would reasonably be expected to prevent
the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
(d) Grey Wolf will qualify as a corporation under the Code
and applicable Treasury Regulations from the date hereof until
the Effective Time of the Merger.
Section 3.11 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 3.11(a) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter contains a list of all Grey Wolf Benefit Plans. Grey Wolf
has provided or made available to Precision true and complete
copies of the Grey Wolf Benefit Plans and, if applicable, all
amendments thereto, the most recent trust agreements, the
Forms 5500 for the prior three years, the most recent
Internal Revenue Service (the IRS)
determination or opinion letters, summary plan descriptions, any
summaries of material modifications provided to participants
since the most recent summary plan descriptions, material
notices to participants, funding statements, annual reports and
actuarial reports, if applicable, and all correspondence with
any Governmental Authority for each Grey Wolf Benefit Plan.
(b) To the extent applicable, the Grey Wolf Benefit Plans
comply in all material respects with the requirements of ERISA
and the Code or with the Applicable Laws and regulations of any
applicable jurisdiction, and any Grey Wolf Benefit Plan intended
to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has
received a favorable determination letter from the IRS (or, if
applicable, an opinion letter) and such letter has not been
revoked; all required amendments since the issuance of such
favorable determination letter from the IRS have been made and
no amendments have been made which would reasonably be expected
to result in the disqualification of any of such Grey Wolf
Benefit Plans; the Grey Wolf Benefit Plans have been maintained
and operated in compliance in all material respects with their
terms; to Grey Wolfs knowledge, there are no breaches of
fiduciary duty in connection with the Grey Wolf Benefit Plans
for which Grey Wolf could be liable; there are no pending or, to
Grey Wolfs knowledge, threatened Claims against or
otherwise involving any Grey Wolf Benefit Plan that,
individually or in the aggregate, have had or caused or would
reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material
Adverse Effect, and no suit, action or other litigation
(excluding claims for benefits incurred in the ordinary course
of the Grey Wolf Benefit Plan activities) has been brought
against or with respect to any such Grey Wolf Benefit Plan for
which Grey Wolf could be liable that, individually or in the
aggregate, have had or caused or would reasonably be expected to
have or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect; all material
contributions required to be made as of the date hereof to Grey
Wolf Benefit Plans have been made or have been properly accrued
and are reflected in the Grey Wolf Financial Statements as of
the date thereof.
A-28
(c) Neither Grey Wolf nor any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
or ERISA Affiliates contributes to, or has an obligation to
contribute to, and has not within six years prior to the
Effective Time contributed to, or had an obligation to
contribute to or has any material liability, contingent or
otherwise, with respect to, (i) a multiemployer
plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) of
ERISA, (ii) any plan that is covered by Title IV of
ERISA, (iii) any plan subject to Section 412 of the
Code or (iv) any plan funded by a voluntary
employees benefits association within the meaning of
Section 501(c)(9) of the Code.
(d) Except for the Grey Wolf Benefits Plans set forth in
Section 3.11(d) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter, no
Grey Wolf Benefit Plan maintained by the Grey Wolf Companies
provides medical, surgical, hospitalization, death or similar
benefits (regardless of whether insured) for employees or former
employees of Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary for periods
extending beyond their retirement or other termination of
service other than coverage mandated by Applicable Law.
(e) All accrued material obligations of Grey Wolf and the
Grey Wolf Subsidiaries, whether arising by operation of
Applicable Law, Contract, or past custom, for compensation and
benefits, including, but not limited to, bonuses and accrued
vacation, and benefits under Grey Wolf Benefit Plans, have been
paid or adequate accruals for such obligations are reflected on
the Grey Wolf Financial Statements as of the date thereof.
(f) Section 3.11(f) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter sets forth an accurate and complete list of each Grey
Wolf Benefit Plan (and the particular circumstances described in
this Section 3.11(f) relating to such Grey Wolf
Benefit Plan) under which the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby could (either alone or in conjunction with any other
event, such as termination of employment), result in, cause the
accelerated vesting, funding or delivery of, or increase the
amount or value of, any payment or benefit to any employee,
officer or director of Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries.
(g) Section 3.11(g) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter contains a description that is accurate and correct in
all material respects of all amounts estimated to be paid or
payable (whether in cash, in property, or in the form of
benefits, accelerated cash, property, or otherwise) in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (solely as
a result thereof) that were or will be an excess parachute
payment within the meaning of Section 280G of
the Code.
(h) Each Grey Wolf Benefit Plan which is or reasonably
could be determined to be an arrangement subject to
Section 409A of the Code has been operated in good
faith compliance with Section 409A of the Code since
January 1, 2005 and has been, or may be, timely amended
with the consent of the participant, if necessary, to comply in
good faith with Section 409A of the Code and any
applicable guidance, whether proposed or final, issued by the
IRS with respect thereto.
(i) No Grey Wolf Benefit Plan is a multiple employer plan
within the meaning of Section 413(c) of the Code.
(j) No Grey Wolf Benefit Plan that is not subject to ERISA
has any material liabilities thereunder which are not otherwise
fully funded, if applicable, or properly accrued and reflected
under the Grey Wolf Financial Statements as of the date thereof.
(k) No Grey Wolf Benefit Plan holds any qualifying
employer securities or qualifying employer real
estate within the meaning of ERISA.
(l) With respect to all Grey Wolf Benefit Plans subject to
the Applicable Laws of any jurisdiction outside the
U.S. (International Plans), (i) to
Grey Wolfs knowledge, the International Plans have been
maintained in all material respects in accordance with all
Applicable Law, (ii) if intended to qualify for special Tax
treatment, the International Plans meet the requirements for
such treatment in all material respects, (iii) if intended
to be funded
and/or
book-reserved, the International Plans are fully funded
and/or
book-reserved based upon reasonable actuarial assumptions, and
(iv) no liability which would be material to Grey Wolf and
the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, exists or
reasonably could be imposed upon the assets of
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Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries by reason of
such International Plans, other than to the extent reflected on
Grey Wolfs balance sheet as contained in Grey Wolfs
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Section 3.12 Labor
Matters.
(a) Except as disclosed in Section 3.12 of the
Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter, as of the date of this Agreement,
(i) neither Grey Wolf nor any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
is a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement
or similar Contract, agreement or understanding with a labor
union or similar labor organization and (ii) to Grey
Wolfs knowledge, there are no organizational efforts with
respect to the formation of a collective bargaining unit
presently being made or threatened.
(b) Except for such matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or caused and would not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect,
(i) neither Grey Wolf nor any Grey Wolf Subsidiary has
received any written complaint of any unfair labor practice or
other unlawful employment practice or any written notice of any
material violation of any federal, state or local statutes,
Applicable Laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, Orders or
directives with respect to the employment of individuals by, or
the employment practices of, Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf
Subsidiary, or the work conditions, terms and conditions of
employment, wages or hours of their respective businesses,
(ii) there are no unfair labor practice charges or other
employee related complaints against Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf
Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of Grey Wolf threatened,
before any Governmental Authority by or concerning the employees
working in their respective businesses, and (iii) there is
no labor dispute, strike, slowdown or work stoppage against Grey
Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge
of Grey Wolf, pending or threatened against Grey Wolf or any of
the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries.
Section 3.13 Environmental
Matters. Except for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Grey Wolf and each Grey Wolf Subsidiary has been and is
in compliance with all applicable Environmental, Health and
Safety Laws and possesses and is in compliance with any permits
or licenses required under Environmental, Health and Safety
Laws. To the knowledge of Grey Wolf, there are no past or
present facts, conditions or circumstances that interfere with
or preclude, or could interfere with or preclude if known to a
Governmental Authority, the conduct of any of their respective
businesses as now conducted or which interfere with continued
compliance with applicable Environmental, Health and Safety Laws.
(b) No proceedings or investigations brought by any
Governmental Authority or other Person are pending or, to the
knowledge of Grey Wolf, threatened against Grey Wolf or the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries that allege the violation of, or seek to
impose liability pursuant to any Environmental, Health and
Safety Laws, or seek to revoke or modify any permit or license
issued to Grey Wolf or a Grey Wolf Subsidiary, and, to the
knowledge of Grey Wolf, there are no past or present facts,
conditions or circumstances at, on or arising out of, or
otherwise associated with, any current (or former) businesses,
assets or properties of Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary,
including, but not limited to, any
on-site or
off-site disposal, release or spill of any Hazardous Materials,
which constitute a material violation of, or liability pursuant
to, Environmental, Health and Safety Laws or are reasonably
likely to give rise to (i) costs, expenses, liabilities or
obligations for any investigation, cleanup, remediation,
disposal or corrective action under any Environmental, Health
and Safety Laws, (ii) claims arising for personal injury,
property damage or damage to natural resources,
(iii) fines, penalties or injunctive relief, or
(iv) an action to revoke or modify any permit or license
issued to Grey Wolf or a Grey Wolf Subsidiary.
(c) Neither Grey Wolf nor any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
has (i) received any written notice of noncompliance with,
violation of, or liability or potential liability under any
Environmental, Health and Safety Laws or (ii) entered into
or become subject to any consent decree, Order or agreement with
any Governmental Authority or other Persons pursuant to any
Environmental, Health and Safety Laws or
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relating to the investigation, cleanup, remediation or disposal
of, or the taking of corrective action in relation to, any
Hazardous Materials.
Section 3.14 Intellectual
Property. Except for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect, (a) the products, services and
operations of Grey Wolf and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries do not
infringe upon, violate or misappropriate the Intellectual
Property of any Third Party, (b) Grey Wolf and the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries own or possess valid licenses or other valid
rights to use the Intellectual Property that Grey Wolf and the
Grey Wolf Subsidiaries use, exercise or exploit in, or that may
be necessary or desirable for, their businesses as currently
being conducted, free and clear of all Liens (other than
Permitted Liens), and (c) to the knowledge of Grey Wolf,
there is no infringement of any Intellectual Property owned by
or licensed by or to Grey Wolf or any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries. To Grey Wolfs knowledge, there is no
unauthorized use, disclosure, infringement or misappropriation
of any Intellectual Property of Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf
Subsidiary by any Person, including, without limitation, any
employee or independent contractor (present or former) of Grey
Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary, that, individually or in the
aggregate, has had or caused or would reasonably be expected to
have or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.15 Insurance. Except
for such matters that, individually or in the aggregate, have
not had or caused and would not reasonably be expected to have
or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Grey Wolf and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries maintain and
will maintain through the Closing Date the insurance coverages
summarized in its Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007, except for certain
changes in such coverages since December 31, 2007 as set
forth in Section 3.15(a) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter. In addition, there is no material default with respect
to any provision contained in any such policy or binder, and
none of the Grey Wolf Companies has failed to give any notice or
present any claim under any such policy or binder in a timely
fashion.
(b) To the knowledge of Grey Wolf, no event relating
specifically to Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries (as
opposed to events affecting the drilling service industry in
general) has occurred that is reasonably likely, after the date
of this Agreement, to result in an upward adjustment in premiums
under any insurance policies they maintain. Neither Grey Wolf
nor any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries have received notice from
any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial capital
improvements or other expenditures will have to be made in order
to continue such insurance policies. Excluding insurance
policies that have expired and been replaced in the ordinary
course of business, no excess liability or protection and
indemnity insurance policy has been cancelled by the insurer
within one year prior to the date hereof, and to Grey
Wolfs knowledge, no threat in writing has been made to
cancel (excluding cancellation upon expiration or failure to
renew) any current insurance policy of Grey Wolf or any
Grey Wolf Subsidiary.
Section 3.16 No
Brokers. Neither Grey Wolf nor any of the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries has entered into any Contract with any Person
that may result in the obligation of Grey Wolf, Precision or any
of their respective Subsidiaries to pay any finders fees,
brokerage or other like payments in connection with the
negotiations leading to this Agreement or the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby, except that Grey Wolf has
retained UBS Securities LLC as its financial advisor, the fee
and expense reimbursement arrangements with which have been
disclosed in writing to Precision prior to the date hereof.
Section 3.17 Opinion
of Financial Advisor. The Grey Wolf Board has
received the opinion of UBS Securities LLC, dated the date of
this Agreement, to the effect that, as of such date and based
upon and subject to various assumptions, matters considered and
limitations described in the opinion, the Merger Consideration
to be received by holders of Grey Wolf Common Stock, taken in
the aggregate, is fair, from a financial point of view, to such
holders.
Section 3.18 Precision
Trust Unit Ownership. Neither Grey Wolf nor
any of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries owns any Precision
Trust Units or any other securities convertible into or
otherwise exercisable to acquire Precision Trust Units.
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Section 3.19 Vote
Required; Board of Director Approval. Under Texas
law and the rules of the AMEX, the only vote of the holders of
any class or series of Grey Wolf Equity Interests necessary to
approve the Grey Wolf Proposal is the affirmative vote in
favor of the Merger by the holders of a majority of the issued
and outstanding shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock (the
Required Grey Wolf Vote). As of or prior to
the date of this Agreement, the Grey Wolf Board has, by
resolutions duly and unanimously adopted at a meeting of all
directors on the Grey Wolf Board, which meeting was duly called
and held, (a) determined that the Merger is advisable and
in the best interests of Grey Wolf and Grey Wolfs
shareholders, (b) approved the Merger and this Agreement
and (c) recommended that the shareholders of Grey Wolf
approve this Agreement and directed that the Grey Wolf Proposal
be submitted to the shareholders of Grey Wolf at the Meeting.
Section 3.20 Ownership
and Condition of Assets.
(a) As of the date hereof, Grey Wolf or a Grey Wolf
Subsidiary has good and valid title to the assets of the Grey
Wolf Companies including the drilling rigs listed in
Section 3.20(a) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter,
other than defects or irregularities of title that do not
materially impair the ownership or operation of such assets and
in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Permitted
Liens, Liens securing the Grey Wolf Credit Agreement or
Liens that have not had or caused and would not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The assets of the Grey Wolf Companies are in good
operating condition except for: (i) normal maintenance and
repair requirements and normal wear and tear,
(ii) warm-stacked rigs or cold-stacked rigs identified as
such as of the date of this Agreement in Section 3.20(b)
of the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter, and (iii) as would not,
when taken together with the matters described in the
immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii), have a Grey
Wolf Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.21 Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither Grey Wolf nor any of the
Grey Wolf Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any
nature, regardless of whether fixed, accrued, contingent or
otherwise, except liabilities and obligations that (a) are
fully reflected or reserved against in the Grey Wolf Financial
Statements included in the Grey Wolf Reports or described in the
Grey Wolf Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
(b) liabilities and obligations arising under this
Agreement and the transaction contemplated by this Agreement,
(c) liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices since
December 31, 2007, and (d) liabilities and obligations
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused
and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey
Wolf Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.22
Material Contracts.
(a) Section 3.22(a) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter contains a list of all of the following Contracts or
agreements (other than those set forth on an exhibit index in
the Grey Wolf Reports filed prior to the date of this Agreement)
to which Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary is a party or by
which any of them is bound as of the date of this Agreement
(other than this Agreement or any Related Document):
(i) any non-competition agreement or non-solicitation
agreement or non-hire agreement that purports to limit the
manner in which, or the localities in which, all or any portion
of their respective businesses are conducted or would purport to
bind Grey Wolf, Precision or any of their Affiliates;
(ii) any hedging agreements by which any of the assets of
Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary are bound, in an aggregate
amount in excess of $1 million; (iii) any Contract
granting any Person registration or other purchase or sale
rights with respect to any Equity Interest in Grey Wolf or any
Grey Wolf Subsidiary; (iv) any voting agreement relating to
any Equity Interest of Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary;
(v) any Contract outside the ordinary course to which Grey
Wolf or any Grey Wolf Subsidiary is a party that entitles the
other party or parties thereto to receive the benefits thereof
without incurring the obligation to pay for same within sixty
days after services are provided; (vi) any Contract outside
the ordinary course between Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf
Subsidiary and any current or former Affiliate of Grey Wolf;
(vii) any drilling rig construction or conversion Contract
with respect to which the drilling rig has not been delivered
and paid for; (viii) any drilling Contracts of one year or
greater in remaining duration; (ix) any Contract or
agreement for the borrowing of money with a
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borrowing capacity or outstanding Indebtedness of
$2 million or more; or (x) any material
contract (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10)
of
Regulation S-K
of the SEC) (all Contracts or agreements of the types described
in clauses (i) through (x), regardless of whether listed in
Section 3.22(a) of the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter
and regardless of whether in effect as of the date of this
Agreement, being referred to herein as Grey Wolf
Material Contracts).
(b) As of the date of this Agreement, each of the Grey Wolf
Material Contracts is, to the knowledge of Grey Wolf, in full
force and effect. Except for such matters that, individually or
in the aggregate, have not had or caused and would not
reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf Material
Adverse Effect, neither Grey Wolf nor any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries knows of, or has received written notice of, any
breach or violation of, or default under (nor, to the knowledge
of Grey Wolf and the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries, does there exist
any condition which with the passage of time or the giving of
notice or both would result in such a violation or default
under) any Grey Wolf Material Contract, or has received written
notice of the desire of the other party or parties to any such
Grey Wolf Material Contract to exercise any rights such party
has to cancel, terminate or repudiate such Contract or exercise
remedies thereunder.
Section 3.23
State Takeover
Statutes. Grey Wolf has, or will have prior to
the Effective Time, taken all necessary action so that, assuming
compliance by Precision with its obligations hereunder and the
accuracy of the representations and warranties made by Precision
herein, no business combination,
moratorium, fair price, control
share acquisition, or other state antitakeover statute or
regulation, nor any takeover-related provision in the Grey Wolf
Charter Documents, would apply to this Agreement, any Related
Documents or the Merger.
Section 3.24 Improper
Payments. Except for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey Wolf
Material Adverse Effect: (a) no funds, assets or properties
of Grey Wolf or its Affiliates have been used or offered for
illegal purposes; (b) no accumulation or use of any funds,
assets or properties of Grey Wolf or its Affiliates has been
made without being properly accounted for in the financial books
and records of Grey Wolf or its Affiliates; (c) all
payments by or on behalf of Grey Wolf or its Affiliates have
been duly and properly recorded and accounted for in their
financial books and records and such books and records
accurately and fairly reflect all transactions and dispositions
of the assets of Grey Wolf and its Affiliates; (d) Grey
Wolf has devised and maintained systems that provide reasonable
assurances that transactions are and have been executed in
accordance with managements general or specific
authorization; (e) neither Grey Wolf nor any of its
Affiliates, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other
Person associated with or acting on behalf of Grey Wolf or its
Affiliates, has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or payment of
anything of value relating to political activity, (ii) made
any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any employee, agent,
officer, director, representative or shareholder of a
Governmental Authority or political party, or official or
candidate thereof, or any immediate family member of the
foregoing, (iii) violated or is in violation of any
provision of the FCPA or any similar Applicable Laws or
(iv) made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence
payment, kickback or other unlawful payment in connection with
the conduct of Grey Wolfs or its Affiliates
businesses; (f) none of Grey Wolf, any of its Affiliates or
any agent of any of them has received any bribes, kickbacks or
other improper payments from vendors, suppliers or other
Persons; and (g) Grey Wolf has no knowledge that any
payment made to a Person would be or has thereafter been
offered, given or provided to any foreign official, political
party or official thereof, or to any candidate for public office.
Section 3.25 Amendment
to Grey Wolf Rights Agreement. Grey Wolf has
amended or taken other action under the Grey Wolf Rights
Agreement so that (i) all changes to the Grey Wolf Rights
Plan implemented by Amendment No. 1 thereto have been
rescinded and (ii) none of the execution and delivery of
this Agreement or any Related Document or the consummation of
the Merger or any other transaction contemplated hereby or by a
Related Document will cause the Grey Wolf Rights to become
exercisable under the Grey Wolf Rights Agreement and will
terminate the Grey Wolf Rights Agreement at the Closing.
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Grey Wolf has delivered to Precision a true, accurate and
complete copy of the Grey Wolf Rights Agreement, as amended to
date.
Section 3.26 Canadian
Assets and Operations. As of December 31,
2007, the Grey Wolf Companies did not have (i) assets in
Canada with an aggregate value in excess of Cdn.$50 million
or (ii) gross revenues from sales in or from Canada
generated from the assets in Canada described in (i) above
in excess of Cdn.$50 million, in each case as determined in
accordance with the Competition Act.
Section 3.27 No
Orders. No Order having the effect of suspending
the sale of, or ceasing the trading of, the Grey Wolf Common
Stock or any other securities of Grey Wolf has been issued by
any Governmental Authority and is continuing in effect and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted, are pending
or, to the knowledge of Grey Wolf, are contemplated or
threatened under any Applicable Laws or by any other
Governmental Authority.
Section 3.28 Investment
Company Act. Grey Wolf is not registered and is
not required to be registered as an investment company pursuant
to the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 3.29 No
Other Representations or Warranties. Except for
the representations and warranties contained in this
Article III, neither Grey Wolf nor any other Person
makes any other express or implied representation or warranty on
behalf of Grey Wolf or any of its Affiliates in connection with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PRECISION, PDC AND LOBOS
As an inducement for Grey Wolf to enter into this Agreement,
Precision, PDC and Lobos hereby jointly and severally make the
following representations and warranties to Grey Wolf;
provided, however, that such
representations and warranties shall be subject to and qualified
by: (a) the disclosure letter delivered by Precision and
PDC to Grey Wolf as of the date hereof (each section of which
qualifies the correspondingly numbered representation and
warranty or covenant to the extent specified therein) (the
Precision Disclosure Letter) (it being
understood that (i) the disclosure of any fact or item in
any section of the Precision Disclosure Letter shall, should the
existence of such fact or item be relevant to any other section,
be deemed to be disclosed with respect to that other section to
the extent that such disclosure is made in a manner that makes
its relevance to the other section reasonably apparent and
(ii) the disclosure of any matter or item in the Precision
Disclosure Letter shall not be deemed to constitute an
acknowledgement that such matter or item is required to be
disclosed therein or is material to a representation or warranty
set forth in this Agreement and shall not be used as a basis for
interpreting the terms material,
materially, materiality, Precision
Material Adverse Effect or any word or phrase of
similar import and does not mean that such matter or item, alone
or together with any other matter or item, would constitute a
Precision Material Adverse Effect) and (b) information
contained in the Precision Reports (excluding any exhibits
thereto and excluding disclosures under Risk
Factors and other forward-looking or predictive
statements) filed with the SEC or the Canadian Securities
Regulatory Authorities or SEDAR prior to the date hereof (but
only to the extent that such disclosure on its face appears to
constitute information that would reasonably be deemed a
qualification or exception to the following representations and
warranties).
Section 4.1 Existence;
Good Standing; Authority. Precision is an
unincorporated open-ended investment trust duly formed and
validly existing under the Applicable Laws of the Province of
Alberta, Canada. Precision has all requisite trust power and
authority, to own or lease and operate its properties and assets
and to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted.
Precision has delivered to Grey Wolf a true, accurate and
complete copy of the Precision Declaration of Trust and the
Precision Declaration of Trust is in full force and effect, has
not been amended or modified and has not been terminated,
superseded or revoked. Lobos has delivered to Grey Wolf true,
accurate and complete copies of the Lobos Charter Documents.
Each Lobos Charter Document is in full force and effect, has not
been amended or modified and
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has not been terminated, superseded or revoked. PDC has
delivered to Grey Wolf a true, accurate and complete copy of the
PDC Articles of Amalgamation and the Bylaws, each as amended to
the date hereof (the PDC Charter Documents)
and each PDC Charter Document is in full force and effect, has
not been amended or modified and has not been terminated,
superseded or revoked. Precision and PDC have delivered to Grey
Wolf a true, accurate and complete copy of the Administration
Agreement and the Administration Agreement is in full force and
effect, has not been amended or modified and has not been
terminated, superseded or revoked. Precision is not in violation
of the Precision Declaration of Trust or the Administration
Agreement. Lobos is not in violation of the Lobos Charter
Documents. PDC is not in violation of the PDC Charter Documents
or the Administration Agreement.
Section 4.2 Authorization,
Validity and Effect of Agreements.
(a) Each of Precision, PDC and Lobos has the requisite
trust or corporate power and authority, as the case may be, to
execute and deliver this Agreement and the Related Documents to
which it is, or will become, a party, to perform its obligations
hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the Merger and all
other transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
Related Documents and the consummation of the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder have
been duly authorized by all requisite trust or corporate action,
as the case may be, on behalf of Precision, PDC and Lobos, and
no other trust or corporate proceedings, as the case may be, by
Precision, PDC or Lobos are necessary to authorize the execution
and delivery of this Agreement or the Related Documents or to
consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereunder or under the Related Documents, except for, the filing
of the Certificate of Merger pursuant to the TBCA and the TCL
and the Governmental Authority applications and approvals
described in Section 4.6(b). No vote or consent of
the unitholders or shareholders of Precision or any other
Precision Subsidiary (as the case may be), other than Lobos
(which has been obtained on or before the date of this
Agreement), is required under Applicable Law or the rules of the
NYSE or TSX for the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement and the consummation of the Merger.
(b) This Agreement and each of the Related Documents to
which each of Precision, PDC and Lobos is a party have been or
will be duly executed by or on behalf of each of Precision, PDC
and Lobos and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery hereof and thereof by Grey Wolf to the extent a party
hereof and thereof, constitute the valid and legally binding
obligations of Precision, PDC and Lobos enforceable against each
of Precision, PDC and Lobos, in accordance with their terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other Applicable Laws relating to or affecting the
rights and remedies of creditors generally and to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
Section 4.3 Capitalization.
(a) The aggregate number of Precision Trust Units and
Precision Special Voting Units authorized to be issued by
Precision is unlimited. As of the close of business on
August 22, 2008, there were 125,597,641 issued and
outstanding Precision Trust Units and 160,283 issued and
outstanding Precision Special Voting Units. There are no
outstanding or authorized securities convertible into Precision
Trust Units. All Precision Trust Units and all
Precision Special Voting Units are, and all Precision
Trust Units and Precision Special Voting Units which may be
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
as permitted under this Agreement shall be when issued, duly
authorized and validly issued as fully paid and nonassessable
Precision Trust Units or Precision Special Voting Units, as
the case may be, and are not subject to any preemptive rights.
(b) Precision has no outstanding bonds, debentures,
promissory notes or other Indebtedness (i) the holders of
which have the right to vote with the unitholders of Precision
on any matter or (ii) that are convertible into or
exercisable for Equity Interests whose holders have the right to
vote (collectively, the Precision Voting
Debt). As of the date of this Agreement, except as set
forth in this Section 4.3, Precision and the
Precision Subsidiaries have not issued, sold, granted or
delivered, are not obligated to issue, sell, grant
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or deliver (or to cause to be issued, sold, granted or
delivered), and are not a party to any Contract or other
obligation to issue, sell, grant or deliver, any Equity Interest
(including, without limitation, any securities, options,
warrants, calls, rights, commitments, agreements, arrangements
or undertakings of any kind pursuant to which a Person is
entitled to acquire an Equity Interest) or Precision Voting Debt
of any nature or any additional shares of capital stock or any
other Equity Interest in Precision or any Precision Subsidiary.
As of the date hereof, there are 160,283 issued and outstanding
PDLP Exchangeable Units which are exchangeable into Precision
Trust Units on the basis of one Precision Trust Unit
for each PDLP Exchangeable Unit. Except as set forth in
Article 6 of the Precision Declaration of Trust or the
Precision Disclosure Letter, there are no outstanding or
authorized (i) contractual or other obligations of
Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries to repurchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire any Equity Interest of Precision or
any of the Precision Subsidiaries or any such securities or
agreements referred to in the prior sentence or (ii) voting
trusts or similar agreements to which Precision or any of the
Precision Subsidiaries is a party with respect to the voting of
the Precision Trust Units or any of the Precision
Subsidiaries.
(c) 159,535,972 PDC Common Shares representing one hundred
percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding capital of PDC is
owned directly by PDLP. Immediately prior to the Effective Time,
no shares of Equity Interests of PDC will be issued and
outstanding other than 159,535,972 PDC Common Shares that will
be held by PDLP.
(d) 1,000 shares of Lobos Common Stock representing
one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding capital
stock of Lobos are owned directly by Precision. Lobos has been
formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions
contemplated hereby and, as of the Effective Time, will not have
engaged in any activities other than in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Except as disclosed
in Section 5.3 of the Precision Disclosure Letter,
immediately prior to the Effective Time, no shares of Equity
Interests of Lobos will be issued and outstanding other than
1,000 shares of Lobos Common Stock that will be held by
Precision.
Section 4.4 Subsidiaries.
(a) Each Precision Subsidiary is a corporation, limited
partnership or other legal entity duly organized or constituted
and validly existing under the Applicable Laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation, amalgamation, organization or
formation. Each Precision Subsidiary has all requisite
corporate, limited liability company, partnership or other
business power and authority to own or lease and operate its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently
conducted. Each Precision Subsidiary is duly qualified to
conduct business and is in good standing (to the extent such
concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) in each
jurisdiction in which the ownership or lease and operation of
its property or the nature of its business requires such
qualification, except for jurisdictions in which any failures to
be so qualified or to be in good standing individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or caused and would not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Precision Material Adverse Effect.
All of the outstanding shares in the capital of, or other Equity
Interests in, each Precision Subsidiary (other than the PDLP
Exchangeable Units) are duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable and are owned, directly or indirectly, by
Precision, free and clear of all Liens except for Permitted
Liens.
(b) Section 4.4(b) of the Precision Disclosure
Letter sets forth all of the Precision Subsidiaries and the
percentage Equity Interest of such Precision Subsidiary held,
directly or indirectly, by Precision. The Precision Subsidiaries
are not in violation of their respective Precision Subsidiary
Charter Documents.
Section 4.5 Compliance
with Laws; Permits. Except for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision
Material Adverse Effect, and except for (x) matters
relating to Taxes, which are treated exclusively in
Section 4.10 and
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(y) matters arising under Environmental, Health and Safety
Laws, which are treated exclusively in Section 4.11:
(a) Neither Precision nor any Precision Subsidiary is in
violation of any Applicable Law relating to the ownership or
operation of any of its assets or businesses, and no Claim is
pending or, to the knowledge of Precision or PDC, threatened
with respect to any such matters;
(b) Precision and each Precision Subsidiary hold all
permits, licenses, certifications, variations, exemptions,
Orders, franchises, registrations, filings, approvals,
authorizations or other required grant of operating authority
required by any Governmental Authority necessary for the conduct
of their respective businesses (the Precision
Permits). All Precision Permits are in full force and
effect and there exists no default thereunder or breach thereof,
and Precision or PDC has no notice or knowledge that such
Precision Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course
after the Effective Time. No Governmental Authority has given,
or to the knowledge of Precision or PDC, threatened to give,
notice of any action to terminate, cancel or reform any
Precision Permits; and
(c) Precision and each Precision Subsidiary possess all
Precision Permits required for the present ownership or lease,
as the case may be, and operation of all Precision Real
Property, and there exists no default or breach with respect to,
and no Person, including any Governmental Authority, has taken
or, to the knowledge of Precision or PDC, threatened to take,
any action to terminate, cancel or reform any such Precision
Permit pertaining to Precision Real Property.
Section 4.6 No
Conflict; Consents.
(a) The execution and delivery by each of Precision, PDC
and Lobos of this Agreement and the Related Documents, the
performance of the obligations of Precision, PDC and Lobos
hereunder and thereunder and the consummation by Precision, PDC
and Lobos of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby and thereby in accordance with the terms hereof and
thereof will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach of
any provisions of the Precision Declaration of Trust, the PDC
Charter Documents or the Lobos Charter Documents,
(ii) conflict with or result in a breach of any provisions
of the Precision Subsidiary Charter Documents,
(iii) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any
provision of, constitute a default (or an event which, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default)
under, impair Precisions rights under, alter the rights or
obligations of third parties under, result in the termination of
or in a right of termination or cancellation of, give rise to a
right of purchase under, or accelerate the performance required
by, any Precision Material Contract, (iv) result in the
creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of
the properties or assets of Precision or the Precision
Subsidiaries under any Precision Material Contract or by which
Precision or the Precision Subsidiaries or any of their
properties is bound or affected, (v) result in any
Precision Material Contract being declared void, voidable, or
without further binding effect, or (vi) (assuming that the
consents and approvals referred to in Section 4.6(b)
are duly and timely made or obtained), contravene, conflict with
or constitute a violation of any provision of any Applicable Law
binding upon or applicable to Precision or any of the Precision
Subsidiaries, other than, in the cases of clauses (ii)
through (vii), any such violations, conflicts, breaches,
defaults, impairments, alterations, terminations, cancellations,
purchase rights, accelerations, Liens, voidings or detriments
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused
and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Precision Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery by Precision, PDC or
Lobos of this Agreement or any Related Document nor the
consummation by Precision, PDC or Lobos of the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby in accordance
with the terms hereof or thereof will require any consent,
approval or authorization of, notice to or filing or
registration with any Governmental Authority, other than
(i) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the
Secretary of State of the State of Texas and the appropriate
documents required to be filed as a result of the Merger with
the relevant Governmental Authorities in the states and foreign
jurisdictions in which Precision, Lobos or any other Precision
Subsidiary is qualified to conduct business, (ii) the
filing of the Proxy Statement/Prospectus with the SEC in
accordance with the Exchange Act and the filing and
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (iii) filings
required under the
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HSR Act, including the filing of Notification and Report Forms
with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the DOJ as required
by the HSR Act, (iv) filings required under federal and
state securities or Blue Sky laws, applicable
non-U.S. laws
or the rules of the NYSE or TSX, and (v) any other
applicable filings or notifications under the antitrust,
competition or similar Applicable Laws of foreign jurisdictions
((i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) collectively, the
Precision Regulatory Filings), except for any
failures to obtain any such consent, approval or authorization
or to make any such filing, notification or registration that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.7 Securities
Filings.
(a) Precision and PDLP have filed with the SEC all
documents required to be so filed by them since January 1,
2007 pursuant to Sections 13(a), 14(a) and
15(d) of the Exchange Act and with the Canadian
Securities Regulatory Authorities all documents required to be
filed since January 1, 2007 under Applicable Canadian
Securities Laws, and have made available to Grey Wolf each
registration statement, periodic or other report, proxy
statement, schedule or information statement (other than
preliminary materials) they have so filed, each in the form
(including exhibits and any amendments thereto) filed with the
SEC or the Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities, as the
case may be (collectively, the Precision
Reports). As used in this Section 4.7, the
term file shall include any reports on Form
6-K. As of
its respective date or, if amended by a subsequent filing prior
to the date hereof, on the date of such filing, each Precision
Report complied in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Exchange Act, SOX, Applicable Canadian
Securities Laws, and the rules and regulations thereunder and
did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
Each of the consolidated balance sheets included in or
incorporated by reference into the Precision Reports (including
the related notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material
respects the consolidated financial position of Precision and
the Precision Subsidiaries as of its date, and each of the
consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and changes in
unitholders equity included in or incorporated by
reference into the Precision Reports (including any related
notes and schedules) fairly presents in all material respects
the results of operations, cash flows or changes in
unitholders equity, as the case may be, of Precision and
the Precision Subsidiaries for the periods set forth therein
(such consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
operations, cash flows and changes in unitholders equity,
each including the notes and schedules thereto, the
Precision Financial Statements). The
Precision Financial Statements (i) complied as to form in
all material respects with the published rules and regulations
of the SEC, the applicable Canadian Securities Regulatory
Authorities, the applicable accounting requirements and the
published rules and regulations of the SEC or the applicable
Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities with respect thereto
(except, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by
the rules of the Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities) and
(ii) were prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP
consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may
be noted in the Precision Financial Statements or as permitted
by
Form 20-F
or
Form 6-K.
(b) Precision has not entered into or modified any loans or
arrangements with its officers or trustees or the directors or
officers of PDC in violation of Section 402 of SOX.
Precision has established and maintains disclosure controls and
procedures and internal controls over financial reporting
(within the meaning
Rules 13a-15(e)
and
15d-15(e) of
the Exchange Act and the applicable Canadian Securities
Regulatory Authorities). Precisions disclosure controls
and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that all
material information required to be disclosed by Precision in
the reports that it files under the Exchange Act or Applicable
Canadian Securities Laws are recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the rules and
forms of the SEC or the applicable Canadian Securities
Regulatory Authorities and that all such material information is
accumulated and communicated to the management of Precision as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure and to make the certifications required pursuant to
Sections 302 and 906 of SOX and Applicable
Canadian Securities Laws. The management of PDC, on behalf of
Precision, has completed its assessment of the effectiveness of
Precisions internal controls over financial reporting in
compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of
SOX and the
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Applicable Canadian Securities Laws for the year ended
December 31, 2007, and such assessment concluded that such
controls were effective. To the knowledge of Precision or PDC,
Precision has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluations,
to Precisions outside auditors and the audit committee of
the PDC Board (i) all significant deficiencies in the
design or operation of internal controls over financial
reporting and any material weaknesses, which have more than a
remote chance to materially adversely affect Precisions
ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data
(as defined in
Rule 13a-15(f)
of the Exchange Act and the Applicable Canadian Securities Laws)
and (ii) any fraud, regardless of whether material, that
involves management or other employees who have a significant
role in Precisions internal controls over financial
reporting.
(c) Since January 1, 2007, to the knowledge of
Precision or PDC, neither Precision nor any of the Precision
Subsidiaries nor any trustee, director, officer, employee,
auditor, accountant or representative of Precision or any of the
Precision Subsidiaries has received or otherwise had or obtained
knowledge of any material complaint, allegation, assertion or
Claim, whether written or oral, regarding the accounting or
auditing practices, procedures, methodologies or methods of
Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries, including any
material complaint, allegation, assertion or Claim that
Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries has a
material weakness (as such terms are defined in the
Public Accounting Oversight Boards Auditing Standard
No. 2, as in effect on the date hereof), in
Precisions internal controls over financial reporting.
Section 4.8 Litigation. Except
(a) matters relating to Tax matters, which are treated
exclusively under Section 4.10 and (b) matters
arising under Environmental, Health and Safety Laws, which are
treated exclusively under Section 4.11, there is no
litigation, arbitration, mediation, action, suit, Claim,
proceeding or investigation, whether legal or administrative,
pending against Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries
or, to Precisions or PDCs knowledge, threatened
against Precision or any of the Precision Subsidiaries or any of
their respective assets, properties or operations, at Applicable
Law or in equity, before or by any Governmental Authority or any
Order of any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the
aggregate, and taking into consideration the aggregate amounts
reserved for any such matters in Precisions consolidated
balance sheet at December 31, 2007, has had or caused or
would reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.9 Absence
of Certain Changes. From December 31, 2007,
to the date of this Agreement, except as described in the
Precision Reports and in Section 4.9 of the Precision
Disclosure Letter, there has not been (a) any event or
occurrence that has had or caused or would reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Precision Material Adverse Effect,
(b) any material change by Precision or any of the
Precision Subsidiaries, when taken as a whole, in any of its
accounting methods, principles or practices or any of its Tax
methods, practices or elections, (c) any declaration,
setting aside or payment of any dividend or distribution in
respect of any capital stock or other Equity Interest of
Precision or any redemption, purchase or other acquisition of
any of its Equity Interests, or (d) except in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices, any increase
in or establishment of any bonus, insurance, severance, deferred
compensation, pension, retirement, profit sharing, stock option,
stock purchase or other employee benefit plan.
Section 4.10 Taxes.
(a) Except as disclosed in Section 4.10 of the
Precision Disclosure Letter and for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision
Material Adverse Effect:
(i) The Precision Companies have timely filed, or have
caused to be timely filed on their behalf, all Tax Returns
required to be filed by or on behalf of the Precision Companies
(including any Tax Return required to be filed by an affiliated,
consolidated, combined, unitary or similar group that included
the Precision Companies) in the manner prescribed by Applicable
Law. All such Tax Returns are complete and correct. The
Precision Companies have timely paid (or Precision has paid on
each Precision Subsidiarys behalf) all Taxes due and
owing, and, in accordance with Canadian GAAP, the most recent
A-39
Precision Financial Statements contained in the Precision
Reports reflect a reserve (excluding any reserve for deferred
Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and
Tax income) for all Taxes payable by the Precision Companies for
all Taxable periods and portions thereof through the date of
such Precision Financial Statements.
(ii) No Tax Return of the Precision Companies is under
audit or examination by any Tax Authority, and no written or, to
the knowledge of Precision or PDC, unwritten notice of such an
audit or examination has been received by the Precision
Companies. There is no assessed deficiency, refund litigation,
proposed adjustment or matter in controversy with respect to any
Taxes due and owing by the Precision Companies.
(iii) Since December 31, 2007, the Precision Companies
have not made or rescinded any election relating to Taxes or
settled or compromised any Claim, action, suit, litigation,
proceeding, arbitration, investigation, audit or controversy
relating to any Taxes, or, except as may be required by
Applicable Law, made any change to any of their methods of
reporting income or deductions for federal income Tax purposes
from those employed in the preparation of their most recently
filed federal Tax Returns.
(iv) The Precision Companies do not have any liability for
any Tax under Treasury Regulation
Section 1.1502-6
or any similar provision of any other Tax Law.
(v) There is no agreement or other document extending, or
having the effect of extending, the period of assessment or
collection of any material Taxes and no power of attorney with
respect to any such Taxes has been executed or filed with any
Tax Authority by or on behalf of the Precision Companies.
(vi) Except for statutory Liens for Taxes not yet due, no
Liens for Taxes exist with respect to any assets or properties
of the Precision Companies.
(vii) Except for any agreements or arrangements
(A) with customers, vendors, lessors or similar persons
entered into in the ordinary course of business or
(B) among the Precision Companies, none of the Precision
Companies is a party to or bound by any Tax sharing agreement,
Tax indemnity obligation or agreement or arrangement with
respect to Taxes (including any advance pricing agreement,
closing agreement or other agreement relating to Taxes with any
Tax Authority).
(viii) The Precision Companies have complied with all
Applicable Law relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes
(including withholding of Taxes pursuant to
Sections 1441, 1442 and 3402 of the
Code or similar provisions of any other Tax Law) and have,
within the time and the manner prescribed by applicable Tax Law,
withheld from and paid over to the proper Tax Authorities all
amounts required to be so withheld and paid over under
applicable Tax Law.
(ix) None of the Precision Companies shall be required to
include in a Taxable period ending after the Closing Date any
item of income that accrued in a prior Taxable period but was
not recognized in any prior Taxable period as a result of the
installment method of accounting, the long-term contract method
of accounting, the cash method of accounting or
Section 481 of the Code or comparable provisions of
any other Tax Law.
(x) None of the Precision Companies has participated in any
reportable transaction as defined in Treasury
Regulation
Section 1.6011-4.
(b) Since December 31, 2005, none of the Precision
Companies has been a distributing corporation or a
controlled corporation in connection with a
distribution described in Section 355 of the Code.
(c) None of the Precision Companies knows of any fact,
agreement, plan, or other circumstance, or has taken or failed
to take any action, that would reasonably be expected to prevent
the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
(d) Precision satisfies and has satisfied all the
requirements of the active trade or business test
under Treasury Regulation §1.367(a)-3(c)(3) up to and
through the Effective Time. There are no facts known to
Precision
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or any of its Subsidiaries which, individually or in the
aggregate, could compromise, impair or prevent the application
of the conditions contained in clauses (i), (ii) or
(iv) of Treasury Regulation §1.367(a)-3(c)(1). None of
Precision, PDC or Lobos is a passive foreign investment
company within the meaning of Section 1297 of the
Code. None of Precision, PDC or Lobos is a controlled
foreign corporation within the meaning of
Section 957 of the Code.
(e) Each of Precision and Lobos will qualify as a
corporation and the Precision Trust Units will qualify as
common stock under the Code and applicable Treasury Regulations
from the date hereof until after the Effective Time of the
Merger.
(f) Precision is, and expects to be at all times after the
Merger, a qualified foreign corporation under Code
Section 1(h) and the applicable Treasury Regulations.
Section 4.11 Environmental
Matters. Except as set forth in
Section 4.11 of the Precision Disclosure Letter and
for such matters that, individually or in the aggregate, have
not had or caused and would not reasonably be expected to have
or cause a Precision Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Precision and each Precision Subsidiary has been and is
in compliance with all applicable Environmental, Health and
Safety Laws and possesses and is in compliance with any permits
or licenses required under Environmental, Health and Safety
Laws. To the knowledge of Precision or PDC, there are no past or
present facts, conditions or circumstances that interfere with
or preclude, or could interfere with or preclude if known to a
Governmental Authority, the conduct of any of their respective
businesses as now conducted or which interfere with continued
compliance with applicable Environmental, Health and Safety Laws.
(b) No proceedings or investigations brought by any
Governmental Authority or other Person are pending or, to the
knowledge of Precision or PDC, threatened against Precision or
the Precision Subsidiaries that allege the violation of, or seek
to impose liability pursuant to any Environmental, Health and
Safety Laws, or seek to revoke or modify any permit or license
issued to Precision or a Precision Subsidiary, and, to the
knowledge of Precision or PDC, there are no past or present
facts, conditions or circumstances at, on or arising out of, or
otherwise associated with, any current (or former) businesses,
assets or properties of Precision or any Precision Subsidiary,
including, but not limited to, any
on-site or
off-site disposal, release or spill of any Hazardous Materials,
which constitute a material violation of, or liability pursuant
to, Environmental, Health and Safety Laws or are reasonably
likely to give rise to (i) costs, expenses, liabilities or
obligations for any investigation, cleanup, remediation,
disposal or corrective action under any Environmental, Health
and Safety Laws, (ii) claims arising for personal injury,
property damage or damage to natural resources,
(iii) fines, penalties or injunctive relief, or
(iv) an action to revoke or modify any permit or license
issued to Precision or a Precision Subsidiary.
(c) Neither Precision nor any of the Precision Subsidiaries
has (i) received any written notice of noncompliance with,
violation of, or liability or potential liability under any
Environmental, Health and Safety Laws or (ii) entered into
or become subject to any consent decree, Order or agreement with
any Governmental Authority or other Persons pursuant to any
Environmental, Health and Safety Laws or relating to the
investigation, cleanup, remediation or disposal of, or the
taking of any corrective action in relation to any Hazardous
Materials.
Section 4.12 Intellectual
Property. Except as set forth in
Section 4.12 of the Precision Disclosure Letter and
for such matters that, individually or in the aggregate, have
not had or caused and would not reasonably be expected to have
or cause a Precision Material Adverse Effect, (a) the
products, services and operations of Precision and the Precision
Subsidiaries do not infringe upon, violate or misappropriate the
Intellectual Property of any Third Party, (b) Precision and
the Precision Subsidiaries own or possess valid licenses or
other valid rights to use the Intellectual Property that
Precision and the Precision Subsidiaries use, exercise or
exploit in, or that may be necessary or desirable for, their
businesses as currently being conducted, free and clear of all
Liens (other than Permitted Liens), and (c) to the
knowledge of Precision or PDC, there is no infringement of any
Intellectual Property owned by or licensed by or to Precision or
any of the Precision
A-41
Subsidiaries. To Precisions or PDCs knowledge, there
is no unauthorized use, disclosure, infringement or
misappropriation of any Intellectual Property of Precision or
any Precision Subsidiary by any Person, including, without
limitation, any employee or independent contractor (present or
former) of Precision or any Precision Subsidiary, that,
individually or in the aggregate, has had or caused or would
reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision Material
Adverse Effect.
Section 4.13 No
Brokers. Neither Precision nor any of the
Precision Subsidiaries has entered into any Contract with any
Person that may result in the obligation of Grey Wolf, Precision
or any of their respective Subsidiaries to pay any finders
fees, brokerage or other like payments in connection with the
negotiations leading to this Agreement or the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby, except that Precision has
retained Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and RBC Dominion
Securities Inc. as its financial advisors, the fee and expense
reimbursement arrangements with which have been disclosed in
writing to Grey Wolf prior to the date hereof.
Section 4.14 Grey
Wolf Share Ownership. Neither Precision nor any
of the Precision Subsidiaries owns any shares of the capital
stock of Grey Wolf or any other securities convertible into or
otherwise exercisable to acquire shares of capital stock of Grey
Wolf.
Section 4.15 Board
Approval. The Precision Board and the PDC Board,
on behalf of PDC and on behalf of Precision in PDCs
capacity as administrator of Precision, have by duly adopted
unanimous resolutions (i) approved this Agreement, the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereunder, and
(ii) authorized the issuance of Precision Trust Units
and the payment of the cash portion of the Merger Consideration
pursuant to Section 2.6.
Section 4.16 Undisclosed
Liabilities. Neither Precision nor any of the
Precision Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any
nature, regardless of whether fixed, accrued, contingent or
otherwise, except liabilities and obligations that (a) are
fully reflected or reserved against in the Precision Financial
Statements included in the Precision Reports or described in the
Precision Reports filed prior to the date hereof,
(b) liabilities and obligations arising under this
Agreement and the transaction contemplated by this Agreement,
(c) liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices since
December 31, 2007, and (d) liabilities and obligations
that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused
and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Precision Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.17 Material
Contracts. There are no agreements material to
the conduct of the Precision Companies businesses or
affairs, as applicable, except for those agreements
(a) filed on SEDAR with the applicable Canadian Securities
Regulatory Authorities, (b) disclosed in writing to Grey
Wolf, (c) entered into in the ordinary course of business
or (d) listed in Section 4.17 of the Precision
Disclosure Letter and all such material agreements are valid and
subsisting except for such matters that, individually or in the
aggregate, have not had or caused and would not reasonably be
expected to have or cause a Precision Material Adverse Effect
and the Precision Company that is a party thereto is not in
default under any such material agreements (collectively, all
such Contracts and agreements being referred to as the
Precision Material Contracts). For the
avoidance of doubt, the Parties agree that the following
Contracts shall constitute Precision Material Contracts: the
Administration Agreement, the Precision Declaration of Trust and
the Precision Drilling Limited Partnership Limited Partnership
Agreement dated as of September 28, 2005.
Section 4.18 Improper
Payments. Except for such matters that,
individually or in the aggregate, have not had or caused and
would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision
Material Adverse Effect: (a) no funds, assets or properties
of Precision or its Affiliates have been used or offered for
illegal purposes; (b) no accumulation or use of any funds,
assets or properties of Precision or its Affiliates has been
made without being properly accounted for in the financial books
and records of Precision or its Affiliates; (c) all
payments by or on behalf of Precision or its Affiliates have
been duly and properly recorded and accounted for in their
financial books and records and such books and records
accurately and fairly reflect all transactions and dispositions
of the assets of Precision and its Affiliates;
(d) Precision has devised and
A-42
maintained systems that provide reasonable assurances that
transactions are and have been executed in accordance with
managements general or specific authorization;
(e) neither Precision nor any of its Affiliates, nor any
trustee, director, officer, agent, employee or other Person
associated with or acting on behalf of Precision or its
Affiliates, has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or payment of
anything of value relating to political activity, (ii) made
any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any employee, agent,
officer, director, representative or shareholder of a
Governmental Authority or political party, or official or
candidate thereof, or any immediate family member of the
foregoing, (iii) violated or is in violation of any
provision of the FCPA or any Applicable Laws, or (iv) made
any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback
or other unlawful payment in connection with the conduct of
Precisions or its Affiliates businesses;
(f) none of Precision, any of its Affiliates or any agent
of any of them has received any bribes, kickbacks or other
improper payments from vendors, suppliers or other Persons; and
(g) Precision or PDC has no knowledge that any payment made
to a Person would be or has thereafter been offered, given or
provided to any foreign official, political party or official
thereof, or to any candidate for public office.
Section 4.19 Reporting
Issuer Status, Listing. Each of Precision and
PDLP is a reporting issuer in each province of
Canada and is in material compliance with all Applicable
Canadian Securities Laws therein and the Precision
Trust Units are listed and posted for trading on each of
the TSX and NYSE and Precision is in compliance, in all material
respects, with all applicable rules and policies of the TSX and
NYSE.
Section 4.20 Mutual
Fund Trust Status. Precision is, and at
all times since its formation has been, a mutual fund
trust and a unit trust and Precision is not a
SIFT trust, all within the meaning of the Income Tax
Act. PDLP is, and at all times since its formation has been a
Canadian partnership and PDLP is not a SIFT
partnership, each within the meaning of the Income Tax
Act. The completion of the Merger shall not cause Precision to
cease to be a mutual fund trust and a unit
trust or to become a SIFT trust, or cause PDLP
to cease to be a Canadian partnership or to become a
SIFT partnership, all within the meaning of the
Income Tax Act. To the best of the information, knowledge and
belief of Precision or PDC, after due inquiry, non-residents of
Canada (as such term is defined in the Income Tax Act)
beneficially own, or exercise control or direction over, less
than 50% of the aggregate issued and outstanding Precision
Trust Units and none of the PDLP Exchangeable Units.
Section 4.21 No
Orders. No Order having the effect of suspending
the sale of, or ceasing the trading of, the Precision
Trust Units or any other securities of Precision has been
issued by any Governmental Authority and is continuing in effect
and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted, are
pending or, to the knowledge of Precision or PDC, are
contemplated or threatened under any Applicable Laws or by any
other Governmental Authority.
Section 4.22 Investment
Company Act. Precision is not registered and is
not required to be registered as an investment company pursuant
to the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 4.23 No
Other Representations or Warranties. Except for
the representations and warranties contained in this
Article IV, neither Precision nor any other Person
makes any other express or implied representation or warranty on
behalf of Precision or any of its Affiliates in connection with
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS
Section 5.1 Business
in Ordinary Course. Except as permitted or
contemplated by the terms of this Agreement, and except as
provided in Section 5.1 of the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter or the Precision Disclosure Letter (as the case may be),
unless with the prior written consent of the other Party hereto
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned
or delayed), during the period from the date hereof and
continuing until the earlier of the termination of this
Agreement pursuant to its terms or the Effective Time, each of
Precision and Grey Wolf shall, and shall cause each of their
respective Subsidiaries, to carry on
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its business in all material respects in the usual, regular and
ordinary course, in substantially the same manner as heretofore
conducted, and use their respective commercially reasonable best
efforts consistent with past practices and policies to
(a) preserve intact their respective present business
organizations and goodwill, (b) keep available the services
of their respective present executive officers, trustees,
directors and key employees and (c) preserve their
relationships with customers, suppliers, agents, and creditors.
Section 5.2 Conduct
of Grey Wolf Business Pending Closing. Without
limiting the generality of Section 5.1, except as
permitted or contemplated by the terms of this Agreement, and
except as provided in Section 5.2 of the Grey Wolf
Disclosure Letter or as required by Applicable Law or
Governmental Authority, during the period from the date hereof
and continuing until the earlier of the termination of this
Agreement pursuant to its terms or the Effective Time, Grey Wolf
shall not, and Grey Wolf shall not permit any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries to do any of the following without the prior
written consent of Precision:
(a) except to the extent required to comply with amendments
to the Grey Wolf Charter and Grey Wolf Bylaws to be
consummated at the Effective Time pursuant to
Section 2.3, amend or propose to amend its
certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of
formation, certificate of organization, certificate of limited
partnership, limited liability company agreement, operating
agreement, partnership agreement, declaration of trust or other
governing or organizational documents;
(b) adjust, split, combine, reclassify or dispose of any of
its outstanding Equity Interests (other than dispositions by or
among direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries and
cancellations of stock or unit options or restricted stock or
unit grants forfeited in accordance with the terms of a Benefit
Plan in existence on the date of this Agreement or related stock
option or restricted stock grant agreements);
(c) declare, set aside or pay any dividends or other
distributions (whether payable in cash, property or Equity
Interests) with respect to its Equity Interests (other than by
or among direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries);
(d) (i) issue any Equity Interests, effect any stock
split or otherwise change its capitalization as it existed on
the date of this Agreement, except pursuant to (A) the
exercise of Grey Wolf Options disclosed in this Agreement or the
Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter, (B) pursuant to the conversion
of any Grey Wolf Convertible Notes in accordance with the terms
thereof, (C) pursuant to the grant or exercise of awards
granted after the date of this Agreement and expressly permitted
under this Agreement, or (D) pursuant to the Grey Wolf
Rights Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof,
(ii) grant, confer or award any option, warrant, conversion
right or other right not existing on the date of this Agreement
to acquire or otherwise with respect to any shares of its
capital stock or other equity securities, or grant or issue any
restricted stock or securities, except in each case for awards
under the Grey Wolf Stock Plans in existence as of the date
hereof (and as required or permitted to be amended by this
Agreement) to any newly-hired employees in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practices, following
consultation with PDC, but in no event greater than
200,000 shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock; provided,
however, that the vesting or exercisability of any award made
after the date of this Agreement as permitted by this
clause (ii) shall not accelerate as a result of the
pendency, approval or consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) amend or otherwise
modify any option, warrant, conversion right or other right to
acquire any shares of its capital stock or units existing on the
date of this Agreement, except as expressly required or
permitted by this Agreement, (iv) with respect to any of
its former, present or future non-executive officers or
employees, increase any compensation or benefits, award or pay
any bonuses, establish any bonus plan or arrangement or enter
into, amend or extend (or permit the extension of) any
employment or consulting agreement, except in each case, in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practices,
(v) with respect to any of its former, present or future
officers, trustees, directors or employees, increase any
compensation or benefits, award or pay any bonuses, establish
any bonus plan or arrangement or enter into, amend or extend (or
permit the extension of) any employment or consulting agreement,
except (A) with respect to employees who are not officers
or directors, in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practices, or (B) as expressly required or permitted
by this Agreement or as disclosed in the Grey Wolf Disclosure
Letter, (vi) adopt any new
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employee benefit plan or agreement (including any stock option,
stock benefit or stock purchase plan) or amend any existing
employee benefit plan in any material respect, except in each
case as expressly required or permitted under this Agreement or
as disclosed in the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter,
(vii) except with respect to the exercise of Grey Wolf
Options, permit any holder of an option or other award
pertaining to shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock to have shares
withheld upon exercise, vesting or payment for tax purposes, in
excess of the number of shares needed to satisfy the minimum
statutory withholding requirements for federal and state tax
withholding or any other withholding required under Applicable
Law or (viii) with respect to any of its former, present or
future executive officers, (A) grant, confer or award any
option, warrant, conversion right or other right not existing on
the date of this Agreement to acquire or otherwise with respect
to any shares of its capital stock or other equity securities,
or grant or issue any restricted stock or securities pursuant to
the Grey Wolf Stock Plans or otherwise, (B) increase any
compensation or benefits, award or pay any bonuses, establish
any bonus plan or arrangement or enter into, amend or extend (or
permit the extension of) any employment or consulting agreement
or (C) grant any dividends in connection with any Equity
Interests;
(e) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its
outstanding Equity Interests, except (i) by or among direct
or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries, (ii) pursuant to the
terms of the Grey Wolf Convertible Notes, or (iii) Equity
Interests purchased or withheld to satisfy Tax withholding
obligation in connection with the vesting, lapse of forfeiture
restrictions or exercise (as applicable) of stock options,
restricted stocks and similar awards by the grantees thereof;
(f) sell, lease, license, or otherwise dispose of, or enter
into a contract to sell, lease, license or otherwise dispose of,
any of its assets (including capital stock of Subsidiaries)
which are, individually or in the aggregate, material to it and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for (i) sales of
surplus or obsolete equipment, (ii) sales of other assets
in the ordinary course of business or sales of assets pursuant
to contractual rights existing as of the date of this Agreement
that were entered into the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices, (iii) sales, leases or
other transfers between such party and its wholly owned
Subsidiaries or between those Subsidiaries, (iv) sales,
dispositions or divestitures as may be required by or in
conformance with Applicable Laws in order to permit or
facilitate the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement in accordance with Section 5.9, or
(v) arms-length sales or other transfers not
described in clauses (i) through (iv) above for
aggregate consideration not exceeding $30 million;
(g) liquidate,
wind-up,
dissolve or adopt any plan to liquidate,
wind-up or
dissolve (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution) (other than
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries);
(h) acquire or agree to acquire by merger, consolidation or
otherwise (including by purchase of Equity Interests or all or
substantially all of the assets) the business of any Person or a
division thereof, other than acquisitions of the business,
assets or Equity Interests of another Person: (i) which are
paid for in cash and do not exceed $50 million in the
aggregate (including contingent cash consideration), less
the aggregate unbudgeted expenditures actually made pursuant
to Section 5.2(m); and (ii) under the published
rules of the SEC and published interpretations of the staff of
the SEC would not require historical or proforma financial
statements with respect to such acquisitions (either
individually or in the aggregate) to be included in the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus;
(i) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to,
or investments in, any Person (other than (i) loans,
advances or capital contributions to a wholly owned Subsidiary
or loans or advances from such a Subsidiary, (ii) customer
loans and advances to employees consistent with past practices
or (iii) short-term investments of cash in the ordinary
course of business in accordance with the cash management
procedures of Grey Wolf or its Subsidiaries);
(j) terminate or amend any Grey Wolf Material Contract or
waive or assign any of its rights under any Grey Wolf Material
Contract, in each case in a manner that would be materially
adverse to
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Grey Wolf, or enter into any Grey Wolf Material Contract
other than customer Contracts entered into in the ordinary
course of business;
(k) (i) incur any Indebtedness (including Indebtedness
in connection with acquisitions permitted by
Section 5.2(h)) in excess of $7.5 million, in
the aggregate, or guarantee any such indebtedness or issue or
sell any debt securities or warrants or rights to acquire any of
its debt securities or any of its Subsidiaries or guarantee any
debt securities of others, other than (A) borrowings from
that partys or its Subsidiarys revolving credit
facility in the ordinary course of business in an amount not in
excess of $5 million, (B) borrowings the proceeds of
which are used to repay or repurchase other indebtedness of that
party or its Subsidiaries, (C) borrowings in respect of
intercompany debt, or (ii) enter into any material lease
(whether such lease is an operating or capital lease) or create
any material Liens (other than Permitted Liens) on its property
including any Equity Interests in its Subsidiaries except in the
ordinary course of business or with or between its Subsidiaries;
provided, however, that for purposes of
this Section 5.2(k), neither the incurrence of
Indebtedness to finance, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of
the business, assets or Equity Interests of another Person nor
the incurrence of Indebtedness for capital expenditures shall be
considered to be in the ordinary course of business;
(l) make or rescind any material election relating to
Taxes, including any election for any and all joint ventures,
partnerships, limited liability companies or other investments;
settle or compromise any material Claim, action, litigation,
proceeding, arbitration or investigation relating to Taxes; or
change in any material respect any of its methods of reporting
any items for Tax purposes from those employed in the
preparation of its Tax Returns for the most recent Taxable year
for which a Tax Return has been filed;
(m) make or commit to make capital expenditures that in the
aggregate exceed its capital expenditure budget as disclosed in
the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter by more than $50 million in
the aggregate, less the aggregate amount actually spent
pursuant to the exception set forth in
Section 5.2(h);
(n) enter into any new line of business material to it and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;
(o) enter into any Contract that subjects or will subject
Precision or its Subsidiaries to any non-compete or similar
restriction on any Precision Company or Grey Wolf Company
business following the Effective Time;
(p) except as may be required as a result of a change in
U.S. GAAP, change any of the material accounting
principles, estimates, or practices used by the Grey Wolf
Companies;
(q) compromise, settle or grant any waiver or release
related to any litigation or proceeding, other than settlements
or compromises of such litigation or proceedings where the full
amount to be paid is covered by insurance or where the amount to
be paid does not exceed $3 million individually or
$7.5 million in the aggregate;
(r) engage in any transaction (other than pursuant to
agreements in effect as of the date of this Agreement and that
are disclosed in the Grey Wolf Disclosure Letter and
transactions between or among Grey Wolf and its Subsidiaries in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices)
or enter into any agreement with any Affiliate (provided
that for the purpose of this clause (r) only, the term
Affiliate shall not include any employee of
Grey Wolf or its Subsidiaries (as the case may be) other than
directors and executive officers thereof and any employees who
share the same household as any such directors and executive
officers);
(s) willfully or intentionally breach any representation or
warranty set forth in this Agreement or take any action that is
reasonably likely to materially delay or impair the ability of
the Parties hereto to consummate the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement; or
(t) enter into any Contract or obligation to take any
actions prohibited above.
Section 5.3 Conduct
of Precision Business Pending Closing. Without
limiting the generality of Section 5.1, except as
permitted or contemplated by the terms of this Agreement, and
except as provided in
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Section 5.3 of the Precision Disclosure Letter or as
required by Applicable Law or Governmental Authority, during the
period from the date hereof and continuing until the earlier of
the termination of this Agreement pursuant to its terms or the
Effective Time, Precision and PDC shall not, and Precision and
PDC shall not permit any of the Precision Subsidiaries to do any
of the following without the prior written consent of
Grey Wolf:
(a) amend or propose to amend its certificate or articles
of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of formation, certificate
of organization, certificate of limited partnership, limited
liability company agreement, operating agreement, partnership
agreement, declaration of trust or other governing or
organizational documents;
(b) adjust, split, combine, reclassify or dispose of any of
its outstanding Equity Interests (other than dispositions by or
among direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries and
cancellations of stock or unit options or restricted stock or
unit grants forfeited in accordance with the terms of a
Precision Benefit Plan in existence on the date of this
Agreement or related stock option or restricted stock grant
agreements);
(c) cease or suspend making Permitted Distributions or
declare, set aside or pay any dividends or other distributions
(whether payable in cash, property or Equity Interests) with
respect to its Equity Interests (other than by or among direct
or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries) other than Permitted
Distributions;
(d) (i) issue any Equity Interests, effect any stock
split or otherwise change its capitalization as it existed on
the date of this Agreement, except pursuant to (A)
Sections 3.6 and 5.7 of the Precision
Declaration of Trust, (B) the exchange or redemption of
PDLP Exchangeable Units or (C) the grant or exercise of
awards granted after the date of this Agreement and expressly
permitted under this Agreement, (ii) grant, confer or award
any option, warrant, conversion right or other right not
existing on the date of this Agreement to acquire or otherwise
with respect to any shares of its capital stock or other equity
securities, or grant or issue any restricted stock or
securities, except in each case for awards under the Precision
Benefit Plans in existence as of the date hereof;
(e) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its
outstanding Equity Interests, except (i) pursuant to
Article 6 of the Precision Declaration of Trust,
(ii) by or among direct or indirect wholly-owned
Subsidiaries or (iii) Equity Interests purchased or
withheld to satisfy Tax withholding obligation in connection
with the vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or exercise
(as applicable) of stock options, restricted stocks and similar
awards by the grantees thereof;
(f) sell, lease, license, or otherwise dispose of, or enter
into a contract to sell, lease, license or otherwise dispose of,
any of its assets (including capital stock of Subsidiaries)
which are, individually or in the aggregate, material to it and
its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for (i) sales of
surplus or obsolete equipment, (ii) sales of other assets
in the ordinary course of business or sales of assets pursuant
to contractual rights existing as of the date of this Agreement
that were entered into the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices, (iii) sales, leases or
other transfers between such party and its wholly owned
Subsidiaries or between those Subsidiaries, (iv) sales,
dispositions or divestitures as may be required by or in
conformance with Applicable Laws in order to permit or
facilitate the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement in accordance with Section 5.9, or
(v) arms-length sales or other transfers not
described in clauses (i) through (iv) above for
aggregate consideration not exceeding $120 million;
(g) liquidate,
wind-up,
dissolve or adopt any plan to liquidate,
wind-up or
dissolve (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution) (other than
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries);
(h) acquire or agree to acquire by merger, consolidation or
otherwise (including by purchase of Equity Interests or all or
substantially all of the assets) the business of any Person or a
division thereof, other than acquisitions of the business,
assets or Equity Interests of another Person: (i) which are
paid for in cash and do not exceed $120 million in the
aggregate (including contingent cash consideration), less
A-47
the aggregate unbudgeted expenditures actually made pursuant to
Section 5.3(j); and (ii) under the published
rules of the SEC or the Canadian Securities Regulatory
Authorities and published interpretations of the staff of the
SEC or the Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities would not
require historical or proforma financial statements with respect
to such acquisitions (either individually or in the aggregate)
to be included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus;
(i) (i) incur any Indebtedness (excluding Indebtedness
in connection with acquisitions permitted by
Section 5.3(h)) in excess of $30 million, in
the aggregate, or guarantee any such indebtedness or issue or
sell any debt securities or warrants or rights to acquire any of
its debt securities or any of its Subsidiaries or guarantee any
debt securities of others, other than (A) Indebtedness
incurred in connection with the Financing, (B) borrowings
from that partys or its Subsidiarys revolving credit
facility in the ordinary course of business in an amount not in
excess of $25 million, (C) borrowings the proceeds of
which are used to repay or repurchase other indebtedness of that
party or its Subsidiaries, (D) borrowings in respect of
intercompany debt, or (ii) create any material Liens (other
than Permitted Liens) on its property including any Equity
Interests in its Subsidiaries except in the ordinary course of
business or with or between its Subsidiaries;
provided, however, that for purposes of
this Section 5.3(i), neither the incurrence of
Indebtedness to finance, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of
the business, assets or Equity Interests of another Person nor
the incurrence of Indebtedness for capital expenditures shall be
considered to be in the ordinary course of business;
(j) make or commit to make capital expenditures that in the
aggregate exceed its capital expenditure budget as disclosed in
the Precision Disclosure Letter by more than $200 million
in the aggregate, less the aggregate amount actually
spent pursuant to the exception set forth in
Section 5.3(h);
(k) willfully or intentionally breach any representation or
warranty set forth in this Agreement or take any action that is
reasonably likely to materially delay or impair the ability of
the Parties hereto to consummate the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement; or
(l) enter into any Contract or obligation to take any
actions prohibited above.
Section 5.4 Access
to Assets, Personnel and Information.
(a) Upon reasonable notice and subject to Applicable Law
relating to the exchange of information, from the date hereof
until the Effective Time, Precision and PDC shall:
(i) afford to the Grey Wolf Representatives, at Grey
Wolfs sole risk and expense, reasonable access during
normal business hours to any and all of the assets, books and
records, files, data, correspondence, Contracts, permits, audits
and all other information relating to the Precision
Companies financial position, business, employees,
representatives, agents, facilities and assets, whether written
or computerized that are within the possession or control of any
of the Precision Companies (the Precision
Information); and (ii) upon request during normal
business hours, furnish promptly to Grey Wolf (at Grey
Wolfs expense) a copy of any Precision Information. Grey
Wolf agrees to conduct such investigation in a manner that does
not interfere unreasonably with the Precision Companies
operations and with the prompt discharge by such Precision
Companies employees of their duties. Grey Wolf agrees to
indemnify and hold the Precision Companies harmless from any and
all Claims and liabilities, including costs and expenses for the
loss, injury to or death of any Representative of the Grey Wolf
Companies, and any loss or destruction of any property owned by
the Precision Companies or others (including Claims or
liabilities for use of any property) resulting directly or
indirectly from the action or inaction of any of the Grey Wolf
Companies or their Representatives during any visit to the
business or property sites of the Precision Companies prior to
the completion of the Merger, whether pursuant to this
Section 5.4 or otherwise. No Precision Company shall
be required to provide access to or to disclose Precision
Information where such access or disclosure would constitute a
violation of attorney/client privilege or violate any Applicable
Law. In such circumstances, the Parties will use commercially
reasonable best efforts to make reasonable and appropriate
substitute disclosure arrangements. None of the Grey Wolf
Companies or their Representatives shall conduct any
environmental testing or sampling on any business or property
sites of the Precision Companies prior to completion of the
Merger without the prior written consent of Precision.
A-48
(b) Upon reasonable notice and subject to Applicable Law
relating to the exchange of information, from the date hereof
until the Effective Time, Grey Wolf shall: (i) afford to
the Precision Representatives, at Precisions sole risk and
expense, reasonable access during normal business hours to any
and all of the assets, books and records, files, data,
correspondence, Contracts, permits, audits and all other
information relating to the Grey Wolf Companies financial
position, business, employees, representatives, agents,
facilities and assets, whether written or computerized, that are
within the possession or control of any of the Grey Wolf
Companies (the Grey Wolf Information); and
(ii) upon request during normal business hours, furnish
promptly to Precision (at Precisions expense) a copy of
any Grey Wolf Information. Precision agrees to conduct such
investigation in a manner that does not interfere unreasonably
with the Grey Wolf Companies operations and with the
prompt discharge by such Grey Wolf Companies employees of
their duties. Precision agrees to indemnify and hold the Grey
Wolf Companies harmless from any and all Claims and liabilities,
including costs and expenses for the loss, injury to or death of
any Representative of the Precision Companies, and any loss or
destruction of any property owned by the Grey Wolf Companies or
others (including Claims or liabilities for use of any property)
resulting directly or indirectly from the action or inaction of
any of the Precision Companies or their Representatives during
any visit to the business or property sites of the Grey Wolf
Companies prior to the completion of the Merger, whether
pursuant to this Section 5.4 or otherwise. None of
the Grey Wolf Companies shall be required to provide access to
or to disclose Grey Wolf Information where such access or
disclosure would constitute a violation of attorney/client
privilege or violate any Applicable Law. In such circumstances,
the Parties will use commercially reasonable best efforts to
make reasonable and appropriate substitute disclosure
arrangements. None of the Precision Companies or their
Representatives shall conduct any environmental testing or
sampling on any business or property sites of the Grey Wolf
Companies prior to completion of the Merger without the prior
written consent of Grey Wolf.
(c) From the date hereof until the Effective Time, each of
Precision and Grey Wolf shall: (i) furnish to the other,
promptly upon receipt or filing (as the case may be), a copy of
each communication between such Party and the SEC or the
Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities, as the case may be,
after the date hereof relating to the Merger or the Registration
Statement and each report, schedule, registration statement or
other document filed by such Party with the SEC or the Canadian
Securities Regulatory Authorities after the date hereof relating
to the Merger or the Registration Statement, unless such
communication, report, schedule, registration statement or other
document is otherwise readily available through the SECs
EDGAR system or SEDAR, in which case Precision or Grey Wolf (as
the case may be) shall provide notice to the other of such
availability; and (ii) promptly advise the other of the
substance of any oral communications between such Party and the
SEC or the Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities relating
to the Merger or the Registration Statement.
(d) Grey Wolf will not (and will cause Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries and Grey Wolf Representatives not to), and
Precision will not (and will cause the Precision Subsidiaries
and the Precision Representatives not to), use any information
obtained pursuant to this Section 5.4 for any
purpose unrelated to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Any information obtained by the
Grey Wolf Companies or the Precision Companies or their
respective Representatives under this Section 5.4
shall be subject to the confidentiality and use restrictions set
forth in the Confidentiality Agreement.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this
Section 5.4 to the contrary: (i) Grey Wolf
shall not be obligated under the terms of this
Section 5.4 to disclose to Precision or the
Precision Representatives, or grant Precision or the Precision
Representatives access to, information that is within the
possession or control of any of the Grey Wolf Companies but
subject to a valid and binding confidentiality agreement with a
Third Party without first obtaining the consent of such Third
Party, and Grey Wolf, to the extent requested by Precision, will
use its reasonable commercial efforts to obtain any such
consent; and (ii) Precision shall not be obligated under
the terms of this Section 5.4 to disclose to Grey
Wolf or Grey Wolf Representatives, or grant Grey Wolf or Grey
Wolf Representatives access to, information that is within the
possession or control of any of the Precision Companies but
subject to a valid and binding confidentiality agreement with a
Third Party without first obtaining the consent of such Third
Party, and Precision, to the extent requested by Grey Wolf, will
use reasonable commercial efforts to obtain any such consent.
A-49
(f) No investigation by Precision or Grey Wolf or their
respective Representatives shall affect the representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements of the other set forth in
this Agreement, and no Party shall be deemed to have made any
representation or warranty to the other Party except as
expressly set forth in this Agreement.
Section 5.5 No
Solicitation by Grey Wolf.
(a) From the date of this Agreement until the first to
occur of the Effective Time and the termination of this
Agreement in accordance with Article VII, except as
specifically permitted in Section 5.5(c),
Section 5.5(d) or Section 5.5(e), Grey
Wolf agrees that neither it nor any of the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries or Representatives will, directly or indirectly:
(i) solicit, initiate, encourage or facilitate (including
by way of furnishing or disclosing non-public information) any
inquiries, offers or proposals that constitute, or are
reasonably likely to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal, and upon
becoming aware of any violation of this Section
5.5(a)(i), Grey Wolf shall, and shall cause the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries and Representatives to, stop soliciting,
initiating, encouraging, facilitating (including by way of
furnishing or disclosing non-public information) or taking any
action designed to facilitate, directly or indirectly, any
inquiry, offer or proposal that constitutes, or is reasonably
likely to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal; (ii) engage in
discussions or negotiations with, furnish or disclose any
non-public information or data relating to the Grey Wolf
Companies to, or in response to a request therefor, give access
to the properties, assets or books and records of the
Grey Wolf Companies to, any Person who has made or may be
considering making an Acquisition Proposal or take any action
which may otherwise lead to an Acquisition Proposal;
(iii) approve, endorse or recommend any Acquisition
Proposal; or (iv) enter into any agreement in principle,
letter of intent, arrangement, understanding or other Contract
relating to any Acquisition Proposal.
(b) Except as specifically permitted in
Section 5.5(c) and Section 5.5(d), Grey
Wolf shall, and shall cause each of the Grey Wolf Subsidiaries
and Representatives to, immediately cease and terminate any
existing solicitations, discussions, negotiations or other
activity with any Person with respect to any Acquisition
Proposal or which could reasonably be expected to lead to an
Acquisition Proposal, and shall inform the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries and Representatives which are engaged in any such
solicitations, discussions, negotiations or other activity of
Grey Wolfs obligations under this Section 5.5.
Grey Wolf shall promptly inform its Representatives who have
been involved with or otherwise providing assistance in
connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement of Grey Wolfs
obligations under this Section 5.5. Grey Wolf shall
promptly demand that any Person (and the Representatives of any
such Person) who has heretofore executed a confidentiality
agreement with or for the benefit of any of the Grey Wolf
Companies with respect to such Persons consideration of a
possible Acquisition Proposal promptly return or destroy (and
Grey Wolf shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to
cause any such destruction to be certified in writing by any
such Person to Grey Wolf) all confidential information
heretofore furnished by the Grey Wolf Companies or any of their
Representatives to such Person or any of its Representatives in
accordance with the terms of the confidentiality agreement with
such Person.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, prior to obtaining the Required Grey Wolf Vote,
nothing in this Agreement shall prevent Grey Wolf or the Grey
Wolf Board from:
(i) after the date of this Agreement, engaging in
discussions or negotiations with, furnishing or disclosing any
information or data relating to the Grey Wolf Companies to, or
in response to a request therefor, giving access to the
properties, assets or books and records of the Grey Wolf
Companies to, any Person who has made an unsolicited, bona fide,
written Acquisition Proposal after the date hereof that did not
result from a violation by the Grey Wolf Companies of this
Section 5.5; provided, however, that
prior to engaging in discussions or negotiations with,
furnishing or disclosing any information or data relating to the
Grey Wolf Companies to, or giving access to the properties,
assets or books and records of the Grey Wolf Companies to, such
Person, (A) the Grey Wolf Board, acting in good faith, has
determined (I) after consultation with its outside legal
counsel and financial advisors and based on such other matters
as it deems relevant, that such Acquisition Proposal is
reasonably likely to result in a Superior Proposal and
(II) that such Person has the financial and legal capacity
to consummate such Superior Proposal and
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(B) Grey Wolf (I) enters into a confidentiality
agreement with such Person with use and disclosure limitations
and other material terms that are no more favorable to such
Person than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement;
provided that such confidentiality agreement shall not
contain any provision preventing Grey Wolf from complying with
its required disclosure to Precision pursuant to this
Section 5.5 and (II) has complied with
Section 5.5(d); and
(ii) subject to compliance by Grey Wolf with
Section 5.5(e), (A) withdrawing (or amending or
modifying in a manner adverse to Precision), or publicly
proposing to withdraw (or to amend or modify in a manner adverse
to Precision), the approval, recommendation or declaration of
advisability by the Grey Wolf Board or any committee
thereof (as the case may be) of this Agreement, the Merger or
the transactions contemplated hereby (the actions referred to in
this clause (A) being collectively referred to herein as an
Adverse Recommendation Change),
(B) recommending, adopting or approving, or proposing
publicly to recommend, adopt or approve, any Acquisition
Proposal (the actions referred to in this clause (B) being
collectively referred to as an Acquisition
Proposal Recommendation), or (C) entering
into any agreement, including any agreement in principle, letter
of intent or understanding, acquisition or merger agreement,
option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement
or similar agreement, arrangement or understanding which
constitutes, relates to, is intended to lead to or could
reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal (other
than a confidentiality agreement contemplated by Section
5.5(c)(i)(B)(I)) (each an Acquisition
Agreement); provided, however,
that (X) in the case of an Adverse Recommendation
Change not involving an Acquisition Proposal, the Grey Wolf
Board, acting in good faith, has previously determined, after
consultation with its outside legal counsel, that the failure to
take such action is reasonably likely to be inconsistent with
its fiduciary obligations to the shareholders of Grey Wolf under
Applicable Law, (Y) in the case of an Adverse
Recommendation Change involving an Acquisition Proposal, an
Acquisition Proposal Recommendation or an entry into an
Acquisition Agreement, the Grey Wolf Board, acting in good
faith, has previously determined, after consultation with its
outside legal counsel and financial advisors and based on such
other matters as it deems relevant, that such Acquisition
Proposal or Acquisition Agreement constitutes a Superior
Proposal and (Z) in the case of entry into an Acquisition
Agreement, Grey Wolf concurrently terminates this Agreement
pursuant to and after complying with the provisions of
Section 7.1(d)(iii) and
Section 5.5(e)(ii). Grey Wolf acknowledges and
agrees that the taking of any action inconsistent with any of
the restrictions set forth in this Section 5.5 by any of
the Grey Wolf Companies or their Representatives shall be
deemed a breach of this Section 5.5 by Grey Wolf.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Parties acknowledge and agree
that an Adverse Recommendation Change may or may not involve an
Acquisition Proposal.
(d) If Grey Wolf or any Grey Wolf Representative receives a
request for information from a Person who has made an
unsolicited, bona fide, written Acquisition Proposal, and Grey
Wolf is permitted to provide such Person with information
pursuant to this Section 5.5, Grey Wolf will provide
to Precision a copy of the confidentiality agreement with such
Person promptly upon its execution and provide to Precision a
list of, and copies of, all information provided to such Person
as promptly as practicable after its delivery to such Person and
promptly provide Precision with access to all information to
which such Person was provided access, in each case only to the
extent not previously provided to Precision. Grey Wolf shall
promptly provide notice to Precision, in writing, of the receipt
of any Acquisition Proposal or any inquiry with respect to or
that is likely to lead to an Acquisition Proposal (but in no
event more than twenty-four hours after the receipt thereof),
which notice shall include the identity of the Person or group
requesting such information or making such inquiry or
Acquisition Proposal and the material terms and conditions of
any such Acquisition Proposal. Grey Wolf shall promptly
provide Precision with copies of any written changes to any
Acquisition Proposal and shall promptly provide Precision
written notice of any changes (whether oral or in writing) in
the price or form of consideration or other material changes in
the status or terms of such Acquisition Proposal.
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(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the
Grey Wolf Board shall not (i) make an Adverse
Recommendation Change, (ii) make an Acquisition
Proposal Recommendation or (iii) enter into any
Acquisition Agreement relating to an Acquisition Proposal,
unless:
(i) Grey Wolf complies with the terms of
Section 5.5(c)(ii) and
Section 5.5(d); and
(ii) In the case of an Acquisition Proposal, promptly upon
a determination by the Grey Wolf Board that an Acquisition
Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal, Grey Wolf immediately
notifies, in writing, Precision of such determination and
describes in reasonable detail the material terms and conditions
of such Superior Proposal and the identity of the Person making
such Superior Proposal and provides Precision with a copy of the
Acquisition Agreement, if any, associated with such Superior
Proposal. Precision shall have five Business Days after delivery
of such written notice to submit an offer to engage in an
alternative transaction or to modify the terms and conditions of
this Agreement such that Grey Wolf may proceed with this
Agreement (a Precision Revised Offer). During
such five Business Day period, Grey Wolf and its financial and
legal advisors shall negotiate in good faith exclusively with
Precision to enable Precision to submit a Precision Revised
Offer. Any amendment to the price or any other material term of
a Superior Proposal shall require a new notice from Grey Wolf
and an additional three Business Day period within which
Precision may negotiate a Precision Revised Offer.
(f) Nothing contained in this Section 5.5 shall
prohibit Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf Board from taking and
disclosing to the shareholders of Grey Wolf a position with
respect to an Acquisition Proposal pursuant to
Rule 14d-9
and 14e-2(a)
promulgated under the Exchange Act or from making any similar
disclosure, in either case to the extent required by Applicable
Law.
(g) All notices to be given by the Parties under this
Section 5.5 shall be given by facsimile transmission in
accordance with Section 8.3 (which notice shall be
considered delivered effective as of the day of transmission if
transmitted on or before 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central
Standard Time on the date of transmission, otherwise the next
day after transmission).
Section 5.6 Shareholders
Meeting. Promptly after the Registration
Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act, Grey
Wolf shall take all necessary action, in accordance with
Applicable Law, the rules and regulations of the AMEX and Grey
Wolf Charter Documents, to properly give notice of and hold a
meeting of its shareholders for the purpose of voting on the
Merger. Subject to Section 5.5 and
Article VII, the Grey Wolf Board shall unanimously
recommend approval of the Merger. Grey Wolf, through its board
of directors, shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts
to take all lawful actions to solicit approval by its
shareholders of the Merger, including timely mailing the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus to the shareholders of Grey Wolf. Grey Wolf
shall use commercially reasonable best efforts to hold its
shareholders meeting within 45 days after the date
the Registration Statement is declared effective.
Section 5.7 Registration
Statement and Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
(a) Precision and Grey Wolf shall cooperate and promptly
prepare the Registration Statement and the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus and Precision shall file the Registration
Statement in which the Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be
included as a prospectus with the SEC as soon as practicable
after the date hereof, and Precision and Grey Wolf shall
cooperate to promptly respond to any comments made by the SEC
and otherwise use their respective commercially reasonable best
efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared
effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable
after filing. Precision and Grey Wolf will provide each other
with any information which may be required to prepare and file
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and the Registration Statement.
Grey Wolf will cause the Proxy Statement/Prospectus to be mailed
to its shareholders at the earliest practicable time after the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC. If at
any time prior to the Effective Time any event occurs which is
required to be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus or the Registration Statement,
Precision or Grey Wolf, as applicable, will promptly inform
the other of such occurrence, and Precision and Grey Wolf will
cooperate in filing such amendment or supplement with the SEC,
use their respective commercially reasonable best efforts to
cause such amendment to become effective as promptly as possible
and, if required,
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mail such amendment or supplement to the shareholders of Grey
Wolf. Precision shall use its commercially reasonable best
efforts, and Grey Wolf shall cooperate with Precision, to obtain
any and all necessary state securities laws or blue
sky permits, approvals and registrations in connection
with the issuance of the Precision Trust Units pursuant to
the Merger.
(b) Precision will cause the Registration Statement (and to
the extent Grey Wolf is to provide information to be contained
in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, Grey Wolf will cause the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus), at the time it becomes effective
under the Securities Act, to comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act,
the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC
thereunder. Precision and Grey Wolf shall be responsible for
furnishing to each other true, accurate and complete information
regarding themselves and their respective shareholders or
unitholders, as the case may be, for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus.
(c) Precision hereby covenants and agrees with Grey Wolf
that: (i) the Registration Statement (at the time it
becomes effective under the Securities Act through the Effective
Time) will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
(provided, however, that this clause (i)
shall apply only to information included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement that was supplied by
Precision for inclusion therein); and (ii) the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus (at the time it is first mailed to
shareholders of Grey Wolf, through the time of Grey Wolf
Meeting, and until the Effective Time) will not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading (provided,
however, that this clause (ii) shall apply
only to information included or incorporated by reference in the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus that was supplied by Precision for
inclusion therein). If, at any time prior to the Effective Time,
any event with respect to Precision, or with respect to other
information supplied by Precision for inclusion in the
Registration Statement or the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, occurs
and such event is required to be described in an amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, Precision shall promptly notify Grey Wolf
of such occurrence and Precision shall cooperate with Grey Wolf
in the preparation, filing and dissemination of such amendment
or supplement.
(d) Grey Wolf hereby covenants and agrees with Precision
that: (i) the Registration Statement (at the time it
becomes effective under the Securities Act and until the
Effective Time) will not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading (provided, however, that this
clause (i) shall apply only to any information included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement that was
supplied by Grey Wolf for inclusion therein); and (ii) the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus (at the time it is first mailed to
shareholders of Grey Wolf, through the time of the Grey Wolf
Meeting, and until the Effective Time) will not contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading (provided,
however, that this clause (ii) shall apply only to
any information included or incorporated by reference in the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus that was supplied by Grey Wolf for
inclusion therein). If, at any time prior to the Effective Time,
any event with respect to Grey Wolf, or with respect to other
information included in the Registration Statement with respect
to Grey Wolf, occurs and such event is required to be described
in an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, Grey Wolf shall promptly notify
Precision of such occurrence and Grey Wolf shall cooperate with
Precision in the preparation, filing and dissemination of such
supplement.
(e) None of the Registration Statement, the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto will
be filed or disseminated to the shareholders of Grey Wolf
without the approval of both Precision and Grey Wolf, such
approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed. Each Party shall advise the other Parties promptly
after it receives notice thereof, of the time when the
Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities
Act, the issuance of any stop order with respect to the
Registration Statement, the suspension of the qualification of
the Precision Trust Units issuable in connection with the
A-53
Merger for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or any comments
or requests for additional information by the SEC with respect
to the Registration Statement.
(f) Precision shall use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to cause to be delivered to Grey Wolf two comfort
letters from KPMG LLP, Precisions independent auditors,
one dated on the date on which the Registration Statement shall
become effective, and one bring-down letter dated on the Closing
Date, each addressed to Grey Wolf and customary in scope and
substance for letters delivered by independent auditors in
connection with public offerings.
(g) Grey Wolf shall use its commercially reasonable best
efforts to cause to be delivered to Precision two comfort
letters from KPMG LLP, Grey Wolfs independent auditors,
one dated on the date on which the Registration Statement shall
become effective, and one bring-down letter dated on the Closing
Date, each addressed to Precision and customary in scope and
substance for letters delivered by independent auditors in
connection with public offerings.
Section 5.8 NYSE
and TSX Listing. Precision shall prepare and
submit to the NYSE and TSX listing applications covering the
Precision Trust Units issued or issuable (a) in the
Merger, and (b) upon conversion of the Grey Wolf
Convertible Notes. Grey Wolf will promptly cooperate with
Precision in preparing and submitting such NYSE and TSX listing
applications and in responding to comments and inquiries from
the NYSE and TSX with respect thereto. Each of Precision and
Grey Wolf shall use their respective commercially reasonable
best efforts to enable Precision to obtain, prior to the
Effective Time, approval of the NYSE and TSX for the listing of
all Precision Trust Units covered by such application,
subject to official notice of issuance, under the trading symbol
PDS on the NYSE and PD.UN on the TSX.
Section 5.9 Regulatory
Filings.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions herein provided,
each of Grey Wolf and Precision shall take, or cause to be
taken, all action and shall do, or cause to be done, all things
necessary, appropriate or desirable under any Applicable Law
(including the HSR Act) or under applicable Contracts so as to
enable the Closing to occur as soon as reasonably practicable,
including using its commercially reasonable best efforts to
obtain all necessary waivers, consents and approvals, remove all
impediments to the Closing, and to identify and make all
Precision Regulatory Filings and Grey Wolf Regulatory Filings
(the Regulatory Filings). Precision and Grey
Wolf each will cause all documents it is responsible for filing
with any Governmental Authority under this
Section 5.9 to comply with all Applicable Laws. For
the avoidance of doubt, the Parties agree that their respective
obligations and rights with respect to filings with the SEC or
the Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities and the
application of securities laws in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed only by
Section 5.7 and not this Section 5.9(a).
(b) Each of Precision and Grey Wolf shall furnish the other
Party with such information and reasonable assistance as such
other Party and its respective affiliates may reasonably request
in connection with their preparation of any Regulatory Filings
with any Governmental Authorities; provided,
however, that if the provisions of the HSR Act would
prevent a Party from disclosing such information to the other
Party, then such information may be disclosed to such
Partys counsel.
(c) Each of Precision and Grey Wolf shall promptly give
voluntary notice to CFIUS under the
Exon-Florio
Amendment of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
and, in connection therewith, provide CFIUS with such
information concerning the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement as is reasonably necessary or desirable.
(d) Each of Precision and Grey Wolf shall take, or cause to
be taken, all action or shall do, or cause to be done, all
things necessary, appropriate or desirable to cause the
covenants and conditions applicable to the transactions
contemplated hereby to be performed or satisfied as soon as
practicable, including responding promptly to requests for
additional information made by the DOJ or the FTC, and to cause
the waiting periods under the HSR Act to terminate or expire at
the earliest possible date after the date of filing.
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(e) Each of Precision and Grey Wolf shall use its
commercially reasonable best efforts to avoid the entry of, or
to have vacated or terminated, any Order or injunction that
would restrain, prevent or delay the Closing. Furthermore, if
any Governmental Authority shall have issued any Order or
injunction, or taken any other action, that would have the
effect of restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting,
delaying or preventing the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, each of Precision and Grey Wolf shall use
its commercially reasonable best efforts to have such Order or
injunction or other action declared ineffective as soon as
practicable.
(f) Precision and Grey Wolf shall promptly notify each
other of any communication concerning this Agreement or the
Merger from any Governmental Authority and, subject to
Applicable Law, permit the other Party to review in advance any
proposed communication to any Governmental Authority concerning
this Agreement or the Merger. In addition, Precision and Grey
Wolf shall not agree to participate in any substantive meeting
or discussion with any Governmental Authority in respect of any
filings, investigation or another inquiry concerning this
Agreement or the Merger, or enter into any agreements with any
Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, extending
any antitrust waiting periods, unless it consults with the other
Party in advance and, to the extent permitted by such
Governmental Authority, gives the other Party the opportunity to
attend and participate thereat. Precision and Grey Wolf shall
furnish counsel to the other Party with copies of all
correspondence, filings and communications (and memoranda
setting forth the substance thereof) between them and their
affiliates and their respective representatives on the one hand,
and any Governmental Authorities or members of their respective
staffs on the other hand, relating to this Agreement and the
Merger.
(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in
this Agreement shall be construed to require Precision or Grey
Wolf or their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates to dispose
of any of its assets or to limit its freedom of action with
respect to any of their businesses, or to consent to any
disposition of their assets or limits on their freedom of action
with respect to any of their businesses, whether prior to or
after the Effective Time, or to commit or agree to any of the
foregoing, to obtain any consents, approvals, permits or
authorizations or to remove any impediments to the Merger
relating to the HSR Act, or other antitrust, competition,
pre-merger notification, trade regulation or similar Applicable
Laws (collectively, Antitrust Laws) or to
avoid the entry of, or to effect the dissolution of, any
injunction, temporary restraining order or other Order in any
suit or proceeding relating to Antitrust Laws or
non-U.S. Antitrust
Laws, other than such dispositions, limitations or consents,
commitments or agreements that in each such case may be
conditioned upon the consummation of the Merger and the
transactions contemplated hereby and that in each such case,
individually or in the aggregate, do not have or cause and would
not be reasonably be expected to have or cause a Precision
Material Adverse Effect after the Merger; provided,
however, that neither Precision on the one hand or Grey
Wolf on the other hand shall take or agree to any action
required or permitted by this Section 5.9(g) without
the prior written consent of the other Party (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).
Section 5.10 Rule 16b-3
Approval. Prior to the Closing, Precision and
Grey Wolf, and their respective board of trustees and board of
directors, as applicable and required, or committees thereof,
shall use their commercially reasonable best efforts to take all
actions to cause any dispositions of Grey Wolf Common Stock
(including derivative securities with respect to Grey Wolf
Common Stock) resulting from the transactions contemplated
hereby by each individual who is subject to the reporting
requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act to
be exempt from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act
under
Rule 16b-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act in accordance with the terms
and conditions set forth in no-action letters issued by the SEC
in similar transactions.
Section 5.11 Taking
of Necessary Action; Further Action. Subject to
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the Parties
shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to take all
actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order to
effectuate the Merger under the TBCA and the TCL as promptly as
commercially practicable. In addition, the Parties agree to
execute and deliver any additional instruments necessary to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
A-55
Section 5.12 Public
Announcements. On the date this Agreement is
executed (or if executed after the close of business, no later
than the first to occur of the opening of the NYSE, TSX or AMEX
on the next day), Precision and Grey Wolf shall issue a joint
press release with respect to the execution hereof and the
transactions contemplated hereby. Except in respect of a public
announcement as may be required by Applicable Law or any listing
agreement with or rule of any Governmental Authority, Precision
and Grey Wolf shall consult with each other before issuing
any press release, making any other public statement or
scheduling any press conference or conference call with
investors or analysts with respect to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 5.13 Notification
of Certain Matters. Each Party shall give prompt
notice to the other Parties of any of the following for which it
becomes aware: (i) any representation or warranty made by
it becoming untrue or inaccurate if such untruth or inaccuracy
would reasonably be expected to cause any condition set forth in
Article VI not to be satisfied, (ii) the
occurrence of any event or development that would cause (or
would reasonably be expected to cause) any representation or
warranty by it herein to be untrue or inaccurate if such untruth
or inaccuracy would reasonably be expected to cause any
condition set forth in Article VI not to be
satisfied, or (iii) any failure by it to comply with or
satisfy in all material respects any covenant, condition, or
agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder;
provided, however, that no such
notification shall affect the representations, warranties,
covenants or agreements of any Party hereto.
Section 5.14 Payment
of Expenses. Whether or not the Merger is
consummated, and except as provided in Section 7.3,
each Party shall pay its own expenses incident to preparing for,
entering into and carrying out this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, regardless
of whether the Merger is consummated, except that Precision and
Grey Wolf shall equally share the following: (a) all fees
and expenses, other than attorneys, accountants,
financial advisers and consultants fees and expenses
(which shall be paid by the Party incurring same), incurred in
relation to the filing with the SEC and printing of the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, including preliminary materials related
thereto, and the Registration Statement, including financial
statements and exhibits and any amendments and supplements
thereto, (b) the filing fees for the Registration Statement
and the Notification and Report Forms filed with the FTC and DOJ
under the HSR Act and (c) the fees and expenses (other than
attorneys fees) associated with the NYSE and TSX listing
applications referred to in Section 5.8 above.
Section 5.15 Indemnification
and Insurance.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, Precision and PDC
shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, and the Surviving
Corporation shall, subject to Applicable Law; honor all
indemnification, advancement and expenses and exculpation
agreements or other obligations of Grey Wolf with respect to
their respective current or former officers and directors
including those agreements or obligations included in the Grey
Wolf Charter Documents, and any Contract of Grey Wolf with its
current or former officers or directors, or arising under
Applicable Law.
(b) From and for a period of six years after the Effective
Time, Precision and PDC shall cause the Surviving Corporation
to, and the Surviving Corporation shall, indemnify, defend, hold
harmless and advance expenses to each Person who is now, has
been at any time prior to the date of this Agreement, or becomes
prior to the Effective Time, an officer, director, employee or
agent of any of the Grey Wolf Companies (collectively, the
Indemnified Parties) to the fullest extent
permitted by Applicable Law against all losses, expenses
(including reasonable outside attorneys fees), claims,
damages, fines, costs, liabilities or amounts that are paid in
settlement with the approval of the indemnifying Party (which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed) resulting from, or otherwise arising in connection
with, any threatened or actual claim, action, suit, proceeding
or investigation (a Claim), based in whole or
in part on, or arising in whole or in part out of, the fact that
the Indemnified Party (or the Person controlled by the
Indemnified Party) is or was a director, officer, employee or
agent of any of the Grey Wolf Companies and pertaining to any
matter existing, or arising out of actions or omissions or
alleged actions or omissions occurring, at or prior to the
Effective Time (including any Claim arising out of this
Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby),
whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Effective
Time.
A-56
Precision and PDC shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, and
the Surviving Corporation shall, pay any expenses to each
Indemnified Party, as incurred, in advance of the final
disposition of any such Claim to the fullest extent permitted
under Applicable Law. Each Indemnified Party will be entitled to
receive such advances from the Surviving Corporation within ten
Business Days of receipt by the Surviving Corporation from the
Indemnified Party of a request therefor; provided
that any Person to whom expenses are advanced provides an
undertaking, if and only to the extent required by Applicable
Law, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that
such Person is not entitled to indemnification. Without limiting
the foregoing, in the event any such Claim is brought against
any Indemnified Party (whether arising before or after the
Effective Time): (i) the Surviving Corporation shall have
the right to control the defense of such matter with the
Surviving Corporations regularly engaged legal counsel or
other counsel selected by the Surviving Corporation and
reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, and Precision
and PDC shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, and the
Surviving Corporation shall, pay all reasonable fees and
expenses of such counsel; and (ii) the Indemnified Party
will cooperate with the Surviving Corporation, at the Surviving
Corporations expense, in the defense of any such matter.
Neither Precision, PDC nor the Surviving Corporation shall
settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in
any Claim for which indemnification could be sought by any
Indemnified Party hereunder, unless such settlement, compromise
or consent includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified
Party from all liability arising out of such Claim and does not
include any finding of fact admission or stipulation with
respect to fault, intent or culpability of the Indemnified
Party, or such Indemnified Party otherwise consents. In the
event of any Claim, any Indemnified Party wishing to claim
indemnification shall promptly notify the Surviving Corporation
thereof (provided that failure to so notify the
Surviving Corporation will not affect the obligations of
Precision or the Surviving Corporation except to the extent that
the Surviving Corporation shall have been materially prejudiced
as a result of such failure) and shall deliver to the Surviving
Corporation any undertaking required by Applicable Law, but
without any requirement for the posting of a bond. Without
limiting the foregoing, in the event any Claim is brought
against any of the Indemnified Parties, Precision and PDC shall
cause the Surviving Corporation to, and the Surviving
Corporation shall, be required to retain only one counsel (plus
one local counsel, if necessary) to represent all such
Indemnified Parties with respect to each such matter unless the
use of one counsel to represent the Indemnified Parties would
present such counsel with a conflict of interest, or the
representation of all of the Indemnified Parties by the same
counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or apparent
differing interests between them, in which case such additional
counsel as may be required (as shall be reasonably determined by
the Indemnified Parties and the Surviving Corporation) may be
retained by the Indemnified Parties at the cost and expense of
Precision or the Surviving Corporation and Precision and PDC
shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, and the Surviving
Corporation shall, pay all reasonable fees and expenses of such
counsel for such Indemnified Parties. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing contained in this Section 5.15
shall be deemed to grant any right to any Indemnified Party
which is not permitted to be granted to an officer, director,
employee, controlling shareholder or agent of Grey Wolf under a
non-waivable provision of Applicable Law.
(c) From and for not less than six years after the
Effective Time, Precision shall cause the Surviving Corporation
to, and the Surviving Corporation shall use its commercially
reasonable best efforts to maintain in effect directors
and officers liability insurance policies covering those
persons who are covered by Grey Wolfs directors
and officers liability insurance policies as of the
Effective Time on terms substantially no less advantageous to
such Persons than such existing insurance with respect to Claims
arising from facts or events that occurred on or prior to the
Effective Time; provided, however, that
(i) the Surviving Corporation may substitute therefor
policies, issued by an insurance carrier with the same or better
credit rating as the Surviving Corporations current
insurance carrier, of at least the same coverage containing
terms and conditions which are no less advantageous than Grey
Wolfs current policy, provided that such
substitution shall not result in gaps or lapses in coverage with
respect to matters occurring prior to the Effective Time; and
(ii) the Surviving Corporation shall not be required to pay
an annual premium in excess of 250% of the last annual premium
paid by Grey Wolf (whichever premium was higher) prior to the
date hereof. In the event that the annual premium for such
insurance exceeds such maximum amount, the Surviving Corporation
shall purchase as much coverage per policy year as reasonably
obtainable for such maximum amount.
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(d) This covenant is intended to be for the benefit of, and
shall be enforceable by, each of the Indemnified Parties and
their respective heirs and legal representatives. The
indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for herein
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which an
Indemnified Party is entitled, whether pursuant to Applicable
Law, Contract or otherwise.
(e) In the event that the Surviving Corporation, or any of
its respective successors or assigns, (i) consolidates with
or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing
or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or
merger or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially
all of its and its subsidiaries properties and assets
(taken as a whole) to any Person, then, and in each such case,
proper provision shall be made by the Surviving Corporation so
that the successors and assigns of the Surviving Corporation, as
the case may be, shall succeed to the obligations set forth in
this Section 5.15.
Section 5.16 Surviving
Corporation Employee Matters.
(a) At the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall,
or shall cause its Subsidiaries to, continue employment of all
the employees who are employed by Grey Wolf or any of the Grey
Wolf Subsidiaries as of the day immediately prior to the
Effective Time. The Grey Wolf Employees so employed are
collectively referred to herein as the Continuing
Employees.
(b) During the period from the Effective Time to and
including December 31, 2009 the Surviving Corporation and
its Subsidiaries shall provide each Continuing Employee with an
annual salary rate, bonus opportunity and hourly wage rate, as
applicable, that is not less favorable to such Continuing
Employee than the annual salary rate, bonus opportunity or
hourly wage rate provided to such Continuing Employee by
Grey Wolf or the applicable Grey Wolf Subsidiary
immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(c) During the period from the Effective Time to and
including December 31, 2009, the Surviving Corporation and
its Subsidiaries shall provide medical, dental, pharmaceutical
and vision benefits and other employee benefits that with
respect to Continuing Employees shall be, no less favorable, in
the aggregate, than those provided by Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf
Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Effective Time.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing herein
shall require the Surviving Corporation to provide or continue
any stock option plans, restricted stock grant plans or other
equity award or purchase plans of Grey Wolf, except as otherwise
provided in Article II hereof, or to assume or
provide retiree medical benefits to any Continuing Employee,
except as described in Section 5.16 of the Grey Wolf
Disclosure Letter.
(d) With respect to each Continuing Employee, the Surviving
Corporation shall credit, or cause its Subsidiaries to credit,
the period of employment and service recognized by Grey Wolf or
the applicable Grey Wolf Subsidiary (including their
respective affiliates and their predecessors if applicable) for
such Continuing Employee immediately prior to the Effective Time
under the Grey Wolf Benefit Plans for purposes of determining
the Continuing Employees eligibility to join (subject to
satisfaction of all non-service related eligibility criteria),
vesting and benefit accrual (but not benefit accrual for any
purpose other than vacation pay, severance and termination pay
and sick leave, and vesting in employer contributions under a
401(k) or profit sharing arrangement that is tax qualified under
Code Section 401) under the corresponding employee
benefit plans, programs, policies or similar employment-related
arrangements of the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries
in which the Continuing Employee is eligible to participate as
if such period of employment and service had been employment and
service with the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries. No
such period of employment and service credit shall be provided
to the extent that it will result in a duplication of credit or
employment benefits.
(e) The Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries shall
waive, and the extent necessary to effect the terms hereof,
shall use their commercially reasonable best efforts to cause
the relevant insurance carriers and other third parties to
waive, any pre-existing condition limitations for medical
conditions existing as of the Effective Time of each Continuing
Employee and the Continuing Employees dependents who are
covered immediately prior to the Effective Time under a group
health plan maintained by Grey Wolf, but only to the extent such
pre-existing medical condition would have been covered by the
Surviving Corporations group health plan if it were not a
pre-existing medical condition and only to the extent that such
pre-existing medical
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condition limitations would not have applied to such Continuing
Employee or the Continuing Employees dependents (as the
case may be) under Grey Wolfs group health plan, as
applicable, immediately prior to the Effective Time.
Additionally, the Surviving Corporation shall use its
commercially reasonable best efforts to offer, or cause its
Subsidiaries to offer, at the Effective Time to each Continuing
Employee coverage under a group health plan (as defined in
Section 5000(b)(1) of the Code) which credits such
Continuing Employee towards the deductibles, co-insurance and
maximum out of pocket provisions imposed under such group health
plan, for the year during which the Effective Time occurs, with
any applicable expenses already incurred during such year under
Grey Wolfs group health plan.
(f) Nothing in this Agreement shall be considered a
contract between Precision, PDC, Grey Wolf, the Surviving
Corporation, or any of their respective Subsidiaries and any
Continuing Employee or consideration for, or inducement with
respect to, any such Continuing Employees continued
employment with the Surviving Corporation and, without
limitation, all such Continuing Employees are and will continue
to be considered employees at will pursuant to the applicable
employment at will laws or doctrine, subject to any express
written agreement to the contrary with such Continuing Employee.
For the avoidance of doubt and without limiting the generality
of Section 8.6, nothing in this Section 5.16
is intended to make any Person a third-party beneficiary of the
agreements contained in this Section 5.16, and
nothing in this Section 5.16 shall constitute an
amendment of any Grey Wolf Benefit Plan.
(g) Each of the Parties agrees to cooperate in good faith
prior to the Effective Time to establish a process to integrate
the Grey Wolf Benefit Plans following the Effective Time.
(h) The Parties agree that Precision and Surviving
Corporation shall administer and perform the Grey Wolf,
Inc. Employee Severance Plan established on August 8, 2008,
in accordance with its terms and shall not amend or terminate
such plan prior to its expiration in accordance with its terms
in any way that negatively impacts the beneficiaries thereof
prior to the first anniversary of the Closing Date.
Section 5.17 Tax
Matters.
(a) Precision, PDC, Grey Wolf and Lobos shall each use its
commercially reasonable best efforts to cause the Merger to
qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code and to obtain the Tax
opinions set forth in Section 6.2(d) and
Section 6.3(d). Precision, Grey Wolf and Lobos agree
to file all Tax Returns consistent with the treatment of the
Merger as a reorganization, with Precision, Lobos
and Grey Wolf as parties to the reorganization,
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.
This Agreement is intended to constitute a plan of
reorganization within the meaning of Treasury Regulation
Sec. 1.368-2(g).
(b) Each of PDC, in its capacity as administrator of
Precision, and Grey Wolf shall deliver to Porter &
Hedges, L.L.P. and Mayer Brown LLP an officers certificate
dated as of the Closing Date and signed by the Chief Executive
Officers or the Chief Financial Officers of each of PDC and Grey
Wolf, containing representations on behalf of Precision and Grey
Wolf, in each case as shall be reasonably necessary or
appropriate to enable Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. to
render the opinion described in Section 6.3(d) of
this Agreement and Mayer Brown LLP to render the opinion
described in Section 6.2(d) of this Agreement. Each of
Precision and Grey Wolf shall use its commercially reasonable
best efforts not to take or cause to be taken any action that
would cause to be untrue (or fail to take or cause not to be
taken any action which would cause to be untrue) any of the
certifications and representations included in the
officers certificates described in this Section
5.17.
(c) Grey Wolf and Precision shall provide each other with a
certification in accordance with the requirements of Treasury
Regulation
Section 1.1445-2(c)(3)
that it is not a United States real property holding corporation.
(d) The Parties intend and believe that this Agreement
constitutes a binding Contract for fixed consideration pursuant
to Treasury Regulation
Section 1.368-1T(e)(2).
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(e) After the Merger, Precision shall use its commercially
reasonable best efforts to remain a qualified foreign
corporation under Code Section 1(h) and the
applicable Treasury Regulations.
Section 5.18 Continuing
Obligation to Call, Hold and Convene Shareholders Meeting;
No Other Vote. Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, the obligations of Grey Wolf to call, give notice
of, convene and hold the Grey Wolf Meeting shall not be limited
or otherwise affected by the commencement, disclosure,
announcement or submission to it of any Acquisition Proposal
with respect to it, or by any determination by the Grey Wolf
Board to modify, withdraw, amend or modify its recommendation in
favor of the Merger. Prior to the earlier of the Effective Time
or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with
Section 7.1, Grey Wolf shall not submit to the vote
of its shareholders any Acquisition Proposal, or propose to do
so. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this
Section 5.18 shall in any way limit the ability of
Grey Wolf to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(iii).
Section 5.19 Control
of Other Partys Business. Nothing contained
in this Agreement shall give Grey Wolf, directly or
indirectly, the right to control or direct Precisions
operations prior to the Effective Time or give Precision,
directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct Grey
Wolfs operations prior to the Effective Time. Prior to the
Effective Time, each of Precision and Grey Wolf shall exercise,
consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
complete control and supervision over its respective operations.
Section 5.20 Financing. Grey
Wolf shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and its
Subsidiaries Representatives to, use commercially
reasonable best efforts to cooperate in connection with
Precisions efforts to complete the Financing as may be
requested by Precision, including, without limitation:
(i) participating on a timely basis in meetings, drafting
sessions, due diligence sessions and other presentations,
including presentations with potential lenders, agents or
underwriters and with rating agencies; (ii) furnishing to
the Joint Lead Arrangers and to Precision as promptly as
reasonably practicable all financial statements, pro forma
statements, financial projections, business plans, budgets and
other reasonably pertinent data and information as may be
available (or obtainable without unreasonable expense) and
reasonably requested by any of the Joint Lead Arrangers or
Precision; (iii) participating in the marketing
presentations and other marketing efforts of the Joint Lead
Arrangers or Precision for any portion of the Financing and
assisting the Joint Lead Arrangers in the timely preparation of
bank information memoranda, presentations and similar documents
and of material for rating agency presentations;
(iv) assisting Precision in securing the cooperation of the
independent accountants of Grey Wolf, including with respect to
the delivery of accountants comfort letters
(v) obtaining legal opinions from Precisions counsel,
ratings and other documentation and items relating to such
financing as are reasonably requested by either of the Joint
Lead Arrangers; (vi) executing and delivering in connection
with the Financing any guarantees, mortgages, pledges and
security documents, other definitive financing documents or
other certificates or documents, conditioned on the completion
of the Merger as may be reasonably requested by either of the
Joint Lead Arrangers; and (vii) taking such actions and
providing such information and assistance as either of the Joint
Lead Arrangers or Precision may reasonably request in connection
with creating Liens upon or pledging collateral to secure the
Financing. Precision shall have provided a copy of the final
executed commitment letter relating to the Financing, including
all attachments thereto, to Grey Wolf prior to the execution of
this Agreement.
Section 5.21 Rights
Agreement; State Takeover Laws.
(a) Prior to the Effective Time, Grey Wolf shall not redeem
the Grey Wolf Rights or amend, modify (other than to render the
Grey Wolf Rights inapplicable to the Merger or any action
permitted under this Agreement) or terminate the Grey Wolf
Rights Agreement unless required to do so by order of a court of
competent jurisdiction.
(b) Prior to the Effective Time, Grey Wolf shall not take
any action to render inapplicable or to exempt any third Person
from, any state takeover law or state law that purports to limit
or restrict business combinations or the ability to acquire or
vote shares of capital stock unless (i) required to do so
by order of a court of competent jurisdiction or (ii) the
Grey Wolf Board has concluded in good faith, after consultation
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with its outside legal counsel, that, in light of a Superior
Proposal with respect to Grey Wolf, the failure to take such
action would be reasonably likely to result in a breach of its
fiduciary duties under Applicable Law.
ARTICLE VI
CONDITIONS
Section 6.1 Conditions
to Each Partys Obligation to Effect the
Merger. The respective obligations of each Party
to effect the Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction, at or
prior to the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions,
any or all of which may be waived in writing in whole or in part
only by both Precision and Grey Wolf (to the extent permitted by
Applicable Law):
(a) Shareholder Approval. The Merger
shall have been duly and validly approved and adopted by the
requisite vote of the shareholders of Grey Wolf.
(b) CFIUS Approval. Precision shall have
received written notice from CFIUS of its determination pursuant
to the Exon-Florio Amendment not to undertake an investigation
of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Other Approvals. Any applicable
waiting period under the HSR Act (including extensions thereof)
shall have expired or been terminated and all filings required
to be made by the Parties prior to the Effective Time with, and
all consents, approvals, permits and authorizations required to
be obtained by the Parties prior to the Effective Time from, any
Governmental Authority in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby shall have been made or
obtained (as the case may be), except for any failures to make
such filings or obtain such consents, approvals, permits and
authorizations that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to have or cause a Material Adverse
Effect on or with respect to Precision (assuming the Merger has
taken place).
(d) Securities Law Matters. The
Registration Statement shall have been declared effective by the
SEC under the Securities Act and shall be effective at the
Effective Time, and no stop order suspending such effectiveness
shall have been issued, no action, suit, proceeding or
investigation by the SEC to suspend such effectiveness shall
have been initiated and be continuing (and no similar action
shall have been taken by any Canadian Securities Regulatory
Authority with respect to Precision or the Precision
Trust Units), and any and all necessary approvals under
state securities laws or Applicable Canadian Securities Laws
relating to the issuance or trading of the Precision
Trust Units to be issued in the Merger shall have been
received.
(e) No Injunctions or Restraints. No
Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction shall have
issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Order, temporary
restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction, or other
legal restraint or prohibition that is continuing and which
prevents the consummation of the Merger. There shall not be any
pending suit, action or proceeding asserted by any Governmental
Authority challenging or seeking to restrain or prohibit the
consummation of the Merger or the transactions contemplated
hereunder.
(f) NYSE and TSX Listing. The Precision
Trust Units required to be included in the NYSE and TSX
listing applications referred to in Section 5.8
above shall have been authorized for listing on the NYSE and the
TSX, subject to official notice of issuance.
Section 6.2 Conditions
to Obligations of Precision, PDC and Lobos. The
obligations of Precision, PDC and Lobos to effect the Merger are
subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions,
any or all of which may be waived in writing in whole or in part
by Precision, PDC and Lobos:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. (i) The representations and
warranties of Grey Wolf set forth in Section 3.2
(Authorization, Validity and Effect of Agreement),
Section 3.3 (Capitalization) and
Section 3.16 (No Brokers) shall be true, accurate
and complete in all material respects as of the date of
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this Agreement and (except to the extent such representation or
warranty speaks as of an earlier date, in which case the
representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all
material respects as of such date) as of the Closing Date as
though made on and as of that time and (ii) the
representations and warranties of Grey Wolf set forth in
Article III (other than the representations and
warranties set forth in Section 3.2,
Section 3.3 and Section 3.16) shall be
true, accurate and complete (disregarding any qualifications as
to materiality or Material Adverse Effect) as of the date of
this Agreement and (except to the extent such representation or
warranty speaks as of an earlier date, in which case the
representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such
date) as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of that
time, except in each case for any failures of such
representations and warranties to be so true, accurate and
complete that, individually or in the aggregate, do not have or
cause and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Grey Wolf Material Adverse Effect, and Precision and PDC shall
have received a certificate signed by the Responsible Officers
of Grey Wolf to such effect.
(b) Performance of Covenants and Agreements by Grey
Wolf. Grey Wolf shall have performed in all
material respects all covenants and agreements required to be
performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing
Date, and Precision and PDC shall have received a certificate
signed by a Responsible Officer of Grey Wolf to such effect.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. From the
date of this Agreement through the Closing, there shall not have
occurred any event, occurrence or development that has had or
caused or would reasonably be expected to have or cause a Grey
Wolf Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Tax Opinion. Precision and PDC shall
have received an opinion (reasonably acceptable in form and
substance to Precision and PDC) from Mayer Brown LLP, dated as
of the Closing Date, and based on a reasonable assumption as to
the amount of cash consideration ultimately paid to Grey Wolf
Dissenting Shareholders, to the effect that for federal income
Tax purposes (i) the Merger will be treated as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)
of the Code, and (ii) each of Precision, Grey Wolf and
Lobos will be a party to such reorganization within the meaning
of Section 368(b) of the Code, and such opinion
shall not have been withdrawn, revoked or modified. Such opinion
will be based upon representations of the Parties contained in
this Agreement and in the officers certificates described
in Section 5.17(b).
Section 6.3 Conditions
to Obligation of Grey Wolf. The obligation of
Grey Wolf to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction of
each of the following conditions, any or all of which may be
waived in writing in whole or in part by Grey Wolf:
(a) Representations and
Warranties. (i) The representations and
warranties of Precision, PDC and Lobos set forth in
Section 4.2 (Authorization, Validity and Effect of
Agreement), Section 4.3 (Capitalization) and
Section 4.13 (No Brokers) shall be true, accurate
and complete in all material respects as of the date of this
Agreement and (except to the extent such representation or
warranty speaks as of an earlier date, in which case the
representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all
material respects as of such date) as of the Closing Date as
though made on and as of that time and (ii) the
representations and warranties of Precision set forth in
Article IV (other than the representations and
warranties set forth in Section 4.2,
Section 4.3 and Section 4.13) shall be true,
accurate and complete (disregarding any qualifications as to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect) as of the date of this
Agreement and (except to the extent such representation or
warranty speaks as of an earlier date, in which case the
representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such
date) as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of that
time, except in each case for any failures of such
representations and warranties to be so true, accurate and
complete that, individually or in the aggregate, do not have or
cause and would not reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Precision Material Adverse Effect, and Grey Wolf shall have
received a certificate signed by the Responsible Officers of
Precision to such effect.
(b) Performance of Covenants and Agreements by
Precision, Lobos and PDC. Each of Precision,
Lobos and PDC shall have performed in all material respects all
covenants and agreements required to be
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performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing
Date, and Grey Wolf shall have received a certificate signed by
a Responsible Officer of Precision to such effect.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. From the
date of this Agreement through the Closing, there shall not have
occurred any event, occurrence or development that has had or
caused or would reasonably be expected to have or cause a
Precision Material Adverse Effect.
(d) U.S. Tax Opinion. Grey Wolf
shall have received an opinion (reasonably acceptable in form
and substance to Grey Wolf) from Porter & Hedges
L.L.P., dated as of the Closing Date, and based on a reasonable
assumption as to the amount of cash consideration ultimately to
be paid to Grey Wolf Dissenting Shareholders, to the effect that
for federal income Tax purposes (i) the Merger will be
treated as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code, and (ii) each of
Precision, Grey Wolf and Lobos will be a party to such
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(b)
of the Code, and such opinion shall not have been withdrawn,
revoked or modified. Such opinion will be based upon
representations of the Parties contained in this Agreement and
in the officers certificates described in Section
5.17(b).
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.1 Termination
Rights. This Agreement may be terminated and the
Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time,
whether before or after approval of the Grey Wolf Proposal by
the shareholders of Grey Wolf (except as provided below), by
action taken by the board of directors or the board of trustees,
as applicable, of the terminating Party or Parties upon the
occurrence of any of the following:
(a) By mutual written consent duly authorized by the
Precision Board and the Grey Wolf Board.
(b) By either Grey Wolf or Precision if:
(i) the Merger has not been consummated by
February 28, 2009 (the Termination Date)
(provided, however, that the right to terminate
this Agreement pursuant to this clause (i) shall not be
available to any Party whose breach of any representation or
warranty or failure to perform or satisfy any covenant or
agreement under this Agreement has been the principal cause of
or resulted in the failure of the Merger to occur on or before
such date);
(ii) any Governmental Authority shall have issued an Order
or taken any other action permanently restraining, enjoining or
otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the Merger or making
consummation of the Merger illegal, and such Order or other
action shall have become final and nonappealable
(provided, however, that the right to terminate
this Agreement pursuant to this clause (ii) shall not be
available to any Party whose failure to fulfill any material
obligation under this Agreement has been the principal cause of
or resulted in such Order or other action); or
(iii) the Grey Wolf Proposal shall not have been approved
by the Required Grey Wolf Vote at the Grey Wolf Meeting or at
any adjournment or postponement thereof; provided,
however, that the right to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this clause (iii) shall not be available to
Grey Wolf if the failure to obtain approval of the Grey Wolf
Proposal is caused by the action or failure to act of Grey Wolf
and such action or failure to act constitutes a material breach
of this Agreement.
(c) By Precision if:
(i) there has been a material breach of the representations
and warranties made by Grey Wolf in Article III of
this Agreement, which breach (A) would cause a failure of
the condition described in Section 6.2(a) and
(B) is incapable of being cured by Grey Wolf within
30 days following receipt of written notice from Precision
of such breach (but not later than the Termination Date);
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(ii) Grey Wolf has failed to comply in any material respect
with any of its covenants or agreements contained in this
Agreement, which failure to comply (A) would cause a
failure of the condition described in Section 6.2(b)
and (B) is incapable of being cured by Grey Wolf within
30 days following written notice from Precision of such
failure (but not later than the Termination Date); or
(iii) (A) Grey Wolf shall have breached in any
material respect any of its obligations under
Section 5.5, (B) the Grey Wolf Board (or any
committee thereof) shall have made an Adverse Recommendation
Change or an Acquisition Proposal Recommendation, (C) any
Grey Wolf Company shall have entered into an Acquisition
Agreement or (D) Grey Wolf or the Grey Wolf Board (or any
committee thereof) publicly shall have announced its intention
to do any of the foregoing.
(d) By Grey Wolf if:
(i) there has been a material breach of the representations
and warranties made by Precision in Article IV of
this Agreement, which breach (A) would cause a failure of
the condition described in Section 6.3(a), and
(B) is incapable of being cured by Precision within
30 days following receipt of written notice from Grey Wolf
of such breach (but not later than the Termination Date);
(ii) Precision has failed to comply in any material respect
with any of its covenants or agreements contained in this
Agreement, which failure to comply (A) would cause a
failure of the condition described in Section 6.3(b)
and (B) is incapable of being cured by Precision within
30 days following receipt of written notice from Grey Wolf
of such failure (but not later than the Termination
Date); or
(iii) prior to the approval of Grey Wolf Proposal by the
Required Grey Wolf Vote, Grey Wolf elects to enter into an
Acquisition Agreement as permitted by (and not in violation of)
Section 5.5; provided, however, that Grey
Wolf may not terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7.1(d)(iii) unless Grey Wolf shall have
complied with the provisions of Section 5.5(e)(ii) and
shall not have otherwise breached any other term of
Section 5.5 in any material respect. No termination
pursuant to this Section 7.1(d)(iii) shall be effective
unless Grey Wolf simultaneously pays in full the payment
required by Section 7.3(a) and provides Precision
with a written acknowledgment from each other party to the
Acquisition Agreement that such party is aware of the amounts
due Precision under Section 7.3(a) and that such
party irrevocably waives any right it may have to litigate, sue
or bring any Claim to contest such amounts.
Section 7.2 Effect
of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated
by either Grey Wolf or Precision pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become
void, and there shall be no further obligation on the part of
any Party or its Affiliates or Representatives except pursuant
to the provisions of Section 5.4(d),
Section 5.7(c), Section 5.7(d),
Section 5.14, this Section 7.2,
Section 7.3, Article VIII and the
Confidentiality Agreement (which shall continue pursuant to its
terms); provided, however, that a termination of
this Agreement shall not relieve any Party from any liability
for damages incurred as a result of a willful or intentional
breach by such Party of its representations, warranties,
covenants, agreements or other obligations hereunder occurring
prior to such termination.
Section 7.3 Fees
and Expenses. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 5.14:
(a) Grey Wolf will, immediately upon termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iii),
Section 7.1(c)(iii) or
Section 7.1(d)(iii) (but in the case of Section
7.1(b)(iii) only if prior to such Grey Wolf Meeting an
Adverse Recommendation Change or an Acquisition
Proposal Recommendation has been made), pay, or cause to be
paid, to Precision by wire transfer of immediately available
funds to an account designated by Precision a termination fee in
the amount of $64 million.
(b) Grey Wolf will, immediately upon termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(iii), pay, or
cause to be paid, to Precision by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to an account
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designated by Precision $7.5 million as a reasonable
estimate of Precisions expenses; provided that no
amount shall be payable under this Section 7.3(b) if
the termination fee is paid pursuant to
Section 7.3(a).
(c) Grey Wolf will pay, or cause to be paid, to Precision a
termination fee in the amount of $64 million less the
amount of the payment, if any, previously made by Grey Wolf
pursuant to Section 7.3(b) if: (i) this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(b)(i) or
Section 7.1(b)(iii); (ii) prior to such
termination, there has been publicly announced an Acquisition
Proposal; and (iii) within 365 days of such
termination, any Grey Wolf Company enters into any
definitive agreement with respect to or consummates any
Acquisition Proposal (regardless of whether such Acquisition
Proposal is the same Acquisition Proposal referred to in
clause (ii) above); provided that no amount shall be
payable under this Section 7.3(c) if the termination fee
is paid pursuant to Section 7.3(a). Such termination fee
shall be paid on the day such Grey Wolf Company consummates such
Acquisition Proposal, by wire transfer of immediately available
funds to an account designated by Precision. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Grey Wolf shall not be required to pay, or cause to
be paid, to Precision any amounts pursuant to this Section
7.3(c) if the reason the Merger has not been timely
consummated is as the result of a failure to satisfy the
conditions set forth in Section 6.1(b),
Section 6.1(c), Section 6.1(d),
Section 6.1(e) or Section 6.1(f).
(d) Grey Wolf acknowledges that the agreements contained in
this Section 7.3 are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that, without
these agreements, Precision would not have entered into this
Agreement. Accordingly, if Grey Wolf fails to pay promptly any
amounts due pursuant to this Section 7.3, Grey Wolf
shall pay to Precision its costs and expenses (including
attorneys fees and expenses) in connection with collecting
these amounts, together with interest on the amounts so owed, at
the rate of interest per annum specified as the Prime Rate in
the Wall Street Journal as of the date of termination plus 2.0%,
from the date of termination of this Agreement until the date
all such amounts are paid to Precision.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1 Nonsurvival
of Representations and Warranties. None of the
representations or warranties contained in this Agreement or in
any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement (other than
the Grey Wolf Voting Agreements) shall survive the
consummation of the Merger.
Section 8.2 Amendment. This
Agreement may be amended by the Parties at any time before or
after approval of the Grey Wolf Proposal by the shareholders of
Grey Wolf; provided, however, that, after any such
approval, no amendment shall be made that by Applicable Law
requires further approval by such shareholders without such
further approval. This Agreement may not be amended except by a
written instrument signed by an authorized representative of
each of the Parties.
Section 8.3 Notices. Any
notice or other communication required or permitted hereunder
shall be in writing and, unless delivery instructions are
otherwise expressly set forth above herein, either delivered
personally (effective upon delivery), by facsimile transmission
(effective on the next day after transmission), by recognized
overnight delivery service (effective on the next day after
delivery to the service), or by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid and return receipt requested (effective on the
third Business Day after the date of mailing), at the following
addresses or facsimile transmission numbers (or at such other
address(es) or facsimile transmission number(s) for a Party as
shall be specified by like notice):
To Precision, PDC or Lobos:
c/o Precision
Drilling Corporation
4200,
150-6th Avenue,
S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3Y7
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile:
(403) 264-0251
A-65
with a copy
(which shall not constitute notice) to:
Mayer Brown LLP
700 Louisiana Street, Suite 3400
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Robert F. Gray, Jr.
William
S. Moss III
Facsimile: (713) 238-4600
and
Bennett Jones LLP
4500 Bankers Hall East
855-2nd Street,
S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 4K7
Attention: John H. Kousinioris
Facsimile:
(403) 265-7219
to Grey Wolf:
Grey Wolf, Inc.
10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77042
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Facsimile:
(713) 435-6171
with a copy
(which shall not constitute notice) to:
Porter & Hedges, L.L.P.
1000 Main,
36th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Nick D. Nicholas
Christopher
A. Ferazzi
Facsimile:
(713) 226-6237
and
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
3500 Bankers Hall East
855-2nd Street
S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 4J8
Attention: Brock W. Gibson
Facsimile:
(403) 260-9700
Section 8.4 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of
which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and shall
become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed
by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Parties, it
being understood that all Parties need not sign the same
counterpart.
Section 8.5 Severability. Any
term or provision of this Agreement that is invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such
jurisdiction, be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary
to make such term or provision valid and enforceable,
provided that if such term or provision is
incapable of being so modified, then such term or provision
shall be deemed ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or
unenforceability without rendering invalid or unenforceable the
remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or affecting
the validity or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions
of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. If any provision of
this Agreement is so broad as to be unenforceable, such
provision shall be interpreted to be only so broad as is
enforceable.
A-66
Section 8.6 Entire
Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This
Agreement (together with the Confidentiality Agreement and the
documents and instruments delivered by the Parties in connection
with this Agreement): (a) constitutes the entire agreement
and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings,
both written and oral, among the Parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof; and (b) except as provided in
Section 5.15 and Section 5.16(h) (which
are intended to be for the benefit of the Persons covered
thereby) is solely for the benefit of the Parties and their
respective successors, legal representatives and assigns and
does not confer on any Person other than the Parties any rights
or remedies hereunder. The representations and warranties in
this Agreement are the product of negotiations among the Parties
and are for the sole benefit of the Parties. Any inaccuracies in
such representations and warranties are subject to waiver by the
Party for whose benefit such representation and warranty was
made in accordance with Section 8.12 without notice
of liability to any other Person. In some instances, the
representations and warranties in this Agreement may represent
an allocation among the Parties of risks associated with
particular matters regardless of knowledge of any of the
Parties. Consequently, Persons other than the Parties may not
rely upon the representations and warranties in this Agreement
as characterizations of actual facts or circumstances as of the
date of this Agreement or as of any other date.
Section 8.7 Applicable
Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED IN ALL
RESPECTS, INCLUDING VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND EFFECT, BY THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS (INCLUDING THE LAWS OF TEXAS WITH
RESPECT TO STATUTES OF LIMITATION AND STATUTES OF REPOSE)
WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF THAT
WOULD CAUSE THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION TO APPLY.
Section 8.8 Jurisdiction. The
Parties agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to
enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of
or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby shall be exclusively brought in any federal
court sitting in Harris County, Texas or any Texas state court
sitting in Harris County, Texas, and each of the parties hereby
irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of
the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit,
action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or
hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit,
action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit,
action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought
in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or
proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world,
whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court.
This Agreement is executed and is to be performed in Harris
County, Texas. Without limiting the foregoing, each Party agrees
that service of process on such Party as provided in
Section 8.3 shall be deemed effective service of
process on such party.
Section 8.9 Specific
Performance. The Parties hereto agree that
irreparable damage would occur in the event that any provision
of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with its
specific terms or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly
agreed that the Parties shall be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions hereof, this being in
addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law
or in equity. No Party shall object to the other Parties
right to specific performance as a remedy for breach of this
Agreement.
Section 8.10 No
Remedy in Certain Circumstances. Each Party
agrees that should any Governmental Authority hold any provision
of this Agreement or part hereof to be null, void or
unenforceable, or order any Party to take any action
inconsistent herewith or not to take an action consistent
herewith or required hereby, the validity, legality and
enforceability of the remaining provisions and obligations
contained or set forth herein shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby, unless the foregoing inconsistent action or
the failure to take any action constitutes a material breach of
this Agreement or makes this Agreement impossible to perform, in
which case this Agreement shall terminate pursuant to
Article VII. Except as otherwise contemplated by
this Agreement, to the extent that a Party took an action
inconsistent herewith or failed to take action consistent
herewith or required hereby pursuant to an Order or judgment of
a court or other competent Governmental Authority, such Party
shall not incur any liability or obligation unless such Party
A-67
breached its obligations under Section 5.9 or did
not in good faith seek to resist or object to the imposition or
entering of such Order or judgment.
Section 8.11 Assignment. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations
hereunder shall be assigned or delegated or otherwise
transferred by any of the Parties (whether by operation of
Applicable Law or otherwise) without the prior written consent
of the other Parties, and any such attempted assignment without
such consent shall be immediately null and void. Subject to the
preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure
to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Parties and their
respective successors and assigns.
Section 8.12 Waivers. At
any time prior to the Effective Time, to the extent legally
allowed: (a) any Party may extend the time for the
performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other
Parties, (b) any Party for whose benefit a representation
or warranty was made may waive any inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties of the other Parties contained
herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto, and
(c) any Party may waive performance of any of the covenants
or agreements of the other Parties, or satisfaction of any of
the conditions to its obligations to effect the Merger,
contained herein. Any agreement on the part of a Party to any
such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in a
written instrument signed by an authorized representative of
such Party. Except as provided in this Agreement, no action
taken pursuant to this Agreement, including any investigation by
or on behalf of any Party, shall be deemed to constitute a
waiver by the Party taking such action of compliance with any
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained
in this Agreement. The waiver by any Party of a breach of any
provision hereof shall not operate or be construed as a waiver
of any prior or subsequent breach of the same or any other
provisions hereof.
Section 8.13 Confidentiality
Agreement. The Confidentiality Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect following the execution of this
Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference, and shall
constitute a part of this Agreement for all purposes;
provided, however, that any standstill provisions
contained therein will, effective as of the Closing, be deemed
to have been waived to the extent necessary for the Parties to
consummate the Merger in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement. Any and all information received by Precision and
Grey Wolf pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement
shall be governed by the applicable terms and provisions of the
Confidentiality Agreement.
Section 8.14 Incorporation. Exhibits
and Schedules referred to herein are attached to and by this
reference are incorporated herein for all purposes.
Section 8.15 Acknowledgement. The
Parties hereto acknowledge that the obligations of Precision
hereunder shall not be personally binding upon PDC, in its
capacity as agent on behalf of Precision, any of the trustees of
Precision or any of the unitholders of Precision and that any
recourse against Precision, PDC (in its capacity as agent on
behalf of Precision), any of the trustees of Precision or any of
the unitholders of Precision in any manner in respect of any
indebtedness, obligation or liability of Precision arising
hereunder or arising in connection herewith or from the matters
to which this Agreement relates, if any, including, without
limitation, claims based on negligence or otherwise tortious
behavior, shall be limited to, and satisfied only out of, the
Trust Assets as defined in the Precision
Declaration of Trust.
Section 8.16 Time
of Essence. Time is of the essence in the
performance of this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
A-68
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their duly authorized representatives, on the date
first written above.
PRECISION DRILLING TRUST, by its agent,
PRECISION DRILLING CORPORATION
Name: Kevin A. Neveu
Title: Chief Executive
Officer
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Douglas
J. Strong
|
Name: Douglas J. Strong
Title: Chief Financial
Officer
PRECISION DRILLING CORPORATION,
a corporation amalgamated under the laws of the Province of
Alberta
Name: Kevin A. Neveu
Title: Chief Executive
Officer
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Douglas
J. Strong
|
Name: Douglas J. Strong
Title: Chief Financial
Officer
PRECISION LOBOS CORPORATION,
a Texas corporation
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Joanne
L. Alexander
|
Name: Joanne L. Alexander
Title: President
GREY WOLF, INC.,
a Texas corporation
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Thomas
P. Richards
|
Name: Thomas P. Richards
Title: Chief Executive
Officer
A-69
ANNEX B
VOTING
AGREEMENT
This VOTING AGREEMENT (this Agreement), dated
as of August , 2008, is by and between
Precision Drilling Trust, an Alberta unincorporated open-ended
investment trust (Precision), and the
undersigned holder (the Affiliate) of shares
or options to acquire shares of common stock of Grey Wolf, Inc.,
a Texas corporation (Grey Wolf). Capitalized
terms used and not defined herein shall have the respective
meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement referenced
below.
RECITALS
A. Precision, Precision Lobos Corporation, a Texas
corporation and a subsidiary of Precision
(Lobos), Precision Drilling Corporation, a
corporation amalgamated under the laws of the Province of
Alberta and Grey Wolf have entered into an Agreement and Plan of
Merger dated August , 2008 (as the same may be
amended from time to time, the Merger
Agreement) pursuant to which Grey Wolf will merge (the
Merger) with and into Lobos, with Lobos
surviving the Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision,
on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the
Merger Agreement.
B. As of the date hereof, Affiliate owns and has the
present power and right to vote (or to direct the voting of) the
number of shares of common stock, par value of $0.10 per share,
of Grey Wolf (the Grey Wolf Common Stock) set
forth beneath the Affiliates name on the signature page
hereto and identified as Number of shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock owned, as such shares may be adjusted by
stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, combination,
merger, consolidation, reorganization or other change in the
capital structure of Grey Wolf affecting the Grey Wolf Common
Stock (such shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock, plus any other
shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock the voting power over which is
acquired by Affiliate during the period (the
Term) from and including the date hereof
through and including the date on which this Agreement is
terminated in accordance with its terms, are collectively
referred to herein as Affiliates Subject
Shares).
C. As an inducement to the willingness of Precision to
enter into the Merger Agreement, and as an inducement and in
consideration therefor, the Merger Agreement requires certain
persons and entities, including Affiliate, to execute and
deliver this Agreement and Affiliate has agreed to enter into
this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, intending to be legally bound, the parties agree
as follows:
1. Agreement to Vote the Subject
Shares. Affiliate, solely in Affiliates
capacity as a stockholder of Grey Wolf, hereby agrees that
during the Term, at any and all meetings (or any adjournments or
postponements thereof) of the holders of any class or classes of
the capital stock of Grey Wolf at which the Merger Agreement and
the transactions contemplated thereby are considered, however
called, or in connection with any and all written consents of
the holders of any class or classes of the capital stock of Grey
Wolf relating to the Merger Agreement and transactions
contemplated thereby, Affiliate shall vote (or cause to be
voted) Affiliates Subject Shares in favor of the approval
and adoption of the Grey Wolf Proposal and the terms of the
Merger Agreement and the Merger and each of the other
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (and any
actions required in furtherance thereof). Affiliate, solely in
Affiliates capacity as a shareholder of Grey Wolf, agrees
not to enter into any agreement, letter of intent, agreement in
principle or understanding with any person that violates or
could reasonably be expected to violate the provisions and
agreements contained in this Agreement.
2. Covenants. Except for pledges in
existence as of the date hereof, Affiliate agrees that, except
as contemplated by the terms of this Agreement, Affiliate shall
not, directly or indirectly, (i) grant any proxies or
powers of attorney in respect of the Subject Shares, deposit any
of Affiliates Subject Shares into a voting trust or enter
into a voting agreement with respect to any of Affiliates
Subject Shares, (ii) transfer, grant an option with respect
to, sell, exchange, pledge or otherwise dispose of or encumber
B-1
the Subject Shares, or make any offer or enter into any
agreement providing for any of the foregoing at any time during
the Term; provided, however, that nothing contained herein will
be deemed to restrict the ability of Affiliate to exercise any
Grey Wolf Option held by Affiliate, or (iii) take any
action that would have the effect of preventing, impeding,
interfering with or adversely affecting Affiliates ability
to perform Affiliates obligations under this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent
Affiliate from assigning or transferring any Subject Shares
beneficially owned by Affiliate to any trust, estate, family
partnership, foundation (whether family, private or public) or
other entity under Affiliates control or subject to the
same ultimate control as Affiliate (each a Permitted
Transferee) if such Permitted Transferee agrees in
writing to hold any Subject Shares subject to all of the
provisions of this Agreement as Affiliate hereunder.
3. Representations and Warranties of
Affiliate. Affiliate hereby represents and
warrants to Precision as follows:
(a) Due Authority. Affiliate has the
capacity to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate
the transactions contemplated hereby. If Affiliate is an entity,
Affiliate is duly organized and validly existing under the laws
of the jurisdiction of its organization, and Affiliate has all
necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by
Affiliate have, if Affiliate is an entity, been duly authorized
by all necessary action on the part of Affiliate, and, assuming
its due authorization, execution and delivery by Precision,
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Affiliate,
enforceable against Affiliate in accordance with its terms.
(b) Ownership of Shares. Affiliate owns
and has the present power and right to vote (or to direct the
voting of) the number of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock set
forth beneath the Affiliates name on the signature page
hereto and identified as Number of shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock owned. Affiliate has sole voting power and
sole power of disposition, in each case with respect to all of
the shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock set forth beneath
Affiliates name on the signature page hereto and
identified as Number of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock
owned, with no limitations, qualifications or restrictions
on such rights, subject only to applicable securities laws and
the terms of this Agreement and as otherwise noted on the
signature page hereto. Also set forth on the signature page
hereto is (i) the number of shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock issuable pursuant to options to purchase Grey Wolf Common
Stock held by Affiliate (the Options) and
(ii) the number of restricted shares of Grey Wolf Common
Stock (which have not vested) held by Affiliate (the
Restricted Shares). The shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock set forth beneath the Affiliates name on the
signature page hereto and identified as Number of shares
of Grey Wolf Common Stock owned, the Options and the
Restricted Shares are all of the equity interests in Grey Wolf
legally or beneficially owned by Affiliate.
(c) No Violations. (i) No filing
with any governmental authority, and no authorization, consent
or approval of any other person is necessary for the execution
of this Agreement by Affiliate and the consummation by Affiliate
of the transactions contemplated hereby (it being understood
that nothing herein shall prevent Affiliates compliance
with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) and (ii) none
of the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Affiliate or
compliance by Affiliate with any of the provisions hereof shall
(A) result in, or give rise to, a violation or breach of or
a default under any of the terms of any contract, understanding,
agreement or other instrument or obligation to which Affiliate
is a party or by which Affiliate or any of Affiliates
Subject Shares or assets may be bound, or (B) violate any
applicable order, writ, injunction, decree, judgment, statute,
rule or regulation which could reasonably be expected to
adversely affect Affiliates ability to perform
Affiliates obligations under this Agreement.
(d) Reliance by Precision. Affiliate
understands and acknowledges that Precision has entered into the
Merger Agreement in reliance upon the covenants contained
therein requiring the execution and delivery of this Agreement
by Affiliate.
B-2
4. Miscellaneous.
(a) Affiliate Capacity. If Affiliate is
or becomes during the term hereof a director or officer of
Grey Wolf, Affiliate does not make any agreement or
understanding herein in Affiliates capacity as such
director or officer. Affiliate executes this Agreement solely in
Affiliates capacity as the record holder or beneficial
owner of Affiliates Subject Shares and nothing herein
shall limit or affect any actions taken by Affiliate in
Affiliates capacity as an officer or director of Grey
Wolf. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement
shall limit or affect the ability of a director or officer of
Grey Wolf to take any action as may be advisable or necessary in
the discharge of his or her fiduciary duties as such director or
officer, and without regard to whether he or she is, without
limitation, (i) a trustee or co-trustee of one or more
Affiliates, (ii) an officer, consultant or other
representative of a trustee or co-trustee of one or more
Affiliates, or (iii) a beneficiary of one or more
Affiliates.
(b) Publication. Affiliate hereby permits
Precision and Grey Wolf to publish and disclose in the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus (including all documents and schedules
filed with the SEC) and in other filings with the SEC
Affiliates identity and ownership of shares of Grey Wolf
Common Stock and the nature of Affiliates commitments,
arrangements, and understandings pursuant to this Agreement.
(c) Further Actions. Each of the parties
hereto agrees that it will use its commercially reasonable
efforts to do all things necessary to effectuate this Agreement.
(d) Entire Agreement. This Agreement
contains the entire understanding of the parties hereto with
respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersedes
all prior agreements and understandings, oral and written, with
respect thereto.
(e) Binding Effect; Benefit;
Assignment. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
Permitted Transferees, heirs, estates and successors. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations
hereunder shall be assigned by any of the parties hereto, except
by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, without the
prior written consent of each of the other parties. Nothing in
this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer on
any person, other than the parties hereto, any rights or
remedies.
(f) Amendments; Waivers. This Agreement
may not be amended, changed, supplemented, waived or otherwise
modified or terminated, except upon the execution and delivery
of a written agreement executed by all of the parties hereto.
(g) Specific Enforcement. The parties
agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any
of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in
accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached.
Accordingly, the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or
injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement, this
being in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled
at law or in equity.
(h) Remedies Cumulative. All rights,
powers and remedies provided under this Agreement or otherwise
available in respect hereof at law or in equity shall be
cumulative and not alternative, and the exercise of any thereof
by any party shall not preclude the simultaneous or later
exercise of any other such right, power or remedy by such party.
(i) No Waiver. The failure of any party
hereto to exercise any right, power or remedy provided under
this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof at law
or in equity, or to insist upon compliance by any other party
hereto with its obligations hereunder, and any custom or
practice of the parties at variance with the terms hereof shall
not constitute a waiver by such party of its right to exercise
any such or other right, power or remedy or to demand such
compliance.
(j) Governing Law; Waiver of Jury
Trial. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH
MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED
AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT
B-3
SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY
LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO
THIS AGREEMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS
AGREEMENT.
(k) Headings. The descriptive headings of
this Agreement are inserted for convenience only, do not
constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not affect in any
way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
(l) Counterparts; Facsimiles. This
Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which together
shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument. A signature
transmitted by facsimile or by electronic mail in portable
document format shall be treated for all purposes by the
parties hereto as an original and shall be binding upon the
party transmitting such signature without limitation.
(m) Termination. This Agreement shall
terminate, neither Precision nor Affiliate shall have any rights
or obligations hereunder, and this Agreement shall become null
and void and have no effect upon the earliest to occur of
(i) the mutual consent of Precision and Affiliate,
(ii) the Effective Time, or (iii) the effective
termination of the Merger Agreement pursuant to its terms;
provided, further, that termination of this Agreement shall not
prevent any party hereunder from seeking any remedies (at law or
in equity) against any other party hereto for such partys
breach of any of the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Sections 4(d), 4(e), 4(h) and 4(j) shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.
(Signature page follows)
B-4
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement is executed as of the date
first stated above.
PRECISION DRILLING TRUST,
an Alberta unincorporated open-ended investment trust, by its
administrator, Precision Drilling Corporation
AFFILIATE
Printed Name:
Number of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock owned:
Number of shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of options to purchase Grey Wolf Common Stock held:
Number of restricted shares of Grey Wolf Common Stock (which
have not vested) held:
B-5
ANNEX C
The Board of Directors
Grey Wolf, Inc.
10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77042
August 24,
2008
Dear Members of the Board:
We understand that Grey Wolf, Inc., a Texas corporation
(Grey Wolf or the Company), is
considering a transaction whereby Precision Drilling Trust, an
Alberta unincorporated open-ended investment trust
(Precision), will effect a merger involving the
Company. Pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of
Merger, draft dated as of August 22, 2008 (the
Agreement), among the Company, Precision, Precision
Drilling Corporation, a corporation amalgamated under the laws
of the Province of Alberta and the administrator of Precision
(Precision Corporation), and Precision Lobos
Corporation, a Texas corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of
Precision (Merger Sub), the Company will merge with
and into Merger Sub and the surviving company will become a
wholly owned subsidiary of Precision (the
Transaction). Pursuant to the terms of the
Agreement, all of the issued and outstanding shares of the
common stock, par value of $0.10 per share, of the Company
(Company Common Stock) will be converted into the
right to receive one of the following: (i) for each share
of Company Common Stock with respect to which an election to
receive cash consideration has been effectively made, $9.02 in
cash (the Cash Consideration), (ii) for each
share of Company Common Stock with respect to which an election
to receive trust units of Precision, each representing an equal,
undivided beneficial interest in Precision
(Trust Units), has been effectively made,
0.4225 Trust Units (the Trust Unit
Consideration), or (iii) for each share of Company
Common Stock with respect to which no election has been
effectively made, Cash Consideration
and/or
Trust Unit Consideration as provided in the Agreement, all
such conversions being subject to the proration mechanisms,
procedures and limitations contained in the Agreement, as to
which proration mechanisms, procedures and limitations we are
expressing no opinion. The Trust Unit Consideration and the
Cash Consideration are referred to herein collectively as the
Merger Consideration. The terms and conditions of
the Transaction are more fully set forth in the Agreement.
You have requested our opinion as to the fairness, from a
financial point of view, to the holders of the Company Common
Stock of the Merger Consideration, taken in the aggregate, to be
received by such holders in the Transaction.
UBS Securities LLC (UBS) has acted as financial
advisor to the Board of Directors of the Company in connection
with the Transaction and will receive a fee for its services, a
portion of which is payable in connection with this opinion and
a significant portion of which is contingent upon consummation
of the Transaction. In the past, UBS has provided investment
banking services to the Company unrelated to the proposed
Transaction, for which UBS received compensation, including
having acted as financial advisor to the Company in connection
with its proposed combination with Basic Energy Services, Inc.
In addition, UBS or an affiliate provided a commitment for a
proposed credit facility of the Company in connection with its
proposed combination with Basic Energy Services, Inc. for which
it received a fee. In the ordinary course of business, UBS and
its affiliates may hold or trade, for their own accounts and the
accounts of their customers, securities of the Company and
Precision and, accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short
position in such securities. The issuance of this opinion was
approved by an authorized committee of UBS.
Our opinion does not address the relative merits of the
Transaction as compared to other business strategies or
transactions that might be available with respect to the Company
or the Companys underlying
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business decision to effect the Transaction. Our opinion does
not constitute a recommendation to any shareholder as to how
such shareholder should vote or make any election or otherwise
act with respect to the Transaction. At your direction, we have
not been asked to, nor do we, offer any opinion as to the terms,
other than the Merger Consideration to the extent expressly
specified herein, of the Agreement or the form of the
Transaction. In addition, we express no opinion as to the
fairness of the amount or nature of any compensation to be
received by any officers, directors or employees of any parties
to the Transaction, or any class of such persons, relative to
the Merger Consideration. We express no opinion as to what the
value of the Trust Units will be when issued pursuant to
the Transaction or the prices at which the Trust Units or
Company Common Stock will trade at any time. In rendering this
opinion, we have assumed, with your consent, that (i) the
final executed form of the Agreement will not differ in any
material respect from the draft that we have reviewed,
(ii) Precision, Precision Corporation, Merger Sub and the
Company will comply with all material terms of the Agreement,
and (iii) the Transaction will be consummated in accordance
with the terms of the Agreement without any adverse waiver or
amendment of any material term or condition thereof. We have
also assumed that all governmental, regulatory or other consents
and approvals necessary for the consummation of the Transaction
will be obtained without any material adverse effect on the
Company, Precision or the Transaction.
In arriving at our opinion, we have, among other things:
(i) reviewed certain publicly available business and
financial information relating to the Company and Precision;
(ii) reviewed certain internal financial information and
other data relating to the business and financial prospects of
the Company that were not publicly available, including
financial forecasts and estimates prepared by the management of
the Company that you have directed us to utilize for purposes of
our analysis; (iii) reviewed certain internal financial
information and other data relating to the business and
financial prospects of Precision that were not publicly
available, including financial forecasts and estimates prepared
by the management of Precision, as adjusted by the management of
the Company, that you have directed us to utilize for purposes
of our analysis; (iv) reviewed certain estimates of
synergies prepared by the management of the Company that were
not publicly available that you have directed us to utilize for
purposes of our analysis; (v) conducted discussions with
members of the senior managements of the Company and Precision
concerning the businesses and financial prospects of the Company
and Precision; (vi) reviewed publicly available financial
and stock market data with respect to certain other companies we
believe to be generally relevant; (vii) compared the
financial terms of the Transaction with the publicly available
financial terms of certain other transactions we believe to be
generally relevant; (viii) reviewed current and historical
market prices of Company Common Stock and Trust Units;
(ix) considered certain pro forma effects of the
Transaction on Precisions financial statements;
(x) reviewed the Agreement; and (xi) conducted such
other financial studies, analyses and investigations, and
considered such other information, as we deemed necessary or
appropriate. At your request, we have contacted third parties to
solicit indications of interest in a possible transaction with
the Company and held discussions with certain of these parties
prior to the date hereof.
In connection with our review, with your consent, we have
assumed and relied upon, without independent verification, the
accuracy and completeness in all material respects of the
information provided to or reviewed by us for the purpose of
this opinion. In addition, with your consent, we have not made
any independent evaluation or appraisal of any of the assets or
liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Company or
Precision, nor have we been furnished with any such evaluation
or appraisal. With respect to the financial forecasts,
estimates, synergies and pro forma effects referred to above, we
have assumed, at your direction, that they have been reasonably
prepared on a basis reflecting the best currently available
estimates and judgments of the management of each company as to
the future financial performance of their respective company and
such synergies and pro forma effects. In addition, we have
assumed with your approval that the financial forecasts and
estimates, including synergies, referred to above will be
achieved at the times and in
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the amounts projected. We also have assumed, with your consent,
that the Transaction will qualify for U.S. federal income
tax purposes as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the Code), and that Precision will satisfy
all the requirements of the active trade or business
test under
Section 1.367(a)-3(c)(3)
of the regulations promulgated by the United States Treasury
Department under the Code at the consummation of the
Transaction. In addition, we have assumed, with your consent,
that Precision will constitute a Business Trust under the
Canadian Tax Act until January 1, 2011. Our opinion is
necessarily based on economic, monetary, market and other
conditions as in effect on, and the information available to us
as of, the date hereof.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that,
as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration, taken in the
aggregate, to be received by holders of Company Common Stock in
the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to such
holders.
This opinion is provided for the benefit of the Board of
Directors in connection with, and for the purpose of, its
evaluation of the Transaction.
Very truly yours,
/s/ UBS Securities LLC
UBS Securities LLC
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ANNEX D
Article 5.12
of the Texas Business Corporation Act
Art. 5.12.
PROCEDURE FOR DISSENT BY SHAREHOLDERS AS TO SAID CORPORATE
ACTIONS.
A. Any shareholder of any domestic corporation who has the
right to dissent from any of the corporate actions referred to
in Article 5.11 of this Act may exercise that right to
dissent only by complying with the following procedures:
(1)(a) With respect to proposed corporate action that is
submitted to a vote of shareholders at a meeting, the
shareholder shall file with the corporation, prior to the
meeting, a written objection to the action, setting out that the
shareholders right to dissent will be exercised if the
action is effective and giving the shareholders address,
to which notice thereof shall be delivered or mailed in that
event. If the action is effected and the shareholder shall not
have voted in favor of the action, the corporation, in the case
of action other than a merger, or the surviving or new
corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity that is liable
to discharge the shareholders right of dissent, in the
case of a merger, shall, within ten (10) days after the
action is effected, deliver or mail to the shareholder written
notice that the action has been effected, and the shareholder
may, within ten (10) days from the delivery or mailing of
the notice, make written demand on the existing, surviving, or
new corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity, as the
case may be, for payment of the fair value of the
shareholders shares. The fair value of the shares shall be
the value thereof as of the day immediately preceding the
meeting, excluding any appreciation or depreciation in
anticipation of the proposed action. In computing the fair value
of the shares under this article, consideration must be given to
the value of the corporation as a going concern without
including in the computation of value any control premium, any
minority discount, or any discount for lack of marketability. If
the corporation has different classes or series of shares, the
relative rights and preferences of and limitations placed on the
class or series of shares, other than relative voting rights,
held by the dissenting shareholder must be taken into account in
the computation of value. The demand shall state the number and
class of the shares owned by the shareholder and the fair value
of the shares as estimated by the shareholder. Any shareholder
failing to make demand within the ten (10) day period shall
be bound by the action.
(b) With respect to proposed corporate action that is
approved pursuant to Section A of Article 9.10 of this
Act, the corporation, in the case of action other than a merger,
and the surviving or new corporation (foreign or domestic) or
other entity that is liable to discharge the shareholders
right of dissent, in the case of a merger, shall, within ten
(10) days after the date the action is effected, mail to
each shareholder of record as of the effective date of the
action notice of the fact and date of the action and that the
shareholder may exercise the shareholders right to dissent
from the action. The notice shall be accompanied by a copy of
this Article and any articles or documents filed by the
corporation with the Secretary of State to effect the action. If
the shareholder shall not have consented to the taking of the
action, the shareholder may, within twenty (20) days after
the mailing of the notice, make written demand on the existing,
surviving, or new corporation (foreign or domestic) or other
entity, as the case may be, for payment of the fair value of the
shareholders shares. The fair value of the shares shall be
the value thereof as of the date the written consent authorizing
the action was delivered to the corporation pursuant to
Section A of Article 9.10 of this Act, excluding any
appreciation or depreciation in anticipation of the action. The
demand shall state the number and class of shares owned by the
dissenting shareholder and the fair value of the shares as
estimated by the shareholder. Any shareholder failing to make
demand within the twenty (20) day period shall be bound by
the action.
(2) Within twenty (20) days after receipt by the
existing, surviving, or new corporation (foreign or domestic) or
other entity, as the case may be, of a demand for payment made
by a dissenting shareholder in accordance with
Subsection (1) of this Section, the corporation (foreign or
domestic) or other entity shall deliver or mail to the
shareholder a written notice that shall either set out that the
corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity accepts the
amount claimed in the demand and agrees to pay that amount
within ninety (90) days after the date on which the action
was effected, and, in the case of shares represented by
certificates, upon the surrender of the certificates duly
endorsed, or shall contain an
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estimate by the corporation (foreign or domestic) or other
entity of the fair value of the shares, together with an offer
to pay the amount of that estimate within ninety (90) days
after the date on which the action was effected, upon receipt of
notice within sixty (60) days after that date from the
shareholder that the shareholder agrees to accept that amount
and, in the case of shares represented by certificates, upon the
surrender of the certificates duly endorsed.
(3) If, within sixty (60) days after the date on which
the corporate action was effected, the value of the shares is
agreed upon between the shareholder and the existing, surviving,
or new corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity, as the
case may be, payment for the shares shall be made within ninety
(90) days after the date on which the action was effected
and, in the case of shares represented by certificates, upon
surrender of the certificates duly endorsed. Upon payment of the
agreed value, the shareholder shall cease to have any interest
in the shares or in the corporation.
B. If, within the period of sixty (60) days after the
date on which the corporate action was effected, the shareholder
and the existing, surviving, or new corporation (foreign or
domestic) or other entity, as the case may be, do not so agree,
then the shareholder or the corporation (foreign or domestic) or
other entity may, within sixty (60) days after the
expiration of the sixty (60) day period, file a petition in
any court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the
principal office of the domestic corporation is located, asking
for a finding and determination of the fair value of the
shareholders shares. Upon the filing of any such petition
by the shareholder, service of a copy thereof shall be made upon
the corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity, which
shall, within ten (10) days after service, file in the
office of the clerk of the court in which the petition was filed
a list containing the names and addresses of all shareholders of
the domestic corporation who have demanded payment for their
shares and with whom agreements as to the value of their shares
have not been reached by the corporation (foreign or domestic)
or other entity. If the petition shall be filed by the
corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity, the petition
shall be accompanied by such a list. The clerk of the court
shall give notice of the time and place fixed for the hearing of
the petition by registered mail to the corporation (foreign or
domestic) or other entity and to the shareholders named on the
list at the addresses therein stated. The forms of the notices
by mail shall be approved by the court. All shareholders thus
notified and the corporation (foreign or domestic) or other
entity shall thereafter be bound by the final judgment of the
court.
C. After the hearing of the petition, the court shall
determine the shareholders who have complied with the provisions
of this Article and have become entitled to the valuation of and
payment for their shares, and shall appoint one or more
qualified appraisers to determine that value. The appraisers
shall have power to examine any of the books and records of the
corporation the shares of which they are charged with the duty
of valuing, and they shall make a determination of the fair
value of the shares upon such investigation as to them may seem
proper. The appraisers shall also afford a reasonable
opportunity to the parties interested to submit to them
pertinent evidence as to the value of the shares. The appraisers
shall also have such power and authority as may be conferred on
Masters in Chancery by the Rules of Civil Procedure or by the
order of their appointment.
D. The appraisers shall determine the fair value of the
shares of the shareholders adjudged by the court to be entitled
to payment for their shares and shall file their report of that
value in the office of the clerk of the court. Notice of the
filing of the report shall be given by the clerk to the parties
in interest. The report shall be subject to exceptions to be
heard before the court both upon the law and the facts. The
court shall by its judgment determine the fair value of the
shares of the shareholders entitled to payment for their shares
and shall direct the payment of that value by the existing,
surviving, or new corporation (foreign or domestic) or other
entity, together with interest thereon, beginning 91 days
after the date on which the applicable corporate action from
which the shareholder elected to dissent was effected to the
date of such judgment, to the shareholders entitled to payment.
The judgment shall be payable to the holders of uncertificated
shares immediately but to the holders of shares represented by
certificates only upon, and simultaneously with, the surrender
to the existing, surviving, or new corporation (foreign or
domestic) or other entity, as the case may be, of duly endorsed
certificates for those shares. Upon payment of the judgment, the
dissenting shareholders shall cease to have any interest in
those shares or in the corporation. The court shall allow the
appraisers a
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reasonable fee as court costs, and all court costs shall be
allotted between the parties in the manner that the court
determines to be fair and equitable.
E. Shares acquired by the existing, surviving, or new
corporation (foreign or domestic) or other entity, as the case
may be, pursuant to the payment of the agreed value of the
shares or pursuant to payment of the judgment entered for the
value of the shares, as in this Article provided, shall, in the
case of a merger, be treated as provided in the plan of merger
and, in all other cases, may be held and disposed of by the
corporation as in the case of other treasury shares.
F. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to a
merger if, on the date of the filing of the articles of merger,
the surviving corporation is the owner of all the outstanding
shares of the other corporations, domestic or foreign, that are
parties to the merger.
G. In the absence of fraud in the transaction, the remedy
provided by this Article to a shareholder objecting to any
corporate action referred to in Article 5.11 of this Act is
the exclusive remedy for the recovery of the value of his shares
or money damages to the shareholder with respect to the action.
If the existing, surviving, or new corporation (foreign or
domestic) or other entity, as the case may be, complies with the
requirements of this Article, any shareholder who fails to
comply with the requirements of this Article shall not be
entitled to bring suit for the recovery of the value of his
shares or money damages to the shareholder with respect to the
action.
D-3