e424b3
Filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration
No. 333-166666
Prospectus
1,411,264
American Depositary Shares
Fly
Leasing Limited
Representing
1,411,264 Common Shares
This prospectus relates solely to the resale of up to 1,411,264
common shares of Fly Leasing Limited (Fly Leasing or
the Company) in the form of American Depositary
Shares (ADSs) by the selling shareholder identified
in this prospectus. Each ADS represents one common share.
The selling shareholder identified in this prospectus (which
term as used herein includes their pledgees, donees, transferees
or other
successors-in-interest)
may offer the shares from time to time as such selling
shareholder may determine through public or private transactions
or through other means described in the section entitled
Plan of Distribution beginning on page 25. The
prices at which the selling shareholder may sell the ADSs may be
determined by the prevailing market price for the ADSs at the
time of sale, may be different from such prevailing market price
or may be determined through negotiated transactions with third
parties. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale
of these ADSs by the selling shareholder.
Our ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol FLY. The last reported sale price of our ADSs
on July 2, 2010 was $10.09 per ADS.
Investing in our ADSs involves risks. See Risk
Factors beginning on page 6 of our Annual Report on
Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 and on
page 35 of our Quarterly Report on Form
6-K, filed
on May 7, 2010, each of which is incorporated by reference
herein.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is July 7, 2010.
You should rely only on the information contained, or
incorporated by reference in this prospectus, or any free
writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. We have not
authorized any other person to provide you with different or
additional information. If anyone provides you with different or
additional information, you should not rely on it. We are not
making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where an
offer is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is
only accurate on the date of this prospectus. Our business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospectus may
have changed since then.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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7
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24
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25
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27
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31
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31
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31
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31
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32
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33
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34
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i
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information contained
elsewhere in this prospectus or incorporated herein by
reference. This summary may not contain all of the information
that you should consider before buying our ADSs from the selling
shareholder. You should carefully read this entire prospectus,
including each of the documents incorporated herein by
reference, before making an investment decision. Unless the
context requires otherwise, when used in this prospectus,
(1) the terms Fly Leasing, Company,
we, us and our refer to Fly
Leasing Limited and its subsidiaries and (2) all references
to our shares refer to our common shares held in the form of
ADSs.
Our
Company
We are a global lessor of modern, fuel-efficient commercial jet
aircraft. Our aircraft are leased under long-term to medium-term
contracts to a diverse group of airlines throughout the world.
As of December 31, 2009, our portfolio consisted of 62
aircraft.
Our executive offices are located at West Pier, Dun Laoghaire,
County Dublin, Ireland, our telephone number at that location is
+353-1-231-1900, and our website can be accessed at
www.flyleasing.com. Information contained in our website does
not constitute part of this prospectus.
The
Securities We Are Registering
We are using this prospectus to register up to 1,411,264 ADSs to
be sold by the selling shareholder named herein.
The
Offering
The summary below describes the principal terms of the
securities being offered hereunder.
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Securities Offered by the Selling Shareholder |
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1,411,264 common shares in the form of ADSs. |
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Selling Shareholder |
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The selling shareholder is Babcock & Brown JET-i Co.,
Ltd., or B&B JET-i, an indirect subsidiary of
Babcock & Brown Limited (Liquidators Appointed), or
Babcock & Brown. |
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ADSs Outstanding |
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28,268,683 ADSs outstanding as of June 30, 2010. Each ADS
represents one common share. |
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Depositary |
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Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of our ADSs by
the selling shareholder. |
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Listing |
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Our ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol FLY. |
1
RISK
FACTORS
An investment in our ADSs involves a high degree of risk. You
should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by
reference from our most recent Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2009 and our Quarterly
Report on Form
6-K, filed
on May 7, 2010, and the other information contained in this
prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, which are incorporated
herein by reference, before buying our ADSs. For more
information see Where You Can Find More Information
and Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.
2
SPECIAL
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms
a part and the documents incorporated by reference into these
documents contain forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E
of the Exchange Act. We use words such as
anticipates, believes,
plans, expects, future,
intends, will, foresee and
similar expressions to identify these forward-looking
statements. In addition, from time to time we or our
representatives have made or may make forward-looking statements
orally or in writing. Furthermore, such forward-looking
statements may be included in various filings that we make with
the SEC or press releases or oral statements made by or with the
approval of one of our authorized executive officers. These
forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and
unknown risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
reflected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that
might cause actual results to differ include, but are not
limited to, those discussed in our most recent Annual Report on
Form 20-F,
which is incorporated by reference herein and in any subsequent
Form 6-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on any forward-looking statements contained herein, which
reflect managements opinions only as of the date hereof.
Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to revise
or publicly release the results of any revision to any
forward-looking statements. You are advised, however, to consult
any additional disclosures we have made or will make in our
reports to the SEC on
Forms 20-F
and 6-K. All
subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly
qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements
contained in this prospectus.
3
USE OF
PROCEEDS
We will not receive any proceeds from the resale of our ADSs
pursuant to this offering.
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CAPITALIZATION
The following table presents our (1) cash and cash
equivalents and (2) capitalization as of March 31,
2010.
The information below should be read in conjunction our
(1) consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and
(2) Managements Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations section of
the current report on
Form 6-K
that we have filed with the SEC on May 7, 2010.
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(Dollars in thousands)
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Cash and cash
equivalents(1)
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$
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270,288
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Debt
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Notes payable, net
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657,747
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Aircraft acquisition facility
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587,034
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Credit facility
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32,290
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Total debt
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$
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1,277,071
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Shareholders equity
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489,806
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Total capitalization
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$
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1,766,877
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(1) |
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Includes restricted cash of $140.0 million. |
5
PRICE
RANGE OF OUR SHARES
Our ADSs, each representing one common share, are traded on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FLY. The
following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the
reported high and low market prices of our ADSs on the New York
Stock Exchange since September 26, 2007, the date of
listing. On July 2, 2010, the last reported sale price of
our ADSs was $10.09 per ADS.
The following table sets forth the annual high and low market
prices for our ADSs on the New York Stock Exchange since
September 26, 2007, the date of listing:
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High
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Low
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2007
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$
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23.90
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$
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16.56
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2008
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18.85
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4.70
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2009
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10.29
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2.50
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The following table sets forth the quarterly high and low market
prices for our ADSs on the New York for our two most recent full
fiscal years:
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High
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Low
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2008:
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Quarter ending March 31, 2008
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$
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18.85
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$
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13.40
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Quarter ending June 30, 2008
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16.94
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8.73
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Quarter ending September 30, 2008
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14.00
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8.03
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Quarter ending December 31, 2008
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10.25
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4.70
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2009:
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Quarter ending March 31, 2009
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7.79
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2.50
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Quarter ending June 30, 2009
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8.45
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4.11
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Quarter ending September 30, 2009
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10.29
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6.29
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Quarter ending December 31, 2009
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9.90
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7.95
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2010:
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Quarter ending March 31, 2010
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10.94
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8.76
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Quarter ending June 30, 2010
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12.88
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9.94
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The following table sets forth the monthly high and low market
prices for our ADSs on the New York Stock Exchange for the most
recent six months:
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High
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Low
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2010:
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January 2010
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10.94
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9.04
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February 2010
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10.42
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8.76
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March 2010
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10.42
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8.96
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April 2010
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12.88
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10.25
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May 2010
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12.41
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10.30
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June 2010
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11.94
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9.94
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6
DESCRIPTION
OF SHARE CAPITAL
The following description of our share capital reflects our
memorandum of association and our bye-laws. Holders of ADSs will
be able to exercise their rights with respect to the common
shares underlying the ADSs only in accordance with the terms of
the deposit agreement. See Description of American
Depositary Shares for more information.
Share
Capital
Our authorized share capital consists of US$500,000 divided into
499,999,900 common shares and 100 manager shares par value
US$0.001 each. Pursuant to our bye-laws, subject to any
resolution of the shareholders to the contrary, our board of
directors is authorized to issue any of our authorized but
unissued shares. As of June 30, 2010, 28,268,683 common
shares were outstanding.
Common
Shares
Holders of common shares have no pre-emptive, redemption,
conversion or sinking fund rights. Holders of common shares are
entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a
vote of holders of common shares. Unless a different majority is
required by law or by our bye-laws, resolutions to be approved
by holders of common shares require approval by a simple
majority of votes cast at a meeting at which a quorum is
present. There are no limitations on the right of non-Bermudians
or non-residents of Bermuda to hold or vote our shares except as
described herein.
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the
holders of common shares are entitled to share equally and
ratably in our assets, if any, remaining after the payment of
all of our debts and liabilities, subject to any liquidation
preference on any issued and outstanding preference shares.
Preference
Shares
Pursuant to Bermuda law and our bye-laws, our board of directors
by resolution may establish one or more series of preference
shares having such number of shares, designations, dividend
rates, relative voting rights, conversion or exchange rights,
redemption rights, liquidation rights and other relative
participation, optional or other special rights, qualifications,
limitations or restrictions as may be fixed by the board without
any further shareholder approval. The rights with respect to a
series of preference shares may be greater than the rights
attached to our common shares. It is not possible to state the
actual effect of the issuance of any preference shares on the
rights of holders of our common shares until our board of
directors determines the specific rights attached to those
preference shares. The effect of issuing preference shares could
include one or more of the following:
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restricting dividends in respect of our common shares;
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diluting the voting power of our common shares or providing that
holders of preference shares have the right to vote on matters
as a class;
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impairing the liquidation rights of our common shares; or
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delaying or preventing a change of control of our company.
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As of the date of this prospectus, there are no preference
shares outstanding.
Manager
Shares
Our manager, Fly Leasing Management Co. Limited, or the Manager,
owns 100 manager shares that are entitled to director
appointment rights and the right to vote on amendments to the
provision of our bye-laws relating to termination of our
management agreement with the Manager. Manager shares do not
convert into common shares. Upon a termination of our management
agreement, the manager shares will cease to have any appointment
and voting rights and, to the extent permitted under
Section 42 of Companies Act 1981 (Bermuda), will be
automatically redeemed for
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their par value. Manager shares are not entitled to receive any
dividends and, other than with respect to director appointment
rights, holder of manager shares have no voting rights.
Dividend
Rights
Pursuant to Bermuda law, we are restricted from declaring or
paying a dividend if there are reasonable grounds for believing
that (1) we are, or would after the payment be, unable to
pay our liabilities as they become due, or (2) the
realizable value of our assets would thereby be less than the
aggregate of our liabilities and our issued share capital (the
aggregate par value of our issued and outstanding common
shares). As a result, if the realizable value of our assets
decreases, our ability to make or maintain dividend payments may
depend on our ability to transfer balances to our contributed
surplus account (to which we can allocate shareholder
contributions that are unrelated to any share subscription).
There are no restrictions on our ability to transfer funds
(other than funds denominated in Bermuda dollars) in and out of
Bermuda or to pay dividends to U.S. residents who are
holders of our common shares.
Variation
of Rights
If at any time we have more than one class of shares, the rights
attaching to any class, unless otherwise provided for by the
terms of issue of the relevant class, may be varied either:
(1) with the consent in writing of the holders of 50% of
the issued shares of that class; or (2) with the sanction
of a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast at a
general meeting of the relevant class of shareholders at which a
quorum consisting of at least two persons holding or
representing two-thirds of the issued shares of the relevant
class is present. Our bye-laws specify that the creation or
issue of shares ranking equally with existing shares will not,
unless expressly provided by the terms of issue of existing
shares, vary the rights attached to existing shares. In
addition, the creation or issue of preference shares ranking
prior to common shares will not be deemed to vary the rights
attached to common shares or, subject to the terms of any other
series of preference shares, to vary the rights attached to any
other series of preference shares.
Election
and Removal of Directors
Our bye-laws provide that our board shall consist of not less
than two and not more than 15 directors as the board may
from time to time determine. Our board of directors currently
consists of eight directors, each of whom serves a term
commencing of their election and continuing until the next
annual general meeting or until their successors are elected or
appointed or their office is otherwise vacated. Our bye-laws
provide that persons standing for election as directors at a
duly constituted and quorate annual general meeting are
appointed by shareholders holding shares carrying a plurality of
the votes cast on the resolution. Our bye-laws provide that our
Manager has the right to appoint the nearest whole number of
directors on our board of directors that is not more than 3/7ths
of the number of directors on our board of directors at the
time. The Managers appointees on our board of directors
will not be required to stand for election by our shareholders
other than by an affiliate of the Manager.
Any shareholder holding five percent or more of our common
shares wishing to propose for election as a director someone who
is not an existing director or is not proposed by our board must
give notice of the intention to propose the person for election.
Where a person is to be proposed for election as a director at
an annual general meeting by a shareholder, that notice must be
given not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days
before the anniversary of the last annual general meeting prior
to the giving of the notice or, in the event the annual general
meeting is called for a date that is not 25 days before or
after such anniversary the notice must be given not later than
ten days following the earlier of the date on which notice of
the annual general meeting was posted to shareholders or the
date on which public disclosure of the date of the annual
general meeting was made.
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A director (other than a director appointed by the Manager
pursuant to its appointment right described above) may be
removed with or without cause by a resolution including the
affirmative vote of shareholders holding shares carrying at
least 80% of the votes of all shares then issued and entitled to
vote on the resolution, provided that notice of the shareholders
meeting convened to remove the director is given to the
director. The notice must contain a statement of the intention
to remove the director and must be served on the director not
less than 14 days before the meeting. The director is
entitled to attend the meeting and be heard on the motion for
his removal. A director appointed by the Manager pursuant to its
appointment right described above may be removed with or without
cause by the Manager upon notice from the Manager.
Anti-Takeover
Provisions
The following is a summary of certain provisions of our bye-laws
that may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect and may
delay, deter or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that
a shareholder might consider to be in its best interest,
including those attempts that might result in a premium over the
market price for the shares held by shareholders.
Pursuant to our bye-laws, our preference shares may be issued
from time to time, and the board of directors is authorized to
determine the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications,
limitations and restrictions. See Preference
Shares.
The authorized but unissued common shares and our preference
shares will be available for future issuance by the board of
directors, subject to any resolutions of the shareholders. These
additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate
purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional
capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The
existence of authorized but unissued common shares and
preference shares could render more difficult or discourage an
attempt to obtain control over us by means of a proxy contest,
tender offer, amalgamation or otherwise.
Our bye-laws provide that if a competing aircraft leasing
business acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our
common shares, then we have the option, but not the obligation,
within 90 days of the acquisition of such threshold
beneficial ownership, to require that shareholder to tender for
all of our remaining common shares, or to sell such number of
common shares to us or to third parties at fair market value as
would reduce its beneficial ownership to less than 15%. In
addition, our bye-laws provide that the vote of each common
share held by a competing aircraft leasing business that
beneficially owns 15% or more, but less than 50%, of our common
shares will be reduced to three-tenths of a vote per share on
all matters upon which such shareholder may vote.
Certain
Provisions of Bermuda Law
We have been designated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority as a
non-resident for Bermuda exchange control purposes. This
designation allows us to engage in transactions in currencies
other than the Bermuda dollar, and there are no restrictions on
our ability to transfer funds (other than funds denominated in
Bermuda dollars) in and out of Bermuda or to pay dividends to
United States residents who are holders of our common shares.
The Bermuda Monetary Authority has given its consent for the
issue and free transferability of all of the common shares that
underlie the ADSs that are the subject of this offering to and
between non-residents of Bermuda for exchange control purposes,
provided our ADSs remain listed on an appointed stock exchange,
which includes the New York Stock Exchange. Approvals or
permissions given by the Bermuda Monetary Authority do not
constitute a guarantee by the Bermuda Monetary Authority as to
our performance or our creditworthiness. Accordingly, in giving
such consent or permissions, the Bermuda Monetary Authority
shall not be liable for the financial soundness, performance or
default of our business or for the correctness of any opinions
or statements expressed in this prospectus. Certain issues and
transfers of common shares involving persons deemed resident in
Bermuda for exchange control purposes may require the specific
consent of the Bermuda Monetary Authority.
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In accordance with Bermuda law, share certificates are only
issued in the names of companies, partnerships or individuals.
In the case of a shareholder acting in a special capacity (for
example as a trustee), certificates may, at the request of the
shareholder, record the capacity in which the shareholder is
acting. Notwithstanding such recording of any special capacity,
we are not bound to investigate or see to the execution of any
such trust. We will take no notice of any trust applicable to
any of our shares, whether or not we have been notified of such
trust.
Differences
in Corporate Law
You should be aware that the Companies Act, which applies to us,
differs in certain material respects from laws generally
applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders. In
order to highlight these differences, set forth below is a
summary of certain significant provisions of the Companies Act
(including modifications adopted pursuant to our bye-laws) and
Bermuda common law applicable to us which differ in certain
respects from provisions of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware. Because the following statements are
summaries, they do not address all aspects of Bermuda law that
may be relevant to us and our shareholders or all aspects of
Delaware law which may differ from Bermuda law.
Duties
of Directors
Our bye-laws provide that our business is to be managed and
conducted by our board of directors. At common law, members of
the board of directors of a Bermuda company owe a fiduciary duty
to the company to act in good faith in their dealings with or on
behalf of the company and exercise their powers and fulfill the
duties of their office honestly. This duty includes the
following essential elements:
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a duty to act in good faith in the best interests of the company;
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a duty not to make a personal profit from opportunities that
arise from the office of director;
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a duty to avoid conflicts of interest; and
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a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers
were intended.
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The Companies Act imposes a duty on directors and officers of a
Bermuda company:
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to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best
interests of the company; and
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to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably
prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances.
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In addition, the Companies Act imposes various duties on
directors and officers of a company with respect to certain
matters of management and administration of the company.
Directors and officers generally owe fiduciary duties to the
company, and not to the companys individual shareholders.
Our shareholders may not have a direct cause of action against
our directors.
Under Delaware law, the business and affairs of a corporation
are managed by or under the direction of its board of directors.
In exercising their powers, directors are charged with a
fiduciary duty of care to protect the interests of the
corporation and a fiduciary duty of loyalty to act in the best
interests of its shareholders. The duty of care requires that
directors act in an informed and deliberative manner and inform
themselves, prior to making a business decision, of all material
information reasonably available to them. The duty of care also
requires that directors exercise care in overseeing and
investigating the conduct of corporate employees. The duty of
loyalty may be summarized as the duty to act in good faith, not
out of self-interest, and in a manner which the director
reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the
shareholders.
Delaware law provides that a party challenging the propriety of
a decision of a board of directors bears the burden of rebutting
the applicability of the presumptions afforded to directors by
the business
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judgment rule. The business judgment rule is a presumption
that in making a business decision, directors acted on an
informed basis and that the action taken was in the best
interests of the company and its shareholders, and accordingly,
unless the presumption is rebutted, a boards decision will
be upheld unless there can be no rational business purpose for
the action or the action constitutes corporate waste. If the
presumption is not rebutted, the business judgment rule attaches
to protect the directors and their decisions, and their business
judgments will not be second guessed. Where, however, the
presumption is rebutted, the directors bear the burden of
demonstrating the entire fairness of the relevant transaction.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Delaware courts may subject
directors conduct to enhanced scrutiny in respect of
defensive actions taken in response to a threat to corporate
control or the approval of a transaction resulting in a sale of
control of the corporation.
Interested
Directors
Bermuda law and our bye-laws provide that if a director has an
interest in a material transaction or proposed material
transaction with us or any of our subsidiaries or has a material
interest in any person that is a party to such a transaction,
the director must disclose the nature of that interest at the
first opportunity either at a meeting of directors or in writing
to the directors. Our bye-laws provide that, after a director
has made such a declaration of interest, he is allowed to be
counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present
and to vote on a transaction in which he has an interest, unless
disqualified from doing so by the chairman of the relevant board
meeting.
Under Delaware law, such transaction would not be voidable if
(1) the material facts as to such interested
directors relationship or interests are disclosed or are
known to the board of directors and the board in good faith
authorizes the transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority
of the disinterested directors, (2) such material facts are
disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote on
such transaction and the transaction is specifically approved in
good faith by vote of the majority of shares entitled to vote
thereon or (3) the transaction is fair as to the company as
of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified. Under
Delaware law, such interested director could be held liable for
a transaction in which such director derived an improper
personal benefit.
Voting
Rights and Quorum Requirements
Under Bermuda law, the voting rights of our shareholders are
regulated by our bye-laws and, in certain circumstances, the
Companies Act. Under our bye-laws, at any general meeting, two
or more persons present in person at the start of the meeting
and representing in person or by proxy shareholders holding
shares carrying more than 25% of the votes of all shares
entitled to vote on the resolution shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business. Generally, except as otherwise
provided in the bye-laws, or the Companies Act, any action or
resolution requiring approval of the shareholders may be passed
by a simple majority of votes cast except for the election of
directors which requires only a plurality of the votes cast.
Any individual who is a shareholder of our company and who is
present at a meeting may vote in person, as may any corporate
shareholder that is represented by a duly authorized
representative at a meeting of shareholders. Our bye-laws also
permit attendance at general meetings by proxy, provided the
instrument appointing the proxy is in the form specified in the
bye-laws or such other form as the board may determine. Under
our bye-laws, each holder of common shares is entitled to one
vote per common share held.
Under Delaware law, unless otherwise provided in a
companys certificate of incorporation, each stockholder is
entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by the
stockholder. Delaware law provides that unless otherwise
provided in a companys certificate of incorporation or
bye-laws, a majority of the shares entitled to vote, present in
person or represented by proxy, constitutes a quorum at a
meeting of stockholders. In matters other than the election of
directors, with the exception of special voting requirements
related to extraordinary transactions, and unless otherwise
provided in a companys certificate of incorporation or
bye-laws, the affirmative vote of a majority of shares present
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in person or represented by proxy at the meeting entitled to
vote is required for stockholder action, and the affirmative
vote of a plurality of shares is required for the election of
directors.
Dividends
Pursuant to Bermuda law, a company is restricted from declaring
or paying a dividend if there are reasonable grounds for
believing that: (1) the company is, or would after the
payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due or
(2) that the realizable value of its assets would thereby
be less than the aggregate of its liabilities and its issued
share capital. Under our bye-laws, each common share is entitled
to dividends if, as and when dividends are declared by our board
of directors, subject to any preferred dividend right of the
holders of any preference shares. Issued share capital is the
aggregate par value of the companys issued and outstanding
common shares.
Under Delaware law, subject to any restrictions contained in the
companys certificate of incorporation, a company may pay
dividends out of surplus or, if there is no surplus, out of net
profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared
and for the preceding fiscal year. Delaware law also provides
that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the
payment of the dividend, capital is less than the capital
represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a
preference upon the distribution of assets.
Amalgamations,
Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The amalgamation of a Bermuda company with another company or
corporation (other than certain affiliated companies) requires
the amalgamation agreement to be approved by the companys
board of directors and by its shareholders. Unless the
companys bye-laws provide otherwise, the approval of 75%
of the shareholders voting at such meeting is required to
approve the amalgamation agreement, and the quorum for such
meeting must be two persons holding or representing more than
one-third of the issued shares of the company. Our bye-laws
provide that a merger or an amalgamation (other than with a
wholly owned subsidiary) that has been approved by the board
must only be approved by a majority of the votes cast at a
general meeting of the shareholders at which the quorum shall be
two or more persons present in person and representing in person
or by proxy shareholders holding shares carrying more than 25%
of the votes of all shares entitled to vote on the resolution.
Any merger or amalgamation not approved by our board must be
approved by shareholders holding shares carrying not less than
66% of the votes of all shares entitled to vote on the
resolution.
Under Bermuda law, in the event of an amalgamation of a Bermuda
company with another company or corporation, a shareholder of
the Bermuda company who did not vote in favor of the
amalgamation and is not satisfied that fair value has been
offered for such shareholders shares may, within one month
of notice of the shareholders meeting, apply to the Supreme
Court of Bermuda to appraise the fair value of those shares.
Under Delaware law, with certain exceptions, a merger,
consolidation or sale of all or substantially all the assets of
a corporation must be approved by the board of directors and a
majority of the issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote
thereon. Under Delaware law, a shareholder of a corporation
participating in certain major corporate transactions may, under
certain circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights pursuant
to which such shareholder may receive cash in the amount of the
fair value of the shares held by such shareholder (as determined
by a court) in lieu of the consideration such shareholder would
otherwise receive in the transaction.
Takeovers
An acquiring party is generally able to acquire compulsorily the
common shares of minority holders of a company in the following
ways:
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By a procedure under the Companies Act known as a scheme
of arrangement. A scheme of arrangement could be effected
by obtaining the agreement of the company and of holders of
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common shares, representing in the aggregate a majority in
number and at least 75% in value of the common shareholders
present and voting at a court ordered meeting held to consider
the scheme of arrangement. The scheme of arrangement must then
be sanctioned by the Bermuda Supreme Court. If a scheme of
arrangement receives all necessary agreements and sanctions,
upon the filing of the court order with the Registrar of
Companies in Bermuda, all holders of common shares could be
compelled to sell their shares under the terms of the scheme or
arrangement.
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If the acquiring party is a company by acquiring pursuant to a
tender offer 90% of the shares or class of shares not already
owned by, or by a nominee for, the acquiring party (the
offeror), or any of its subsidiaries. If an offeror has, within
four months after the making of an offer for all the shares or
class of shares not owned by, or by a nominee for, the offeror,
or any of its subsidiaries, obtained the approval of the holders
of 90% or more of all the shares to which the offer relates, the
offeror may, at any time within two months beginning with the
date on which the approval was obtained, require by notice any
nontendering shareholder to transfer its shares on the same
terms as the original offer. In those circumstances,
nontendering shareholders will be compelled to sell their shares
unless the Supreme Court of Bermuda (on application made within
a one-month period from the date of the offerors notice of
its intention to acquire such shares) orders otherwise.
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Where the acquiring party or parties hold not less than 95% of
the shares or a class of shares of the company, by acquiring,
pursuant to a notice given to the remaining shareholders or
class of shareholders, the shares of such remaining shareholders
or class of shareholders. When this notice is given, the
acquiring party is entitled and bound to acquire the shares of
the remaining shareholders on the terms set out in the notice,
unless a remaining shareholder, within one month of receiving
such notice, applies to the Supreme Court of Bermuda for an
appraisal of the value of their shares. This provision only
applies where the acquiring party offers the same terms to all
holders of shares whose shares are being acquired.
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Delaware law provides that a parent corporation, by resolution
of its board of directors and without any shareholder vote, may
merge with any subsidiary of which it owns at least 90% of each
class of its capital stock. Upon any such merger, dissenting
shareholders of the subsidiary would have appraisal rights.
Shareholders
Suits
Class actions and derivative actions are generally not available
to shareholders under Bermuda law. The Bermuda courts, however,
would ordinarily be expected to permit a shareholder to commence
an action in the name of a company to remedy a wrong to the
company where the act complained of is alleged to be beyond the
corporate power of the company or illegal, or would result in
the violation of the companys memorandum of association or
bye-laws. Furthermore, consideration would be given by a Bermuda
court to acts that are alleged to constitute a fraud against the
minority shareholders or, for instance, where an act requires
the approval of a greater percentage of the companys
shareholders than that which actually approved it.
When the affairs of a company are being conducted in a manner
which is oppressive or prejudicial to the interests of some part
of the shareholders, one or more shareholders may apply to the
Supreme Court of Bermuda, which may make such order as it sees
fit, including an order regulating the conduct of the
companys affairs in the future or ordering the purchase of
the shares of any shareholders by other shareholders or by the
company.
Our bye-laws contain a provision by virtue of which our
shareholders waive any claim or right of action that they have,
both individually and on our behalf, against any director or
officer in relation to any action or failure to take action by
such director or officer, except in respect of any fraud or
dishonesty of such director or officer. The operation of this
provision as a waiver of the right to sue for violations of
federal securities laws may be unenforceable in U.S. courts.
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Class actions and derivative actions generally are available to
shareholders under Delaware law for, among other things, breach
of fiduciary duty, corporate waste and actions not taken in
accordance with applicable law. In such actions, the court
generally has discretion to permit the winning party to recover
attorneys fees incurred in connection with such action.
Indemnification
of Directors and Officers
Section 98 of the Companies Act provides generally that a
Bermuda company may indemnify its directors, officers and
auditors against any liability which by virtue of any rule of
law would otherwise be imposed on them in respect of any
negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, except
in cases where such liability arises from fraud or dishonesty of
which such director, officer or auditor may be guilty in
relation to the company. Section 98 further provides that a
Bermuda company may indemnify its directors, officers and
auditors against any liability incurred by them in defending any
proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgment is
awarded in their favor or in which they are acquitted or granted
relief by the Supreme Court of Bermuda pursuant to
section 281 of the Companies Act.
We have adopted provisions in our bye-laws that provide that we
shall indemnify our officers and directors in respect of their
actions and omissions, except in respect of their fraud or
dishonesty. We also have entered into directors service
agreements with our directors, pursuant to which we have agreed
to indemnify them against any liability brought against them by
reason of their service as directors, except in cases where such
liability arises from fraud, dishonesty, bad faith, gross
negligence, willful default or willful misfeasance. Our bye-laws
provide that the shareholders waive all claims or rights of
action that they might have, individually or in right of the
company, against any of the companys directors or officers
for any act or failure to act in the performance of such
directors or officers duties, except in respect of
any fraud or dishonesty of such director or officer.
Section 98A of the Companies Act permits us to purchase and
maintain insurance for the benefit of any officer or director in
respect of any loss or liability attaching to him in respect of
any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust,
whether or not we may otherwise indemnify such officer or
director. We have purchased and maintain a directors and
officers liability policy for such a purpose.
Under Delaware law, a corporation may indemnify a director or
officer of the corporation against expenses (including
attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred in defense of an
action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position if
(1) such director or officer acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the corporation and (2) with respect to
any criminal action or proceeding, such director or officer had
no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
Inspection
of Corporate Records
Members of the general public have the right to inspect our
public documents available at the office of the Registrar of
Companies in Bermuda and our registered office in Bermuda, which
will include our memorandum of association (including its
objects and powers) and certain alterations to our memorandum of
association. Our shareholders have the additional right to
inspect our bye-laws, minutes of general meetings and audited
financial statements, which must be presented to the annual
general meeting of shareholders.
The register of members of a company is also open to inspection
by shareholders, and by members of the general public without
charge. The register of members is required to be open for
inspection for not less than two hours in any business day
(subject to the ability of a company to close the register of
members for not more than 30 days in a year). A company is
required to maintain its share register in Bermuda but may,
subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, establish a
branch register outside of Bermuda. A company is required to
keep at its registered office a register of directors and
officers that is open for inspection for not less than two hours
in any business day by members of the public
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without charge. Bermuda law does not, however, provide a general
right for shareholders to inspect or obtain copies of any other
corporate records.
Delaware law permits any shareholder to inspect or obtain copies
of a corporations shareholder list and its other books and
records for any purpose reasonably related to such persons
interest as a shareholder.
Shareholder
Proposals
Under Bermuda law, shareholders may, as set forth below and at
their own expense (unless the company otherwise resolves),
require the company to: (1) give notice to all shareholders
entitled to receive notice of the annual general meeting of any
resolution that the shareholders may properly move at the next
annual general meeting;
and/or
(2) circulate to all shareholders entitled to receive
notice of any general meeting a statement in respect of any
matter referred to in the proposed resolution or any business to
be conducted at such general meeting. The number of shareholders
necessary for such a requisition is either: (1) any number
of shareholders representing not less than 5% of the total
voting rights of all shareholders entitled to vote at the
meeting to which the requisition relates; or (2) not less
than 100 shareholders.
Delaware law does not include a provision restricting the manner
in which nominations for directors may be made by shareholders
or the manner in which business may be brought before a meeting
although restrictions may be included in a Delaware
companys certificate of incorporation or bye-laws.
Calling
of Special Shareholders Meetings
Under our bye-laws, a special general meeting may be called by
the President, the chairman of the board or the board of
directors. Bermuda law also provides that a special general
meeting must be called upon the request of shareholders holding
not less than 10% of the
paid-up
capital of the company carrying the right to vote at general
meetings.
Delaware law permits the board of directors or any person who is
authorized under a corporations certificate of
incorporation or bye-laws to call a special meeting of
shareholders.
Amendment
of Organizational Documents
Bermuda law provides that the memorandum of association of a
company may be amended by a resolution passed at a general
meeting of shareholders of which due notice has been given.
Certain amendments to the memorandum of association may require
approval of the Bermuda Minister of Finance, who may grant or
withhold approval at his or her discretion.
Under Bermuda law, the holders of an aggregate of not less than
20% in par value of a companys issued share capital have
the right to apply to the Bermuda courts for an annulment of any
amendment of the memorandum of association adopted by
shareholders at any general meeting, other than an amendment
which alters or reduces a companys share capital as
provided in the Companies Act. Where such an application is
made, the amendment becomes effective only to the extent that it
is confirmed by the Bermuda court. An application for an
annulment of an amendment of the memorandum of association must
be made within 21 days after the date on which the
resolution altering the companys memorandum of association
is passed and may be made on behalf of persons entitled to make
the application by one or more of their designees as such
holders may appoint in writing for such purpose. No application
may be made by the shareholders voting in favor of the amendment.
Under Delaware law, amendment of the certificate of
incorporation, which is the equivalent of a memorandum of
association, of a company must be made by a resolution of the
board of directors setting forth the amendment, declaring its
advisability, and either calling a special meeting of the
shareholders entitled to vote or directing that the proposed
amendment be considered at the next annual meeting of the
shareholders. Delaware law requires that, unless a different
percentage is provided for in the certificate of incorporation,
a majority of the voting power of the corporation is
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required to approve the amendment of the certificate of
incorporation at the shareholders meeting. If the amendment
would alter the number of authorized shares or par value or
otherwise adversely affect the rights or preference of any class
of a companys stock, the holders of the issued and
outstanding shares of such affected class, regardless of whether
such holders are entitled to vote by the certificate of
incorporation, are entitled to vote as a class upon the proposed
amendment. However, the number of authorized shares of any class
may be increased or decreased, to the extent not falling below
the number of shares then issued and outstanding, by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock
entitled to vote, if so provided in the companys
certificate of incorporation that was authorized by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of such class or
classes of stock.
Amendment
of Bye-laws
Our bye-laws provide that the bye-laws may only be rescinded,
altered or amended upon approval by a resolution of our board of
directors and by a resolution of our shareholders, adopted by
the affirmative votes of at least a majority of all shares
entitled to vote on the resolution. Our bye-laws provide that,
notwithstanding the foregoing, rescission, alteration or
amendment of the bye-law relating to our ability to terminate
the Managers appointment under our management agreement
also requires the approval of the holder of our manager shares.
Under Delaware law, unless the certificate of incorporation or
bye-laws provide for a different vote, holders of a majority of
the voting power of a corporation and, if so provided in the
certificate of incorporation, the directors of the corporation
have the power to adopt, amend and repeal the bye-laws of a
corporation. Those bye-laws dealing with the election of
directors, classes of directors and the term of office of
directors may only be rescinded, altered or amended upon
approval by a resolution of the directors and by a resolution of
shareholders carrying not less than 66% of all shares entitled
to vote on the resolution.
Registrar
and Transfer Agent
All of our issued and outstanding common shares are held by the
depositary. Codan Services Limited, Hamilton, Bermuda, acts as
the registrar and transfer agent for our common shares.
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DESCRIPTION
OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
American
Depositary Receipts
Each ADS represents an ownership interest in one common share
which we deposit with the custodian under the deposit agreement
among ourselves, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as
depositary, and ADS holders. Your ADSs are evidenced by what are
known as American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs, in the same way
a share is evidenced by a share certificate. Your rights as a
holder of ADSs is governed by the deposit agreement and our
bye-laws.
The following is a summary of the material terms of the deposit
agreement. Because it is a summary, it does not contain all the
information that may be important to you. For more complete
information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and
the form of ADR which contains the terms of your ADSs. You can
read a copy of the deposit agreement which is filed with the SEC
as an exhibit to our registration statement on
Form F-6,
as filed with the SEC on September 21, 2007, as may be
subsequently amended. You may also obtain a copy of the deposit
agreement at the SECs Public Reference Room, which is
located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
20549, United States of America. You may obtain information on
the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
1-800-732-0330.
Copies of the deposit agreement and the form of ADR are also
available for inspection at the corporate trust office of
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, currently located at
60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005. Deutsche Bank
Trust Company Americas principal executive office is
located at 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, United
States of America. The depositary keeps books at its corporate
trust office for the registration of ADRs and transfer of ADRs
which, at all reasonable times, shall be open for inspection by
ADS holders, provided that inspection shall not be for the
purposes of communicating with ADS holders in the interest of a
business or object other than our business or a matter related
to the deposit agreement or the ADSs.
For a description of our bye-laws, see Description of
Share Capital.
Holding
the ADSs
Unless otherwise agreed among us and the depositary in
accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, the ADSs are
held electronically in book-entry form either directly (by
having an ADR registered in your name) or indirectly through
your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs
directly, you are an ADR holder. This description assumes you
hold your ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you
must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial
institution to assert the rights of ADR holders described in
this section. You should consult with your broker or financial
institution to find out what those procedures are.
As an ADR holder, you are not treated as one of our shareholders
and you do not have shareholder rights. Bermuda law governs
shareholder rights. The depositary is the holder of the common
shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADRs, you have ADR
holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and
you, as an ADR holder, and the beneficial owners of ADRs sets
out ADR holder rights, representations and warranties as well as
the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law
governs the deposit agreement and the ADRs.
Fees and
Expenses
Except as described below, we pay all fees, charges and expenses
of the depositary and any agent of the depositary pursuant to
agreements from time to time between us and the depositary,
except that if you elect to withdraw the common shares
underlying your ADRs from the depositary you will be required to
pay the depositary a fee of up to US$5.00 per 100 ADSs
surrendered or any portion thereof, together with expenses
incurred by the depositary and any taxes or charges, such as
stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, in connection with
the withdrawal. We will not receive any portion of the fee
payable to the depositary upon a withdrawal of shares from the
depositary. The depositary
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will not make any payments to us, and we will not receive any
portion of any fees collected by the depositary.
Except as specified above in connection with a cancellation of
ADSs and withdrawal of common shares from the depositary, we are
required to pay any taxes and other governmental charges
incurred by the depositary or the custodian on any ADR or common
share underlying an ADR, including any applicable interest and
penalties thereon, any stock transfer or other taxes and other
governmental charges in any applicable jurisdiction.
Dividends
and Other Distributions
The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or
other distributions it or the custodian receives on common
shares or other deposited securities, less any fees described
below under Withholding Taxes, Duties and
Other Governmental Charges. You will receive these
distributions in proportion to the number of common shares your
ADSs represent as of the record date set by the depositary with
respect to the ADSs.
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Withholding Taxes, Duties and Other Governmental
Charges. Before making a distribution, the
depositary will deduct any withholding taxes, duties or other
governmental charges that must be paid. Dividends on our shares
are subject to deduction of Irish withholding taxes, unless an
exemption to withholding is available. U.S. holders of ADSs
(including U.S. citizens or residents) are entitled to
claim a refund of Irish withholding taxes on dividends. Unless a
U.S. holder of ADSs otherwise specifies, a customary fee of
$0.003 per ADS will be deducted from each dividend paid to such
holder so that such dividend may be paid gross of Irish
withholding taxes. See Taxation Considerations
Irish Tax Considerations Irish Dividend Withholding
Tax for a discussion of Irish withholding taxes and
exemptions from such tax available for U.S. resident and
certain other holders.
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Shares. The depositary may distribute
additional ADSs representing any common shares we distribute as
a dividend or free distribution to the extent permissible by
law. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADRs, the
outstanding ADSs will also represent the new common shares.
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Elective Distributions in Cash or
Shares. If we offer holders of our common
shares the option to receive dividends in either cash or common
shares, the depositary will, after consultation with us and to
the extent permissible by law and reasonably practicable, offer
holders of ADSs the option to receive dividends in either cash
or ADSs to the extent permissible under applicable law and in
accordance with the deposit agreement.
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Rights to Receive Additional Shares. If
we offer holders of our common shares any rights to subscribe
for additional common shares or any other rights, the
depositary, after consultation with us and to the extent
permissible by law and reasonably practicable, will make these
rights available to you as a holder of ADSs. If the depositary
makes rights available to you, it will exercise the rights and
purchase the common shares on your behalf subject to your
payment of applicable fees, taxes, charges and expenses. The
depositary will then deposit the common shares and issue ADSs to
you. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise
price and any taxes and other governmental charges the rights
require you to pay. U.S. securities laws or Bermuda law may
restrict the sale, deposit, cancellation, and transfer of the
ADSs issued after exercise of rights. Our intent is not to offer
holders any rights to subscribe for additional common shares
unless the holders of our ADSs would thereby be offered rights
to receive ADSs in an offering registered under
U.S. securities laws.
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Other Distributions. Subject to receipt
of timely notice from us with the request to make any such
distribution available to you, and provided the depositary has
determined that such distribution is lawful, practicable and
feasible and in accordance with the terms of the deposit
agreement, the depositary will send to you anything else we
distribute on deposited securities
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by any means it deems practical in proportion to the number of
ADSs held by you, net of any taxes and other governmental
charges withheld.
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The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is
unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any
ADR holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, common
shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We
also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the
distribution of ADRs, common shares, rights or anything else to
ADR holders. This means that you may not receive the
distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it
is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.
Deposit
and Withdrawal
The depositary delivers ADSs upon deposit of common shares with
the custodian. The custodian holds all deposited common shares,
including those being deposited by us in connection with the
offering to which this prospectus relates, for the account of
the depositary. You thus have no direct ownership interest in
the common shares and only have the rights as are set out in the
deposit agreement. The custodian also holds any additional
securities, property and cash received on, or in substitution
for, the deposited common shares. The deposited common shares
and any such additional items are all referred to collectively
as deposited securities.
Upon each deposit of common shares, receipt of related delivery
documentation and compliance with the other provisions of the
deposit agreement, the depositary issues an ADR or ADRs in the
name of the person entitled thereto evidencing the number of
ADSs to which that person is entitled. Alternatively, at your
request, risk and expense, the depositary in its discretion will
deliver certificated ADRs at the depositarys principal New
York office or any other location that it may designate as its
transfer office.
You may surrender your ADRs at the depositarys office or
through instruction provided to your broker. Upon payment of its
fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, it and of any
taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or
fees, the depositary will deliver the common shares and any
other deposited securities underlying the ADR to you or a person
you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your
request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the
deposited securities at its principal New York office or any
other location that it may designate as its transfer office, if
feasible.
You have the right to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the
underlying common shares at any time subject only to:
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temporary delays caused by closing of our or the
depositarys transfer books, or the deposit of common
shares in connection with voting at a shareholders
meeting, or the payment of dividends;
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the surrender of ADRs evidencing a number of ADSs representing
other than a whole number of common shares;
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the payment of fees, charges, taxes and other governmental
charges; or
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where deemed necessary or advisable by the depositary or us in
good faith due to any requirement of any U.S. or foreign
laws, government, governmental body or commission, any
securities exchange on which the ADSs or common shares are
listed or governmental regulations relating to the ADSs or the
withdrawal of the underlying common shares.
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U.S. securities laws provide that this right of withdrawal
may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit
agreement. However, we do not intend to list our common shares
for trading on any exchange. Therefore, it may be more difficult
to dispose of our common shares than it will be to dispose of
our ADSs.
19
Transmission
of Notices to Shareholders
We will promptly transmit to the depositary those communications
that we make generally available to our shareholders together
with annual and other reports prepared in accordance with
applicable requirements of U.S. securities laws. Upon our
request and at our expense, subject to the distribution of any
such communications being lawful and not in contravention of any
regulatory restrictions or requirements if so distributed and
made available to holders, the depositary will arrange for the
timely mailing of copies of such communications to all ADS
holders and will make a copy of such communications available
for inspection at the depositarys Corporate
Trust Office, the office of the custodian or any other
designated transfer office of the depositary.
Voting
Rights
As soon as practicable upon receipt of timely notice of any
meeting at which the holders of our shares are entitled to vote,
or of solicitation of consents or proxies from holders of our
shares, the depositary will fix a record date in respect of such
meeting or solicitation of consent or proxy. The depositary
will, if requested by us in writing in a timely manner, mail by
regular, ordinary mail delivery (or by electronic mail or as
otherwise may be agreed between us and the depositary from time
to time) or otherwise distribute to holders of ADSs as of the
record date: (a) such information as is contained in such
notice of meeting (or solicitation of consent or proxy) received
by the depositary from us, (b) a statement that holders as
of the record date will be entitled, insofar as practicable and
permitted under applicable law, the terms of the deposit
agreement, the terms and conditions of our common shares and of
our bye-laws (and subject to such other requirements as we shall
notify the depositary), to instruct the depositary as to the
exercise of the voting rights (or deemed exercise of voting
rights), if any, pertaining to the amount of our common shares
represented by their respective ADSs, and (c) a statement
as to the manner in which such instructions may be given or may
be deemed to have been given as described below if no
validly-completed instructions are received by the depositary
from a holder of ADSs by the ADS voting cut off date set by the
depositary for such purpose. Upon the written request of a
holder as of such record date, received on or before the ADS
voting cut off date, the depositary will endeavor, insofar as
practicable, to vote or cause to be voted the amount of our
common shares represented by the ADSs in accordance with the
instructions set forth in such request.
To the extent no such instructions are received by the
depositary on or before the ADS voting cut off date from holders
of a sufficient number of shares so as to enable the Company to
meet its quorum requirements with respect to any such meeting of
shareholders, the depositary will, upon our written request and
at all times subject to applicable law, the terms of the deposit
agreement, the terms and conditions of our common shares and our
bye-laws, deem such holder to: (A) have instructed the
depositary to take such action as is necessary to cause the
number of underlying shares for which no voting instructions
have been received from holders of ADSs so as to meet applicable
quorum requirements (currently 25% of our common shares) to be
counted for the purposes of satisfying applicable quorum
requirements; and (B) have given a power of attorney to the
depositary or the custodian, as its nominee, to cause such equal
number of common shares so counted under (A) above being
counted for the purposes of establishing a quorum, with respect
to any resolution proposed by the Board of Directors of the
Company within the agenda set for such meeting, to be voted at
any such meeting in proportion to the voting instructions
duly-received by the depositary from holders of ADSs as of the
record date by the ADS voting cut off date; provided, however
that, except to the extent we have provided the depositary with
at least 30 days written notice of any such meeting,
the common shares shall not be so counted and shall not be so
voted (proportionately to the voting instructions received by
the depositary from holders of ADSs as of the record date by the
ADS voting cut off date) with respect to any matter as to which
the depositary informs us that the depositary reasonably
believes that with respect to any such resolution:
(i) substantial opposition exists or (ii) it
materially affects the rights of holders of common shares. For
the purposes of this provision of the deposit agreement, by way
of example and not limitation, it is agreed that routine
matters, such as appointing auditors and directors (except where
a competing director or slate of
20
directors is proposed), and resolutions to approve the public
offering or private placement of securities, would not
materially affect the rights of holders of common shares.
There can be no assurance that holders generally or any holder
in particular will receive the notice described above with
sufficient time to enable such holder to return voting
instructions to the depositary by the ADS voting cut off date.
In the deposit agreement, we have agreed that we will endeavor
to provide at least 30 days prior written notice to
the depositary which will enable the timely notification of
holders as to limitations on the ability of the depositary to
vote a particular ADS according to the voting instructions
received in regard to such ADS. Common shares which have been
withdrawn from the depositary facility and transferred on our
register of members to a person other than the depositary or its
nominee may be voted by the holders thereof in accordance with
applicable law and our bye-laws. However, holders or beneficial
owners of ADSs may not receive sufficient advance notice of
shareholder meetings to enable them to withdraw the common
shares and vote at such meetings.
Payment
of Taxes
You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental
charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities
underlying your ADRs. The depositary may refuse to issue ADSs,
deliver ADRs, register the transfer,
split-up or
combination of ADRs, or allow you to withdraw the deposited
securities underlying your ADSs until such payment is made
including any applicable interest and penalty thereon. We, the
custodian or the depositary may withhold or deduct the amounts
of taxes owed from any distributions to you or may sell
deposited securities, by public or private sale, to pay any
taxes and any applicable interest and penalties owed. You will
remain liable if the proceeds of the sale are not enough to pay
the taxes. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it
will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the
sale and pay to you any proceeds, or send to you any property
remaining after it has paid the taxes.
Unless a U.S. holder of ADSs otherwise specifies, a
customary fee of $0.003 per ADS will be deducted from each
dividend paid to such holder so that such dividend may be paid
gross of Irish withholding taxes.
Reclassifications,
Recapitalizations and Mergers
If we take actions that affect the deposited securities,
including (1) any change in par value,
split-up,
cancellation, consolidation or other reclassification of
deposited securities to the extent permitted by any applicable
law, (2) any distribution on the common shares that is not
distributed to you and (3) any recapitalization,
reorganization, merger, consolidation, liquidation or sale of
our assets affecting us or to which we are a party resulting in
a distribution of cash or securities to our shareholders, then
the cash, common shares or other securities received by the
depositary in connection therewith will become deposited
securities and be subject to the deposit agreement and any
applicable law, evidence the right to receive such additional
deposited securities, and the depositary may choose to:
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distribute additional ADSs;
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call for surrender of outstanding ADSs to be exchanged for new
ADSs;
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distribute cash, securities or other property it has received in
connection with such actions;
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sell any securities or property received at public or private
sale on an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to
any distinctions among holders and distribute the net proceeds
as cash; or
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treat the cash, securities or other property it receives as part
of the deposited securities, and each ADS will then represent a
proportionate interest in that property.
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Amendment
and Termination
We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement
and the ADSs without your consent for any reason deemed
necessary or desirable. You will be given at least
30 days notice of any
21
amendment that imposes or increases any fees or charges, except
for taxes, governmental charges, delivery expenses or other
charges specifically payable by ADS holders under the deposit
agreement, or which otherwise materially prejudices any
substantial existing right of holders or beneficial owners of
ADSs. If an ADS holder continues to hold ADSs after being so
notified of these changes, that ADS holder is deemed to agree to
that amendment and be bound by the ADRs and the agreement as
amended. An amendment can become effective before notice is
given if necessary to ensure compliance with a new law, rule or
regulation.
At any time we may instruct the depositary to terminate the
deposit agreement, in which case the depositary will give notice
to you at least 30 days prior to termination. The
depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if it has
told us that it would like to resign or we have removed the
depositary and we have not appointed a new depositary bank
within 90 days, in such instances, the depositary will give
notice to you at least 30 days prior to termination. After
termination, the depositarys only responsibility will be
to deliver deposited securities to ADS holders who surrender
their ADSs upon payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other
governmental charges, and to hold or sell distributions received
on deposited securities. After the expiration of six months from
the termination date, the depositary may sell the deposited
securities which remain and hold the net proceeds of such sales,
uninvested and without liability for interest, for the pro rata
benefit of ADS holders who have not yet surrendered their ADSs.
After selling the deposited securities, the depositary has no
obligations except to account for those net proceeds and other
cash. Upon termination of the deposit agreement, we will be
discharged from all obligations except for our obligations to
the depositary.
We intend to maintain a depositary arrangement for so long as it
facilitates U.S. holders in benefiting from an exemption to
Irish withholding taxes on dividends on our common shares.
Limitations
on Obligations and Liability
The deposit agreement expressly limits our and the
depositarys obligations and liability.
We and the depositary:
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are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in
the deposit agreement without gross negligence or bad faith;
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are not liable if either of us by law or circumstances beyond
our control is prevented from, or delayed in, performing any
obligation under the agreement, including, without limitation,
requirements of any present or future law, regulation,
governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange of any
applicable jurisdiction, any present or future provision of our
memorandum of association and bye-laws, on account of possible
civil or criminal penalties or restraint, any provisions of or
governing the deposited securities, any act of God, war or other
circumstances beyond each of our control as set forth in the
deposit agreement;
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are not liable if either of us exercises or fails to exercise
the discretion permitted under the deposit agreement, the
provisions of or governing the deposited securities or our
memorandum of association and bye-laws;
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are not liable for any action/inaction on the advice or
information of legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting
common shares for deposit, holders and beneficial owners (or
authorized representatives) of ADRs, or any person believed in
good faith to be competent to give such advice or information;
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are not liable for the inability of any holder to benefit from
any distribution, offering, right or other benefit if made in
accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement;
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have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other
proceeding related to any deposited securities or the ADSs or
the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other
party;
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may rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be
genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper
party; and
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shall not incur any liability for any indirect, special,
punitive or consequential damages for any breach of the terms of
the deposit agreement.
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The depositary and its agents shall not incur any liability
under the deposit agreement for the failure to carry out any
instructions to vote, the manner in which any vote is cast or
the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any
distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable
or allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the
provisions of the deposit agreement, the failure or timeliness
of any notice from us, the content of any information submitted
to it by us for distribution to you, any investment risk
associated with the acquisition of an interest in the deposited
securities, the validity or worth of the deposited securities or
for any tax consequences that may result from ownership of ADSs,
common shares or deposited securities for the creditworthiness
of any third party and for any indirect, special, punitive or
consequential damage.
We have agreed to indemnify the depositary under certain
circumstances. However, the deposit agreement does not limit our
liability under federal securities laws. The depositary may own
and deal in any class of our securities and in the ADSs.
Requirements
for Depositary Actions
Before the depositary issues, delivers or registers a transfer
of an ADS, makes a distribution on an ADS, or permits withdrawal
of common shares or other property, the depositary may require:
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payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental
charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third
parties for the transfer of any common shares or other deposited
securities;
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production of satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness
of any signature or other information it deems
necessary; and
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compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time,
consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of
transfer documents.
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The depositary also may suspend the issuance of ADSs, the
deposit of common shares, the registration, transfer,
split-up or
combination of ADSs or the withdrawal of deposited securities,
unless the deposit agreement provides otherwise, if the register
for ADSs is closed or if we or the depositary decide any such
action is necessary or advisable.
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas keeps books for the
registration and transfer of ADRs at its offices. You may
reasonably inspect such books, except if you have a purpose
other than our business or a matter related to the deposit
agreement or the ADRs.
Disclosure
of Interests
By purchasing ADSs, you agree to comply with our memorandum of
association and bye-laws and the laws of Bermuda, the United
States of America and any other relevant jurisdiction regarding
any disclosure requirements regarding ownership of common
shares, all as if the ADSs were, for this purpose, the common
shares they represent.
The
Depositary
The depositary is Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. The
depositary is a state chartered New York banking
corporation and a member of the United States Federal Reserve
System, subject to regulation and supervision principally by the
United States Federal Reserve Board and the New York State
Banking Department. The depositary was incorporated as a limited
liability bank on March 5, 1903 in the State of New York.
The registered office of the depositary is located at 60 Wall
Street, New York, NY 10005 and the registered number is
BR1026. The principal executive office of the depositary is
located at 60 Wall Street, New York NY 10005. The depositary
operates under the laws and jurisdiction of the State of New
York.
23
SELLING
SHAREHOLDER
The selling shareholder may from time to time offer and sell any
or all of the ADSs set forth below pursuant to this prospectus.
When we refer to selling shareholder in this
prospectus, we mean that person listed in the table below, and
the pledges, donees, permitted transferees, assignees,
successors and others who later come to hold any of the selling
shareholders interests in our ADSs other than through a
public sale.
The following table sets forth, as of the date of this
prospectus, the name of the selling shareholder for whom we are
registering ADSs for resale to the public, and the number of
ADSs that such selling shareholder may offer pursuant to this
prospectus. The ADSs being offered by the selling shareholder
were acquired from us on October 2, 2007 in a private
placement. We have agreed to file this registration statement to
enable resales of the ADSs received by the selling shareholder.
The selling shareholder is an indirect subsidiary of Babcock
& Brown, and until April 29, 2010, the Manager was also an
indirect subsidiary of Babcock & Brown. On April 29, 2010,
an affiliate of Babcock & Brown sold all of Babcock &
Browns interest in the Manager to Summit Aviation Partners
LLC, or Summit. For further information about our relationships
with Summit and Babcock & Brown, see the Reports on Form
6-K that we filed with the SEC on April 29, 2010 and
May 7, 2010, each of which is incorporated by reference
herein.
Based on the information provided to us at the time of the
initial filing of the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part by the selling shareholder and as of the
date the same was provided to us, assuming that the selling
shareholder sells all of the ADSs beneficially owned by them
that have been registered by us and does not acquire any
additional shares during the offering, the selling shareholder
will not own any ADSs after the completion of this offering. We
cannot advise you as to whether the selling shareholder will in
fact sell any or all of such ADSs.
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Percentage of
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Number of ADSs
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ADSs Owned
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Number of ADSs
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Number of ADSs
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Percentage of ADSs
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Name of Selling
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Owned Before the
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Before the
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Offered
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Owned After the
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Owned After the
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Shareholder
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Offering
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Offering(1)
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Hereby
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Offering(2)
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Offering(1)
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Babcock & Brown JET-i Co.,
Ltd.(3)
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1,411,264
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4.99
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%
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1,411,264
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Applicable percentage of ownership is based on 28,268,683 ADSs
outstanding as of June 30, 2010. |
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Unless otherwise indicated, assumes that the selling shareholder
will resell all of the ADSs offered hereunder. |
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(3) |
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The address for B&B JET-i is
c/o Maples
Corporate Services Limited, P.O. Box 309, Ugland
House, South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman
Islands. Babcock & Brown is the ultimate parent of
B&B JET-i and has dispositive voting and investment control
over B&B JET-i. The individuals that exercise shared
dispositive voting and investment control for Babcock &
Brown are its appointed liquidators, Simon Cathro and David
Lombe. |
24
PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION
The selling shareholder of the ADSs and any of its pledgees,
assignees and
successors-in-interest
may, from time to time, sell any or all of ADSs on the New York
Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange, market or trading
facility on which the ADSs are traded or in private
transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices.
The selling shareholder may use any one or more of the following
methods when selling ADSs:
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the
broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
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block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the
ADSs as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block
as principal to facilitate the transaction;
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purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the
broker-dealer for its account;
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an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the
applicable exchange;
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privately negotiated transactions;
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settlement of short sales entered into after the effective date
of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part;
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broker-dealers may agree with the selling shareholder to sell a
specified number of such ADSs at a stipulated price per share;
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through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging
transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;
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a combination of any such methods of sale; or
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any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
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The selling shareholder may also transfer their ADSs by means of
gifts, donations and contributions. Subject to certain
limitations under rules promulgated under the Securities Act,
this prospectus may be used by the recipients of such gifts,
donations and contributions to offer and sell the ADSs received
by them, directly or through brokers-dealers or agents and in
private or public transactions.
The selling shareholder may sell its shares at market prices
prevailing at the time of sale, at negotiated prices, at fixed
prices or without consideration by any legally available means.
The aggregate net proceeds to the selling shareholder from the
sale of its ADSs will be the purchase price of such ADSs less
any discounts, concessions or commissions received by
broker-dealers or agents. We will not receive any proceeds from
the sale of any ADSs by the selling shareholder.
The selling shareholder and any broker-dealers or agents who
participate in the distribution of their ADSs may be deemed to
be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities
Act. Any commission received by such broker-dealers or agent on
the sales and any profit on the resale of ADS purchased by
broker-dealers or agent may be deemed to be underwriting
commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. As a result,
we have informed the selling shareholder that Regulation M,
promulgated under the Exchange Act, may apply to sales by the
selling shareholder in the market. The selling shareholder may
agree to indemnify any broker, dealer or agent that participates
in transactions involving the sale of their ADSs against certain
liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities
Act.
To the extent required with respect to a particular offer or
sale of ADSs by the selling shareholder, we will file a
prospectus supplement pursuant to Section 424(b) of the
Securities Act, which will accompany this prospectus, to
disclose:
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the number of ADSs to be sold;
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the purchase price;
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the name of any broker-dealer or agent effecting the sale or
transfer and the amount of any applicable discounts,
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commissions or similar selling expenses; and
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any other relevant information.
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The selling shareholder may enter into sale, forward sale and
derivative transactions with third parties, or may sell ADSs not
covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately
negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement
indicates, in connection with those sale, forward sale or
derivative transactions, the third parties may sell ADSs covered
by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement,
including in short sale transactions and by issuing securities
that are not covered by this prospectus but are exchangeable for
or represent beneficial interests in the ADSs. The third parties
also may use ADSs received under those sale, forward sale or
derivative arrangements or ADSs pledged by the selling
shareholder or borrowed from the selling shareholder or others
to settle such third-party sales or to close out any related
open borrowings of ADSs. The third parties may deliver this
prospectus in connection with any such transactions. Any third
party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will
be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is a part).
In addition, the selling shareholder may engage in hedging
transactions with broker-dealers in connection with
distributions of ADSs or otherwise. In those transactions,
broker-dealers may engage in short sales of ADSs in the course
of hedging the positions they assume with the selling
shareholder. The selling shareholder also may sell ADSs short
and redeliver ADSs to close out such short positions. The
selling shareholder also may enter into option or other
transactions with broker-dealers which require the delivery of
ADSs to the broker-dealer. The broker-dealer may then resell or
otherwise transfer such ADSs pursuant to this prospectus. The
selling shareholder also may loan or pledge ADSs, and the
borrower or pledgee may sell or otherwise transfer the ADSs so
loaned or pledged pursuant to this prospectus. Such borrower or
pledgee also may transfer those ADSs to investors in our
securities or the selling shareholders securities or in
connection with the offering of other securities not covered by
this prospectus.
The selling shareholder are acting independently of us in making
decisions with respect to the timing, price, manner and size of
each sale. We have not engaged any broker-dealer or agent in
connection with the sale of ADSs held by the selling
shareholder, and there is no assurance that the selling
shareholder will sell any or all of its ADSs. We have agreed to
make available to the selling shareholder copies of this
prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and have
informed the selling shareholder of the need to deliver copies
of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement to
purchasers prior to any sale to them.
We have agreed to pay all expenses in connection with the
registration of the common shares and ADSs offered hereby,
except that the selling shareholder shall be responsible for any
underwriting discounts or commissions attributable to the sale
of the ADSs.
The selling shareholder may also sell all or a portion of its
ADSs in open market transactions under Section 4(1) of the
Securities Act including transactions in accordance with
Rule 144 promulgated thereunder, if available, rather than
under the shelf registration statement, of which this prospectus
forms a part.
26
TAXATION
CONSIDERATIONS
U.S.
Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following is a general discussion of the U.S. federal
income taxation of us and of certain U.S. federal income
tax consequences of acquiring, holding or disposing of the
shares by U.S. Holders (as defined below) and information
reporting and backup withholding rules applicable to both
U.S. and
Non-U.S. Holders
(as defined below). It is based upon the U.S. Internal
Revenue Code, the U.S. Treasury regulations (Treasury
Regulations) promulgated thereunder, published rulings,
court decisions and other applicable authorities, all as in
effect on the date hereof and all of which are subject to change
or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect).
This summary does not purport to address all of the
U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to us or to
all categories of investors, some of whom may be subject to
special rules including, without limitation, dealers in
securities or currencies, financial institutions or
financial services entities, life insurance
companies, holders of shares held as part of a
straddle, hedge, constructive
sale or conversion transaction with other
investments, U.S. persons whose functional
currency is not the U.S. dollar, persons who have
elected mark-to-market accounting, persons who have
not acquired their shares upon their original issuance, or in
exchange for consideration other than cash, persons who hold
their shares through a partnership or other entity which is a
pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes,
or persons for whom a share is not a capital asset, and persons
holding, directly indirectly or constructively, 5% or more of
our ADSs or underlying shares. The tax consequences of an
investment in our shares will depend not only on the nature of
our operations and the then-applicable U.S. federal tax
principles, but also on certain factual determinations that
cannot be made at this time, and upon a particular
investors individual circumstances. No advance rulings
have been or will be sought from the Internal Revenue Service
(the IRS) regarding any matter discussed herein.
For purposes of this discussion, a U.S. Holder
is (1) a citizen or resident of the United States;
(2) a corporation, or other entity treated as a corporation
for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized
under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision
thereof; (3) an estate the income of which is subject to
U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
(4) a trust which (a) is subject to the primary
supervision of a court within the United States and one or more
U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial
decisions of the trust or (b) has a valid election in
effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a
U.S. person. A
Non-U.S. Holder
is a beneficial owner of our shares that is not a
U.S. Holder and who, in addition, is not (1) a
partnership or other fiscally transparent entity; (2) an
individual present in the United States for 183 days or
more in a taxable year who meets certain other conditions; or
(3) subject to rules applicable to certain expatriates or
former long-term residents of the United States. This summary
does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all of the
U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant
to a decision to purchase the shares. This summary does not
describe any tax consequences arising under the laws of any
state, locality or taxing jurisdiction other than the
United States. For U.S. tax purposes holders of our
ADSs are treated as if they hold the underlying common shares
represented by the ADSs.
Taxation
of U.S. Holders of Shares
U.S. Holders of shares are subject to U.S. tax under
the passive foreign investment companies (PFIC)
rules, as summarized below.
Tax Consequences of Passive Foreign Investment Company
(PFIC) Status. We will be deemed a PFIC if
75% or more of our gross income, including our pro rata share of
the gross income of any company, U.S. or foreign, in which
we are considered to own 25% or more of the shares by value, in
a taxable year is passive income. Alternatively, we will be
deemed to be a PFIC if at least 50% of our assets in a taxable
year, averaged over the year and ordinarily determined based on
fair market value and including our pro rata share of the assets
of any company in which we are considered to own 25% or more of
the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce,
passive income. We believe
27
that we are a PFIC and expect to be a PFIC for the foreseeable
future. Assuming we are a PFIC, our dividends will not qualify
for the reduced rate of U.S. federal income tax that
applies to qualified dividends paid to non-corporate
U.S. Holders. Thus, our dividends (for U.S. federal
income tax purposes) will be taxed at the rate applicable to
ordinary income of the U.S. Holder.
Assuming we are a PFIC, U.S. Holders of our shares will be
subject to different taxation rules with respect to an
investment in our shares depending on whether they elect to
treat us as a qualified electing fund, or a QEF, with respect to
their investment in our shares. If a U.S. Holder makes a
QEF election in the first taxable year in which the
U.S. Holder owns our shares (and if we comply with certain
reporting requirements, which we have done and intend to do),
then such U.S. Holder will be required for each taxable
year to include in income a pro rata share of our ordinary
earnings as ordinary income and a pro rata share of our net
capital gain as long-term capital gain, subject to a separate
voluntary election to defer payment of taxes, which deferral is
subject to an interest charge. If a QEF election is made,
U.S. Holders will not be taxed again on our distributions,
which will be treated as return of capital for U.S. federal
income tax purposes. Instead, distributions will reduce the
U.S. Holders basis in our shares and, to the extent
in excess of such basis, will be treated as gain from the sale
or exchange of a capital asset.
Because we are a PFIC, if a U.S. Holder does not make a QEF
election, then the following special rules will apply:
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Excess distributions by us to a U.S. Holder would be taxed
in a special way. Excess distributions are amounts
received by a U.S. Holder with respect to our shares in any
taxable year that exceed 125% of the average distributions
received by such U.S. Holder from us in the shorter of
either the three previous years or such U.S. Holders
holding period for shares before the present taxable year.
Excess distributions must be allocated ratably to each day that
a U.S. Holder has held our shares. A U.S. Holder must
include amounts allocated to the current taxable year in its
gross income as ordinary income for that year. A
U.S. Holder must pay tax on amounts allocated to each prior
taxable year in which we were a PFIC at the highest rate in
effect for that year on ordinary income and the tax is subject
to an interest charge at the rate applicable to deficiencies for
income tax.
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The entire amount of gain realized by a U.S. Holder upon
the sale or other disposition of shares will also be treated as
an excess distribution and will be subject to tax as described
above.
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The tax basis in shares that were acquired from a decedent who
was a U.S. Holder would not receive a
step-up to
fair market value as of the date of the decedents death
but would instead be equal to the decedents basis, if
lower than fair market value.
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The QEF election is made on a
shareholder-by-shareholder
basis and can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A
shareholder makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS
Form 8621 to a timely filed U.S. federal income tax
return or, if not required to file an income tax return, by
filing such form with the IRS. Even if a QEF election is not
made, a shareholder in a PFIC who is a U.S. Holder must
file a completed IRS Form 8621 every year. We have provided
and intend to continue to provide U.S. Holders with all
necessary information to enable them to make QEF elections as
described above. If any subsidiary is not subject to an election
to be treated as a disregarded entity or partnership for
U.S. tax purposes then a QEF election would have to be made
for each such subsidiary. We have made and intend to maintain an
election to treat each of our subsidiaries as a disregarded
entity for U.S. tax purposes.
U.S. Holders may, instead of making a QEF election, elect
to mark the shares to market annually, recognizing as ordinary
income or loss each year an amount equal to the difference, as
of the close of the taxable year, between the fair market value
of the shares and the U.S. Holders adjusted tax basis
in the shares. Losses would be allowed only to the extent of net
mark-to-market gain previously
28
included by the U.S. Holder under the election for prior
taxable years. If the mark-to-market election were made, then
the rules set forth above would not apply for periods covered by
the election. A mark-to-market election is only available if our
shares meet trading volume requirements on qualifying exchange.
U.S. Holders who hold shares during a period when we are a
PFIC will be subject to the foregoing rules, even if we cease to
be a PFIC, subject to certain exceptions for U.S. Holders
who made a QEF election.
You
should consult your tax advisor about the PFIC rules, including
the advisability of making a QEF election or mark-to-market
election.
Taxation of the Disposition of Shares. A
U.S. Holder that has made a QEF election for the first year
of its holding period will recognize capital gain or loss in an
amount equal to the difference between such
U.S. Holders basis in the shares, which is usually
the cost of such shares (as adjusted to take into account any
QEF inclusion, which increases the basis of such shares, and any
distribution, which decreases the basis of such shares) and the
amount realized on a sale or other taxable disposition of the
shares. If, as anticipated, the shares are publicly traded, a
disposition of shares will be considered to occur on the
trade date, regardless of the holders method
of accounting. If a QEF election has been made, capital gain
from the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares held more
than one year is long-term capital gain and is eligible for a
maximum 15% rate of taxation for non-corporate holders.
Recently
Enacted Legislation Affecting Disclosure Obligations of U.S.
Individuals
Recently enacted U.S. legislation requires each
U.S. person who directly or indirectly owns an interest in
a PFIC to file an annual report with the IRS and failure to file
such report could result in the imposition of penalties on such
U.S. person. You should consult your own tax advisors as to
the potential effects that this legislation might have on your
filing requirements.
New U.S. return disclosure obligations (and related
penalties for failure to disclose) have also been imposed on
U.S. individuals that hold certain specified foreign
financial assets in excess of $50,000. The definition of
specified foreign financial assets includes not only financial
accounts maintained in foreign financial institutions, but also,
may include the shares and ADSs representing the shares. US
Holders may therefore be subject to these reporting requirements
unless the ADSs are held in an account at a domestic financial
institution. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their own
tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this
recently enacted legislation.
Information
Reporting and Backup Withholding for U.S. Holders
Dividend payments made within the United States with respect to
the shares, and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption
of shares, may be subject to information reporting to the IRS
and possible U.S. backup withholding. Backup withholding
will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a
correct taxpayer identification number and makes any other
required certification or who is otherwise exempt from backup
withholding. Generally, a U.S. Holder will provide such
certification on IRS
Form W-9
(Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification).
Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be
credited against a U.S. Holders tax liability, and a
U.S. Holder may obtain a refund of any excess amount
withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the
appropriate claim for refund with the IRS.
Information
Reporting and Backup Withholding for Non-U. S. Holders
Information reporting to the United States and backup
withholding to the IRS generally would not be required for
dividends paid on our shares or proceeds received upon the sale,
exchange or redemption of our shares to
Non-U.S. Holders
who hold or sell our shares through the
non-U.S. office
of a
non-U.S. related
broker or financial institution. Information reporting and
backup withholding may
29
apply if shares are held by a
Non-U.S. Holder
through a U.S., or
U.S.-related,
broker or financial institution, or the U.S. office of a
non-U.S. broker
or financial institution and the
Non-U.S. Holder
fails to establish an exemption from information reporting and
backup withholding by certifying such holders status on
IRS
Form W-8BEN,
W-8ECI or
W-8IMY, as
applicable.
The IRS may make information reported to you and the IRS
available under the provisions of an applicable income tax
treaty to the tax authorities in the country in which you
reside. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules
will be allowed as a refund or a credit against your
U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided the
required information is timely furnished by you to the IRS. You
should consult your own tax advisors regarding the filing of a
U.S. tax return for claiming a refund of any such backup
withholding.
Non-U.S. Holders
should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of
these rules.
Taxation
of Fly Leasing and Our Subsidiaries
Unless otherwise exempted by an applicable income tax treaty, a
non-U.S. corporation
that is directly or through agents engaged in a trade or
business in the U.S. is generally subject to
U.S. federal income taxation, at the graduated tax rates
applicable to U.S. corporations, on the portion of such
non-U.S. corporations
income that is effectively connected with such trade
or business. In addition, such a
non-U.S. corporation
may be subject to the U.S. federal branch profits tax on
the portion of its effectively connected earnings and
profits constituting dividend equivalent
amounts at a rate of 30%, or at such lower rate as may be
specified by an applicable income tax treaty. In addition
non-U.S. corporations
that earn certain U.S. source income not connected with a
U.S. trade or business can be subject to a 30% withholding
tax on such gross income unless they are entitled to a reduction
or elimination of such tax by an applicable treaty. Furthermore,
even if a
non-U.S. corporation
is not engaged in a U.S. trade of business, certain
U.S. source gross transportation income (which
includes rental income from aircraft that fly to and from the
United States) is subject to a 4% gross transportation tax in
the United States unless a statutory or treaty exemption applies.
We expect that we and our Irish tax resident subsidiaries will
be entitled to claim the benefits of the Irish Treaty.
Accordingly, even if we earn income that otherwise would be
subject to tax in the United States, such income is expected to
be exempt from U.S. tax under the Irish Treaty to the
extent that it is: (1) rental income attributable to
aircraft used in international traffic; (2) gain from the
sale of aircraft used in international traffic; or
(3) U.S. source business profits (which includes
rental income from, and gains attributable to, aircraft operated
in U.S. domestic service) not connected with a
U.S. permanent establishment. For this purpose,
international traffic means transportation except
where flights are solely between places within the United
States. We also expect that we will not be treated as having a
U.S. permanent establishment. Thus we do not believe that
we will be subject to taxation in the United States on any of
our aircraft rental income or gains from the sale of aircraft.
No assurances can be given, however, that we will continue to
qualify each year for the benefits of the Irish Treaty or that
we will not in the future be treated as maintaining a permanent
establishment in the U.S. In order for us and our
subsidiaries to be eligible for the benefits of the Irish Treaty
for a particular fiscal year, we must each satisfy the
requirements of Article 23 (Limitation on Benefits) of the
Irish Treaty for that fiscal year. We will be eligible for the
benefits of the Irish Treaty if the principal class of our
shares is substantially and regularly traded on one or more
recognized stock exchanges. Our shares will be considered
substantially and regularly traded on one or more recognized
stock exchanges in a fiscal year if: (1) trades in such
shares are effected on such stock exchanges in more than de
minimis quantities during every quarter; and (2) the
aggregate number of shares traded on such stock exchanges during
the previous fiscal year is at least 6% of the average number of
shares outstanding during that taxable year. We believe we
satisfied this in 2009 and expect to satisfy it in 2010. If our
shares cease to be treated as regularly traded, then we may no
longer be eligible for the benefits of the Irish Treaty. Our
subsidiaries that are Irish tax-resident will be eligible for
benefits under the Irish Treaty if we hold, directly or
indirectly, 50% or more of the vote and value of the subsidiary
and we meet the regularly traded test described above.
30
If we or any subsidiary were not entitled to the benefits of the
Irish Treaty, any income that we or that subsidiary earns that
is treated as effectively connected with a trade or business in
the U.S., either directly or through agents, would be subject to
tax in the U.S. at a rate of 35%. In addition, we or that
subsidiary would be subject to the U.S. federal branch
profits tax at a rate of 30% on its effectively connected
earnings and profits, considered distributed from the
U.S. business. In addition, if we did not qualify for Irish
Treaty benefits, certain U.S. source rental income not
connected with a U.S. trade or business could be subject to
withholding tax of 30% and certain U.S. source gross
transportation income could be subject to a 4% gross
transportation tax if an exemption did not apply.
LEGAL
MATTERS
The validity of the common shares and certain other legal
matters with respect to the laws of Bermuda will be passed upon
for us by Conyers Dill & Pearman, Hamilton, Bermuda.
Certain matters of U.S. federal and New York law relating
to this offering will be passed upon for us by Weil,
Gotshal & Manges LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial
statements and schedule included in our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2009, and the effectiveness
of our internal control over financial reporting as of
December 31, 2009, as set forth in their reports, which are
incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Our financial
statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on
Ernst & Young LLPs reports given on their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public
accounting firm, has audited our predecessors consolidated
financial statements included in our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2007, as set forth in their
report, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Our predecessors consolidated financial statements are
incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young
LLPs reports given on their authority as experts in
accounting and auditing.
MATERIAL
CHANGES
Except as otherwise described in our Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and our
Quarterly Report on
Form 6-K,
filed with the SEC on May 7, 2010, each of which is
incorporated herein by reference, no reportable material changes
have occurred since December 31, 2009.
ENFORCEABILITY
OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are incorporated under the laws of Bermuda and are managed
and controlled in Ireland. Our business is based outside the
United States, a majority of our directors and officers reside
outside the United States, and a majority of our assets and some
or all of the assets of such persons may be located in
jurisdictions outside the United States. Although we have
appointed Puglisi & Associates, 850 Library Ave.,
Suite 204, Newark, Delaware 19711, as our agent to receive
service of process with respect to any actions against us
arising out of violations of the U.S. federal securities
laws in any federal or state court in the United States relating
to the transactions covered by this prospectus, it may be
difficult for investors to effect service of process within the
United States on our directors and officers who reside outside
the United States or to enforce against us or our directors and
officers judgments of U.S. courts predicated upon civil
liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws.
There is no treaty in-force between the United States and
Bermuda or Ireland providing for the reciprocal recognition and
enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. As a
result, whether a U.S. judgment would be enforceable in
Bermuda or Ireland against us or our directors and
31
officers depends on whether the U.S. court that entered the
judgment is recognized by a Bermuda or Irish court as having
jurisdiction over us or our directors and officers, as
determined by reference to Bermuda or Irish conflict of law
rules. The courts of Bermuda or Ireland would recognize as a
valid judgment, a final and conclusive judgment in personam
obtained in a U.S. court pursuant to which a sum of money
is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of
multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in
respect of a fine or other penalty). The courts of Bermuda or
Ireland would give a judgment based on such a U.S. judgment
as long as (1) the U.S. court had proper jurisdiction
over the parties subject to the judgment; (2) the
U.S. court did not contravene the rules of natural justice
of Bermuda or Ireland; (3) the U.S. judgment was not
obtained by fraud; (4) the enforcement of the
U.S. judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of
Bermuda or Ireland; (5) no new admissible evidence relevant
to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the
judgment by the courts of Bermuda or Ireland; (6) there is
due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of
Bermuda or Ireland; and (7) the U.S. judgment is not
inconsistent with any judgment of the courts of Bermuda or
Ireland in respect of the same matter.
In addition to and irrespective of jurisdictional issues,
neither Bermuda nor Irish courts will enforce a provision of the
U.S. federal securities law that is either penal in nature
or contrary to public policy. It is the advice of our counsel
that an action brought pursuant to a public or penal law, the
purpose of which is the enforcement of a sanction, power or
right at the instance of the state in its sovereign capacity, is
unlikely to be entertained by Bermuda or Irish courts. Specified
remedies available under the laws of U.S. jurisdictions,
including specified remedies under U.S. federal securities
laws, may not be available under Bermuda or Irish law or
enforceable in a Bermuda or Irish court, as they are likely to
be contrary to Bermuda or Irish public policy. Further, no claim
may be brought in Bermuda or Ireland against us or our directors
and officers in the first instance for a violation of
U.S. federal securities laws because these laws have no
extraterritorial application under Bermuda or Irish law and do
not have force of law in Bermuda or Ireland.
WHERE YOU
CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are
available from us upon request. We will provide a copy of any
and all of the information that is incorporated by reference in
this prospectus, without charge, upon written or oral request.
If you would like to obtain this information from us, please
direct your request, either in writing or by telephone, to:
Investor Relations
Fly Leasing Limited
West Pier
Dun Laoghaire, County Ireland
Ireland
353-1-231-1900
We are subject to the information and periodic reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act, applicable to foreign private
issuers and will fulfill the obligations with respect to those
requirements by filing reports with the SEC. These periodic
reports and other information may be inspected and copied at the
SECs Public Reference Room at 100 F. Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of these materials can also
be obtained by mail at prescribed rates from the Public
Reference Room of the SEC, 100 F. Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330.
The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy
and information statements and other information regarding the
Company and other issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
The address of the SEC internet site is www.sec.gov. This
information is also available on our website at
www.flyleasing.com.
As a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from the rules
under the Exchange Act related to the furnishing and content of
proxy statements, and our officers, directors and principal
shareholders will be exempt from the reporting and short-swing
profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the
32
Exchange Act relating to their purchases and sales of common
shares. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange
Act to file annual, quarterly and current reports and financial
statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as United
States companies whose securities are registered under the
Exchange Act. However, we intend to file with the SEC, within
90 days after the end of each fiscal year, an annual report
on
Form 20-F
containing financial statements audited by an independent public
accounting firm. We also intend to furnish quarterly reports on
Form 6-K
containing unaudited interim financial information for each of
the first three quarters of each fiscal year.
We have filed a registration statement on
Form F-3
under the Securities Act with the SEC with respect to the ADSs
to be sold hereunder. This prospectus has been filed as part of
that registration statement. This prospectus does not contain
all of the information set forth in the registration statement
because certain parts of the registration statement are omitted
in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. The
registration statement is available for inspection and copying
as set forth above.
INCORPORATION
OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference into
this prospectus the information we have filed with the SEC. This
means that we can disclose important information by referring
you to those documents. The information incorporated by
reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and
information that we file later with the SEC prior to the
termination of this offering will also be deemed to be
incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents and will
automatically update and supersede previously filed information,
including information contained in this document.
We incorporate by reference the following documents that we have
filed with the SEC and any filings that we will make with the
SEC in the future under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d)
of the Exchange Act until this offering is terminated:
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Annual Report on
Form 20-F
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, filed with the
SEC on March 8, 2010;
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Current Reports on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on
April 7, 2010, April 29, 2010, May 7, 2010,
May 26, 2010 and June 30, 2010; and
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Registration Statement on
Form 8-A,
filed with the SEC on September 25, 2007.
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Copies of these filings are available free of charge by writing
to Fly Leasing Limited, West Pier, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin,
Ireland, Attention: Investor Relations, or by telephoning us at
+353-1-231-1900.
We are also incorporating by reference all subsequent annual
reports on
Form 20-F
that we file with the SEC and certain reports on
Form 6-K
that we furnish to the SEC after the date of this prospectus (if
they state that they are incorporated by reference into this
prospectus) until we file a post-effective amendment indicating
that the offering of the securities made by the prospectus has
been terminated. In all cases, you should rely on the later
information over different information included in this
prospectus.
Any statement made in this prospectus concerning the contents of
any contract, agreement or other document is only a summary of
the actual document. You may obtain a copy of any document
summarized in this prospectus at no cost by writing to or
telephoning us at the address and telephone number given above.
Each statement regarding a contract, agreement or other document
is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual document.
33
EXPENSES
The following are the estimated expenses of the offering of the
securities being registered under the registration statement of
which this prospectus forms a part, all of which will be paid by
us.
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SEC registration fee
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$
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1,192
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Blue sky fees and expenses
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Transfer agent fees
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Printing and engraving costs
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5,000
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Legal fees and expenses
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10,000
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Accounting fees and expenses
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10,000
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Miscellaneous
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Total
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$
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26,192
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34
1,411,264 Shares
of American Depositary Shares
Representing
1,411,264 Common Shares
PROSPECTUS
July 7, 2010