Agrium Inc. - s. 104(2)(c)
Headnote
Clause 104(2)(c) - Issuer bid - relief from issuer bid requirements in sections 94 to 94.8 and 97 to 98.7 of the Act - Issuer proposes to purchase, at a discounted purchase price, up to 1,500,000 of its common shares from one shareholder - due to discounted purchase price, proposed purchases cannot be made through TSX trading system - but for the fact that the proposed purchases cannot be made through the TSX trading system, the Issuer could otherwise acquire the subject shares in reliance upon the issuer bid exemption available under section 101.2 of the Act and in accordance with the TSX rules governing normal course issuer bid purchases - no adverse economic impact on or prejudice to issuer or public shareholders - proposed purchases exempt from issuer bid requirements in sections 94 to 94.8 and 97 to 98.7 of the Act, subject to conditions.
Applicable Legislative Provisions
Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am., ss. 94 to 94.8, 97 to 98.7, 104(2)(c)
December 9, 2008
IN THE MATTER OF
THE SECURITIES ACT, R.S.O. 1990,
CHAPTER S.5, AS AMENDED (the Act)
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
AGRIUM INC.
ORDER
(Section 104(2)(c))
UPON the application (the "Application") of Agrium Inc. (the "Issuer") to the Ontario Securities Commission (the "Commission") for an order pursuant to clause 104(2)(c) of the Act exempting the Issuer from the requirements of sections 94 to 94.8 and 97 to 98.7 of the Act (the "Issuer Bid Requirements") in connection with the proposed purchases ("Proposed Purchases") by the Issuer of up to 1,500,000 (the "Subject Shares") of its common shares (the "Shares") from The Toronto-Dominion Bank and/or its affiliates (collectively, "Selling Shareholders");
AND UPON considering the Application and the recommendation of staff of the Commission;
AND UPON the Issuer having represented to the Commission that:
1. The Issuer is a corporation governed by the Canada Business Corporations Act.
2. The head office of the Issuer is located at Calgary, Alberta.
3. The Issuer is a reporting issuer in each of the provinces and territories of Canada and the Shares of the Issuer are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AGU". The Issuer is not in default of any requirement of the securities legislation in the jurisdictions in which it is a reporting issuer.
4. The authorized common share capital of the Issuer consists of an unlimited number of Shares, of which 157,582,323 were outstanding as of November 12, 2008.
5. The Selling Shareholders are the direct or indirect beneficial owner of not more than 5% of all issued and outstanding Shares.
6. Pursuant to a Notice of Intention to make a Normal Course Issuer Bid dated and filed with the TSX on October 2, 2008, the Issuer is permitted to make normal course issuer bid purchases for period starting on October 6, 2008 and ending on October 5, 2009 and for a maximum of 7,899,116 Shares (the "Bid"). To date, 400,000 Shares have been purchased under the Bid.
7. The Notice of Intention filed with the TSX contemplates that purchases may be made by way of exempt offers.
8. The Issuer and the Selling Shareholders intend to enter into one or more agreements of purchase and sale (the "Agreement") pursuant to which the Issuer will agree to acquire, by one or more trades occurring prior to the date which is 90 days from the date of this Order, the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholders for a purchase price (the "Purchase Price") that will be negotiated at arm's length between the Issuer and the Selling Shareholders. The Purchase Price will be at a discount to the prevailing market price and below the prevailing bid-ask price for the Shares.
9. The purchase of the Subject Shares by the Issuer pursuant to the Agreement will constitute an "issuer bid" for purposes of the Act, to which the Issuer Bid Requirements would otherwise apply.
10. Because the Purchase Price will be at a discount to the prevailing market price and below the bid-ask price for the Shares at the time of each trade, the Proposed Purchases cannot be made through the TSX trading system and, therefore, will not occur "through the facilities" of the TSX. As a result, the Issuer will be unable to acquire the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholders in reliance upon the exemption from the Issuer Bid Requirements that is available pursuant to Section 101.2(1) of the Act.
11. But for the fact that the Purchase Price will be at a discount to the prevailing market price and below the bid-ask price for the Shares at the time of the trade, the Issuer could otherwise acquire the Subject Shares as a "block purchase" (a "Block Purchase") in accordance with Section 629(l)7 of Part VI of the TSX Company Manual (the "TSX Rules") and Section 101.2(1) of the Act.
12. Each of the Selling Shareholders is at arm's length to the Issuer and is not an "insider" of the Issuer, an "associate" of an "insider" of the Issuer or an "associate" or "affiliate" of the Issuer, as such terms are defined in the Act. In addition, each Selling Shareholder is an "accredited investor" within the meaning of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus and Registration Exemptions ("NI 45-106").
13. The Issuer will be able to acquire the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholders in reliance upon the exemption from the dealer registration requirements of the Act that is available as a result of the combined effect of Section 2.16 of NI 45-106 and Section 4.1(a) of Ontario Securities Commission Rule 45-501 Ontario Prospectus and Registration Exemptions.
14. The Issuer is of the view that the purchase of the Subject Shares at a lower price than the price at which the Issuer would be able to purchase the Shares under the Bid is an appropriate use of the Issuer's funds.
15. The purchase of Subject Shares will not affect control of the Issuer.
16. The Proposed Purchases will be carried out with a minimum of cost to the Issuer.
17. The market for the Shares is a "liquid market" within the meaning of Section 1.2 of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. The purchase of Subject Shares is not anticipated to have any effect on the ability of other shareholders of the Issuer to sell their Shares in the market.
18. Other than the Purchase Price, no additional fee or other consideration will be paid in connection with the Proposed Purchases.
19. At the time that the Agreement is entered into by the Issuer and the Selling Shareholders, neither the Issuer nor the Selling Shareholders will be aware of any undisclosed "material change" or any undisclosed "material fact" (each as defined in the Act) in respect of the Issuer.
20. As at the date hereof, to the knowledge of the Issuer after reasonable inquiry, the Selling Shareholders own the Subject Shares and the Subject Shares were not acquired in anticipation of resale pursuant to the Proposed Purchases.
AND UPON the Commission being satisfied to do so would not be prejudicial to the public interest;
IT IS ORDERED pursuant to clause 104(2)(c) of the Act that the Issuer be exempt from the Issuer Bid Requirements in connection with the Proposed Purchases, provided that:
(a) the Proposed Purchases will be taken into account by the Issuer when calculating the maximum annual aggregate limit for the Bid Purchases in accordance with the TSX Rules;
(b) the Issuer will refrain from conducting a Block Purchase in accordance with the TSX Rules during the calendar week it completes each Proposed Purchase and may not make any further Bid Purchases for the remainder of that calendar day;
(c) the Purchase Price is not higher than the last "independent trade" (as that term is used in paragraph 629(l)1 of the TSX Rules) of a board lot of Shares immediately prior to the execution of each Proposed Purchase;
(d) the Issuer will otherwise acquire any additional Shares pursuant to the Bid and in accordance with the TSX Rules;
(e) immediately following its purchase of the Subject Shares from the Selling Shareholders, the Issuer will report the purchase of the Subject Shares to the TSX;
(f) at the time the Agreement is entered into by the Issuer and the Selling Shareholders, neither the Issuer nor the Selling Shareholders will be aware of any undisclosed "material change" or undisclosed "material fact" (each as defined in the Act) in respect of the Issuer; and
(g) the Issuer will issue a press release in connection with the Proposed Purchases.