As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 29, 2009
Registration No. 333-131742
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 3
to
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Inergy, L.P.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 43-1918951 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
(816) 842-8181
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
R. Brooks Sherman, Jr.
Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
(816) 842-8181
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
David P. Oelman
Gillian A. Hobson
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
First City Tower
1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 758-2222
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer x |
Accelerated filer ¨ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer ¨ |
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company ¨ |
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The offering unitholder may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to completion, dated July 29, 2009
PROSPECTUS
919,349 Common Units
Inergy, L.P.
Common Units
This prospectus relates to up to 919,349 common units representing limited partner interests in Inergy, L.P. that may be offered and sold from time to time by us. All units sold pursuant to this prospectus have been previously issued, are currently outstanding and are owned by Inergy Holdings, L.P. In making offers and sales pursuant to this prospectus, Inergy Holdings is deemed to be acting as on underwriter, and its offers and sales are deemed to be made indirectly on our behalf.
Inergy Holdings may sell none, some or all of the common units offered by this prospectus. Sales may be at fixed prices, which may be changed, at prices related to the prevailing market prices at the time of sale or at negotiated prices. Such sales may occur in the open market, in negotiated transactions and by a combination of these methods. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the common units covered by this prospectus.
Our common units are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the Nasdaq, under the symbol “NRGY.” On July 28, 2009, the last reported sale price of our common units on the Nasdaq was $29.50 per common unit.
Common units are entitled to receive minimum distributions of operating cash of $0.30 per quarter, or $1.20 on an annualized basis, before any distributions are paid on subordinated units, if any, to the extent we have sufficient cash from operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of expenses, including payments to our general partners. For the quarter ended March 31, 2009, we distributed $0.655 on each of our outstanding common units. The common units are limited partner interests, which are inherently different from the capital stock of a corporation.
You should carefully consider the risks relating to investing in common units and each of the other risk factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 2 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.
Our principal executive offices are located at Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64112, and our phone number is (816) 842-8181.
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.
Prospectus dated , 2009
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You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Neither we nor the selling unitholder have authorized any other person to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
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GUIDE TO READING THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or “SEC,” utilizing a “shelf” registration process or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration process, the selling unitholder may, from time to time, sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered pursuant to this prospectus. Each time securities are sold pursuant to this prospectus, we are required to provide you with this prospectus and, in certain cases, a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the securities being offered. That prospectus supplement may include additional risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement.
Additional information, including the financial statements of Inergy, L.P. for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008 and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to its reports filed with the SEC. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information.” You are urged to read this prospectus, including the “Risk Factors,” and the SEC reports of Inergy, L.P. in their entirety.
The following information should help you understand some of the conventions used in this prospectus.
| • | Throughout this prospectus, when we use the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” or “Inergy, L.P.,” we are referring either to Inergy, L.P., itself, or to Inergy, L.P. and its operating subsidiaries, collectively, as the context requires. |
| • | Inergy, L.P. has a managing general partner and a non-managing general partner. Inergy, L.P.’s managing general partner is responsible for the management of Inergy, L.P., and its operations are governed by a board of directors. Inergy, L.P.’s managing general partner does not have rights to allocations or distributions from Inergy, L.P. and does not receive a management fee, but it is reimbursed for expenses incurred on our behalf. Inergy, L.P.’s non-managing general partner owns an approximate 0.8% general partner interest in Inergy, L.P. Generally, we refer to each general partner as managing or non-managing, as the case may be. We collectively refer to our managing general partner and our non-managing general partner as our “general partners.” |
| • | Inergy Holdings, L.P., which we refer as “Inergy Holdings” or the “selling unitholder”, owns our “general partners.” |
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INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of Inergy, L.P. and its subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements include:
| • | statements that are not historical in nature, but not limited to, our belief that our acquisition expertise should allow us to continue to grow through acquisitions; our belief that we will have adequate propane supply to support our retail operations; and our belief that our diversification of suppliers will enable us to meet supply needs, and |
| • | statements preceded by, followed by or that contain forward-looking terminology including the words “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend” or similar expressions. |
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to, among others, the following factors:
| • | weather conditions; |
| • | price and availability of propane, and the capacity to transport to market areas; |
| • | declining commodity price environment requiring cash collateral payments; |
| • | the ability to pass the wholesale cost of propane through to our customers; |
| • | costs or difficulties related to the integration of the business of our company and its acquisition targets may be greater than expected; |
| • | governmental legislation and regulations; |
| • | local economic conditions; |
| • | the demand for high deliverability natural gas storage capacity in the Northeast; |
| • | the availability of natural gas and the price of natural gas to the consumer compared to the price of alternative and competing fuels; |
| • | our ability to successfully implement our business plan for our natural gas storage facilities; |
| • | labor relations; |
| • | environmental claims; |
| • | competition from the same and alternative energy sources; |
| • | operating hazards and other risks incidental to transporting, storing, and distributing propane; |
| • | energy efficiency and technology trends; |
| • | interest rates; |
| • | the price and availability of debt and equity financing; and |
| • | large customer defaults. |
A forward-looking statement may include a statement of the assumptions or bases underlying the forward-looking statement. We believe that we have chosen these assumptions or bases in good faith and that they are reasonable. However, we caution you that assumed facts or bases almost always vary from actual results, and the differences between assumed facts or bases and actual results can be material, depending on the circumstances. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus and the documents that we have incorporated by reference, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus. We will not update these statements unless the securities laws require us to do so.
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This summary highlights information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. It may not contain all of the information that is important to you. This prospectus includes or incorporates by reference information about our business and our financial and operating data. Before buying common units, you should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the financial data and related notes incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 2 of this prospectus.
Throughout this prospectus, when we use the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” or “Inergy, L.P.,” we are referring either to Inergy, L.P., itself, or to Inergy, L.P. and its operating subsidiaries, collectively, as the context requires.
Inergy, L.P. (NASDAQ:NRGY) is a publicly traded Delaware limited partnership that owns and operates a geographically diverse retail and wholesale propane supply, marketing and distribution business. In addition to our propane operations, we also operate a growing midstream business that includes interests in two natural gas storage facilities (“Stagecoach” and “Steuben”), a liquefied petroleum gas (“LPG”) storage facility located near Bath, New York, a natural gas liquids business located near Bakersfield, California and a solution-mining and salt production company (“US Salt”).
Our operations are conducted through, and our operating assets are owned by, our subsidiaries. We own our interests in our subsidiaries through our 100% ownership interest in our operating companies, Inergy Propane, LLC and Inergy Midstream, LLC. Inergy GP, LLC, our managing general partner, has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations. Our managing general partner has no economic interest in our partnership and does not receive a management fee, but it is reimbursed for expenses incurred on our behalf. Inergy Partners, LLC, our non-managing general partner, has only an economic interest in us and has no operational or managerial responsibilities under our partnership agreement. Inergy Holdings, L.P., the selling unitholder, is the sole member of our managing general partner and directly and indirectly owns all of the member interests in our non-managing general partner. Inergy Holdings owns all of our incentive distribution rights and, through subsidiaries, approximately 8.4% of our outstanding common units.
Our principal executive office is located at Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64112, and the phone number at this address is (816) 842-8181.
For additional information as to our business, properties and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in “Where You Can Find More Information.”
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The nature of our business activities subjects us to certain hazards and risks. Additionally, limited partner interests are inherently different from the capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in similar businesses. You should carefully consider the following risk factors together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the information that we have incorporated herein by reference in evaluating an investment in our securities.
The risk factors set forth below are not the only risks that may affect our business. Our business could also be affected by additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial. If any of the following risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.
Risks Inherent in Our Business
Future acquisitions and completion of expansion projects will require significant amounts of debt and equity financing which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all.
We plan to fund our acquisitions and expansion capital expenditures, including any future expansions we may undertake, with proceeds from sales of our debt and equity securities and borrowings under our revolving credit facility; however, we cannot be certain that we will be able to issue our debt and equity securities on terms or in the proportions that we expect, or at all, and we may be unable to refinance our revolving credit facility when it expires. In addition, we may be unable to obtain adequate funding under our current revolving credit facility because our lending counterparties may be unable to meet their funding obligations.
Global financial markets and economic conditions have been, and continue to be, disrupted and volatile. The debt and equity capital markets have been distressed. These issues, along with significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk and the current weak economic conditions may make it difficult to obtain funding.
The cost of raising money in the debt and equity capital markets has increased while the availability of funds from those markets generally has diminished. Also, as a result of concerns about the stability of financial markets generally and the solvency of counterparties specifically, the cost of obtaining money from the credit markets generally has increased as many lenders and institutional investors have increased interest rates, enacted tighter lending standards, refused to refinance existing debt at maturity or on terms similar to our current debt and reduced and, in some cases, ceased to provide funding to borrowers.
A significant increase in our indebtedness, or an increase in our indebtedness that is proportionately greater than our issuances of equity, as well as the credit market and debt and equity capital market conditions discussed above could negatively impact our credit ratings or our ability to remain in compliance with the financial covenants under our revolving credit agreement which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. If we are unable to finance acquisitions or our expansion projects as expected, we could be required to seek alternative financing, the terms of which may not be attractive to us, or to revise or cancel our expansion plans.
If we do not continue to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms, our future financial performance may be limited.
Due to increased competition from alternative energy sources, the propane industry is not a growth industry. In addition, as a result of long-standing customer relationships that are typical in the retail home propane industry, the inconvenience of switching tanks and suppliers and propane’s higher cost as compared to other
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energy sources, we may have difficulty in increasing our retail customer base other than through acquisitions. Therefore, while our operating objectives include promoting internal growth, our ability to grow depends principally on acquisitions. Our future financial performance depends on our ability to continue to make acquisitions at attractive prices. There is no assurance that we will be able to continue to identify attractive acquisition candidates in the future or that we will be able to acquire businesses on economically acceptable terms. In particular, competition for acquisitions in the propane business has intensified and become more costly. We may not be able to grow as rapidly as we expect through our acquisition of additional businesses for various reasons, including the following:
| • | We will use our cash from operations primarily to service our debt and for distributions to unitholders and reinvestment in our business. Consequently, the extent to which we are unable to use cash or access capital to pay for additional acquisitions may limit our growth and impair our operating results. Further, we are subject to certain debt incurrence covenants under our bank credit agreement and the indentures that govern our 6.875% senior notes due 2014, our 8.75% senior notes due 2015 and our 8.25% senior notes due 2016 that may restrict our ability to incur additional debt to finance acquisitions. |
| • | Although we intend to use our securities as acquisition currency, some prospective sellers may not be willing to accept our securities as consideration. |
| • | We will use cash for capital expenditures related to expansion projects, which will reduce our cash available to pay for additional acquisitions. |
Moreover, acquisitions involve potential risks, including:
| • | our inability to integrate the operations of recently acquired businesses; |
| • | the diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns; |
| • | customer or key employee loss from the acquired businesses; and |
| • | a significant increase in our indebtedness. |
Our growth strategy includes acquiring entities with lines of business that are distinct and separate from our existing operations which could subject us to additional business and operating risks.
Consistent with our announced growth strategy and our acquisition of the US Salt facility and related assets, we may acquire assets that have operations in new and distinct lines of business from our existing operations, including midstream assets. Integration of new business segments is a complex, costly and time-consuming process and may involve assets in which we have limited operating experience. Failure to timely and successfully integrate acquired entities’ new lines of business with our existing operations may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. The difficulties of integrating new business segments with existing operations include, among other things:
| • | operating distinct business segments that require different operating strategies and different managerial expertise; |
| • | the necessity of coordinating organizations, systems and facilities in different locations; |
| • | integrating personnel with diverse business backgrounds and organizational cultures; and |
| • | consolidating corporate and administrative functions. |
In addition, the diversion of our attention and any delays or difficulties encountered in connection with the integration of the new business segments, such as unanticipated liabilities or costs, could harm our existing business, results of operations, financial condition or prospects. Furthermore, new lines of business will subject us to additional business and operating risks which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
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We may be unable to successfully integrate our recent acquisitions.
One of our primary business strategies is to grow through acquisitions. There is no assurance that we will successfully integrate acquisitions into our operations, or that we will achieve the desired profitability from our acquisitions. Failure to successfully integrate these substantial acquisitions could adversely affect our operations. The difficulties of combining the acquired operations include, among other things:
| • | operating a significantly larger combined organization and integrating additional retail and wholesale distribution operations to our existing supply, marketing and distribution operations; |
| • | coordinating geographically disparate organizations, systems and facilities; |
| • | integrating personnel from diverse business backgrounds and organizational cultures; |
| • | consolidating corporate, technological and administrative functions; |
| • | integrating internal controls, compliance under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and other corporate governance matters; |
| • | the diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns; |
| • | customer or key employee loss from the acquired businesses; |
| • | a significant increase in our indebtedness; and |
| • | potential environmental or regulatory liabilities and title problems. |
In addition, we may not realize all of the anticipated benefits from our acquisitions, such as cost-savings and revenue enhancements, for various reasons, including difficulties integrating operations and personnel, higher costs, unknown liabilities and fluctuations in markets.
Our indebtedness may limit our ability to borrow additional funds, make distributions to our unitholders, or capitalize on acquisition or other business opportunities, in addition to impairing our ability to fulfill our debt obligation under our senior notes.
As of March 31, 2009, we had approximately $1.1 billion of total outstanding indebtedness. Our leverage, various limitations in our credit facility, other restrictions governing our indebtedness and the indentures governing the notes may reduce our ability to incur additional indebtedness, to engage in some transactions and to capitalize on acquisition or other business opportunities.
Our indebtedness and other financial obligations could have important consequences. For example, they could:
| • | make it more difficult for us to make distributions to our unitholders; |
| • | impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, general partnership purposes or other purposes; |
| • | result in higher interest expense in the event of increases in interest rates since some of our debt is, and will continue to be, at variable rates of interest; |
| • | have a material adverse effect on us if we fail to comply with financial and restrictive covenants in our debt agreements and an event of default occurs as a result of that failure that is not cured or waived; |
| • | require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow to payments of our indebtedness and other financial obligations, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general partnership requirements; |
| • | limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the propane industry; and |
| • | place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have proportionately less debt. |
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If we are unable to meet our debt service obligations and other financial obligations, we could be forced to restructure or refinance our indebtedness and other financial transactions, seek additional equity capital or sell our assets. We may then be unable to obtain such financing or capital or sell our assets on satisfactory terms, if at all.
A change of control of our managing general partner could result in us facing substantial repayment obligations under our credit facility.
In addition, our bank credit agreement and the indentures governing our senior notes contain provisions relating to change of control of our managing general partner, our partnership and our operating company. If these provisions are triggered, our outstanding bank indebtedness may become due. In such an event, there is no assurance that we would be able to pay the indebtedness, in which case the lenders would have the right to foreclose on our assets, which would have a material adverse effect on us. There is no restriction on the ability of our general partners to enter into a transaction which would trigger the change of control provisions.
Restrictive covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness may reduce our operating flexibility.
The indentures governing our outstanding senior notes and agreements governing our revolving credit facilities and other future indebtedness contain or may contain various covenants limiting our ability and the ability of our specified subsidiaries to, among other things:
| • | pay distributions on, redeem or repurchase our equity interests or redeem or repurchase our subordinated debt; |
| • | make investments; |
| • | incur or guarantee additional indebtedness or issue preferred securities; |
| • | create or incur certain liens; |
| • | enter into agreements that restrict distributions or other payments from our restricted subsidiaries to us; |
| • | consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; |
| • | engage in transactions with affiliates; |
| • | create unrestricted subsidiaries; and |
| • | create non-guarantor subsidiaries. |
These restrictions could limit our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to obtain future financings, make needed capital expenditures, withstand a future downturn in our business or the economy in general, conduct operations or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities that may arise. Our bank credit agreement contains covenants requiring us to maintain specified financial ratios and satisfy other financial conditions. We may be unable to meet those ratios and conditions. Any future breach of these covenants and our failure to meet any of those ratios and conditions could result in a default under the terms of our bank credit agreement, which could result in the acceleration of our debt and other financial obligations. If we were unable to repay these amounts, the lenders could initiate a bankruptcy proceeding or liquidation proceeding or proceed against the collateral.
We are subject to operating and litigation risks that could adversely affect our operating results to the extent not covered by insurance.
Our operations are subject to all operating hazards and risks incident to handling, storing, transporting and providing customers with combustible products such as propane and natural gas. As a result, we have been, and likely will be, a defendant in legal proceedings and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We maintain insurance policies with insurers in such amounts and with such coverages and deductibles as we believe
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are reasonable and prudent. However, our insurance may not be adequate to protect us from all material expenses related to potential future claims for personal injury and property damage. In addition, the occurrence of a serious accident, whether or not we are involved, may have an adverse effect on the public’s desire to use our products.
Our operations are subject to compliance with environmental laws and regulations that can adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our operations are subject to stringent environmental laws and regulations of federal, state, regional and local authorities. Such environmental laws and regulations impose numerous obligations, including the acquisition of permits to conduct regulated activities, the incurrence of capital expenditures to comply with applicable laws, and restrictions on the generation, handling, treatment, storage, disposal, and transportation of certain materials and wastes. Failure to comply with such environmental laws and regulations can result in the assessment of substantial administrative, civil, and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial liabilities and even the issuance of injunctions restricting or prohibiting our activities. Certain environmental laws impose strict and, under certain circumstances, joint and several liability for costs required to clean up and restore sites where hazardous substances have been disposed or otherwise released. In the course of our operations, materials or wastes may have been spilled or released from properties owned or leased by us or on or under other locations where these materials or wastes have been taken for disposal. In addition, many of the properties owned or leased by us were previously operated by third parties whose management, disposal, or release of materials and wastes was not under our control. Accordingly, we may be liable for the costs of cleaning up or remediating contamination arising out of our operations or as a result of activities by others who previously occupied or operated on properties now owned or leased by us. It is also possible that adoption of stricter environmental laws and regulations or more stringent interpretation of existing environmental laws and regulations in the future could result in additional costs or liabilities to us as well as the industry in general.
Our managing general partner has a limited call right that may require you to sell your common units at an undesirable time or price.
If at any time less than 20% of the outstanding units of any class are held by persons other than our general partners and their affiliates, our managing general partner has the right to acquire all, but not less than all, of those units held by the unaffiliated persons. The price for these units will not be less than the then-current market price of the units. As a consequence, you may be required to sell your common units at an undesirable time or price. Our managing general partner may assign this acquisition right to any of its affiliates or to the partnership.
Cost reimbursements due our managing general partner may be substantial and will reduce the cash available for principal and interest on our outstanding indebtedness.
We reimburse our managing general partner and its affiliates, including officers and directors of our managing general partner, for all expenses they incur on our behalf. The reimbursement of expenses could adversely affect our ability to make payments of principal and interest on our outstanding indebtedness. Our managing general partner has sole discretion to determine the amount of these expenses. In addition, our managing general partner and its affiliates provide us with services for which we are charged reasonable fees as determined by our managing general partner in its sole discretion.
Failure to maintain effective internal controls in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could cause us to incur additional expenditures of time and financial resources.
We have completed the process of documenting and testing our internal control procedures in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm on our controls over financial reporting. If, in the future, we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, as such standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time,
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we may not be able to ensure that we can conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Failure to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment could cause us to incur substantial expenditures of management time and financial resources to identify and correct any such failure.
Risks Related to Our Propane Operations
Since weather conditions may adversely affect the demand for propane, our financial condition and results of operations are vulnerable to, and will be adversely affected by, warm winters.
Weather conditions have a significant impact on the demand for propane because many of our customers depend on propane principally for heating purposes. As a result, warm weather conditions will adversely impact our operating results and financial condition. Actual weather conditions can substantially change from one year to the next. Furthermore, warmer than normal temperatures in one or more regions in which we operate can significantly decrease the total volume of propane we sell. Consequently, our operating results may vary significantly due to actual changes in temperature. During seven of the last ten fiscal years temperatures were significantly warmer than normal in our areas of operation (based on the 30-year average consisting of years 1976 through 2005 published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). We believe that our results of operations during these periods were adversely affected as a result of this warm weather.
Sudden and sharp propane price increases that cannot be passed on to customers may adversely affect our profit margins.
The propane industry is a “margin-based” business in which gross profits depend on the excess of sales prices over supply costs. As a result, our profitability is sensitive to changes in wholesale prices of propane caused by changes in supply or other market conditions. When there are sudden and sharp increases in the wholesale cost of propane, we may not be able to pass on these increases to our customers through retail or wholesale prices. Propane is a commodity and the price we pay for it can fluctuate significantly in response to changes in supply or other market conditions. We have no control over supply or market conditions. In addition, the timing of cost pass-throughs can significantly affect margins. Sudden and extended wholesale price increases could reduce our gross profits and could, if continued over an extended period of time, reduce demand by encouraging our retail customers to conserve or convert to alternative energy sources.
The highly competitive nature of the retail propane business could cause us to lose customers or affect our ability to acquire new customers, thereby reducing our revenues.
We have competitors and potential competitors who are larger and have substantially greater financial resources than we do. Also, because of relatively low barriers to entry into the retail propane business, numerous small retail propane distributors, as well as companies not engaged in retail propane distribution, may enter our markets and compete with us. Most of our propane retail branch locations compete with several marketers or distributors. The principal factors influencing competition with other retail marketers are:
| • | price; |
| • | reliability and quality of service; |
| • | responsiveness to customer needs; |
| • | safety concerns; |
| • | long-standing customer relationships; |
| • | the inconvenience of switching tanks and suppliers; and |
| • | the lack of growth in the industry. |
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We can make no assurances that we will be able to compete successfully on the basis of these factors. If a competitor attempts to increase market share by reducing prices, we may lose customers, which would reduce our revenues.
If we are not able to purchase propane from our principal suppliers, our results of operations would be adversely affected.
Most of our total volume purchases are made under supply contracts that have a term of one year, are subject to annual renewal, and provide various pricing formulas. Three of our suppliers, Sunoco, Inc. (12%), ExxonMobil Oil Corp. (11%) and BP Amoco Corp. (10%), accounted for approximately 33% of propane purchases during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008. In the event that we are unable to purchase propane from our significant suppliers, our failure to obtain alternate sources of supply at competitive prices and on a timely basis may hurt our ability to satisfy customer demand, reduce our revenues and adversely affect our results of operations.
Competition from other energy sources may cause us to lose customers, thereby reducing our revenues.
Competition from other energy sources, including natural gas and electricity, has been increasing as a result of reduced regulation of many utilities, including natural gas and electricity. Propane is generally not competitive with natural gas in areas where natural gas pipelines already exist because natural gas is a less expensive source of energy than propane. The gradual expansion of natural gas distribution systems and availability of natural gas in many areas that previously depended upon propane could cause us to lose customers, thereby reducing our revenues.
Our business would be adversely affected if service at our principal storage facilities or on the common carrier pipelines we use is interrupted.
Historically, a substantial portion of the propane purchased to support our operations has originated at Conway, Kansas, Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Mont Belvieu, Texas and has been shipped to us through major common carrier pipelines. Any significant interruption in the service at these storage facilities or on the common carrier pipelines we use would adversely affect our ability to obtain propane.
If we are not able to sell propane that we have purchased through wholesale supply agreements to either our own retail propane customers or to other retailers and wholesalers, the results of our operations would be adversely affected.
We currently are party to propane supply contracts and expect to enter into additional propane supply contracts which require us to purchase substantially all the propane production from certain refineries. Our inability to sell the propane supply in our own propane distribution business, to other retail propane distributors, or to other propane wholesalers would have a substantial adverse impact on our operating results and could adversely impact our capital liquidity. We are also a party to fixed price sale contracts with certain customers that are backed-up by propane supply contracts. If a significant number of our customers default under these fixed price contracts the results of our operations would be adversely affected.
Energy efficiency and new technology may reduce the demand for propane and adversely affect our operating results.
Increased conservation and technological advances, including installation of improved insulation and the development of more efficient furnaces and other heating devices, have adversely affected the demand for propane by retail customers. Future conservation measures or technological advances in heating, conservation, energy generation or other devices might reduce demand for propane and adversely affect our operating results.
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Due to our limited asset diversification, adverse developments in our propane business could adversely affect our operating results and reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
We rely substantially on the revenues generated from our propane business. Due to our limited asset diversification, an adverse development in this business would have a significantly greater impact on our financial condition and results of operations than if we maintained more diverse assets.
Risks Related to Our Midstream Operations
Federal, state or local regulatory measures could adversely affect our business.
Our operations are subject to federal, state and local regulatory authorities. Specifically, our natural gas storage facilities are subject to the regulation of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC.
Under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (“NGA”), FERC has authority to regulate our natural gas facilities that provide natural gas transportation services in interstate commerce, including storage services. FERC’s authority to regulate those services includes the rates charged for the services, terms and conditions of service, certification and construction of new facilities, the extension or abandonment of services and facilities, the maintenance of accounts and records, the acquisition and disposition of facilities, the initiation and discontinuation of services, relationships with affiliated entities, and various other matters. Natural gas companies may not charge rates that, upon review by FERC, are found to be unjust and unreasonable or unduly discriminatory. In addition, the FERC prohibits natural gas companies from unduly preferring or unreasonably discriminating against any person with respect to pipeline transportation rates or terms and conditions of service. The rates and terms and conditions for interstate services provided by Steuben are found in Steuben’s FERC-approved tariff. The rates and terms and conditions for interstate services provided by Stagecoach are found in the FERC-approved tariff of Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC (“CNYOG”), our regulated subsidiary and owner of the Stagecoach facility.
Pursuant to the NGA, existing interstate transportation and storage rates may be challenged by complaint and are subject to prospective change by FERC. Additionally, rate increases proposed by the regulated pipeline or storage provider may be challenged by protest and such increases may ultimately be rejected by FERC. CNYOG currently holds authority from FERC to charge and collect market-based rates for services it provides at the Stagecoach facility. There can be no guarantee that CNYOG will be allowed to continue to operate under such a rate structure for the remainder of the Stagecoach facility’s operating life. Any successful complaint or protest against rates charged for Stagecoach storage and related services, or CNYOG’s loss of market-based rate authority, could have an adverse impact on our revenues.
In addition, the Stagecoach facility’s market-based rate authority would be subject to further review if we acquire transportation facilities or additional storage capacity, if we or one of our affiliates provides storage or transportation services in the same market area or acquires an interest in another storage field that can link our facilities to the market area or if we or one of our affiliates acquire an interest in or is acquired by an interstate pipeline.
There can be no assurance that FERC will continue to pursue its approach of pro-competitive policies as it considers matters such as pipeline rates and rules and policies that may affect rights of access to natural gas transportation capacity, transportation and storage facilities. Any successful complaint or protest against our rates or loss of our market-based rate authority could have an adverse impact on our revenues associated with providing storage services. Failure to comply with applicable regulations under the NGA, Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978, Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and certain other laws, and with implementing regulations associated with these laws could result in the imposition of administrative and criminal remedies and civil penalties of up to $1,000,000 per day, per violation.
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Our storage business depends on neighboring pipelines to transport natural gas.
Our Stagecoach natural gas storage business depends on the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s 300-Line and the newly constructed Millennium Pipeline, currently the only pipelines to which it is interconnected. The Steuben natural gas storage facility is similarly dependent on the Dominion Transmission System. These pipelines are owned by parties not affiliated with us. Any interruption of service on the pipeline or lateral connections or adverse change in the terms and conditions of service could have a material adverse effect on our ability, and the ability of our customers, to transport natural gas to and from our facilities and have a corresponding material adverse effect on our storage revenues. In addition, the rates charged by the interconnected pipelines for transportation to and from our facilities affect the utilization and value of our storage services. Significant changes in the rates charged by these pipelines or the rates charged by other pipelines with which the interconnected pipelines compete could also have a material adverse effect on our storage revenues.
We expect to derive a significant portion of our revenues from our natural gas and LPG storage operations from a limited number of customers, and the loss of one or more of these customers could result in a significant loss of revenues and cash flow.
We expect to derive a significant portion of our revenues and cash flow in connection with our natural gas and LPG storage operations from a limited number of customers. The loss, nonpayment, nonperformance or impaired creditworthiness of one of these customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We compete with other natural gas storage companies and services that can substitute for storage services.
Our principal competitors in our natural gas storage market include other storage providers including among others Dominion Resources, Inc., NiSource Inc. and El Paso Corporation. These major pipeline natural gas transmission companies have existing storage facilities connected to their systems that compete with certain of our facilities. FERC has adopted policies that favor authorization of new storage projects, and there are numerous natural gas storage options in the New York/Pennsylvania geographic market. Pending and future construction projects, if and when brought on line, may also compete with our natural gas storage operations. Such projects may include FERC-certificated storage expansions and greenfield construction projects. We also compete with the numerous alternatives to storage available to customers, including pipeline balancing/no-notice services, seasonal/swing services provided by pipelines and marketers, and on-system LNG facilities.
Expanding our business by constructing new midstream assets subjects us to risks.
One of the ways we may grow our business is through the expansion of our existing storage facilities, such as the Stagecoach expansion project and the Thomas Corners development. The construction of additional storage facilities or new pipeline interconnects involves numerous regulatory, environmental, political and legal uncertainties beyond our control and may require the expenditure of significant amounts of capital. If we undertake these projects, they may not be completed on schedule or at all or at the budgeted cost. Moreover, our revenues may not increase immediately upon the expenditure of funds on a particular project. For instance, if we build a new midstream asset, the construction will occur over an extended period of time, and we will not receive material increases in revenues until the project is placed in service. Moreover, we may construct facilities to capture anticipated future growth in production and/or demand in a region in which such growth does not materialize. As a result, new facilities may not be able to attract enough throughput to achieve our expected investment return, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We may not be able to retain existing customers or acquire new customers, which would reduce our revenues and limit our future profitability.
The renewal or replacement of existing contracts with our customers at rates sufficient to maintain current revenues and cash flows depends on a number of factors beyond our control, including competition from other
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pipelines and storage providers, and the price of, and demand for, natural gas in the markets we serve. The inability of our management to renew or replace our current contracts as they expire and to respond appropriately to changing market conditions could have a negative effect on our profitability.
The fees charged by us to third parties under transmission, transportation and storage agreements may not escalate sufficiently to cover increases in costs and the agreements may not be renewed or may be suspended in some circumstances.
Our costs may increase at a rate greater than the rate that the fees we charge to third parties increase pursuant to our contracts with them. Furthermore, third parties may not renew their contracts with us. Additionally, some third parties’ obligations under their agreements with us may be permanently or temporarily reduced upon the occurrence of certain events, some of which are beyond our control, including force majeure events wherein the supply of either natural gas, are curtailed or cut off. Force majeure events include (but are not limited to) revolutions, wars, acts of enemies, embargoes, import or export restrictions, strikes, lockouts, fires, storms, floods, acts of God, explosions, mechanical or physical failures of our equipment or facilities or those of third parties. If the escalation of fees is insufficient to cover increased costs, if third parties do not renew or extend their contracts with us or if any third party suspends or terminates its contracts with us, our financial results would be negatively impacted.
Our business would be adversely affected if operations at any of our facilities were interrupted.
Our operations are dependent upon the infrastructure that we have developed, including, storage facilities and various means of transportation. Any significant interruption at these facilities or pipelines or our customers’ inability to transmit natural gas to or from these facilities or pipelines for any reason would adversely affect our results of operations.
Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us
Unitholders have less ability to elect or remove management than holders of common stock in a corporation.
Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business, and therefore limited ability to influence management’s decisions regarding our business. Unitholders did not elect our managing general partner or its board of directors and will have no right to elect our managing general partner or its board of directors on an annual or other continuing basis. The board of directors of our managing general partner is chosen by the sole member of our managing general partner, Inergy Holdings. Although our managing general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage our partnership in a manner beneficial to Inergy, L.P. and our unitholders, the directors of our managing general partner also have a fiduciary duty to manage our managing general partner in a manner beneficial to its member, Inergy Holdings.
If unitholders are dissatisfied with the performance of our managing general partner, they will have little ability to remove our managing general partner. Our managing general partner generally may not be removed except upon the vote of the holders of 66 2/3% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class.
Our unitholders’ voting rights are further restricted by a provision in our partnership agreement providing that any units held by a person that owns 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, other than our general partners and their affiliates, cannot be voted on any matter.
The control of our managing general partner may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent.
Our managing general partner may transfer its general partner interest to a third party in a merger or in a sale of all or substantially all of its assets without the consent of our unitholders. Furthermore, there is no restriction in our partnership agreement on the ability of the owner of our managing general partner, Inergy Holdings, from transferring its ownership interest in our managing general partner to a third party. The new
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owner of our managing general partner would then be in a position to replace the board of directors and officers of our managing general partner with its own choices and to control the decisions taken by our board of directors and officers.
Cost reimbursements due our managing general partner may be substantial and reduce our ability to pay the minimum quarterly distribution.
Before making any distributions on our units, we will reimburse our managing general partner for all expenses it has incurred on our behalf. In addition, our general partners and their affiliates may provide us with services for which we will be charged reasonable fees as determined by our managing general partner. The reimbursement of these expenses and the payment of these fees could adversely affect our ability to make distributions to you. Our managing general partner has sole discretion to determine the amount of these expenses and fees.
We may issue additional common units without unitholder approval, which would dilute our unitholders’ existing ownership interests.
We may issue an unlimited number of limited partner interests of any type without the approval of unitholders. The issuance of additional common units or other equity securities of equal rank will have the following effects:
| • | the proportionate ownership interest of our existing unitholders in us will decrease; |
| • | the amount of cash available for distribution on each common unit or partnership security may decrease; |
| • | the relative voting strength of each previously outstanding common unit will be diminished; and |
| • | the market price of the common units or partnership securities may decline. |
You may not have limited liability if a court finds that unitholder actions constitute control of our business.
Under Delaware law, you could be held liable for our obligations to the same extent as a general partner if a court determined that the right of unitholders to remove our managing general partner or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted participation in the “control” of our business.
Our general partners generally have unlimited liability for the obligations of the partnership, such as its debts and environmental liabilities, except for those contractual obligations of the partnership that are expressly made without recourse to our general partners. In addition, Section 17-607 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act provides that, under some circumstances, a unitholder may be liable to us for the amount of a distribution for a period of three years from the date of the distribution.
Our general partners have conflicts of interest and limited fiduciary responsibilities, which may permit our general partners to favor their own interests to the detriment of unitholders.
Inergy Holdings and its affiliates directly and indirectly own an aggregate limited partner interest of approximately 8.4% in us, own and control our managing general partner and own and control our non-managing general partner, which owns an approximate 0.8% general partner interest. Inergy Holdings also owns the incentive distribution rights under our partnership agreement. Conflicts of interest could arise in the future as a result of relationships between Inergy Holdings, our general partners and their affiliates, on the one hand, and the partnership or any of the limited partners, on the other hand. As a result of these conflicts our general partners may favor their own interests and those of their affiliates over the interests of our unitholders. The nature of these conflicts includes the following considerations:
| • | Our general partners may limit their liability and reduce their fiduciary duties, while also restricting the remedies available to unitholders for actions that might, without the limitations, constitute breaches of |
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| fiduciary duty. Unitholders are deemed to have consented to some actions and conflicts of interest that might otherwise be deemed a breach of fiduciary or other duties under applicable state law. |
| • | Our general partners are allowed to take into account the interests of parties in addition to the partnership in resolving conflicts of interest, thereby limiting their fiduciary duties to our unitholders. |
| • | Our managing general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings and reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to unitholders. |
| • | Our managing general partner determines whether to issue additional units or other equity securities of the partnership. |
| • | Our managing general partner determines which costs are reimbursable by us. |
| • | Our managing general partner controls the enforcement of obligations owed to us by it. |
| • | Our managing general partner decides whether to retain separate counsel, accountants or others to perform services for us. |
| • | Our managing general partner is not restricted from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered on terms that are fair and reasonable to us or entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf. |
| • | In some instances our managing general partner may borrow funds in order to permit the payment of distributions, even if the purpose or effect of the borrowing is to make incentive distributions. |
The president and chief executive officer of our managing general partner effectively controls us through his control of the general partner of Inergy Holdings and our managing general partner.
The president and chief executive officer of both the general partner of Inergy Holdings and our managing general partner owns an economic interest of 56.4% in the general partner of Inergy Holdings and has voting control of the general partner of Inergy Holdings. He therefore controls the general partner of Inergy Holdings and through it our managing general partner and may be able to influence unitholder votes. Control over these entities gives our president and chief executive officer substantial control over our and Inergy Holdings’ business and operations.
Our cash distribution policy limits our ability to grow.
Because we distribute all of our available cash, our growth may not be as rapid as businesses that reinvest their available cash to expand ongoing operations. If we issue additional units or incur debt to fund acquisitions and growth capital expenditures, the payment of distributions on those additional units or interest on that debt could increase the risk that we will be unable to maintain or increase our per unit distribution level.
Tax Risks to Common Unitholders
In addition to reading the following risk factors, you should read “Material Tax Considerations” for a more complete discussion of the expected material federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of common units.
Our tax treatment depends on our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, as well as our not being subject to additional amounts of entity-level taxation by individual states. If the IRS treats us as a corporation or we become subject to entity-level taxation for state tax purposes, it would reduce the amount of cash available for distribution to you.
The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in our common units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. We have not requested, and do not plan to request, a ruling from the IRS on this or any other tax matter that affects us.
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Despite the fact that we are a limited partnership under Delaware law, it is possible in certain circumstances for a partnership such as ours to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. Although we do not believe based upon our current operations that we are so treated, a change in our business (or a change in current law) could cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject us to taxation as an entity.
If we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently a maximum rate of 35%, and would likely pay state income tax at varying rates. Distributions to you would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gain, loss or deduction would flow through to you. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, our cash available for distribution to you would be substantially reduced. Therefore, treatment of us as a corporation would result in a material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to our unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our common units.
Current law may change so as to cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject us to entity-level taxation. At the federal level, members of Congress have considered substantive changes to the existing U.S. tax laws that would have affected certain publicly traded partnerships. Although the legislation considered would not have appeared to affect our tax treatment, we are unable to predict whether any such change or other proposals will ultimately be reconsidered and eventually enacted. Moreover, any modification to the federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be applied retroactively. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units. At the state level, because of widespread state budget deficits, several states are evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise and other forms of taxation. For example, we are required to pay Texas franchise tax at a maximum effective rate of 0.7% of our gross income apportioned to Texas in the prior year. Imposition of any such tax on us by any other state will reduce the cash available for distribution to you.
Our partnership agreement provides that, if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that subjects us to taxation as a corporation or otherwise subjects us to entity-level taxation for federal, state or local income tax purposes, then the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution amount will be adjusted to reflect the impact of that law on us.
If the IRS contests the federal income tax positions we take, the market for our common units may be adversely impacted and the cost of any IRS contest will reduce our cash available for distribution to you.
We have not requested a ruling from the IRS with respect to our treatment as a partnership for federal income tax purposes or any other matter that affects us. The IRS may adopt positions that differ from the conclusions of our counsel expressed in this prospectus or from the positions we take. It may be necessary to resort to administrative or court proceedings to sustain some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take. A court may not concur with some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take. Any contest with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units and the price at which they trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will be borne by us and directly or indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution.
You may be required to pay taxes on your share of our income even if you do not receive any cash distributions from us.
Because our unitholders will be treated as partners to whom we will allocate taxable income which could be different in amount than the cash we distribute, you will be required to pay any federal income taxes and, in some cases, state and local income taxes on your share of our taxable income even if you receive no cash distributions from us. You may not receive cash distributions from us equal to your share of our taxable income or even equal to the actual tax liability resulting from that income.
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Tax gain or loss on disposition of our common units could be more or less than expected.
A unitholder who sells common units will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his adjusted tax basis in those common units. Prior distributions to a unitholder in excess of the total net taxable income allocated to that unitholder, which decreased the tax basis in that unitholder’s common unit, will, in effect, become taxable income to that unitholder if the common unit is sold at a price greater than that unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit, even if the price is less than the original cost. A substantial portion of the amount realized, whether or not representing gain, may be ordinary income to that unitholder. In addition, if you sell your units, you may incur a tax liability in excess of the amount of cash you receive from the sale. Please read “Material Tax Considerations—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss” for a further discussion of the foregoing.
Tax-exempt entities and non-U.S. persons face unique tax issues from owning common units that may result in adverse tax consequences to them.
Investment in common units by tax-exempt entities, including employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts (known as IRAs), and non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to them. For example, virtually all of our income allocated to organizations exempt from federal income tax, including IRAs and other retirement plans, will be treated as unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them. Distributions to non-U.S. persons will be reduced by withholding taxes imposed at the highest effective applicable tax rate, and non-U.S. persons will be required to file United States federal income tax returns and pay tax on their share of our taxable income. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax adviser before investing in our units.
We will treat each purchaser of common units as having the same tax benefits without regard to the actual units purchased. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of our common units.
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units, we have adopted depreciation and amortization positions that may not conform with all aspects of existing Treasury Regulations. A successful IRS challenge to those positions could adversely affect the amount of tax benefits available to our unitholders. It also could affect the timing of these tax benefits or the amount of gain on the sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of our common units or result in audits of and adjustments to our unitholders’ tax returns. Please read “Material Tax Considerations—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election” for a further discussion of the effect of the depreciation and amortization positions we have adopted.
We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.
We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The use of this proration method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations, and, accordingly, our counsel is unable to opine as to the validity of this method. If the IRS were to challenge this method or new Treasury Regulations were issued, we may be required to change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders. Please read “Material Tax Considerations—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”
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A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition.
Because a unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of the loaned units, he may no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan to the short seller and the unitholder may recognize gain or loss from such disposition. Moreover, during the period of the loan to the short seller, any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units may not be reportable by the unitholder and any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units could be fully taxable as ordinary income. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the treatment of a unitholder where common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing their units.
We have adopted certain valuation methodologies and monthly conventions that may result in a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction between the general partner and the unitholders. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.
When we issue additional units or engage in certain other transactions, we determine the fair market value of our assets and allocate any unrealized gain or loss attributable to our assets to the capital accounts of our unitholders and our general partner. The adopted methodology may be viewed as understating the value of our assets. In that case, there may be a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction between certain unitholders and the general partner, which may be unfavorable to such unitholders. Moreover, subsequent purchasers of common units may have a greater portion of their Internal Revenue Code Section 743(b) adjustment allocated to our tangible assets and a lesser portion allocated to our intangible assets. The IRS may challenge the adopted valuation methods, or our allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to our tangible and intangible assets, and allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction between the general partner and certain of our unitholders.
A successful IRS challenge to these methods or allocations could adversely affect the amount of taxable income or loss being allocated to our unitholders. It also could affect the amount of gain from our unitholders’ sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of the common units or result in audit adjustments to our unitholders’ tax returns without the benefit of additional deductions.
The sale or exchange of 50% or more of our capital and profits interests during any twelve-month period will result in the termination of our partnership for federal income tax purposes.
We will be considered to have terminated for federal income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. Our termination would, among other things result in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders, which would result in us filing two tax returns (and our unitholders could receive two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and could result in a deferral of depreciation deductions allowable in computing our taxable income. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may also result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. Our termination currently would not affect our classification as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, but instead, we would be treated as a new partnership for tax purposes. If treated as a new partnership, we must make new tax elections and could be subject to penalties if we are unable to determine that a termination occurred. Please read “Material Tax Considerations—Disposition of Common Units—Constructive Termination” for a description of the consequences of our termination for federal income tax purposes.
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You will likely be subject to state and local taxes and return filing requirements in states where you do not live as a result of an investment in our common units.
In addition to federal income taxes, you will likely be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that are imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property, even if you do not reside in any of those jurisdictions. You will likely be required to file state and local income tax returns and pay state and local income taxes in many or all of the jurisdictions. Further, you may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. It is your responsibility to file all United States federal, state and local tax returns. Our counsel has not rendered an opinion on the state or local tax consequences of an investment in the common units.
You are urged to read “Material Tax Considerations” for a discussion of the expected material federal income tax consequences of owning our securities.
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If any common units are offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus, then such common units will be offered and sold by Inergy Holdings, L.P. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common units sold pursuant to this prospectus.
Unless otherwise described in a prospectus supplement, Inergy Holdings, L.P. has no current intent to sell the common units registered by this prospectus supplement. If in the future Inergy Holdings, L.P. chooses to sell part or all of the common units, it intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of common units under this prospectus for general partnership purposes. This may include, among other things, repayment or refinancing of existing indebtedness or other partnership obligations, financing of capital expenditures and acquisitions, investment in existing and future projects and repurchases, redemptions of securities, and additions to working capital.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS
Our common units represent limited partner interests in Inergy, L.P. The holders of our common units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. As of July 28, 2009, we had 55,769,587 common units issued and outstanding, representing an approximate 99.2% limited partner interest in us. Thus, as of that date, our equity consisted of an approximate 99.2% limited partner interest and an approximate 0.8% general partner interest.
We pay distributions approximately 45 days after March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 to unitholders of record on the applicable record date and to our non-managing general partner.
In general, we may issue additional common units for any partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as shall be established by our managing general partner in its sole discretion, all without the approval of any limited partners.
Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, our common unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. Our common unitholders have no right to elect our managing general partner or its directors on an annual or other continuing basis. The managing general partner may not be removed except by the vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of our outstanding common units, including common units owned by the general partners and their affiliates. Each holder of common units is entitled to one vote for each common unit on all matters submitted to a vote of the unitholders.
If at any time not more than 20% of the outstanding common units are held by persons other than our general partners and their affiliates, our managing general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase all of the remaining common units at a price not less than the then current market price of the common units.
Our common units trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “NRGY.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar Duties
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company serves as registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units, except the following that must be paid by unitholders:
| • | surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges; |
| • | special charges for services requested by a holder of a common unit; and |
| • | other similar fees or charges. |
There is no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities as transfer agent, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
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Any transfers of a common unit will not be recorded by the transfer agent or recognized by us unless the transferee executes and delivers a transfer application. By executing and delivering a transfer application, the transferee of common units:
| • | becomes the record holder of the common units and is an assignee until admitted into our partnership as a substituted limited partner; |
| • | automatically requests admission as a substituted limited partner in our partnership; |
| • | agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and executes, our partnership agreement; |
| • | represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into the partnership agreement; |
| • | grants powers of attorney to officers of our managing general partner and any liquidator of us as specified in the partnership agreement; and |
| • | makes the consents and waivers contained in the partnership agreement. |
An assignee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units upon the consent of our managing general partner and the recording of the name of the assignee on our books and records. The managing general partner may withhold its consent in its sole discretion.
A transferee’s broker, agent or nominee may complete, execute and deliver a transfer application. We are entitled to treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon admission as a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units, a purchaser or transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application obtains only:
| • | the right to assign the common unit to a purchaser or other transferee; and |
| • | the right to transfer the right to seek admission as a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units. |
Thus, a purchaser or transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application:
| • | will not receive cash distributions or federal income tax allocations, unless the common units are held in a nominee or “street name” account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application; and |
| • | may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units. |
The transferor of common units has a duty to provide the transferee with all information that may be necessary to transfer the common units. The transferor does not have a duty to insure the execution of the transfer application by the transferee and has no liability or responsibility if the transferee neglects or chooses not to execute and forward the transfer application to the transfer agent.
Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the common unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
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Distributions of Available Cash
General. We will distribute to our unitholders, on a quarterly basis, all of our available cash in the manner described below.
Definition of Available Cash. Available cash generally means, for any quarter ending prior to liquidation, all cash on hand at the end of that quarter less the amount of cash reserves that are necessary or appropriate in the reasonable discretion of the managing general partner to:
| • | provide for the proper conduct of our business; |
| • | comply with applicable law or any partnership debt instrument or other agreement; or |
| • | provide funds for distributions to unitholders and the non-managing general partner in respect of any one or more of the next four quarters. |
Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
General. Cash distributions to our unitholders will be characterized as either operating surplus or capital surplus. We distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus. Please read “—Quarterly Distributions of Available Cash.”
Definition of Operating Surplus. Operating surplus refers generally to:
| • | our cash balances on the closing date of our initial public offering; plus |
| • | $8.5 million; plus |
| • | all of our cash receipts from operations, excluding cash that is capital surplus; less |
| • | all of our operating expenses, debt service payments (but not including payments required with the sale of assets or any refinancing with the proceeds of new indebtedness or an equity offering), maintenance capital expenditures and reserves established for future operations. |
Definition of Capital Surplus. Capital surplus will generally be generated only by:
| • | borrowings other than working capital borrowings; |
| • | sales of debt and equity securities; and |
| • | sales or other dispositions of assets for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business. |
We will treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since we began equals the operating surplus as of the end of the quarter prior to the distribution. Any available cash in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, will be treated as capital surplus.
If we distribute available cash from capital surplus for each common unit in an aggregate amount per common unit equal to the initial public offering price of the common units, there will not be a distinction between operating surplus and capital surplus, and all distributions of available cash will be treated as operating surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make distributions from capital surplus.
The incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. The target distribution levels are based on the amounts of available cash from operating surplus distributed above the payments made under the minimum quarterly distribution, if any, and the related distribution to the non-managing general partner.
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Effect of Issuance of Additional Units
We can issue additional common units or other equity securities for consideration and under terms and conditions approved by our managing general partner in its sole discretion and without the approval of our unitholders. We may fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities.
Holders of any additional common units that we issue will be entitled to share equally with our then-existing unitholders in distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing unitholders. If we issue additional partnership interests, our non-managing general partner may make, but is not obligated to make, an additional capital contribution to us.
Quarterly Distributions of Available Cash
We will make quarterly distributions to our partners prior to our liquidation in an amount equal to 100% of our available cash for that quarter. We expect to make distributions of all available cash within approximately 45 days after the end of each quarter to holders of record on the applicable record date. The minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels are also subject to certain other adjustments as described below under “—Distributions from Capital Surplus” and “—Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels.”
Distributions from Operating Surplus
We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus in the following manner:
| • | First, 100% to the non-managing general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their respective percentage interests until we distribute for each unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and |
| • | Thereafter, in the manner described in “—Incentive Distribution Rights” below. |
For any quarter that we distribute available cash from operating surplus to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution on all units, then we will distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus in that quarter among the unitholders and the non-managing general partner in the following manner:
| • | First, 100% to the non-managing general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their respective percentage interests until each unitholder receives a total of $0.33 for that quarter for each outstanding unit (the “first target distribution”); |
| • | Second, to the non-managing general partner in a percentage equal to its percentage interest, 13% to Inergy Holdings as the holder of the incentive distribution rights, and the remainder to all unitholders, pro rata, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.375 for that quarter for each outstanding unit (the “second target distribution”); |
| • | Third, to the non-managing general partner in a percentage equal to its percentage interest, 23% to Inergy Holdings as the holder of the incentive distribution rights, and the remainder to all unitholders, pro rata, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.45 for that quarter for each outstanding unit (the “third target distribution”); and |
| • | Thereafter, to the non-managing general partner in a percentage equal to its percentage interest, 48% to Inergy Holdings as the holder of the incentive distribution rights, and the remainder to all unitholders, pro rata. |
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Our distributions to Inergy Holdings above represent the incentive distribution rights. Incentive distribution rights represent non-voting limited partner interests in us.
Adjustments to Incentive Distribution Rights
In connection with acquisitions or similar transactions, we may in the future modify the incentive distribution rights to, among other reasons, accelerate the accretion or other benefits of the transaction to limited partners.
Distributions from Capital Surplus
How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made. We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus in the following manner:
| • | First, 100% to the non-managing general partner and the unitholders, in accordance with their respective percentage interests, until we distribute, for each common unit, available cash from capital surplus in an aggregate amount per common unit equal to the initial public offering price; and |
| • | Thereafter, we will make all distributions of available cash from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus. |
Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of available cash from capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price. To show that repayment, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced by multiplying each amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the unrecovered capital of the common units immediately after giving effect to that repayment and the denominator of which is the unrecovered capital of the common units immediately prior to that repayment.
When Payback Occurs. When “payback” of the reduced initial unit price has occurred, i.e., when the unrecovered capital of the common units is zero, then:
| • | the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced to zero for subsequent quarters; |
| • | all distributions of available cash will be treated as operating surplus; and |
| • | the non-managing general partner will be entitled to receive distributions of available cash equal to its percentage interest in its capacity as non-managing general partner, and Inergy Holding will be entitled to receive 48% of distributions of available cash in its capacity as holder of the incentive distribution rights. |
Distributions of available cash from capital surplus will not reduce the minimum quarterly distribution or target distribution levels for the quarter in which they are distributed.
Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
How We Adjust the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels. In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units (but not if we issue additional common units for cash or property), we will proportionately adjust:
| • | the minimum quarterly distribution; |
| • | the target distribution levels; |
| • | the unrecovered capital; and |
| • | other amounts calculated on a per unit basis. |
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For example, in the event of a two-for-one split of the common units (assuming no prior adjustments), the minimum quarterly distribution, each of the target distribution levels and the unrecovered capital of the common units would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level.
If We Became Subject to Taxation. If legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by the relevant governmental authority so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, we will adjust the minimum quarterly distribution and each of the target distribution levels, respectively, to equal the product obtained by multiplying the amount thereof by:
| • | one minus the sum of (x) the maximum effective federal income tax rate to which we as an entity were subject plus (y) any increase in state and local income taxes to which we are subject for the taxable year of the event, after adjusting for any allowable deductions for federal income tax purposes for the payment of state and local income taxes. |
For example, assuming we were not previously subject to state and local income tax, if we become taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes and became subject to a maximum marginal federal, and effective state and local, income tax rate of 38%, then the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels would each be reduced to 62% of the amount immediately prior to that adjustment.
Distribution of Cash Upon Liquidation
General. If we dissolve and liquidate, we will sell our assets or otherwise dispose of our assets and we will adjust the partners’ capital account balances to show any resulting gain or loss. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors in the order of priority provided in our partnership agreement and by law and, thereafter, distribute to the unitholders and the general partner in accordance with their adjusted capital account balances.
Manner of Adjustment. If we liquidate, we would allocate any loss to the general partner and each unitholder as follows:
| • | First, 100% to the non-managing general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and |
| • | Thereafter, 100% to the non-managing general partner. |
Interim Adjustments to Capital Accounts. If we issued additional security interests or made distributions of property, interim adjustments to capital accounts would also be made. These adjustments would be based on the fair market value of the interests or the property distributed and any gain or loss would be allocated to the unitholders and the general partner in the same way that a gain or loss is allocated upon liquidation. If positive interim adjustments are made to the capital accounts, any subsequent negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from our issuance of additional interests, distributions of property, or upon our liquidation, would be allocated in a way that, to the extent possible, in the capital account balances of the general partner equaling the amount which would have been the general partner’s capital account balances if no prior positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.
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This section is a summary of the material tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective common unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., special counsel to the general partners and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to United States federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Treasury Regulations) and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to Inergy, L.P. and the operating company.
No attempt has been made in the following discussion to comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or the unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on common unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, nonresident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds. Accordingly, each prospective unitholder is urged to consult with, and is urged to depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units.
All statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., unless otherwise noted, and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.
No ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding any matter affecting us or prospective unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made here may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market value of the common units. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne indirectly by the unitholders and our general partners. Furthermore, the tax treatment of Inergy, L.P., or of an investment in Inergy, L.P., may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.
For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues:
(1) the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales”),
(2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”), and
(3) whether our method for depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election”).
A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the
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partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable unless the amount of cash distributed is in excess of his adjusted basis in his partnership interest.
Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly-traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists with respect to publicly-traded partnerships whose gross income for every taxable year consists of at least 90% “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the wholesale and retail marketing and transportation of propane. Other types of qualifying income include interest other than from a financial business, dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 6% of our current income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and the managing general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, counsel is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.
No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, the status of the operating company for federal income tax purposes or whether our operations generate “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below, Inergy, L.P. has been and will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and the operating company has been and will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes.
In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and the managing general partner. The representations made by us and our managing general partner upon which counsel has relied are:
(a) Neither Inergy, L.P. nor the operating company has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation,
(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income from sources that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined, or will opine, is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, and
(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and will be associated with oil, gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.
If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure which is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and which is cured within a reasonable time after discovery, we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and Inergy, L.P. so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
If we were treated as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to the unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable
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return of capital, to the extent of a unitholder’s tax basis in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, treatment as a corporation would materially reduce a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would reduce the value of the units.
The remainder of this section is based on Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Unitholders who have become limited partners of Inergy, L.P. will be treated as partners of Inergy, L.P. for federal income tax purposes. Also:
(a) assignees who have executed and delivered transfer applications, and are awaiting admission as limited partners, and
(b) unitholders whose common units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their common units, will be treated as partners of Inergy, L.P. for federal income tax purposes.
As there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing assignees of common units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units unless the common units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those common units.
A beneficial owner of common units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales.”
Income, gain, deductions or losses would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the consequences of their status as partners in Inergy, L.P. for federal income tax purposes.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Flow-Through of Taxable Income. We will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution from us. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year.
Treatment of Distributions. Except as described below with respect to certain non-pro rata distributions, our distributions to a unitholder will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes to the extent of his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholder’s tax basis will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “—Disposition of Common Units” below. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read “—Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”
Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner, including our general partners, bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution of cash to that
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unitholder. We do not currently have any nonrecourse liabilities. A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of cash may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces his share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture, and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” both as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.”
To that extent, he will be treated as having received his proportionate share of our Section 751 Assets and having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income. That income will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.
Basis of Common Units. A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for the common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by our distributions to him, by his share of our losses, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have no share of our debt which is recourse to either general partner, but will have a share of our nonrecourse liabilities, generally based on his share of profits. Please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
Limitations on Deductibility of Losses. The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his units and, in the case of an individual unitholder, estate, trust, or a corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations) to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A unitholder must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholder’s tax basis in his units. Upon the taxable disposition of a unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any excess loss above that gain previously suspended by the at risk or basis limitations is no longer utilizable.
In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities.
In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally partnership or corporate activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly-traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will only be available to offset our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including any dividend income we derive or from our investments or investments in other publicly-traded partnerships, or
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salary or active business income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of our income may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive activity loss rules are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk rules and the basis limitation.
A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly-traded partnerships.
Limitations on Interest Deductions. The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:
| • | interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment; |
| • | our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and |
| • | the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent attributable to portfolio income. |
The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit.
Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income.
The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, a unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.
Entity-Level Collections. If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, foreign or local income tax on behalf of any unitholder or the non-managing general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend the partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under the partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual unitholder in which event the unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that incentive distributions are made to Inergy Holdings, L.P., gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to our non-managing general partner.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to account for any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering, referred to in this discussion as the “Contributed Property.” The effect of these allocations, referred to as Section 704(c) Allocations, to a unitholder purchasing common units from us in an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax bases of our
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assets were equal to their fair market value at the time of such offering, eliminating over time the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “Book-Tax Disparity.” In the event we issue additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future “reverse Section 704(c) Allocations,” similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, will be made to the general partner and our other unitholders immediately prior to such issuance or other transactions to account for the difference between the “book” basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of such issuance the future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:
| • | his relative contributions to us; |
| • | the interests of all the partners in profits and losses; |
| • | the interest of all the partners in cash flow; and |
| • | the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation. |
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “—Section 754 Election” and “—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.
Treatment of Short Sales. A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be a partner for tax purposes with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:
| • | any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units would not be reportable by the unitholder, |
| • | any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully taxable, and |
| • | all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income. |
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller. Therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition should modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from loaning their units. The IRS has announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read “—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
Alternative Minimum Tax. Each unitholder will be required to take into account his share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.
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Tax Rates. Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
Section 754 Election. We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price. This election does not apply to a person who purchases common units directly from us. The Section 743(b) adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder’s inside basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.
The timing of deductions attributable to Section 743(b) adjustments to our common basis will depend upon a number of factors, including the nature of the assets to which the adjustment is allocable, the extent to which the adjustment offsets any Section 704(c) type gain or loss with respect to an asset and certain elections we make as to the manner in which we apply Section 704(c) principles with respect to an asset to which the adjustment is applicable. Please see “—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.” The timing of these deductions may affect the uniformity of our units. Please see “—Uniformity of Units.”
Where the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have adopted), the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the Section 704(c) built-in gain. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168 is generally required to be depreciated using either the straight-line method or the 150% declining balance method. Under our partnership agreement, the managing general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with these Treasury Regulations. Please read “—Uniformity of Units.”
Although Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue, we intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized book-tax disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the regulations under Section 743 but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section l.167(c)-l(a)(6) which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. To the extent a Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders. Please read “—Uniformity of Units.” A unitholder’s tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual’s income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate the common unitholder’s basis in his common units, which may cause
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the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.” The IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of the units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is higher than the units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation and depletion deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is lower than those units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally, a built-in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.
The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead.
Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally non-amortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them may not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
Accounting Method and Taxable Year. We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”
Initial Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization. The tax basis of our assets is used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to this offering will be borne by the non-managing general partner, its affiliates and the owners of units immediately prior to this offering. Please read “—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”
To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets are placed in service. We are not entitled to any amortization deductions with respect to any goodwill conveyed to us on formation. Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.
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If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure, or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
The costs incurred in selling our units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon termination of Inergy, L.P. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.
Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties. The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and determination of the initial tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates, and determination of basis, are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deductions previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Recognition of Gain or Loss. Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale. We do not currently have any nonrecourse liabilities.
Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit, even if the price is less than his original cost.
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of units held more than 12 months will generally be taxed at a maximum rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, however, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other “unrealized receivables” or to “inventory items” we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of units. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gain in the case of corporations.
The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold
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using an “equitable apportionment” method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Internal Revenue Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling, a common unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, under the Treasury Regulations, can designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of the units sold. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of common units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the regulations.
Specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests such as our units, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:
| • | a short sale, |
| • | an offsetting notional principal contract, or |
| • | a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property. |
Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.
Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees. In general, our taxable income and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month (the “Allocation Date”). However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between the transferors and transferees of units. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferors and transferees, as well as among, unitholders whose interest otherwise vary during a taxable period, to conform to a method which is permitted.
A unitholder who owns units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated a share of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.
Notification Requirements. A unitholder who sells any of his units, other than through a broker, generally is required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of units who purchases units from another unitholder generally is required to
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notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase, unless a broker or nominee will satisfy such requirement. We are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker. In addition, a transferor and a transferee of a unit must provide statements to the IRS with their income tax returns for the taxable year in which the sale or exchange takes place that describe the amount of the consideration for the unit that is allocable to goodwill or going concern value. Failure to satisfy these reporting obligations may lead to the imposition of substantial penalties.
Constructive Termination. We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same interest are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all common unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination.
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election.”
We depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the common basis of that property, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to the property’s unamortized book-tax disparity. This method is consistent with the regulations under Section 743, but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section l.167(c)-l(a)(6) which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election.” To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to a common basis or Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our property. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any units that would not have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. The IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge
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were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations, and other non-U.S. persons (mutual funds) raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our units.
Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder which is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them.
Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of units. As a consequence they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, we will withhold at the highest marginal tax rate applicable to individuals on cash distributions made quarterly to foreign unitholders. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8 BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.
In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” which are effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Internal Revenue Code.
A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign common unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (i) he owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.
Information Returns and Audit Procedures. We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-l, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be
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reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine the unitholders share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units.
The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of that unitholder’s own return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.
Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Internal Revenue Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. The partnership agreement names Inergy GP, LLC as our Tax Matters Partner.
The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
(a) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
(b) whether the beneficial owner is:
(1) a person that is not a United States person,
(2) a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing, or
(3) a tax-exempt entity;
(c) the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
(d) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
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Accuracy-Related Penalties. An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.
For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:
(1) for which there is, or was, “substantial authority”; or
(2) as to which there is a reasonable basis and the pertinent facts of that position are disclosed on the return.
If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we must disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to “tax shelters,” which we do not believe includes us, or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.
A substantial valuation misstatement exists if the value of any property, or the adjusted basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or adjusted basis. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). If the valuation claimed on a return is 200% or more than the correct valuation, the penalty imposed increases to 40%. We do not anticipate making any valuation misstatements.
Reportable Transactions. If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of 6 successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please read “—Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”
Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:
| • | accuracy-related penalties with a broader scope, significantly narrower exceptions, and potentially greater amounts than described above at “—Accuracy-related Penalties,” |
| • | for those persons otherwise entitled to deduct interest on federal tax deficiencies, nondeductibility of interest on any resulting tax liability and |
| • | in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations. |
We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”
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State, Local and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, you will be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder is urged to consider their potential impact on his investment in us. We presently own property or do business in various states, almost all of which currently impose a personal income tax. A unitholder will likely be required to file state income tax returns and to pay state income taxes in these states and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with these requirements. In some states, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and also may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the states may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the state. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the state, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld may be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, the managing general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent states and localities, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective unitholder should consult, and must depend upon, his own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state and local, as well as federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state or local tax consequences of an investment in us.
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COMMON UNITS COVERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus covers the offering from time to time of up to 919,349 common units that were issued upon conversion of the Special Units owned by Inergy Holdings, all of which were acquired in connection with Phase II Expansion Project and the Stagecoach Acquisition.
Inergy Holdings, L.P. is the owner of our general partners, and its assets consist of its ownership interests in Inergy, L.P., including the incentive distribution rights. As of July 28, 2009, Inergy Holdings beneficially owns 4,706,689 common units, of which 919,349 common units may be sold pursuant to this prospectus.
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Subject to certain restrictions on transfer that may be applicable to the selling unitholder, the selling unitholder may sell the common units described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to one or more underwriters for public offering and sale, or it may sell the common units to investors directly or through dealers or agents. Any underwriter, dealer or agent involved in the offer and sale of these common units will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. If these common units are to be offered and sold in an underwritten public offering, we may designate the managing underwriter for such offering, subject to the approval of the selling unitholder. As a result of its status as an affiliate of Inergy, L.P., Inergy Holdings is deemed to be acting as an underwriter on our behalf.
The selling unitholder may act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each of its sales. The selling unitholder may make sales on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or otherwise, at prices and under terms prevailing at the time of the sale, or at prices related to the then-current market price, at fixed prices, or in privately negotiated transactions. The selling unitholder may sell the common units offered by this prospectus by one or more of, or a combination of, the following methods:
| • | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resales by such broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to this prospectus; |
| • | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers; |
| • | block trades in which the broker-dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the common units as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; or |
| • | privately negotiated transactions, which include direct sales to purchasers and sales effected through agents. |
The selling unitholder may be required by the securities laws of certain states to offer and sell the common units only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.
Underwriters may offer and sell these common units at fixed prices, which may be changed, at prices related to the prevailing market prices at the time of sale or at negotiated prices. The selling unitholder also may authorize underwriters acting as his agent to offer and sell these common units upon the terms and conditions as are set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. In connection with the sale of these common units, underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from the selling unitholder in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of these common units for whom they may act as agent or to whom they sell as principals, or both. Underwriters may sell these common units to or through dealers. Dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent or to whom they sell as principals, or both. A member firm of the Nasdaq Global Select Market may be engaged to act as the agent of the selling unitholder in the sale of common units.
Any underwriting compensation paid by the selling unitholder to underwriters or agents in connection with the offering of these common units, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers, will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of these common units may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of these common units may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act of 1933.
We have agreed to indemnify the selling unitholder and each underwriter, selling agent or other securities professional, if any, against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the common units owned by the selling unitholder and registered under this prospectus, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933.
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If a prospectus supplement so indicates, the selling unitholder may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by certain institutional investors to purchase those common units to which such prospectus supplement relates, providing for payment and delivery on a future date specified in such prospectus supplement. There may be limitations on the minimum amount that may be purchased by any institutional investor or on the number of common units that may be sold pursuant to such arrangements. Institutional investors include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and such other institutions as we may approve.
If a prospectus supplement so indicates, the underwriters may, pursuant to Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, engage in transactions, including stabilization bids or the imposition of penalty bids, that may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the common units at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market.
Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may be customers of, may engage in transactions with and may perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
A prospectus in electronic form may be made available on the web sites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of common units for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of common units for Internet distributions will be made on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, common units may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell shares to online brokerage account holders.
We will pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of common units to be offered by the selling unitholder, including without limitation all: (i) registration and filing fees; (ii) printing expenses; and (iii) certain fees and expenses of counsel and accountants. The selling unitholder will pay all brokerage fees and commissions, if any, incurred in the sale of common units owned by the selling unitholder, and all underwriting discounts and selling commissions, if any.
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Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., will pass upon the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus. Inergy Holdings, L.P.’s counsel will advise it about other issues related to the offering.
The consolidated financial statements of Inergy, L.P. and Subsidiaries and the balance sheet of Inergy GP, LLC appearing in Inergy, L.P. and Subsidiaries’ Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended September 30, 2008 (including the schedule appearing therein), and the effectiveness of Inergy, L.P. and Subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2008, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements are, and audited financial statements to be included in subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the respective dates (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.
We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.inergypropane.com all of the documents that we file with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.
We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made by Inergy, L.P. with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) until all offerings under this shelf registration statement are completed or after the date on which the registration statement that includes this prospectus was initially filed with the SEC and before the effectiveness of such registration statement:
| • | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2008; |
| • | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2008; |
| • | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009; |
| • | Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 17, 2008; |
| • | Our Current Report on Form 8-K (other than Item 7.01, which was furnished) filed on January 28, 2009; |
| • | Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 3, 2009; |
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| • | Our Current Report on Form 8-K (other than Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 under Item 9.01, which were furnished) filed on March 25, 2009; |
| • | Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 29, 2009; and |
| • | The description of our common units contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 000-32453) filed with the SEC on March 15, 2001 and any subsequent amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:
Inergy, L.P.
Investor Relations
Two Brush Creek Boulevard, Suite 200
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
(816) 842-8181
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
Set forth below are the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) expected to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered hereby. With the exception of the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee, the amounts set forth below are estimates. We will pay all expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) incurred by the offering unitholder.
| Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee |
$ | 3,141 | |
| Legal fees and expenses |
10,000 | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses |
3,000 | ||
| Printing expenses |
2,000 | ||
| Miscellaneous |
— | ||
| TOTAL |
$ | 18,141 | |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Inergy GP, LLC
Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that, subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, a limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. The limited liability company agreement of Inergy GP, LLC, the managing general partner of Inergy, L.P. (the “Company”), provides that the Company will, to the extent deemed advisable by the Company’s board of directors, indemnify any person who is or was an officer or director of the Company, the record holder of the Company’s voting shares, and any person who is or was an officer, director or affiliate of the record holder of the Company’s voting shares, from liabilities arising by reason of such person’s status, provided that the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which such indemnitee believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Such liabilities include any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses (including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements and other amounts. Officers and directors of the Company are also indemnified by Inergy, L.P. as described below.
Inergy, L.P.
Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. The partnership agreement of Inergy, L.P. provides that, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:
| • | our general partners; |
| • | any departing general partner; |
| • | any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partners or any departing general partner; |
| • | any person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director employee, agent or trustee of our general partners or any departing general partner or any affiliate of our general partners or any departing general partner; or |
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| • | any person who is or was serving at the request of our general partners or any departing general partners or any affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner as an officer, director, employee, member, partner, agent or trustee of another person. |
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partners will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under the partnership agreement.
Item 16. Exhibits.
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| 3.1A | Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on February 13, 2004) | |
| 3.1B | Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on May 14, 2004) | |
| 3.1C | Amendment No. 2 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on January 24, 2005) | |
| 3.1D | Amendment No. 3 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on August 12, 2005) | |
| 4.1 | Specimen Unit Certificate for Common Units (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Inergy L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| **5.1 | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered | |
| **8.1 | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to tax matters | |
| *23.1 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP | |
| **23.4 | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1) | |
| **24.1 | Powers of Attorney with respect to Inergy, L.P. | |
| * | Filed herewith |
| ** | Previously filed |
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Item 17. Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or
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prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, such undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of such undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of such undersigned registrant or used or referred to by such undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about such undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by such undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrants’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-131742 on Form S-3 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on July 29, 2009.
| INERGY, L.P.
By: Inergy GP, LLC, its Managing General Partner | ||
| By: | /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. | |
| Name: | R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement No. 333-131742 on Form S-3 has been signed by the following officers and directors of Inergy GP, LLC, as managing general partner of Inergy, L.P., the registrant, in the capacities indicated on July 29, 2009.
| Signature |
Title | |
| * John J. Sherman |
President and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /S/ R. BROOKS SHERMAN, JR. R. Brooks Sherman, Jr. |
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer) | |
| * Philip L. Elbert |
Director | |
| * Arthur B. Krause |
Director | |
| * Warren H. Gfeller |
Director | |
| * Robert D. Taylor |
Director | |
| *By: | /S/ LAURA L. OZENBERGER | |
| Laura L. Ozenberger Attorney-in-Fact | ||
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| Exhibit |
Description | |
| 3.1A | Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on February 13, 2004) | |
| 3.1B | Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 10-Q (Registration No. 000-32453) filed on May 14, 2004) | |
| 3.1C | Amendment No. 2 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on January 24, 2005) | |
| 3.1D | Amendment No. 3 to Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Inergy, L.P. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Inergy, L.P.’s Form 8-K filed on August 12, 2005) | |
| 4.1 | Specimen Unit Certificate for Common Units (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Inergy L.P.’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (Registration No. 333-56976) filed on May 7, 2001) | |
| **5.1 | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered | |
| **8.1 | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to tax matters | |
| *23.1 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP | |
| **23.4 | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1) | |
| **24.1 | Powers of Attorney with respect to Inergy, L.P. | |
| * | Filed herewith |
| ** | Previously filed |
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