Summary
This summary highlights the information contained elsewhere in this prospectus.
Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information that
may be important to you. For a more complete understanding of this offering, we
encourage you to read this entire prospectus and the documents to which this
prospectus refers. You should read the following summary together with the more
detailed information and consolidated financial statements and the notes to
those statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless otherwise
indicated, financial information included in this prospectus is presented on an
historical basis.
Overview
Morris Publishing is a private company beneficially owned by the William S.
Morris III family as part of their Morris Communications group of companies. The
Morris Publishing Group consists of 26 daily, ten non-daily, and 23 free
community newspapers. Our primary sources of revenue are advertising, which
accounted for 79.6% of our 2003 total operating revenues, and circulation, which
accounted for 16.3% of our 2003 total operating revenues. We publish newspapers
in the United States ranging from Texas to Michigan and Georgia to Alaska. In
2003 our newspapers had unaudited average daily and Sunday paid circulation
aggregating 686,754 and 765,871, respectively. Our largest newspapers are The
Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, Florida, The Augusta Chronicle, Augusta,
Georgia, The Topeka Capital-Journal, Topeka, Kansas, Savannah Morning News,
Savannah, Georgia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, Texas, and Amarillo
Globe-News, Amarillo, Texas.
We have historically been consistently profitable in varying economic climates,
with generally stable operating results. Our total operating revenues for 2003
were $438.3 million and have ranged between $433.4 million and $455.4 million
since 1999. Operating income was $79.6 million in 2003 and has ranged between
$68.4 million and $88.3 million since 1999. Our operating margin was 18.2% in
2003 and has ranged between 15.6% and 20.4% since 1999.
Morris Publishing Group, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morris
Communications Company, LLC, a privately held media company. Morris Publishing
Finance Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morris Publishing Group, LLC, was
incorporated in 2003 for the sole purpose of serving as a co-issuer of the notes
in order to facilitate the offering. Morris Publishing Finance Co. does not have
any operations or assets of any kind and will not have any revenues. Prospective
investors in the exchange notes should not expect Morris Publishing Finance Co.
to have the ability to service the interest and principal obligations on the
exchange notes. Our principal executive offices are located at 725 Broad Street,
Augusta, Georgia 30901, and our telephone number at that address is (706)
724-0851. Our parent company's web site is located at http://www.morris.com. The
information on our parent's web site is not part of this prospectus.
In this prospectus, "Morris Publishing," "we," "us" and "our" refer to Morris
Publishing Group, LLC and its subsidiaries, except in the section "Description
of the exchange notes" and where the context otherwise excludes subsidiaries.
"Morris Communications" refers to Morris Communications Company, LLC. Morris
Publishing Group was formed in 2001 and assumed the operations of the newspaper
business segment of our parent, Morris Communications. Discussions of Morris
Publishing and our results of operations include the business as previously
conducted by the Morris Communications newspaper business segment.
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Operating Strategy
Our strategy to increase our revenues and cash flows is to grow our market share
and operate efficiently. Towards this end, we are pursuing the following
initiatives:
Being a leader in providing local information and advertising. We
believe we are the trusted source of local news, information, and
advertising in each of the communities we serve in both the print and
online formats.
Increasing readership. We conduct extensive market research and
strive to deliver the service and content each of our markets demand.
Positioning ourselves as an essential part of our customers' lives is
particularly critical as we face increasing competition for their free
time from other sources.
Growing advertising revenues. Through targeted market research we
attempt to understand the needs of our advertisers so that we may
develop programs to meet those specific needs. While our newspapers
generally do not directly compete in their communities with other daily
newspapers, competition for advertising comes from a variety of other
sources.
Enhancing online initiatives. We have made a substantial commitment
to enhancing our websites that complement all of our daily newspapers.
Over the last four years, our newspapers have won 21 national Digital
Edge awards from the Newspaper Association of America.
Centralizing operations to support multiple publications. We create
synergies and cost savings by producing our weekly newspapers, free
distribution shoppers and additional niche or regional publications
using the facilities of our daily newspapers.
Focusing on cost control. We continue to focus on managing our
operating costs by creating, beginning in 2002, a Shared Services
Center and participating in a newsprint purchasing consortium.
Investing in strategic technologies. We continue to explore
technologies that will enable us to more efficiently print, produce, and
deliver our newspapers in addition to streamlining our back office
operations.
Our operating strategy may not successfully increase revenues and cash flows,
based upon a number of factors. For example, a decline in economic conditions,
the effects of competition from newspapers or other forms of advertising, or a
decrease in the price of local or national advertising could adversely impact
our advertising revenues. Our circulation may be adversely effected by
competition from other publications and other forms of media and a declining
number of regular newspapers buyers. A decline in circulation could adversely
impact both our circulation revenue and our advertising revenue, because
advertising rates are dependent upon readership. Further, our efforts to control
costs, especially newsprint costs, and to create operating synergies may not be
as successful as we anticipate. For further discussion of these and other risks
relating to our business and operating strategy, see "Risk factors" beginning on
page 14.
Purpose
The purpose of this offering is to exchange the original notes (issued and sold
on August 7 and September 24, 2003) for exchange notes. The original notes were
not registered under the Securities Act of 1933. We and the initial purchasers
of the original notes entered into registration rights agreements in which we
agreed to file a registration statement with the SEC
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to exchange the original notes for exchange notes. We will not receive any cash
proceeds from the issuance of these exchange notes and our indebtedness will not
change as a result of this exchange. The proceeds of the initial issuance of
$250.0 million of the original notes together with the proceeds of our new
credit facility were used to repay our debt to Morris Communications, our parent
company, and to fund our general corporate activities. The proceeds of the
additional $50.0 million of the original notes were used to reduce existing
indebtedness under the new revolving credit facility.
We are offering to exchange $1,000 principal amount of exchange notes for each
$1,000 principal amount of original notes. We have agreed to pay the expenses of
this exchange offer.
Strategic acquisitions
We may, from time to time, seek strategic or targeted investments, including
newspaper acquisitions and dispositions and, in that regard, we periodically
review newspaper and other acquisition candidates that we believe are
underperforming in terms of operating cash flows, are in the same geographic
region as one of our existing newspapers where we can achieve an efficient
operating cluster of newspapers, or otherwise present us with strategic
opportunities for growth. Morris Publishing currently has no present commitments
with respect to any material acquisitions, dispositions or joint ventures.
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History and corporate structure
Morris Publishing is a private company owned by the William S. Morris III
family, as a part of their Morris Communications group of companies. In 1929,
William S. Morris, Jr., the father of today's chairman, became a bookkeeper at
The Augusta Chronicle. In the 1940s William S. Morris, Jr. and another investor
purchased The Augusta Chronicle. While Morris Communications' principal business
is newspaper publishing conducted by Morris Publishing, Morris Communications
has other investments and operations including outdoor advertising, magazines
and specialized publications, book publishing and distribution, radio
broadcasting, visitor publications, event management and online services. The
chart below is a summary of the organizational structure (with intermediate
holding companies and lower tier subsidiaries eliminated):
[[Image Removed: LOGO]]
Financing developments
On August 7, 2003, we issued $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7%
senior subordinated notes due 2013. On September 24, 2003, we issued an
additional $50.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7% senior subordinated
notes due 2013. Collectively, these notes constitute a single series of Series A
notes in an aggregate principal amount of $300.0 million, and are the original
notes for which the registered exchange notes are offered in exchange pursuant
to this exchange offer.
On August 7, 2003, we also entered into new senior secured credit facilities,
consisting of a $225.0 million term loan facility and a $175.0 million revolving
loan facility. The proceeds of the
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initial issuance of $250.0 million of the original notes together with the
proceeds of our new credit facility, were used to (i) repay our debt to Morris
Communications, which repaid its existing credit facilities, the proceeds of
which were used in large part to fund our business, and (ii) to fund our general
corporate activities, including working capital requirements and capital
expenditures. The proceeds of the subsequent issuance of the additional $50.0
million of the original notes were used to reduce existing indebtedness (but not
available borrowings) under the new revolving credit facility. At December 31,
2003, we had no outstanding balance on our $175.0 million revolving credit
facility.
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The exchange offer
In August and September, 2003, we completed two private offerings aggregating
$300.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 7% senior subordinated notes due
2013. In connection with the offerings of those original notes, we entered into
registration rights agreements with the initial purchasers of those original
notes in which we agreed to deliver this prospectus to you and to complete an
exchange offer for those original notes. Below is a summary of the exchange
offer.
Securities offered $300,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of 7% senior subordinated
notes due 2013.
Exchange offer We are offering to exchange an
aggregate of $300,000,000 principal
amount of exchange notes for an
aggregate of $300,000,000 principal
amount of original notes. The
original notes may be exchanged only
in multiples of $1,000.
Expiration date This exchange offer will expire at
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on
[ ], 2004, unless we
extend the offer.
Procedures for tendering original The procedures for exchanging
notes original notes involve notifying the
exchange agent before the expiration
date of the exchange offer of your
intention to do so. The procedures
for properly providing notice are
described on page 67 of this
prospectus under the heading "The
exchange offer - Exchange offer
procedures - How to tender."
In order to participate in the
exchange offer, you will be required
to make specified representations in
a letter of transmittal, including
that:
you are not an "affiliate" of
ours, as defined in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act of 1933;
you are not a broker-dealer
who owns original notes acquired
directly from us;
you will acquire the exchange
notes in the ordinary course of
business; and
you have not agreed with
anyone to distribute the exchange
notes.
If you are a broker-dealer that
purchased original notes for your own
account as part of market-making or
other trading activities, you
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may represent to us that you have not
agreed with us or our affiliates to
distribute the exchange notes. If you
make this representation, you must
agree to deliver a prospectus in
connection with any resale of the
exchange notes and you need not make
the last representation provided for
above.
Guaranteed delivery procedures If you wish to accept the exchange
offer and time will not permit a
letter of transmittal or original
notes to reach the exchange agent
before the date on which the exchange
offer expires, you must deliver to
the exchange agent a letter, telegram
or facsimile transmission from a
bank, broker, dealer, credit union,
savings association, clearing agency
or other institution that is a member
of a recognized guarantee medallion
program in the time and manner
described in "The exchange
offer-Exchange offer
procedures-Guaranteed delivery
procedures."
Acceptance of original notes and We will accept any original notes
delivery of exchange notes that are properly tendered for
exchange before 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on the day this exchange
offer expires. The exchange notes
will be delivered promptly after
expiration of this exchange offer.
Exchange date We will notify the exchange agent of
the date of acceptance of the
original notes for exchange.
Withdrawal rights If you tender your original notes for
exchange in this exchange offer and
later wish to withdraw them, you may
do so at any time before 5:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on the day this
exchange offer expires.
Effect on holders of original notes Any original notes that remain
outstanding after this exchange offer
will continue to be subject to
restrictions on their transfer. After
the expiration of this exchange
offer, holders of original notes will
not (with limited exceptions) have
any further rights under the
registration rights agreements. Any
market for original notes that are
not exchanged could be adversely
affected by the completion of this
exchange offer. See "Risk factors -
The original notes are, and will
continue to be, subject to
restrictions on transfer, and the
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trading market, if any, for original
notes may be adversely affected by
completion of this exchange offer" on
page 25.
Resale of the exchange notes Based on the position of the staff of
the Division of Corporation Finance
of the SEC as stated in certain
interpretive letters issued to third
parties in other transactions, we
believe that the exchange notes
acquired in this exchange offer may
be freely traded without compliance
with the provisions of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, that call
for registration and delivery of a
prospectus, except as described in
the following paragraphs. See "Plan
of distribution" on page 127.
Accrued interest on the original notes Any interest that has accrued on an
original note before its exchange in
this exchange offer will be payable
on the exchange note on the first
interest payment date after the
completion of this exchange offer. If
your original notes are accepted for
exchange, then you will receive
interest on the exchange notes and
not on the original notes.
Tax consequences The exchange of the original notes
for the exchange notes will not be a
taxable exchange for United States
federal income tax purposes. See
"Material U.S. federal income tax
considerations" on page 121.
Exchange agent Wachovia Bank is serving as the
exchange agent. Its address and
telephone number are provided in this
prospectus under the heading "The
exchange offer - Exchange agent" on
page 72.
Use of proceeds We will not receive any cash proceeds
from this exchange offer.
Please review the information in the section "The exchange offer" for more
detailed information concerning the exchange offer.
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Terms of the exchange notes
The following summary contains basic information about the exchange notes and is
not intended to be complete. It does not contain all the information that is
important to you. For a more complete understanding of the exchange notes,
please refer to the section of this prospectus entitled "Description of the
exchange notes."
Issuers Morris Publishing Group, LLC and
Morris Publishing Finance Co.
Securities offered $300,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of 7% senior subordinated
notes due 2013.
Maturity date August 1, 2013.
Interest rate 7% per year.
Interest payment dates February 1 and August 1 of each year,
beginning on February 1, 2004.
Guarantees Each of our existing and future
restricted subsidiaries, other than
the co-issuer Morris Publishing
Finance Co., will jointly, severally
and unconditionally guarantee the
notes on a senior subordinated basis.
All of our existing subsidiaries are
restricted subsidiaries. We may
designate a restricted subsidiary as
an unrestricted subsidiary, and
terminate its guarantee, under
procedures set forth in the
indenture, including compliance with
the "Limitation on Restricted
Payments" covenant.
Ranking The exchange notes will be our
unsecured senior subordinated
obligations and will be subordinated
to all of our existing and future
senior debt, including secured
indebtedness under our new credit
facilities, rank equally with all of
our existing and future senior
subordinated debt and rank senior to
all of our future subordinated debt.
The guarantees by our restricted
subsidiaries will be subordinated to
existing and future senior debt of
such subsidiaries, including each
such subsidiary's guarantee of the
indebtedness under our new credit
facilities. The guarantees will rank
equally with all of the guarantors'
existing and future senior
subordinated debt, and rank senior to
all of the guarantors' future
subordinated debt.
The notes will be effectively
subordinated to all of our and our
subsidiaries existing and
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future secured debt to the extent of
the value of collateral securing each
debt. The notes will be effectively
subordinated to all existing and
future liabilities, including trade
payables, of any subsidiary that is
not a guarantor. As of December 31,
2003, after giving effect to our new
credit facilities and the sale of the
notes and the application of the
proceeds therefrom, the notes and the
subsidiary guarantees would have been
subordinated to $225.0 million of
senior debt, not including $175.0
million of additional borrowing
capacity we have available under our
new credit facilities.
Optional redemption We may redeem some or all of the
notes at any time on or after August
1, 2008. We may also redeem up to 35%
of the aggregate principal amount of
the notes using the proceeds of
certain public equity offerings on or
before August 1, 2006. The redemption
prices are described under
"Description of the exchange notes -
Redemption."
Change of control and asset sales If we experience specific kinds of
changes of control or we sell assets
under certain circumstances, we will
be required to make an offer to
purchase the notes at the prices
listed in "Description of the
exchange notes - Redemption." We may
not have sufficient funds available
at the time of any change of control,
to effect the purchase.
Certain covenants The indenture restricts our ability
and the ability of our restricted
subsidiaries to, among other things:
incur additional debt and
issue preferred stock;
make certain distributions,
investments and other restricted
payments;
create certain liens;
enter into transactions with
affiliates;
limit the ability of
restricted subsidiaries to make
payments to us;
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merge, consolidate or sell substantially all of our assets;
issue preferred stock of a restricted subsidiary;
sell certain assets; and
enter into new lines of business.
These covenants are subject to
important exceptions and
qualifications, which are described
under the heading "Description of the
exchange notes" in this prospectus.
Exchange offer; registration rights Under registration rights agreements
with the initial purchasers, we and
the guarantors agreed to use our
reasonable best efforts to cause to
become effective a registration
statement with respect to an offer to
exchange the notes for the exchange
notes. If we are not able to effect
the exchange offer, we will use our
commercially reasonable efforts to
file and cause to become effective a
shelf registration statement relating
to resales of the notes. We will be
obligated to pay additional interest
on the notes if we do not complete
the exchange by May 3, 2004 or, if
required, the shelf registration
statement is not declared effective
by May 3, 2004.
Risk factors. See "Risk factors" on page 14 of this prospectus for a discussion
of certain factors that you should carefully consider before investing in the
notes.
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Summary historical financial data
The summary historical financial data of Morris Publishing set forth below
should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements,
including the notes thereto, and "Management's discussion and analysis of
financial condition and results of operations" included elsewhere in this
prospectus. The consolidated statement of income and other operating and
financial information data for each of the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002
and 2001 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2003 and
2002 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included
elsewhere in this prospectus . We do not have audited financial statements for
the years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 and, therefore, the consolidated
statement of income and other operating and financial information data for the
years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 and the consolidated balance sheet data
as of December 31, 2000 and 1999 are derived from our unaudited consolidated
financial statements. See "Risk factors." Net cash flow information for 1999 is
not available.
Morris Publishing was formed in late 2001 as part of a corporate reorganization
of our parent, Morris Communications and, therefore, does not have a recent
operating history as an independent company. Our historical consolidated
financial statements contained in this prospectus reflect periods during which
we did not operate as an independent company. See Note 1 to Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements.
The financial information we have included in this prospectus reflects the
historical results of operations and cash flows of Morris Publishing with
allocations made for corporate and other services provided to us by Morris
Communications. Operating costs and expenses reflect our direct costs together
with certain allocations by Morris Communications for corporate services, debt
and other shared services that have been charged to us based on usage or other
methodologies we believe are appropriate for such expenses. In the opinion of
management, these allocations have been made on a reasonable basis and
approximate all the material incremental costs we would have incurred had we
been operating on a stand-alone basis; however, there has been no independent
study or any attempt to obtain quotes from third parties to determine what the
costs of obtaining such services would have been.
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Years ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands) 2003 2002(e) 2001(e) 2000(e) 1999(e)
(As (As (As (As
restated) restated) restated) restated)
Consolidated statement of income data
Operating revenues:
Advertising $ 348,736 $ 342,976 $ 341,947 $ 356,825 $ 341,733
Circulation 71,518 71,906 74,756 76,492 77,079
Other 18,093 18,480 20,781 22,098 25,079
Total operating revenues 438,347 433,362 437,484 455,415 443,891
Operating expenses:
Labor and employee benefits 172,221 162,540 163,097 161,189 153,364
Newsprint, ink and supplements 50,608 48,815 62,193 66,431 61,599
Other operating costs 115,408 110,059 106,219 113,029 108,369
Depreciation and amortization 20,535 23,627 37,563 37,439 36,035
Total operating expenses 358,772 345,041 369,072 378,088 359,367
Operating income 79,575 88,321 68,412 77,327 84,524
Other expense (income):
Interest expense, including amortization
of debt issuance costs 26,088 25,056 33,424 45,230 37,737
Loss on extinguishment of debt 5,957 - 1,578 - -
Other, net (59 ) 187 285 (103 ) (266 )
Total other expenses 31,986 25,243 35,287 45,127 37,471
Income before income taxes and minority
interest 47,589 63,078 33,125 32,200 47,053
Provision for income taxes 18,744 24,758 15,039 15,795 21,413
Minority interest, net - - - 282 400
Net income $ 28,845 $ 38,320 $ 18,086 $ 16,123 $ 25,240
Consolidated balance sheet data at
period end
Total assets $ 445,828 $ 437,287 $ 443,352 $ 455,466 $ 466,714
Goodwill and other intangibles 210,643 215,680 220,802 233,196 248,580
Total long-term debt and capital lease
obligations 525,000 516,000 538,046 566,128 544,627
Member's deficit (170,758 ) (153,909 ) (163,913 ) (189,431 ) (171,699 )
Other operating and financial
information data
Earnings to fixed charges (a) 2.8 x 3.5 x 2.0 x 1.7 x (b )
Pro forma earnings to fixed charges (c) 2.5 x 3.0 x - - -
Operating margin (d) 18.2 % 20.4 % 15.6 % 17.0 % 19.0 %
(a) Earnings to fixed charges is defined as income before income
taxes and minority interest plus fixed charges, divided by
fixed charges. Fixed charges are interest expense including
amortization of debt issuance costs, plus one-third of rent
expense.
(b) Not available.
(c) Our interest expense would have increased by $4,669 and
$6,742, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2003
and December 31, 2002, assuming we had issued our $300.0
million of 7% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2013 at the
beginning of such periods. Pro forma earnings to fixed
charges assumes issuance of said Notes at January 1, 2002.
(d) Operating margin is operating income as a percentage of
total operating revenues.
(e) We restated our financial statements as of December 31, 2002
and 2001 and for the years then ended. See note 10 to the
financial statements. The financial statements as of and for
the years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 also give effect
to the restatement adjustments.
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Risk factors
In deciding whether to participate in the exchange offer, you should carefully
consider the risks described below, which could cause our operating results and
financial condition to be materially adversely affected, as well as other
information and data included in this prospectus.
Risks relating to our business and our industry
A decline in advertising revenue, our largest source of revenue, would adversely
affect us.
A primary source of our revenue is advertising. For both 2002 and 2003,
advertising revenues, which include retail, national and classified advertising
revenues, constituted approximately 79% and 80%, respectively, of our total
operating revenues. A reduction in demand for advertising could result from:
a general decline in economic conditions;
a decline in economic conditions in particular markets where we
conduct business, and in particular the Jacksonville, Florida
market where we derived approximately 26.2% of our revenues for
the year ending December 31, 2003;
a decline in the circulation of our newspapers;
a decline in the popularity of our editorial content;
a change in the demographic makeup of the population where our
newspapers are sold;
a decrease in the price of local and national advertising;
the activities of our competitors, including increased competition
from other forms of advertising-based mediums, including local,
regional and national newspapers, shoppers, radio and television
broadcasters, cable television (national and local), direct mail and
electronic media (including the internet); and
a decline in the amount spent on advertising in general.
Our revenues are cyclical and may decrease due to an economic downturn.
Newspaper companies tend to follow a distinct and recurring seasonal pattern.
The first quarter of the year tends to be the weakest quarter because
advertising volume is then at its lowest level. The fourth quarter tends to be
the strongest quarter as it includes holiday season advertising. As a result,
our consolidated results may not be comparable from quarter to quarter.
Our advertising revenues, as well as those of the newspaper industry in general,
may be cyclical and dependent upon general economic conditions. We cannot assure
you that the demand for our services will continue at current levels. The
newspaper industry in general, like other media, has suffered from the continued
downturn in the national economy. Historically, advertising revenues have
increased with the beginning of an economic recovery, principally with increases
in classified advertising for employment, real estate and automobiles. Decreases
in advertising revenues have historically corresponded with general economic
downturns and regional and local recessionary conditions. While we believe that
the geographic diversity of our operations mitigates, to some degree, the
effects of regional and local economic downturns, a decline in the national
economy generally may adversely affect our operating results.
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A decline in circulation revenue would adversely affect us.
We also rely on circulation revenue, which is affected by, among other things,
competition and consumer trends, including declining consumer spending on
newspapers. Circulation is a significant source of our revenue. Circulation
revenue and our ability to achieve price increases for our print products are
affected by:
competition from other publications and other forms of media
available in our various markets, including network, cable and
satellite television, the internet and radio;
declining consumer spending on discretionary items like newspapers;
competing uses of free time; and
declining number of regular newspaper buyers.
Fluctuations in newsprint costs, or increases in labor or health care costs
could adversely affect our financial results.
Newsprint, ink and supplements are the major components of our cost of raw
materials. Newsprint, ink and supplements were 11.5%, 11.3% and 14.2% of our
total operating revenues in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Historically
newsprint prices have fluctuated substantially. Accordingly, our earnings are
sensitive to changes in newsprint prices. We have no long-term supply contracts
and we have not attempted to hedge fluctuations in the normal purchases of
newsprint or enter into contracts with embedded derivatives for the purchase of
newsprint. If the price of newsprint increases materially, our operating results
could be adversely affected. In addition, substantial increases in labor or
health care costs could also affect our operating results.
Competition could have a material adverse effect on us.
Revenue generation in the newspaper industry is dependent primarily upon the
sale of advertising and paid circulation. Competition and pricing are largely
based on readership, market penetration, quality and servicing the specialized
needs of advertisers and readers. Currently, our daily newspapers generally do
not directly compete in their respective communities with other daily newspapers
covering local news. Competition for advertising and circulation, however, also
comes from regional and national newspapers, radio and television broadcast,
cable television (national and local), non-daily newspapers, direct mail,
electronic media (including the internet) and other communications and
advertising media that operate in our markets. Certain of our competitors are
larger and have greater financial resources than we have. The extent and nature
of such competition is, in large part, determined by the location and
demographics of the market and the number of media alternatives in those
markets. For more information on our competition and factors that could affect
our competitive position, see "Business-Competition."
We must constantly expand and develop new publications and services to compete
for advertising dollars against competitors who may target the specific needs of
advertisers.
In recent years, newspapers have faced competition for advertising dollars from
publishers of specialized publications targeted to specific groups of readers.
To meet this competition, our future success depends in part on our ability to
continue offering new publications and services that successfully gain market
acceptance by addressing the needs of specific audience groups within our target
markets. The process of internally researching, developing, launching, gaining
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acceptance and establishing profitability for a new publication or service, is
inherently risky and costly. We cannot assure you that our efforts to introduce
new publications or services will be successful.
We are subject to legal proceedings that, if determined adversely to us, could
adversely affect our financial results.
We are subject to legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of our
business. We do not expect that the outcome of any pending legal proceedings
will have a material adverse impact upon our business. However, the damages that
may be claimed in these legal proceedings could be substantial, including claims
for punitive or extraordinary damages. It is possible that, if the outcomes of
these legal proceedings are not favorable to us, it could adversely affect our
future financial results. In addition, our results of operations, financial
condition or liquidity may be adversely affected if in the future our insurance
coverage proves to be inadequate or unavailable or there is an increase in
liabilities for which we are self-insured.
The interests of our parent, Morris Communications, and its ultimate owners, the
Morris family, may be different than yours, and they may take actions that may
be viewed as adversely affecting our business or the notes.
Morris Communications, its ultimate parent company, Shivers Trading & Operating
Company, and the Morris family have interests in other businesses that may have
conflicting business interests. Other subsidiaries of Morris Communications
operate businesses that also derive revenue from advertising, including
broadcast radio stations, outdoor advertising, magazines, book publishing and
specialized publications. These other subsidiaries may compete with us for
advertising revenues. Because the Morris family's interests as an equity holder
may conflict with the interests of holders of the notes, Morris Communications
may cause us to take actions that, in their judgment, could enhance their equity
investment, even though such actions might involve risks to you as a holder of
the notes.
There can be no assurance that Morris Communications or the Morris family will
exercise control in our best interests as opposed to their own best interests.
The Morris family, including William S. Morris III, our chairman, and his son,
William S. Morris IV, our president and chief executive officer, beneficially
own all of the equity interests in Morris Communications, our parent company,
through their ownership of the stock of Shivers Trading & Operating Company. By
virtue of such equity ownership, the Morris family has the sole power to:
elect the entire board of directors of Shivers Trading &
Operating Company, Morris Communications and each of their
subsidiaries, including us;
control all of our management and policies, including as to the
making of payments to Morris family members or other affiliates,
whether by way of dividend, stock repurchase, compensation or
otherwise or the entering into other transactions with Morris
Communications, its subsidiaries or other affiliates, or other
transactions that could result in a change of control of Morris
Communications or Morris Publishing; and
determine the outcome of any corporate matter or transaction,
including mergers, joint ventures, consolidations and asset
sales, equity issuances or debt incurrences.
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We have no independent directors and no independent audit committee to review
the actions of management or the Morris family.
Currently five of the six directors on the boards of directors of Shivers
Trading & Operating Company, Morris Communications and each of their
subsidiaries (including our board) are members of the Morris family and the
sixth is Craig S. Mitchell who is also the Senior Vice President - Finance,
Secretary and Treasurer of Shivers Trading & Operating Company, Morris
Communications and each of their subsidiaries. Mr. Mitchell serves at the
pleasure of the Morris family. None of these boards has a separate audit
committee and will not necessarily have as a member a "financial expert" as
defined under the rules of the Commission as a result of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002. We have been advised that the Morris family does not plan to appoint
any non-family members to any such boards, other than the current single
existing non-family member director, or any "independent" directors. No member
of any such board of directors has been elected, or is anticipated to be
elected, to represent the interests of the holders of the notes.
In addition, as private companies, Shivers Trading & Operating Company, Morris
Communications and its subsidiaries, including Morris Publishing, have not been
required to comply with the corporate governance or other provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act or any of the corporate governance or other rules and
regulations of any stock exchange or national stock quotation system. Morris
Publishing will become subject to certain provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
when this exchange offer is completed, but those provisions will not require
Morris Publishing to have independent directors or an audit committee.
We depend upon the Morris family for management, leadership and general
policy-making.
The unavailability for any reason of the managerial services presently provided
by the Morris family (particularly our chairman William S. Morris III and our
chief executive officer William S. Morris IV) to Morris Publishing, could be
disruptive to our business for some period of time. While we have been advised
that the Morris family has no intention to engage in a transaction that would
lead to a change of control of Shivers Trading & Operating Company, Morris
Communications or Morris Publishing, no assurances can be given that future
events or other circumstances may arise that would lead to a possible change of
control.
Various entities which are affiliated with Morris Communications and the Morris
family have engaged, and may in the future engage, in transactions with us some
of which may be viewed, from the perspective of a holder of the notes, as
disadvantageous to us or an inappropriate use of our resources.
These transactions may not necessarily be consummated on an arm's-length basis
and therefore may not be as favorable to us as those that could be negotiated
with non-affiliated third parties. See "Certain relationships and related
transactions" for a description of such transactions, including the following:
We are managed by Morris Communications pursuant to a management
agreement and also participate in its Shared Services Center
operated by its subsidiary, MStar Solutions, LLC.
In addition to the management services, we may share other
facilities and costs with Morris Communications and its other
subsidiaries. Shared costs may include joint promotions or the
use of facilities, equipment, supplies or employees of one
division for
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the benefit of an affiliate and the costs will be allocated among the
various entities by Morris Communications.
Rental arrangements with a company controlled by Morris family
members for the use of our Savannah, Georgia newspaper
operation.
In the ordinary course of our business, we may sell or purchase
goods and services from our affiliates, such as radio or outdoor
advertising and promotions, space in hotels owned by affiliates,
or farm products from farms owned by affiliates, on terms that
we determine to be comparable to transactions with unrelated
third parties.
We may provide loans to Morris Communications or its
subsidiaries. Any such loans may utilize borrowing capacity under
our new credit facilities that may otherwise have been available
for our business purposes. It is expected that the principal
external source of liquidity for Morris Communications and its
other subsidiaries will be loans by or distributions from Morris
Publishing.
We are a single member limited liability company that is
disregarded for federal income tax purposes and we are part of
the consolidated tax return of our ultimate parent corporation
and its subsidiaries. We participate in a tax sharing agreement
with our affiliates whereby we are required to pay to Morris
Communications an amount equal to the taxes we would have been
required to pay as if we were a separate taxable corporation. We
may become jointly and severally liable for all income tax
liability of the group in the event other subsidiaries are unable
to pay the taxes attributable to their operations.
Because of the FCC's cross-ownership limitations and Morris Communications'
ownership of radio stations, we may not be able to make acquisitions that would
be favorable, or we may be required to dispose of existing newspapers.
Rules of the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, limit the
cross-ownership of a broadcast radio station and a newspaper in the same market.
Morris Communications owns other subsidiaries which own radio broadcast licenses
that are subject to regulation by the FCC. These subsidiaries currently hold,
under waivers granted by the FCC, radio broadcast licenses in two of Morris
Publishing's newspaper markets: Amarillo, Texas and Topeka, Kansas. A subsidiary
of Morris Communications has also received from the FCC a twelve month waiver to
hold a radio broadcast license for a station it expects to acquire with a
service contour that includes Newton, Kansas, which is also one of our newspaper
markets. The FCC recently adopted ownership rules that would permit
cross-ownership of a broadcast radio station and a newspaper in the same market
in many instances, but these rules have been challenged in the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Third Circuit, which has stayed the rules' effective date
pending outcome of the litigation. Should the new rules become effective, we
believe that the radio broadcast licenses held for these locations will be able
to continue to be held without waivers. If, however, the court challenge seeking
to overturn the rules is successful, or if Congress were to overturn the new
ownership rules or to impose new limitations on newspaper-broadcast
cross-ownership, Morris Communications and Morris Publishing might need to
divest either their radio broadcast licenses for these markets or their
newspaper interests in these markets. Further, FCC cross-ownership rules may
have the effect of preventing us from pursuing or consummating a newspaper
acquisition that our management would have otherwise pursued in markets in which
Morris Communications owns radio stations.
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If we fail to implement our business strategy, our business will be adversely
affected.
Our future financial performance and success are dependent in large part upon
our ability to successfully implement our business strategy. We cannot assure
you that we will be able to successfully implement our business strategy or be
able to improve our operating results. In particular, we cannot assure you that
we will be able to maintain circulation of our publications, obtain new sources
of advertising revenues, generate additional revenues by building on the brand
names of our publications or raise the cover prices of our publications without
causing a decline in circulation.
Implementation of our business strategy could be affected by a number of factors
beyond our control, such as increased competition, general economic conditions,
legal developments or increased operating costs or expenses. In particular,
there has been a recent trend of increased consolidation among major retailers,
including as a result of bankruptcies of certain retailers. This trend may
adversely affect our results of operations by reducing the number of advertisers
using our products and increasing the purchasing power of the consolidated
retailers, thereby leading to a decline in our advertising revenues. Any failure
by us to successfully implement our business strategy may adversely affect our
ability to service our indebtedness, including our ability to make principal and
interest payments on the notes. We may, in addition, decide to alter or
discontinue certain aspects of our business strategy at any time.
Consolidation in the markets in which we operate could place us at a competitive
disadvantage.
Recently, some of the markets in which we operate have experienced significant
consolidation. In particular, the combinations of traditional media content
companies and new media distribution companies have resulted in new business
models and strategies. Should the revised ownership rules adopted by the FCC
withstand court and Congressional challenges, they will increase the potential
of consolidation for our sector. We cannot predict with certainty the extent to
which these types of business combinations may occur or the impact that they may
have. These combinations could potentially place us at a competitive
disadvantage with respect to negotiations, sales, resources and our ability to
develop and to take advantage of new media technologies.
We may pursue acquisitions, but we may not be able to identify attractive
acquisition candidates, successfully integrate acquired operations or realize
the intended benefits of our acquisitions and we may enter into joint ventures.
We may pursue growth in part through the acquisition of additional newspapers or
certain other businesses and assets and we may enter into joint ventures. This
strategy is subject to numerous risks, including:
an inability to obtain sufficient financing to complete our acquisitions;
increases in purchase prices for newspaper assets due to
increased competition for acquisition opportunities;
an inability to negotiate definitive purchase agreements on
satisfactory terms;
difficulty in obtaining regulatory approval;
difficulty in integrating the operations, systems and management
of acquired assets and absorbing the increased demands on our
administrative, operational and financial resources;
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the diversion of our management's attention from their other
responsibilities;
the loss of key employees following completion of our acquisitions;
the failure to realize the intended benefits of our acquisitions;
our being subject to unknown liabilities; and
participation in joint ventures may limit our access to the cash
flow of assets contributed to the joint venture.
Our inability to effectively address these risks could force us to revise our
business plan, incur unanticipated expenses or forego additional opportunities
for expansion.
The financial data presented in this prospectus for the year ended December 31,
1999 have not been audited and you will not be able to recover damages from an
auditor under Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 for any untrue statements
of material facts or omissions to state a material fact, if any, contained in
audited financial statements.
We have not obtained audits of our business for the years ended December 31,
2000 and 1999. The unaudited financial information for the years ended December
31, 2000 and 1999 are based upon the financial records of the Morris
Communications newspaper business segment and reflect certain adjustments and
allocations that our management believes are reasonable. However, the financial
data provided for the years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 have not been
subjected to the independent testing and procedures of an auditor designed to
provide assurances of their accuracy and comparability to subsequent audited
years.
We are subject to extensive environmental regulations.
We are subject to a variety of environmental laws and regulations concerning,
among other things, emissions to the air, waste water and storm water
discharges, handling, storage and disposal of wastes, recycling, remediation of
contaminated sites, or otherwise relating to protection of the environment.
Environmental laws and regulations and their interpretation have changed rapidly
in recent years and may continue to do so in the future. Failure to comply with
present or future requirements could result in material liability to us. Some
environmental laws impose strict, and under certain circumstances joint and
several, liability for costs of remediation of soil and groundwater
contamination at our facilities or those where our wastes have been disposed.
Our current and former properties may have had historic uses which may require
investigation or remedial measures. We believe we are in substantial compliance
with all applicable environmental requirements. However, we cannot guarantee
that material costs and/or liabilities will not occur in the future including
those which may arise from discovery of currently unknown conditions.
The new FTC Do Not Call rule will adversely effect our ability to sell newspaper
subscriptions by telephone marketing.
We utilize telephone direct marketing efforts to maintain and increase our
newspaper circulation. This has accounted for an estimated 30% of our new starts
in subscriptions. Pursuant to the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse
Prevention Act, the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has issued the
Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibiting a telemarketer from calling persons who
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have registered on the recently-created National Do Not Call Registry. As of
October, 2003 the FTC, the Federal Communications Commission and state law
enforcement officials may enforce violations. Once consumers register online or
by telephone with the registry, most telemarketers, generally other than those
calling to solicit political or charitable contributions, will be required to
remove telephone numbers on the registry from their call lists. Persons who have
registered by August 31, 2003 must be removed from telemarketer lists by October
1, 2003 and covered telemarketers may not call persons who register after
September 1, 2003 within three months of the date of registration. Thus, the
issuance of the Telemarketing Sales Rule will limit our ability to engage in
telephone marketing efforts.
Risks relating to the notes
Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our business and prevent us
from fulfilling our obligations under the notes.
We have a substantial amount of indebtedness. As of December 31, 2003, we had
$525.0 million of debt outstanding, consisting of approximately $225.0 million
of senior debt and $300.0 million of senior subordinated notes. In addition, the
indenture governing the notes and our new credit facilities allow us to incur
substantial additional indebtedness in the future. As of December 31, 2003, we
had $175.0 million available to borrow under our new credit facilities. Our
substantial indebtedness may have important consequences, including:
making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations
with respect to the notes;
limiting cash flow available to fund our working capital, capital
expenditures, potential acquisitions or other general corporate
requirements;
increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and
industry conditions;
limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund
future working capital, capital expenditures, potential
acquisitions or other general corporate requirements;
limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to,
changes in our business and industry;
placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our
competitors with less indebtedness; and
making it more difficult for us to comply with financial
covenants in our new credit facilities.
We may be unable to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt service
obligations.
Our ability to generate cash flow from operations to make principal and interest
payments on our debt, including the notes, will depend on our future
performance, which will be affected by a range of economic, competitive and
business factors. We cannot control many of these factors, including general
economic conditions, the reallocation of advertising expenditures to other
available media and a decline in the amount spent on advertising in general. If
our operations do not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to satisfy
our debt service obligations, we may need to seek additional capital to make
these payments or undertake alternative financing plans, such as refinancing or
restructuring our debt, selling assets or reducing or delaying capital
investments and acquisitions. We cannot assure you that such additional capital
or alternative financing will be available on favorable terms, if at all. Our
inability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain additional
capital or alternative financing on acceptable terms
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could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
Restrictions in our debt agreements reduce our operating flexibility and contain
covenants and restrictions that create the potential for defaults.
The terms of our new credit facilities and the indenture relating to the notes
restrict, among other things, our ability to:
incur or repay debt;
dispose of assets;
create liens;
make investments;
enter into affiliate transactions; and
pay dividends.
Under our new credit facilities we are required to maintain specified financial
ratios and levels including:
a minimum interest coverage ratio;
a minimum fixed charges coverage ratio; and
a maximum cash flow ratio.
If we fail to comply with any of these tests, the lenders have the right to
cause all amounts outstanding under our new credit facilities to become
immediately due. If this were to occur, and the lenders decide to exercise their
right to accelerate the indebtedness, it would create serious financial problems
for us and could lead to an event of default under the indenture governing the
notes. In such an event, we cannot assure you that we would have sufficient
assets to pay amounts due on the notes. As a result, you may receive less than
the full amount you would be otherwise entitled to receive on the notes. Any of
these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations. Our ability to comply with these
restrictions, and any similar restrictions in future agreements, depends on our
operating performance. Since our performance is subject to prevailing economic,
financial and business conditions and other factors that are beyond our control,
we may be unable to comply with these restrictions in the future. See
"Description of other indebtedness" and "Description of the exchange notes" for
additional information.
Your right to receive payments on the notes is junior to our existing senior
indebtedness and the existing senior indebtedness of the subsidiary guarantors
and possibly all of our and their future indebtedness and our new credit
facility will have the benefit of guarantees by Morris Communication and certain
of its subsidiaries.
The notes and the subsidiary guarantees will be subordinated in right of payment
to the prior payment in full of our and the subsidiary guarantors' respective
current and future senior indebtedness, including our and their obligations
under our new credit facilities. As of December 31, 2003, the notes were
subordinated to approximately $225.0 million of senior indebtedness, not
including $175.0 million of senior debt that is available for borrowing under
our new credit facilities. As a result of the subordination provisions of the
notes, in the event of the bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution of us or any
subsidiary guarantor, our assets or the assets of the
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applicable subsidiary guarantor would be available to pay obligations under the
notes and our other senior subordinated obligations only after all payments had
been made on our senior indebtedness or the senior indebtedness of the
applicable subsidiary guarantor. Sufficient assets may not remain after all of
these payments have been made to make any payments on the notes and our other
senior subordinated obligations, including payments of interest when due. In
addition, all payments on the notes and the subsidiary guarantees will be
prohibited in the event of a payment default on our new revolving credit
facilities, and may be prohibited in any future senior indebtedness.
All obligations under the senior credit facilities are guaranteed by Morris
Communications and certain of its subsidiaries, and such guarantees are secured
with substantially all of their assets.
The notes and the subsidiary guarantees are effectively subordinated to all of
our and our subsidiary guarantors' secured indebtedness and all indebtedness of
our non-guarantor subsidiaries.
The notes will not be secured. The lenders under our new credit facilities are
secured by liens on substantially all of our and our subsidiaries' assets and by
a pledge of the stock of all of the subsidiary guarantors. If we, Morris
Communications or any of the subsidiary guarantors declare bankruptcy, liquidate
or dissolve, or if payment under the new credit facilities or any of our other
secured indebtedness is accelerated, our secured lenders would be entitled to
exercise the remedies available to a secured lender under applicable law and
will have a claim on those assets before the holders of the notes. As a result,
the notes are effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiaries' secured
indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing that
indebtedness, and the holders of the notes would in all likelihood recover
ratably less than the lenders of our and our subsidiaries' secured indebtedness
in the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution. As of December 31,
2003, we had $225.0 million of secured indebtedness outstanding, not including
$175.0 million of additional secured indebtedness that would have been available
for borrowing under our new credit facilities.
Some of our future subsidiaries may not be guarantors on the notes and some of
our existing subsidiaries may be released from their guarantees upon becoming an
unrestricted subsidiary in the manner provided in the indenture. Payments on the
notes will only be required to be made by us and the subsidiary guarantors. As a
result, no payments are required to be made from assets of subsidiaries which do
not guarantee the notes. The notes will be structurally subordinated to all of
the liabilities of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes. In the
event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution of any non-guarantor
subsidiary, holders of its indebtedness, its trade creditors and holders of its
preferred equity will generally be entitled to payment on their claims from
assets of that subsidiary before any assets are made available for distribution
to us. However, under some circumstances, the terms of the notes will permit our
non-guarantor subsidiaries to incur additional specified indebtedness.
Initially, we will have no non-guarantor subsidiaries.
We may not be able to purchase the notes upon a change of control.
Upon the occurrence of certain specific kinds of change of control events, we
will be required to offer to repurchase all outstanding notes at a price equal
to 101% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to
the date of repurchase. However, it is possible that we will
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not have sufficient funds at the time of the change of control to make the
required repurchase of notes or that restrictions in our senior credit
facilities would not allow such repurchase.
Federal and state statutes allow courts, under specific circumstances, to void
the guarantees of the notes by our subsidiaries and require the holders of the
notes to return payments received from the subsidiary guarantors.
Under the federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent
transfer laws, the subsidiary guarantees could be voided, or claims in respect
of the subsidiary guarantees could be subordinated to all other debts of a
subsidiary guarantor if, either, the subsidiary guarantee was incurred with the
intent to hinder, delay or defraud any present or future creditors of the
subsidiary guarantor or the subsidiary guarantor, at the time it incurred the
indebtedness evidenced by its subsidiary guarantee, received less than
reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the incurrence of such
indebtedness and the subsidiary guarantor either:
was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such incurrence;
was engaged in a business or transaction for which such
subsidiary guarantor's remaining assets constituted unreasonably
small capital; or
intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts
beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature.
The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent transfer laws will
vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a
fraudulent transfer has occurred. Generally, however, a subsidiary guarantor
would be considered insolvent if:
the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, were
greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets;
the present fair saleable value of its assets were less than the
amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on
its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they
become absolute and mature; or
it could not pay its debts as they become due.
On the basis of historical financial information, recent operating history and
other factors, we and each subsidiary guarantor believe that, after giving
effect to the indebtedness incurred in connection with this offering, no
subsidiary guarantor will be insolvent, will have unreasonably small capital for
the business in which it is engaged or will have incurred debts beyond its
ability to pay such debts as they mature. There can be no assurance, however, as
to what standard a court would apply in making such determinations or that a
court would agree with our or the subsidiary guarantors' conclusions in this
regard.
An active trading market may not develop for the exchange notes.
The exchange notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading
market and will not be listed on any securities exchange. The initial purchasers
have informed us that they currently intend to make a market in the exchange
notes. However, the initial purchasers are not obligated to do so and may
discontinue any such market making at any time without notice. The liquidity of
any market for the notes will depend upon various factors, including:
the number of holders of the notes;
the interest of securities dealers in making a market for the notes;
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the overall market for high yield securities;
our financial performance or prospects; and
the prospects for companies in our industry generally.
Accordingly, we cannot assure you that a market or liquidity will develop for
the exchange notes. Historically, the market for non-investment grade debt has
been subject to disruptions that have caused substantial volatility in the
prices of securities similar to the exchange notes. We cannot assure you that
the market for the exchange notes, if any, will not be subject to similar
disruptions. Any such disruptions may adversely affect you as a holder of the
exchange notes.
The original notes are, and will continue to be, subject to restrictions on
transfer, and the trading market, if any, for original notes may be adversely
affected by completion of this exchange offer.
The original notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or
any state securities laws and therefore may not be offered, sold or otherwise
transferred except in compliance with the registration requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933 and any other applicable securities laws, or pursuant to
an exemption from those laws or in a transaction not subject to those laws. We
do not intend to register under the Securities Act of 1933 the original notes
that remain outstanding after completion of this exchange offer, and agreed to
do so only in the event that original notes are not eligible for exchange in the
exchange offer. We are not aware of any reason that original notes would not be
eligible for exchange. Original notes that remain outstanding after the
completion of this exchange offer will continue to bear a legend reflecting
those restrictions on transfer, and holders of those original notes will not be
entitled to any rights to have those original notes registered under the
Securities Act of 1933 or to any similar rights under the registration rights
agreements (subject to the limited exception noted above). To the extent that
original notes are tendered and accepted in the exchange offer, the trading
market, if any, for remaining original notes may be adversely affected.
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Disclosure regarding forward-looking statements
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. These are statements that
relate to future periods and include statements regarding our anticipated
performance. You may find discussions containing such forward-looking statements
in "Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations," in our vision statement on the inside front cover, and within this
prospectus generally.
Generally, the words "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "intends",
"estimates", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions identify
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our
actual results, performance or achievements or industry results, to differ
materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and
other important factors are disclosed under "Risk factors" and elsewhere in this
prospectus, including, without limitation, in conjunction with the
forward-looking statements included in this prospectus.
Although we believe that these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions,
we can give no assurance that these statements will be realized. Given these
uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made
as of the date of this prospectus. We assume no obligation to update or revise
them or provide reasons why actual results may differ. Important factors that
could cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations
include, without limitation:
delay in any economic recovery or the recovery not being as
robust as might otherwise have been anticipated;
increases in financing, labor, health care and/or other
costs, including costs of raw materials, such as newsprint;
general economic or business conditions, either nationally,
regionally or in the individual markets in which we conduct
business (and, in particular, the Jacksonville, Florida market),
may deteriorate and have an adverse impact on our advertising or
circulation revenues or on our business strategy; and
other risks and uncertainties, including those listed under the
caption "Risk factors."
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Use of proceeds
This exchange offer is intended to satisfy some of our obligations under the
registration rights agreements. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the
issuance of the exchange notes in this exchange offer. In exchange for issuing
the exchange notes as described in this prospectus, we will receive an equal
principal amount of original notes, which will be canceled. Accordingly,
issuance of the exchange notes will not result in any increase or decrease in
the amount of our indebtedness. We have agreed to pay the expenses of the
exchange offer.
The proceeds of the initial issuance of $250.0 million of the original notes
together with the proceeds of our new credit facility, were used to (i) repay
our debt to Morris Communications, which repaid its existing credit facilities,
the proceeds of which were used in large part to fund our business, and (ii) to
fund our general corporate activities, including working capital requirements
and capital expenditures. The proceeds of the subsequent issuance of the
additional $50.0 million of the original notes were used to reduce existing
indebtedness (but not available borrowings) under the new revolving credit
facility. We use our revolving credit facility to fund our general corporate
activities including future acquisitions, working capital requirements, capital
expenditures and loans to affiliates.
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