424B5 1 d122783d424b5.htm 424B5 424B5
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333-253195

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of securities
to be registered
  Amount
to be
Registered(1)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share(2)
  Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offeringprice(2)
  Amount of
registration fee(3)

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

  10,000,000   $42.76   $427,600,000.00   $46,651.16

 

 

(1)

In accordance with Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional shares to be offered or issued from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions with respect to the shares being registered.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, based on the average of the high and low prices of our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on February 11, 2021. The proposed maximum offering price per share of common stock will be determined from time to time in connection with, and at the time of, the sale of the shares of common stock registered hereunder.

(3)

This “Calculation of Registration Fee” table shall be deemed to update the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-253195) in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act.


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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT (to Prospectus dated February 17, 2021)

Avis Budget Group, Inc.

 

LOGO

10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

 

 

We have entered into an equity distribution agreement (the “equity distribution agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. (each, a “sales agent” and collectively, the “sales agents”), relating to our shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “common stock”), offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the equity distribution agreement, we may offer and sell up to 10,000,000 shares of our common stock from time to time through the sales agents pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Our common stock is listed on the The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “CAR.”

Sales of shares of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in transactions that are deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), including sales made directly on or through Nasdaq or any other existing trading market for our common stock. None of the sales agents are required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares of our common stock, but will make all sales using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with their normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between the sales agents and us.

Each of the sales agents will be entitled to compensation of up to 2% of the gross sales price for any shares of common stock sold through it as a sales agent under the equity distribution agreement, as further described in the “Plan of Distribution” section. In connection with the sale of shares of common stock on our behalf, each sales agent may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of each sales agent may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts.

 

 

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein, as well as in any future filings we make from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Neither the SEC, any state securities commission, nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to which it relates are truthful and complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

BofA Securities   Barclays   Citigroup   Credit Agricole CIB
Deutsche Bank Securities   Morgan Stanley   Scotiabank

The date of this prospectus supplement is February 17, 2021.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

     S-i  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     S-ii  

MARKET, RANKING AND OTHER INDUSTRY DATA

     S-ii  

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     S-iii  

SUMMARY

     S-1  

THE OFFERING

     S-2  

RISK FACTORS

     S-3  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     S-6  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS

     S-7  

CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

     S-11  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     S-13  

LEGAL MATTERS

     S-17  

EXPERTS

     S-17  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     S-17  

Prospectus

 

SUMMARY

     1  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     2  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     3  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     4  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     7  

LEGAL MATTERS

     9  

EXPERTS

     9  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus form part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we originally filed with the SEC on February 17, 2021, using a “shelf” registration process. This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which contains more general information. You should read both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with additional information described below under the caption “Where You Can Find More Information.”

If the description of the offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely upon the information in this prospectus supplement. Any statement made in this prospectus supplement or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.

We are responsible for the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This prospectus supplement may be used only for the purpose for which it has been prepared. Neither we nor the sales agents have authorized anyone to provide information different from that contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may provide.

We are not, and the sales agents are not, making an offer to sell our common stock in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. Neither this prospectus supplement nor the accompanying prospectus constitutes an offer, or an invitation on our behalf or on behalf of the sales agents, to subscribe for and purchase any of the securities, and may not be used for or in connection with an offer or solicitation by anyone, in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus the information we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings (but not portions of such filings which are furnished) made with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) until the offering is complete:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on February 17, 2021 (the “2020 10-K”);

 

   

Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2020 (the “2019 10-K”);

 

   

our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2021;

 

   

those portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement under Regulation 14A, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020, that is incorporated by reference into the 2019 10-K; and

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in Exhibit 4.15 to the 2020 10-K.

We encourage you to read our periodic and current reports. These reports provide additional important information about our Company. You may request a copy of these filings at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

Avis Budget Group, Inc.

6 Sylvan Way

Parsippany, New Jersey 07054

(973) 496-4700

Attention: Corporate Secretary

We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of the document.

MARKET, RANKING AND OTHER INDUSTRY DATA

This prospectus supplement includes or incorporates by reference industry data and forecasts that we obtained from industry publications and surveys, public filings and our internal sources. Industry publications and surveys and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there can be no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of the included information. Statements as to our ranking, market position and market estimates are based on independent industry publications, government publications, third-party forecasts and management’s good faith estimates and assumptions about our markets and our internal research. We have not independently verified such third-party information nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon in those sources, and neither we nor the sales agents can assure you of the accuracy or completeness of such information contained, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus supplement. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding our market, industry or similar data presented herein, such data involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference herein.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference may contain certain statements that are “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained herein and the documents incorporated by reference are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our future financial performance, business strategy, projected plans and objectives. These statements may be identified by the fact that they do not relate to historical or current facts and may use words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “would,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar words, expressions or phrases. The following important factors and assumptions could affect our future results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are currently amplified by and will continue to be amplified by, or in the future may be amplified by, the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak, the continued restrictions that have been placed on travel in many countries as a result of the outbreak and the adverse impact on the global economy from the outbreak. These factors include, but are not limited to:

 

   

the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting economic conditions, which had, and is expected to continue to have, a significant impact on our operations, including an unprecedented decline in demand, as well as its current, and uncertain future impact, including but not limited to, its effect on the ability or desire of people to travel due to travel restrictions, and other restrictions and orders, which is expected to continue to impact our results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, growth, cash flows, liquidity, and stock price;

 

   

the high level of competition in the mobility industry, including from new companies or technology, and the impact such competition may have on pricing and rental volume;

 

   

a change in our fleet costs, including as a result of a change in the cost of new vehicles, manufacturer recalls, disruption in the supply of new vehicles, and/or a change in the price at which we dispose of used vehicles either in the used vehicle market or under repurchase or guaranteed depreciation programs;

 

   

our ability to realize our estimated cost savings on a timely basis, or at all, and the amount of cash expenditures made in connection with such cost saving efforts;

 

   

the results of operations or financial condition of the manufacturers of our vehicles, which could impact their ability to perform their payment obligations under our agreements with them, including repurchase and/or guaranteed depreciation arrangements, and/or their willingness or ability to make vehicles available to us or the mobility industry as a whole on commercially reasonable terms or at all, particularly when COVID-19 related restrictions are lifted and travel demand increases;

 

   

the significant decline in travel demand as a result of COVID-19, including the current and any future disruptions in airline passenger traffic;

 

   

the absence of an improvement in, or further deterioration of, economic conditions, particularly during our peak season or in key market segments;

 

   

an occurrence or threat of terrorism, the current and any future pandemic diseases, natural disasters, military conflict, civil unrest or political instability in the locations in which we operate;

 

   

any substantial changes in the cost or supply of fuel, vehicle parts, energy, labor or other resources on which we depend to operate our business, including the current and any future impacts as a result of COVID-19;

 

   

our ability to continue to successfully implement our business strategies, achieve and maintain cost savings and adapt our business to changes in mobility;

 

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political, economic or commercial instability in the countries in which we operate, and our ability to conform to multiple and conflicting laws or regulations in those countries;

 

   

our dependence on third-party distribution channels, third-party suppliers of other services and co-marketing arrangements with third parties;

 

   

our dependence on the performance and retention of our senior management and key employees;

 

   

risks related to completed or future acquisitions or investments that we may pursue, including the incurrence of incremental indebtedness to help fund such transactions and our ability to promptly and effectively integrate any acquired businesses or capitalize on joint ventures, partnerships and other investments;

 

   

our ability to utilize derivative instruments, and the impact of derivative instruments we utilize, which can be affected by fluctuations in interest rates, gasoline prices and exchange rates, changes in government regulations and other factors;

 

   

our exposure to uninsured or unpaid claims in excess of historical levels and our ability to obtain insurance at desired levels and the cost of that insurance;

 

   

risks associated with litigation, governmental or regulatory inquiries, or any failure or inability to comply with laws, regulations or contractual obligations or any changes in laws, regulations or contractual obligations, including with respect to personally identifiable information and consumer privacy, labor and employment, and tax;

 

   

risks related to protecting the integrity of, and preventing unauthorized access to, our information technology systems or those of our third-party vendors, and protecting the confidential information of our employees and customers against security breaches, including physical or cybersecurity breaches, attacks, or other disruptions, and compliance with privacy and data protection regulation;

 

   

any impact on us from the actions of our licensees, dealers, third-party vendors and independent operators and independent contractors and/or disputes that may arise out of our agreements with such parties;

 

   

any major disruptions in our communication networks or information systems;

 

   

risks related to tax obligations and the effect of future changes in tax laws and accounting standards;

 

   

risks related to our indebtedness, including our substantial outstanding debt obligations, potential interest rate increases, recent and potential further downgrades by rating agencies and our ability to incur substantially more debt;

 

   

our ability to obtain financing for our global operations, including the funding of our vehicle fleet through the issuance of asset-backed securities and use of the global lending markets;

 

   

our ability to meet the financial and other covenants contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness, or to obtain a waiver or amendment of such covenants should we be unable to meet such covenants;

 

   

our ability to accurately estimate our future results;

 

   

failure to achieve our business plans, a further deterioration of the general economic conditions of the countries in which we operate, or significant changes in the assumptions and estimates that are used in our impairment testing for goodwill and intangible assets, which could result in a significant impairment of our goodwill;

 

   

other business, economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory, political or technological factors affecting our operations, pricing or services; and

 

   

other risks referenced in “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and in the 2020 10-K.

We operate in a continuously changing business environment and new risk factors emerge from time to time. New risk factors, factors beyond our control, or changes in the impact of identified risk factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, we do not assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of those statements. The discussion and analysis contained in “Risk Factors” and in

 

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other portions of this prospectus supplement or the 2020 10-K may contain forward-looking statements and involve uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon assumptions and known risks and uncertainties.

Although we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, any or all of our forward-looking statements may prove to be inaccurate and we can make no guarantees about our future performance. Should unknown risks or uncertainties materialize or underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could differ materially from past results and/or those anticipated, estimated or projected. We undertake no obligation to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements, to report events or to report the occurrence of unanticipated events. For any forward-looking statements contained in any document, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

 

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SUMMARY

The following summary highlights information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. It may not contain all the information that may be important to you. You should carefully read this entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference, including the section titled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and in our 2020 10-K, and our consolidated financial statements and related notes incorporated by reference to our 2020 10-K.

Unless the context requires otherwise, “we,” “our,” “us,” “Avis” and the “Company” refer to Avis Budget Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Our Company

We are a leading global provider of mobility solutions through our three most recognized brands, Avis, Budget and Zipcar, together with several other brands, well recognized in their respective markets. Our brands offer a range of options, from car and truck rental to car sharing. We and our licensees operate our brands in approximately 180 countries throughout the world. We generally maintain a leading share of airport car rental revenues in North America, Europe and Australasia, and we operate a leading car sharing network, as well as one of the leading commercial truck rental businesses in the United States. Our brands and mobility solutions have an extended global reach with more than 10,600 rental locations throughout the world, including approximately 4,100 locations operated by our licensees. We believe that Avis, Budget and Zipcar enjoy complementary demand patterns with mid-week commercial demand balanced by weekend leisure demand.

We categorize our operations into two reportable business segments:

 

   

Americas, which provides and licenses the Company’s brands to third parties for vehicle rentals and ancillary products and services in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, and operates the Company’s car sharing business in certain of these markets; and

 

   

International, which provides and licenses the Company’s brands to third parties for vehicle rentals and ancillary products and services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia, and operates the Company’s car sharing business in certain of these markets.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 6 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054. Our telephone number is (973) 496-4700. Our website can be found at www.avisbudgetgroup.com. The information contained on our website or that can be accessed through our website is not part of this prospectus supplement and you should not rely on that information when making a decision whether to invest in our common stock.



 

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THE OFFERING

 

Issuer

   Avis Budget Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Common stock offered by us

   10,000,000 shares of our common stock.

Manner of offering

   “At-the-market” offering that may be made from time to time through BofA Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., as sales agents, subject to direction from us as to amount and timing. See “Plan of Distribution.”

Use of proceeds

   We intend to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, additions to working capital, repurchases of common stock, dividends, capital expenditures and investments in our subsidiaries. Net proceeds may be temporarily invested prior to use. See “Use of Proceeds.”

Dividends

   We neither declared nor paid any cash dividend on our common stock in 2020 or 2019, and we do not currently anticipate paying cash dividends on our common stock. However, we evaluate our dividend policy on a regular basis and may pay dividends in the future, subject to compliance with the covenants in our senior credit facility, the indentures governing our senior notes and our vehicle financing programs. The declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our common stock will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will also depend upon many factors, including our financial condition, earnings, capital requirements of our businesses, covenants associated with certain debt obligations, legal requirements, regulatory constraints, industry practice and other factors that the Board of Directors deems relevant.

Nasdaq symbol

   “CAR”

Risk factors

   For a discussion of risks relating to us, our business and an investment in our common stock, see “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement and our 2020 10-K and the other information set forth in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement before investing in our common stock.

Transfer agent

   Computershare Trust Company, N.A.


 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a number of risks. Before you purchase our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below and the other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, including our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our 2020 10-K, as supplemented and modified by the information below. If any of those or the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operation or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In any such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to the Offering and Our Common Stock

The price of our common stock has been and may continue to be volatile and you may lose all or part of your investment.

The market price of our common stock could fluctuate significantly, as it has in the past, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the purchase price. We cannot assure you that the market price of our common stock will not fluctuate or decline significantly in the future. Those fluctuations could be based on various factors in addition to those otherwise described in this prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated herein, including the following:

 

   

weakness in general economic conditions and credit markets;

 

   

changes in consumers’, investors’ and analysts’ perceptions of our industry, business or related industries;

 

   

our quarterly or annual earnings, or those of other companies in our industry;

 

   

financial estimates that we provide to the public, any changes in such estimates, or our failure to meet such estimates;

 

   

actual or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results;

 

   

changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretations or principles;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of acquisitions, dispositions, strategies, management or stockholder changes, marketing affiliations, projections, fleet costs, pricing actions or other competitive actions;

 

   

changes in earnings estimates by securities analysts or our ability to meet those estimates;

 

   

the operating and stock price performance of other comparable companies;

 

   

overall stock market fluctuations;

 

   

technical factors in the public trading market for our stock may produce price movements that may or may not comport with macro, industry or company-specific fundamentals, including, without limitation, the sentiment of retail investors (including as may be expressed on financial trading and other social media sites), the amount and status of short interest in our securities, access to margin debt, trading in options and other derivatives on our common stock and other technical trading factors;

 

   

success or failure of competitive service offerings or technologies;

 

   

tax or regulatory developments in the United States and other countries in which we operate;

 

   

litigation involving us; and

 

   

the timing and amount of any share repurchases by us.

 

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In addition, in recent years the stock market has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. These fluctuations may be unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may cause declines in the market price of our common stock. The price of our common stock could fluctuate based upon factors that have little or nothing to do with our business, financial condition and results of operations, and those fluctuations could materially reduce our common stock price.

Our common stock price may decline due to the large number of shares eligible for future sale and for exchange into common stock.

We have filed with the SEC a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, registering shares of our common stock to be issued and sold by us or certain of our selling stockholders from time to time in the future. The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of future sales of a large number of shares of our common stock pursuant to the shelf registration statement or otherwise, or the perception that such sales or exchanges could occur, among other factors. These sales or exchanges, or the possibility that these sales or exchanges may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue additional shares of common stock. In accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law and the provisions of our certificate of incorporation, we may also issue preferred stock that has voting, designations, powers, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other rights that are different from, and may be senior to, those applicable to shares of common stock.

Your percentage ownership may be diluted by the future issuance of additional common stock in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise.

Our charter allows us to issue up to 250 million shares of common stock. Any shares of common stock that we issue, including under our Amended and Restated Equity and Incentive Plan or other equity incentive plans that we may adopt in the future or in connection with an acquisition or otherwise, would dilute the percentage ownership held by the investors who purchase shares of common stock in this offering.

Our management will have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from the sale of the common stock offered hereby and may not use them effectively.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from the sale of the common stock offered hereby, and our stockholders will not have the opportunity as part of their investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. You may not agree with our decisions, and our use of the net proceeds may not yield any return on your investment. Our failure to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the common stock offered hereby effectively could compromise our business strategy, and we might not be able to yield a significant return, if any, on our investment of these net proceeds. You will not have the opportunity to influence our decisions on how to use our net proceeds from the sale of the common stock offered hereby.

The common stock offered hereby will be sold in “at-the-market” offerings, and investors who buy shares at different times will likely pay different prices.

Investors who purchase shares of our common stock in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices, and so may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to market demand, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares of common stock sold, and there is no minimum or maximum sales price. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares of common stock as a result of share sales made at prices lower than the prices they paid.

 

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Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and by-laws and Delaware law could prevent or delay a potential acquisition of control of our Company, which could decrease the trading price of our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated by-laws and the laws in the State of Delaware contain provisions that are intended to deter coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids by making such practices or bids unacceptably expensive to the prospective acquirer and to encourage prospective acquirers to negotiate with our Board of Directors rather than to attempt a hostile takeover. Delaware law also imposes restrictions on mergers and other business combinations between us and any holder of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock.

We believe these provisions protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by effectively requiring those who seek to obtain control of the Company to negotiate with our Board of Directors and by providing our Board with more time to assess any acquisition of control. However, these provisions could apply even if an acquisition of control of the Company may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition of control that our Board of Directors determines is not in the best interests of our Company and our stockholders.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, additions to working capital, repurchases of common stock, dividends, capital expenditures and investments in our subsidiaries. Net proceeds may be temporarily invested prior to use.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS

Overview

The following is a summary of material U.S. federal income consequences to non-U.S. holders, as defined below, of the ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock as of the date of this prospectus supplement. This summary deals only with shares of common stock purchased in this offering that are held as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code, as defined below (generally, property held for investment), by a non-U.S. holder.

For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is not any of the following:

 

   

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation (or any other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

   

a partnership (or any other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes);

 

   

an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of the Code) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

If any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partner and the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership considering an investment in shares of our common stock, you should consult your own tax advisors to determine the U.S. federal, state, local, non-U.S. and other tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances.

This summary is based upon provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, rulings and other administrative pronouncements and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date hereof. Those authorities are subject to different interpretations and may be changed at any time, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those summarized below. We have not sought and do not expect to seek any rulings from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not take positions concerning the tax consequences of the ownership or disposition of shares of our common stock that differ from those discussed below. We cannot assure you that a change in law will not alter significantly the tax consequences described in this summary.

This summary is general in nature and does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation relevant to investors in our common stock and does not address the so-called Medicare tax imposed on certain investment income, any state, local, non-U.S., estate, gift or other non-income tax consequences or any income tax treaty. In addition, this summary does not deal with all tax consequences that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their personal circumstances or particular situations, such as:

 

   

tax consequences to investors who may be subject to special tax treatment, including brokers, dealers in securities or currencies, banks or other financial institutions, retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and other tax-deferred accounts, tax-exempt entities, grantor trusts, insurance companies, investors that elect to use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting for their securities, “controlled foreign

 

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corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax, expatriated entities subject to Section 7874 of the Code, and individuals who are U.S. expatriates;

 

   

tax consequences to persons holding shares of our common stock as a part of a hedge, integrated or conversion transaction, synthetic security, straddle or combined transaction or persons deemed to sell shares of our common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code;

 

   

tax consequences to partnerships or other pass-through entities or investors in such entities;

 

   

tax consequences to persons subject to the base erosion and anti-abuse tax or the alternative minimum tax; or

 

   

tax consequences to accrual-method taxpayers subject to special tax accounting rules (including under Section 451(b) of the Code).

This summary is for general information only and is not intended to constitute a complete description of all U.S. federal income tax consequences for non-U.S. holders relating to the ownership and disposition of our common stock. If you are considering the purchase of shares of our common stock, you should consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of the ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock, as well as the consequences to you arising under other U.S. federal tax laws and the laws of any other applicable taxing jurisdiction in light of your particular circumstances.

Dividends

We do not currently expect to pay cash distributions on our common stock in the foreseeable future. In general, in the event that we pay cash distributions on shares of our common stock, such cash distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent any such distributions exceed both our current and our accumulated earnings and profits, they will first be treated as a return of capital reducing your tax basis in our common stock (determined on a share by share basis), but not below zero, and then will be treated as gain from the sale of stock.

Subject to the discussion below of backup withholding and FATCA, dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to a U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. However, dividends that are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States by a non-U.S. holder (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment or a fixed base of the non-U.S. holder) generally will not be subject to such withholding tax, provided certain certification and disclosure requirements are satisfied (including the provision of a properly completed IRS Form W-8ECI or other applicable form). Instead, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise, such dividends will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code. A corporate non-U.S. holder may be subject to an additional “branch profits” tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its earnings and profits (subject to adjustments) that are effectively connected with its conduct of a U.S. trade or business.

A non-U.S. holder of shares of our common stock who wishes to claim the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty rate for dividends will be required (a) to complete IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form) and certify under penalties of perjury that such holder is not a United States person as defined under the Code and is eligible under the applicable income tax treaty for a reduction in the rate of, or exemption from, withholding on dividends, or (b) if shares of our common stock are held through certain foreign intermediaries, to satisfy the relevant certification requirements described in the applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. This certification must be provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of dividends and may be required to be updated periodically if there is a change in circumstances that makes any information on such form incorrect.

 

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It is possible that a distribution made to a non-U.S. holder may be subject to over-withholding because, for example, at the time of the distribution we or the relevant withholding agent may not be able to determine how much of the distribution constitutes dividends or the proper documentation establishing the benefits of any applicable treaty has not been properly supplied. If there are any excess amounts withheld on distributions made to a non-U.S. holder, such non-U.S. holder may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the applicable withholding tax rules and the possibility of obtaining a refund of any excess amounts withheld.

Gain on Disposition of Shares of Common Stock

Subject to the discussions below of backup withholding and FATCA, any gain realized by a non-U.S. holder on the sale or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless:

 

   

the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment or a fixed base of the non-U.S. holder);

 

   

the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met; or

 

   

we are or have been a U.S. real property holding corporation (a “USRPHC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the period that the non-U.S. holder held the shares of our common stock, and certain other conditions are met.

In the case of a non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above, any gain derived from the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis generally in the same manner as if the non-U.S. holder were a United States person as defined under the Code (unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise), and a non-U.S. holder that is a corporation may be subject to an additional “branch profits” tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on its effectively connected earnings and profits attributable to such gains (subject to adjustments). Except as otherwise provided by an applicable income tax treaty, an individual non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above will be subject to a 30% tax on any gain derived from the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock, which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses.

In general, we would be a USRPHC if the fair market value of our U.S. real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of our worldwide real property interests plus our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we are not and do not currently anticipate becoming a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to them if we are, or were to become, a USRPHC.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

The amount of dividends paid to each non-U.S. holder and any tax withheld with respect to such dividends will be reported annually to the IRS and to each such holder, regardless of whether withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable income tax treaty. Copies of the information returns reporting such dividends and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or agreement.

A non-U.S. holder generally will be subject to backup withholding with respect to dividends paid to such holder unless such holder certifies under penalties of perjury that it is not a United States person as defined under the Code, generally on an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E or other appropriate IRS Form W-8, or such holder

 

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otherwise establishes an exemption (and the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person as defined under the Code that is not an exempt recipient).

Information reporting and, depending on the circumstances, backup withholding will apply to the proceeds of a sale or other disposition by a non-U.S. holder of shares of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries unless such non-U.S. holder certifies under penalties of perjury that it is not a United States person as defined under the Code, generally on an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E or other appropriate IRS Form W-8, or such non-U.S. holder otherwise establishes an exemption (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the non-U.S. holder is a United States person as defined under the Code that is not an exempt recipient).

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld from a payment to a non-U.S. holder of common stock under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against the non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)

Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, and the regulations and administrative guidance thereunder (commonly known as “FATCA”), generally will impose a withholding tax of 30% on dividend income from our common stock paid to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (as such term is defined in Section 1471(d)(4) of the Code) (as the beneficial owner or as an intermediary for the beneficial owner), unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which would include certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners) or (ii) a foreign entity that is not a financial institution (as the beneficial owner or as an intermediary for the beneficial owner), unless such entity provides the withholding agent with a certification identifying the substantial United States owners of the entity, which generally includes any United States person as defined under the Code who directly or indirectly owns more than 10% of the entity. These rules do not apply if the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules, including pursuant to or in compliance with an intergovernmental agreement entered into between the United States and the beneficial owner’s home jurisdiction. The IRS has issued proposed regulations (on which taxpayers may rely until final regulations are issued) that would generally not apply these withholding requirements to gross proceeds from asset dispositions. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. holder of our common stock might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes, and a non-U.S. holder might be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return to claim such refunds or credits. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the implications of this legislation on their investment in our common stock.

THIS SUMMARY OF CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. NON-U.S. HOLDERS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF OUR COMMON STOCK SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE, GIFT OR OTHER NON-INCOME TAX RULES OR MEDICARE CONTRIBUTION TAX RULES OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR ANY OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATY.

 

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CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase and, in certain instances, holding of our common stock by (i) employee benefit plans subject to Title I of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), (ii) plans described in Section 4975 of the Code which are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (including an individual retirement account (“IRA”) and a Keogh plan) or provisions under other U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state, local or other laws or regulations that are similar to the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), and (iii) entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” (within the meaning of regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, set forth in 29 C.F.R. Section 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA of any such plan, account or arrangement (each of the foregoing described in clause (i), (ii) and (iii) referred to herein as a “Plan”).

General fiduciary matters

ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (each, a “Covered Plan”) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of a Covered Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises discretionary authority or control over the administration of a Covered Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of a Covered Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to a Covered Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the Covered Plan.

When considering an investment in our common stock with the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should determine whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Similar Laws relating to a fiduciary’s duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any applicable Similar Laws.

Plan fiduciaries should consider the fact that none of the issuer, the sales agents or certain of the issuer’s or sales agents’ affiliates (the “Transaction Parties”) is acting, or will act, as a fiduciary to any Plan with respect to the decision to purchase our common stock in connection with the initial offer and sale. The Transaction Parties are not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice or advice based on any particular investment need, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, with respect to such decision to purchase our common stock.

Prohibited transaction issues

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Covered Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code and may result in the disqualification of an IRA. In addition, the fiduciary of the Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and/or the Code.

The acquisition of our common stock by a Covered Plan with respect to which the Transaction Parties are considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. Because of the foregoing, our common stock should not be purchased by any Covered Plan, unless such purchase will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and/or the Code.

 

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Government plans, foreign plans and certain church plans, while not subject to the prohibited transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, may nevertheless be subject to Similar Laws. Fiduciaries of such Plans should consult with their counsel before acquiring shares of our common stock.

Representation

Accordingly, by its acceptance of our common stock, each purchaser will be deemed to have represented and warranted that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such purchaser to acquire our common stock constitute assets of any Plan or (ii) the acquisition of our common stock by such purchaser will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.

The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing our common stock on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or any Similar Law and whether an exemption would be required. Neither this discussion nor anything provided in this prospectus is, or is intended to be, investment advice directed at any potential Plan purchasers, or at Plan purchasers generally, and such purchasers of our common stock should consult and rely on their own counsel and advisers as to whether an investment in our common stock is suitable for the Plan.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into the Equity Distribution Agreement with BofA Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. as our sales agents, under which we may offer and sell up to 10,000,000 shares of our common stock from time to time. The sales, if any, of shares of our common stock made under the Equity Distribution Agreement may be made in sales deemed to be “at-the-market offerings” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including by sales made directly on or through Nasdaq or another market for our common stock, sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange or otherwise, in negotiated transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, or as otherwise agreed with the applicable sales agent. The sales agents may also sell shares of our common stock by any other method permitted by law.

We will designate the maximum amount of shares of our common stock to be sold through the sales agents on a daily basis or otherwise as we and the sales agents agree and the minimum price per share at which such shares may be sold. We will submit orders to only one sales agent relating to the sales of shares of our common stock on any given day. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Distribution Agreement, the sales agents will use their commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the designated shares. We may instruct the sales agents not to sell any shares if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. We or the sales agents may suspend the offering of shares at any time and from time to time by notifying the other party. We cannot predict the number of shares that we may sell hereby or if any shares will be sold.

We will pay each sales agent a commission of up to 2% of the gross sales price per share sold through it as our agent under the Equity Distribution Agreement. We have agreed to pay or reimburse certain of the expenses of the sales agents.

The applicable sales agent will provide to us written confirmation following the close of trading on Nasdaq each day in which shares are sold under the Equity Distribution Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the gross sales proceeds, the net proceeds to us (after deducting any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales) and the compensation payable by us to the sales agents. We will report in our filings under the Exchange Act at least quarterly the number of shares sold by or through the sales agents under the Equity Distribution Agreement, the net proceeds to us and the aggregate compensation of the sales agents in connection with the sales of the shares.

Settlement for sales of shares will occur in return for payment of the net proceeds to us in accordance with the standard settlement cycle provided in Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, unless the parties agree otherwise. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

Under the terms of the Equity Distribution Agreement, we also may sell shares of our common stock to a sales agent, as principal for its own account, at a price per share agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to a sales agent as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with such sales agent and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.

If we have reason to believe that shares of our common stock are no longer “actively-traded securities” as defined under Rule 101(c)(l) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, we will promptly notify the other party and sales of shares pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreement or any terms agreement will be suspended until in our collective judgment Rule 101(c)(1) or another exemptive provision has been satisfied.

The offering of shares pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all shares subject to the Equity Distribution Agreement or (2) the termination of the Equity Distribution Agreement by us or by the sales agents.

 

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In connection with the sale of shares of our common stock on our behalf, the sales agents may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to the sales agents may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agents against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act.

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering payable by us, excluding commissions payable to the sales agents under the Equity Distribution Agreement, will be approximately $500,000.

The sales agents and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The sales agents and certain of their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or may in the future receive customary fees and expenses. Certain of the sales agents and/or affiliates of certain of the sales agents are parties to and/or lenders under our senior credit facilities. Certain of the sales agents and/or affiliates of certain of the sales agents are noteholders in certain of our securitization facilities and/or lenders in a fleet funding facility. In addition, certain of the sales agents also acted as underwriters or initial purchasers in one or more of our prior issuances of senior notes.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the sales agents and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The sales agents and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Certain of the sales agents or their affiliates that have a lending relationship with us routinely hedge, certain other of those sales agents or their affiliates are likely to hedge, and certain other of those sales agents or their affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, these sales agents and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the common stock offered hereby.

Selling Restrictions

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each, a “Relevant Member State”), an offer to the public of any shares of common stock may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any shares of common stock may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

 

(a)

to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

 

(b)

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than “qualified investors” as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such offer; or

 

(c)

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares of common stock shall result in a requirement for us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or a supplemental prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

 

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For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares of common stock in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares of common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares of common stock, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

United Kingdom

An offer to the public of any shares of common stock may not be made in the United Kingdom, except that an offer to the public in the United Kingdom of any shares of common stock may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the UK Prospectus Regulation:

 

(a)

to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined under the UK Prospectus Regulation;

 

(b)

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than “qualified investors” as defined under the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters for any such offer; or

 

(c)

in any other circumstances falling within section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, “FSMA”),

provided that no such offer of shares of common stock shall result in a requirement for us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to section 85 of the FSMA or a supplemental prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares of common stock in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares of common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares of common stock, and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

In addition, this prospectus supplement is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, persons who are “qualified investors ” (as defined in the UK Prospectus Regulation) who are (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the “Financial Promotion Order”), or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or cause to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). This prospectus supplement is directed only at Relevant Persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus supplement relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

Switzerland

This prospectus supplement is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the shares. The shares may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), and no application has or will be made to admit the shares to trading on any trading venue (exchange or multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares constitutes a prospectus pursuant to the FinSA, and neither this prospectus supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

 

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Dubai International Financial Centre

This document relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this document nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this document. The securities to which this document relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

In relation to its use in the DIFC, this document is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.

Canada

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York, New York, will pass upon the validity of the common stock offered hereby on our behalf. Certain legal matters will also be passed upon for the sales agents by Simpson Thacher  & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements, and the related financial statement schedule incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference from Avis Budget Group, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the effectiveness of Avis Budget Group, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act on February 17, 2021 to register with the SEC the securities being offered in this prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed with it. For further information about us and the securities being offered, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with it. Statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and registration statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the site is www.sec.gov.

Our website address is located at www.avisbudgetgroup.com. Through links on the “Investor Relations” portion of our website, we make available free of charge our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Such material is made available through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the information with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The information contained on our website is not part of, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

Avis Budget Group, Inc.

Common Stock

We will provide specific terms of the common stock, par value $0.01 per share (our “common stock”), to be offered by us or our stockholders in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“NASDAQ”) under the symbol “CAR.”

The address of our principal executive office is 6 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054. Our telephone number is (973) 496-4700.

Investing in our common stock involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference herein, as well as in any other recently filed quarterly or current reports and, if any, in the relevant prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) nor any state securities commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is February 17, 2021.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

SUMMARY

     1  
 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     2  
 

USE OF PROCEEDS

     3  
 

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     4  
 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     7  
 

LEGAL MATTERS

     9  
 

EXPERTS

     9  


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SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information from this document and may not contain all of the information that is important to you. To understand the terms of our common stock, you should carefully read this document with the attached prospectus supplement. Together, these documents will give the specific terms of the securities we are offering. You should also read the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus for information on us and our financial statements. Certain capitalized terms used in this summary are defined elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein to “we,” “our,” “us,” “Avis” or the “Company” refer to Avis Budget Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

About this Prospectus

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Using this process, we or our stockholders may offer shares of our common stock in one or more offerings. Any stockholders selling pursuant to this prospectus will be named in an accompanying prospectus supplement. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the common stock we or our stockholders may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer common stock, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will describe the specific terms of the offering. The prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change the information contained in this prospectus. Please carefully read this prospectus and the prospectus supplement, in addition to the information contained in the documents we refer to under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

About Avis

We are a leading global provider of mobility solutions through our three most recognized brands, Avis, Budget and Zipcar, together with several other brands, well recognized in their respective markets. Our brands offer a range of options, from car and truck rental to car sharing. We and our licensees operate our brands in approximately 180 countries throughout the world. We generally maintain a leading share of airport car rental revenues in North America, Europe and Australasia, and we operate a leading car sharing network, as well as one of the leading commercial truck rental businesses in the United States.

Common Stock

We may issue and sell, and our stockholders may sell, our common stock. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by our Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) from time to time out of our assets or funds legally available for dividends. These rights are subject to the preferential rights of the holders of our preferred stock, if any, and any contractual limitations on our ability to declare and pay dividends. Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote per share on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders. The holders of common stock have no preemptive rights or cumulative voting rights.



 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and amendments to those reports, are also available for download, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after these reports are filed with the SEC, at our website at ir.avisbudgetgroup.com.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings (but not portions of such documents which are furnished rather than filed under applicable SEC rules) made with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), until the offering is complete:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on February 17, 2021 (the “2020 10-K”);

 

   

Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2020 (the “2019 10-K”);

 

   

our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2021;

 

   

those portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement under Regulation 14A, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020, that are incorporated by reference into the 2019 10-K; and

 

   

the description of our common stock included in Exhibit 4.15 to our 2020 10-K.

We encourage you to read our periodic and current reports. These reports provide additional important information about our Company. You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

Avis Budget Group, Inc.

6 Sylvan Way

Parsippany, New Jersey 07054

(973) 496-4700

Attention: Corporate Secretary

We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of the document.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, the net proceeds we receive from the sale of common stock offered by us pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement will be used for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, additions to working capital, repurchases of common stock, dividends, capital expenditures and investments in our subsidiaries. Net proceeds may be temporarily invested prior to use.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by selling stockholders.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our common stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete. It is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “certificate of incorporation”) and amended and restated bylaws (the “bylaws”), which are filed as exhibits to this registration statement and which we encourage you to refer to. In addition, you should refer to the General Corporation Law of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), which may also affect the terms of the common stock.

Authorized Shares of Capital Stock

The certificate of incorporation of the Company authorizes the Company to issue 260,000,000 shares, par value $0.01 per share, consisting of 250,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the “preferred stock”).

Fully Paid and Nonassessable

All of the outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable.

Voting Rights

The holder of each share of common stock is entitled to cast one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Holders of common stock do not have cumulative voting rights. Each share will continue to have one vote following a stock split, stock dividend or similar reclassification.

The affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of all shares of common stock shall be required to alter, amend, adopt any provision inconsistent with, or repeal certain provisions in the certificate of incorporation related to the election of directors, stockholder nomination of directors, newly created directorships and vacancies, stockholder action, bylaw amendments or charter amendments, and certain provisions in the bylaws related to annual or special meetings of stockholders or stockholder action.

In addition, as further described below, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of all shares of common stock shall be required to approve certain transactions with an interested stockholder or affiliate thereof, unless such transaction meets certain pricing requirements and is approved by a majority of disinterested directors. This voting requirement is notwithstanding the requirements of any law, agreement with any national securities exchange or otherwise. An “interested stockholder” is any person that (i) is the beneficial owner of 5% or more of the common stock, (ii) is an affiliate of the Company and within the last two years was the beneficial owner of 5% or more of the common stock or (iii) is an assignee of or successor to shares of common stock which were owned by such persons within the last two years. The Board of Directors, by majority vote, has the power and authority to determine whether a person is an “interested stockholder” or an affiliate thereof, the beneficial ownership of such person, and whether any transaction meets the pricing requirements referred to above.

Dividend Rights

Subject to the rights of the holders of preferred stock, the Company is permitted to pay dividends from time to time on common stock out of the assets or funds of the Company legally available for the payment of dividends under Delaware law.

Liquidation Rights

After payment of or provision for all liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of the Company and payment of the liquidation preference payable to any holders of preferred stock, if any, holders of common stock are entitled, upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, to receive their proportionate interest in the net assets of the Company, if any, remaining for distribution to stockholders.

 

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Other Rights

The holders of common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights and are not subject to further calls or assessments. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions or restrictions on alienability applicable to the common stock.

Takeover Defense

Certain provisions of the certificate of incorporation, the bylaws and the DGCL have anti-takeover effects and could delay, discourage, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider to be in the stockholder’s best interests, including attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by stockholders, and may make removal of the incumbent management and directors more difficult.

Authorized Shares. The authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock will be available for future issuance without stockholder approval. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

The Board of Directors will have the sole authority to determine the terms of any one or more series of preferred stock, including voting rights, dividend rates, conversion and redemption rights and liquidation preferences. As a result of the ability to fix voting rights for a series of preferred stock, the Board of Directors will have the power, to the extent consistent with its legal duties, to issue a series of preferred stock to persons friendly to management in order to attempt to block a tender offer, merger or other transaction by which a third party seeks control of the Company, and thereby assist members of management to retain their positions.

No Stockholder Action by Written Consent; Special Meetings. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Company must be duly effected at an annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be taken by any consent in writing by such holders. Special meetings of stockholders of the Company may be called only by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or a majority of the full Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution stating the purpose or purposes of the special meeting. No business other than that stated in the notice shall be transacted at any special meeting.

Advance Notice for Stockholder Nominations and Proposals of New Business. The bylaws establish an advance notice procedure. This procedure requires stockholders to deliver to the Company notice of any proposal to be presented at an annual meeting of stockholders not less than 60 nor more than 90 days prior to the anniversary of the preceding annual meeting of stockholders, and notice of a candidate to be nominated for election as a director of the Company at an annual meeting of stockholders not less than 90 days prior to such anniversary. However, in both instances, if the date of the meeting is not within 25 days of such anniversary or with respect to director nominations for an election to be held at a special meeting of stockholders, advance notice shall be given not later than 10 days after the actual meeting date is first so announced or notice thereof was mailed, whichever first occurs.

Delaware Business Combination Statute. The Company is subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, an anti-takeover law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date such person becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the transaction in which such person becomes an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person that, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within

 

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three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by the Board of Directors and the anti-takeover effect includes discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock.

In addition to the approval requirements under Delaware law, the certificate of incorporation includes additional requirements concerning certain “business combinations,” which is defined in the certificate of incorporation to include any of the following:

 

   

any merger or consolidation of the Company or any majority-owned subsidiary with (a) any interested stockholder or (b) any other corporation (whether or not itself an interested stockholder) that is, or after such merger or consolidation would be, an affiliate of an interested stockholder;

 

   

any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) to or with any interested stockholder of any assets of the Company or any majority-owned subsidiary having an aggregate fair market value of $10 million or more;

 

   

the issuance or transfer by the Company or any majority-owned subsidiary (in one transaction or series of transactions) of any securities of the Company or any majority-owned subsidiary to any interested stockholder in exchange for cash, securities or other property (or a combination thereof) having an aggregate fair market value of $10 million or more;

 

   

the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company proposed by or on behalf of any interested stockholder or any affiliate of any interested stockholder; or

 

   

any reclassification of securities (including any reverse stock split) or recapitalization of the Company or any merger or consolidation of the Company with any of its majority-owned subsidiaries or any other transaction (whether or not with or into or otherwise involving an interested stockholder) which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity security of the Company or any majority-owned subsidiary that is directly or indirectly owned by any interested stockholder or any affiliate of any interested stockholder.

Any business combination defined above requires approval by the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of the Company’s capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, unless:

 

   

the business combination is approved by a majority of the disinterested directors; or

 

   

certain minimum price criteria and procedural requirements are satisfied.

In general, a “disinterested director” means a director that is not affiliated with the interested stockholder and was a member of the board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder.

Listing

The common stock has been listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “CAR.”

Transfer Agent

The transfer agent for the common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We and our stockholders may from time to time sell shares of our common stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the common stock is traded or in private transactions. These dispositions may be at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market price, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices.

We and our stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when disposing of shares of common stock:

 

   

on NASDAQ or any other national securities exchange or U.S. inter-dealer system of a registered national securities association on which our common stock may be listed or quoted at the time of sale;

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

one or more underwritten offerings;

 

   

block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

through agents;

 

   

in “at the market” offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise;

 

   

broker-dealers may agree with the Company or selling stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; and

 

   

a combination of any such methods of sale.

In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders.

The aggregate proceeds to us or the selling stockholders, as applicable, from the sale of our common stock will be the purchase price of our common stock less discounts or commissions, if any. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common stock by our stockholders. We and any selling stockholders reserve the right to accept and, together with our or their agents, as applicable, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of our common stock to be made directly or through agents.

Any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that participate in the sale of our common stock or interests therein may be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. Any discounts, commissions, concessions or profit they earn on any resale of the common stock may be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Underwriters and their controlling persons, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us and, if applicable, any selling stockholders, to indemnification against and contribution toward specific civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

To the extent required, the common stock to be sold, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agents, dealers or underwriters, and any applicable discounts, commissions, concessions or other compensation with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

 

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Certain agents, underwriters and dealers, and their associates and affiliates may have borrowing relationships with, engage in other transactions with, or perform services, including investment banking services, for us or one or more of our respective affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

To facilitate the offering of the common stock offered by us or the selling stockholders, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our common stock. This may include over-allotments or short sales, which involve the sale by persons participating in the offering of more shares than were sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option, if any. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of our common stock by bidding for or purchasing shares in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if shares sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of our common stock at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

Selling stockholders may use this prospectus in connection with resales of our common stock. Such selling stockholders may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act in connection with the shares of our common stock they resell and any profits on the sales may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York, New York will pass upon the validity of the common stock offered hereby on our behalf. If any legal matters relating to offerings made in connection with this prospectus are passed upon by counsel for underwriters, dealers or agents, such counsel will be named in the prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements, and the related financial statement schedule incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Avis Budget Group, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the effectiveness of Avis Budget Group, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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LOGO

Avis Budget Group, Inc.

10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

 

BofA Securities

Barclays

Citigroup

Credit Agricole CIB

Deutsche Bank Securities

Morgan Stanley

Scotiabank