ITEM 1.01
|
ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT
|
Completion of Offering of 5.125% Senior Notes due 2027
On June 6, 2017, Meritage Homes Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the Company), completed an offering of
$300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.125% Senior Notes due 2027 (the 2027 Notes) that are guaranteed (the Guarantees, and collectively with the 2027 Notes, the Securities) by substantially all of the
Companys 100% owned subsidiaries (the Guarantors). The Securities were offered to investors in a private placement in reliance on Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities
Act). The Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be sold except in a transaction registered under, or exempt from, the registration provisions of the Securities Act and applicable
state securities laws.
The Securities were issued pursuant to an Indenture dated June 6, 2017 among the Company, the Guarantors and
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the 2027 Indenture). The material terms of the 2027 Notes and the 2027 Indenture are described below.
The 2027 Notes are the general unsecured obligations of the Company. The 2027 Notes will rank senior in right to all future obligations of the
Company that are, by their terms, expressly subordinated in right of payment to the 2027 Notes and pari passu in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured obligations of the Company that are not so subordinated. The 2027 Notes bear
interest at 5.125% per annum, payable on June 6 and December 6 of each year, commencing on December 6, 2017. Interest on the 2027 Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
Prior to December 6, 2026, the Company may redeem the 2027 Notes in whole at any time or in part from time to time, on at least 30 but
not more than 60 days prior written notice, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed, or (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments on the
2027 Notes being redeemed, discounted to the date of redemption (on a semiannual basis) at a discount rate equal to the rate payable with respect to comparable treasury securities plus 0.50%. On or after December 6, 2026, the Company may redeem
any or all of the 2027 Notes at any time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2027 Notes being redeemed. The Company will also pay accrued interest on any 2027 Notes being redeemed to the redemption date.
The terms of the 2027 Indenture, among other things, generally limit, subject to exceptions, the ability of the Company and certain of its
subsidiaries to (i) incur secured indebtedness and (ii) enter into certain sale and leaseback transactions.
The 2027 Indenture
provides for customary events of default which include (subject in certain cases to customary grace and cure periods), among others: nonpayment of principal or interest; breach of covenants or other agreements in the 2027 Indenture; defaults under
certain other indebtedness; and certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency. Generally, if an event of
default occurs and is continuing under the 2027 Indenture, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the 2027 Notes then outstanding may declare the principal
of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on all the 2027 Notes immediately due and payable. In addition, in the event there is both (i) a change in control and (ii) a ratings decline by either Standard & Poors Ratings
Services or Moodys Investors Service, Inc., the Company will be required to commence and consummate an offer to purchase all 2027 Notes then outstanding at a price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued interest (if any) to the
date of repurchase.
The foregoing description of the 2027 Notes and the 2027 Indenture is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to the full text of the 2027 Indenture, including the form of note, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.
In connection with the sale of the 2027 Notes, the Company and the Guarantors entered into a Registration Rights Agreement dated as of
June 6, 2017 (the Registration Rights Agreement), with the initial purchasers of the 2027 Notes. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to register with the Securities and
Exchange Commission exchange notes (Exchange Notes), which will have substantially identical terms as the 2027 Notes (except that the Exchange Notes will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions), so the Company can offer
to exchange freely tradable Exchange Notes for the 2027 Notes.
The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement is only a
summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.