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Date
Rule
Formal Interpretation 15
Staff
Michael Verne
Response/Comments
Agree. N Ovuka concurs.

Question

From:(redacted)
Sent:Wednesday, May 26, 2004 11:52 AM
To:Verne, B. Michael
Subject: HSR question

Mike:

This is to confirm ourconversation in which you stated that the following transaction does notrequire an HSRfiling.

Description of the acquisition:

Corporation A, a non-manufacturingcompany, is the parent of Apple LLC. Apple LLC holds a 49% interest in ABC LLC.Corporation B or one of its controlled entities holds the remaining 51% of themember interests in ABC LLC. Corporation B intend to sell certain of its assetsto a third party and these assets include its 51% interest in ABC LLC. AppleLLC has a right of first refusal (ROFR) to acquire from Corporation B, its 51%member interest in ABC LLC.

For various reasons, not in thecontrol of Corporation A or Apple LLC, Apple LLC cannot assign its rights underthe ROFR to a third party. Although Corporation A and Apple LLC have decided toexercise the ROFR, they do not intend to own or hold the 51 % interest in ABCLLC that is currently held by Corporation B . For this reason, the acquisitionwill be accomplished through a newly formed LLC, Apple 2 LLC. Apple LLC willown 99% of Apple 2 LLC's member interests and C, an investment fund, will ownthe other 1 %. C will provide all of the funds used to make the acquisitionthrough a bridge loan to Apple LLC for 99% of the purchase price and 1% throughits equity investment in Apple 2 LLC. At closing, Apple 2 LLC will acquire fromCorproation B its 51 % member interest in ABC LLC for approximately $30 millionand the bridge loan that C made to Apple LLC will be forgiven in return forApple LLC's 99% interest in Apple 2 LLC. The end result will be that C willhold 100% of the member inerests of Apple 2 LLC which holds 51 % of the memberinterests in ABC LLC.

Please confirm that thisaccurately reflects your advice.

About Informal Interpretations

Informal interpretations provide guidance from previous staff interpretations on the applicability of the HSR rules to specific fact situations. You should not rely on them as a substitute for reading the Act and the Rules themselves. These materials do not, and are not intended to, constitute legal advice.

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