CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Feb. 25, 2013) - TransCanada Corporation (News - Market indicators) (NYSE:TRP) (TransCanada) today announced that it will issue 12 million cumulative redeemable first preferred shares, series 7 (the "Series 7 Preferred Shares") at a price of $25.00 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $300 million on a bought deal basis to a syndicate of underwriters in Canada co-led by Scotiabank, BMO Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets.
The holders of Series 7 Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive fixed cumulative dividends at an annual rate of $1.00 per share, payable quarterly on the 30th day of January, April, July and October, as and when declared by the board of directors of TransCanada. The Series 7 Preferred Shares will yield 4.0 per cent per annum for the initial fixed rate period ending April 30, 2019 with the first dividend payment date scheduled for April 30, 2013. The dividend rate will reset on April 30, 2019 and every five years thereafter at a rate equal to the sum of the then five-year Government of Canada bond yield plus 2.38 per cent. The Series 7 Preferred Shares are redeemable by TransCanada, at its option, on April 30, 2019 and on April 30 of every fifth year thereafter at a price of $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends.
The holders of Series 7 Preferred Shares will have the right to convert their shares into cumulative redeemable first preferred shares, series 8 (the "Series 8 Preferred Shares"), subject to certain conditions, on April 30, 2019 and on April 30 of every fifth year thereafter. The holders of Series 8 Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive quarterly floating rate cumulative dividends, as and when declared by the board of directors of TransCanada, at an annualized rate equal to the sum of the then 90-day Government of Canada treasury bill rate plus 2.38 per cent.
TransCanada has granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable at any time up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the offering, to purchase up to an additional two million Series 7 Preferred Shares at a price of $25.00 per share.
The anticipated closing date is March 4, 2013. The net proceeds of the offering will be used for general corporate purposes and to reduce short term indebtedness of TransCanada and its affiliates, which short term indebtedness was used to fund TransCanada's capital program and for general corporate purposes.
The Series 7 Preferred Shares will be offered to the public in Canada pursuant to a prospectus supplement that will be filed with securities regulatory authorities in Canada under TransCanada's short form base shelf prospectus dated November 14, 2011. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
ABOUT TRANSCANADA
With more than 60 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 68,500 kilometres (42,500 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's largest providers of gas storage and related services with more than 400 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns or has interests in over 11,800 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of North America's largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit: www.transcanada.com or check us out on Twitter @TransCanada or http://blog.transcanada.com.
FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
This publication contains certain information that is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties (such statements are usually accompanied by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "would", "will" or other similar words). Forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide TransCanada security holders and potential investors with information regarding TransCanada and its subsidiaries, including management's assessment of TransCanada's and its subsidiaries' future financial and operation plans and outlook. All forward-looking statements reflect TransCanada's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information. TransCanada undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information except as required by law. For additional information on the assumptions made, and the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to TransCanada's Management's Discussion and Analysis filed February 13, 2013 under TransCanada's profile on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com/ and other reports filed by TransCanada with Canadian securities regulators and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.