Levitt Corporation
As filed with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission on August 28, 2007
Registration No. 333-142693
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 1
to
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933
LEVITT CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter)
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Florida
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11-3675068
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(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification
No.)
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2200 West Cypress Creek Road
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
(954) 958-1800
(Address, including zip code,
and telephone number, including area code, of registrants
principal executive offices)
Alan B. Levan
Levitt Corporation
2200 West Cypress Creek Road
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
(954) 958-1800
(Name, address, including zip
code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for
service)
Copies to:
Alison W. Miller
Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson,
P.A.
150 West Flagler Street, Suite 2200
Miami, Florida 33130
(305) 789-3200
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the
public: As soon as practicable after the
effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being
offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans,
please check the following
box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than
securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box.
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If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same offering.
o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General
Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that
shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the
following box. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration
statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to
register additional securities or additional classes of
securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities
Act, check the following box. o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION
FEE
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Proposed Maximum
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Proposed Maximum
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Title of Each Class of Securities
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Amount to
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Aggregate Offering
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Aggregate
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Amount of
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To Be Registered
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Be Registered
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Price per Share
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Offering Price
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Registration Fee
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Rights to purchase Class A
Common Stock ($0.01 par value)
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100,000,000
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N/A
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N/A
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$0(1)
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Class A Common Stock ($0.01
par value)
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100,000,000
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$2.00
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$200,000,000(2)
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$6,140(3)
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(1)
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The rights are being issued without
consideration. Pursuant to Rule 457(g), no separate
registration fee is payable.
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(2)
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Represents the gross proceeds from
the assumed exercise of all non-transferable rights issued.
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(3)
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Previously paid in connection with
the initial filing of this registration statement on May 7,
2007.
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The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on
such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective
date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this registration statement shall
thereafter become effective in accordance with section 8(a) of
the Securities Act of 1933, or until the registration statement
shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting
pursuant to said section 8(a), may determine.
The
information in this prospectus is not complete and may be
changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration
statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is
effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these
securities and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these
securities in any state where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
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PROSPECTUS
(SUBJECT TO COMPLETION)
DATED AUGUST 28, 2007
Levitt Corporation
Up to 100,000,000 Shares of
Class A Common Stock
Issuable Upon the Exercise of
Subscription Rights
We are distributing, at no cost, non-transferable subscription
rights to purchase up to an aggregate of 100,000,000 shares of
our Class A Common Stock in this rights offering to persons
who owned shares of our Class A Common Stock and
Class B Common Stock on August 27, 2007.
You will receive 5.0414 subscription rights for each share of
our Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock that
you owned on August 27, 2007. You will not receive any
fractional rights, as the number of subscription rights you
receive will be rounded up to the next largest whole number.
Each whole subscription right entitles you to purchase one share
of Class A Common Stock at the purchase price of $2.00 per
share.
The subscription rights are exercisable beginning on the date of
this prospectus and continuing until 5:00 p.m., Eastern
Standard Time, on October 1, 2007. We may extend the period
for exercising rights in our sole discretion. If you want to
participate in the rights offering, we recommend that you submit
your subscription documents to the subscription agent,
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., before that deadline. If you
are exercising your rights through your broker or bank, you
should submit your subscription documents in accordance with the
instructions and within the time period provided by your broker
or bank. Please see page 23 for further instructions on
submitting subscriptions. All subscriptions will be held in
escrow by the subscription agent through the expiration date of
the rights offering. We reserve the right to cancel the rights
offering at any time.
If you exercise your rights in full, you may also exercise an
over-subscription right to purchase additional shares of
Class A Common Stock that remain unsubscribed for at the
expiration of the rights offering, subject to availability and
allocation of shares among persons exercising this
over-subscription right. Shareholders who do not participate in
the rights offering will continue to own the same number of
shares, but will own a smaller percentage of the total shares
outstanding to the extent that other shareholders participate in
the rights offering. Rights that are not exercised by the
expiration date will expire and have no value. There is no
minimum number of shares that we must sell in order to complete
the rights offering.
The subscription rights may not be sold or transferred, except
that subscription rights may be transferred to affiliates of the
recipient and by operation of law.
Shares of our Class A Common Stock are traded on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol LEV. The shares
of Class A Common Stock issued upon exercise of
subscription rights will also be listed on the New York Stock
Exchange. The last sale price of our Class A Common Stock
on August 27, 2007 was $2.24.
This is not an underwritten offering and there will be no
underwriters discounts or commissions. The subscription
price and gross proceeds (before expenses) to us is $2.00 per
share, and, assuming all subscription rights will be exercised
in the rights offering, the aggregate subscription price and
aggregate gross proceeds (before expenses) to us will be
$200 million.
Investing in the securities offered by this prospectus
involves risks. You should read this prospectus carefully before
you invest. You should carefully consider the Risk
Factors section beginning on page 6 before exercising
your subscription rights.
The securities are not being offered in any jurisdiction where
the offer is not permitted under applicable local laws.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus
is ,
2007.
This section answers in summary form some questions you may have
about Levitt Corporation and this rights offering. The
information in this section is a summary and therefore does not
contain all of the information that you should consider before
deciding whether to exercise your subscription rights. You
should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the
Risk Factors section and the documents listed under
Where You Can Find More Information.
Except where otherwise indicated, when we refer to the
Company, we, or our in this
prospectus, we are referring to Levitt Corporation, a Florida
corporation, and all of its consolidated subsidiaries. When we
refer to Levitt Corporation in this prospectus, we
are referring to Levitt Corporation, a Florida corporation,
without its subsidiaries. When we refer to Levitt and
Sons in this prospectus, we are referring to our
wholly-owned subsidiary Levitt and Sons, LLC and its
subsidiaries. When we refer to Core Communities, we
are referring to our wholly-owned subsidiary Core Communities,
LLC and its subsidiaries. When we refer to
Bluegreen, we are referring to Bluegreen Corporation
and its subsidiaries.
Questions
and Answers about Us
What is
Levitt Corporation?
We are a New York Stock Exchange-listed company (NYSE: LEV)
engaged in homebuilding and real estate development with
activities throughout the Southeastern United States. We were
organized in December 1982 under the laws of the State of
Florida. Until December 31, 2003, we were a wholly owned
subsidiary of BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BBX).
Our principal real estate activities, the development of
single-family homes and master-planned communities, are
conducted through our Homebuilding and Land Divisions. Our
Homebuilding Division operates through our homebuilding
subsidiary, Levitt and Sons, and our Land Division operates
through our master-planned community development subsidiary,
Core Communities. In addition, we also own approximately 31% of
the outstanding common stock of Bluegreen, a New York Stock
Exchange listed corporation which acquires, develops, markets
and sells ownership interests primarily in drive-to
vacation destinations as well as residential home sites in some
cases on properties featuring golf courses or other amenities.
Levitt and Sons is primarily a real estate developer of single
family and townhome communities for both active adults and
families in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Levitt and Sons and its predecessors have built more than
200,000 homes since 1929. Levitt and Sons has strong brand
awareness as Americas oldest homebuilder and is identified
nationally with the Levittown communities located in New York,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We acquired Levitt and Sons in 1999.
Core Communities develops master-planned communities and is
currently developing
Traditiontm,
Florida, which is located in Port St. Lucie, Florida and
Tradition, South Carolina, which is located in Hardeeville,
South Carolina. Core Communities original community is St.
Lucie West. Substantially completed in 2006, it is a 4,600 acre
community located in Port St. Lucie, Florida consisting of
approximately 6,000 homes, numerous businesses, a university
campus and the New York Mets spring training facility.
Core Communities second master-planned community,
Tradition, Florida, also located in Port St. Lucie, Florida,
encompasses more than 8,200 total acres, including approximately
five miles of frontage on Interstate 95, and will have
approximately 18,000 residential units and 8.5 million
square feet of commercial space. Core Communities
Tradition, South Carolina development consists of approximately
5,400 acres and is currently entitled for up to 9,500
residential units, with 1.5 million square feet of
commercial space, in addition to recreational areas, educational
facilities and emergency services. Land sales commenced in
Tradition, South Carolina in the fourth quarter 2006. We
acquired Core Communities in 1997.
The homebuilding industry has recently experienced and continues
to experience significant weakness. Adverse economic and other
business conditions have had, and are expected to continue to
have, a negative impact on the homebuilding industry in general
and the Company in particular. There is an increased level of
inventory throughout the market of new and used homes for sale.
Levitt and Sons experienced sequential
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declines in sale orders and sequential increases in
cancellations of sale contracts in each quarter of 2006, and
Levitt and Sons is continuing to experience downward pressure
on its margins. In addition, we recognized impairment charges in
the amount of $34.3 million and $63.3 million in the
year ended December 31, 2006 and the six months ended
June 30, 2007, respectively. As a result of these factors,
Levitt and Sons has recently experienced, and expects to
continue to experience, reduced margins and negative cash flow.
Further, Levitt and Sons lenders have the right, and have
exercised their right, to reappraise properties securing their
loans and to require additional repayments in order to maintain
stated loan to value ratios. To date, Levitt Corporation has
advanced funds to Levitt and Sons so that Levitt and Sons can
meet its obligations. There is no assurance that Levitt
Corporation will continue to advance funds to Levitt and Sons,
and, if Levitt and Sons cannot make required payments or
restructure its debt, it will be in default under the terms of
its outstanding indebtedness. In light of the downturn in the
residential real estate market, we are currently reviewing each
of Levitt and Sons ongoing projects to determine whether
to delay development until the market improves.
Our Class A Common Stock trades on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol LEV. Our principal
executive offices are located at 2200 West Cypress Creek Road,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309. Our telephone number is
(954) 958-1800.
Questions
and Answers about the Rights Offering
What is a
rights offering?
A rights offering is an opportunity for you to purchase
additional shares of Class A Common Stock at a fixed price
and in an amount at least proportional to your existing
interest, which enables you to maintain, and possibly increase,
your current percentage ownership interest in us.
Why are
we engaging in a rights offering, and how will we use the
proceeds from the rights offering?
We are making this rights offering with the intention of raising
up to $200 million. We want to give you the opportunity to
participate in our equity fund-raising so that you will have the
ability to maintain your proportional ownership interest in us.
We currently intend to use the net proceeds of the offering for
general corporate purposes, including potentially funding Levitt
and Sons continuing cash needs. However, we have broad
discretion over the use of the net proceeds of this offering.
See Use of Proceeds.
What is
the basic subscription right?
Each whole basic subscription entitles you to purchase one share
of our Class A Common Stock at a subscription price of
$2.00 per share. You may exercise any number of your
subscription rights, or you may choose not to exercise any
subscription rights. We will not distribute any fractional
subscription rights, but instead we will round up the aggregate
number of rights you receive to the next whole number.
What is
the over-subscription right?
All of our shareholders may not exercise their basic
subscription rights. The over-subscription right provides
shareholders that exercise all of their basic subscription
rights the opportunity to purchase the shares that are not
purchased by other shareholders. If you fully exercise your
basic subscription right, you will be entitled to subscribe for
additional shares of our Class A Common Stock unclaimed by
other holders of rights in this rights offering at the same
subscription price per share. If insufficient shares are
available to fully satisfy all over-subscription right requests,
the available shares will be distributed proportionately among
rights holders who exercise their over-subscription right based
on the number of shares each rights holder subscribed for under
the basic subscription right. The subscription agent will return
any excess payments by mail without interest or deduction
promptly after the expiration of the subscription period.
Who may
participate in this offering?
Holders of record of our Class A Common Stock and
Class B Common Stock as of August 27, 2007 are
entitled to participate in this rights offering.
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Am I
required to subscribe in this rights offering?
No. However, any shareholder who chooses not to exercise
its subscription rights will experience dilution to its equity
interest in the Company to the extent that other shareholders
exercise their subscription rights.
How long
will the rights offering last?
You will be able to exercise your subscription rights only
during a limited period. To exercise a subscription right, you
must do so by 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on
October 1, 2007, unless we extend the rights offering.
Accordingly, if a rights holder desires to exercise its
subscription rights, unless the guaranteed delivery procedures
are followed, the subscription agent must actually receive all
required documents and payments for that rights holder before
the expiration date. We may extend the expiration time for any
reason.
May the
board of directors cancel the rights offering?
Yes. The board of directors may decide to cancel the rights
offering at any time for any reason.
If the
rights offering is terminated, will my subscription payment be
refunded to me?
Yes. If we terminate the rights offering, all subscription
payments will be returned as soon as practicable following the
termination. We will not pay interest on, or deduct any amounts
from, subscription payments if we terminate the rights offering.
If we terminate the rights offering, we will not be obligated to
issue shares to rights holders who have exercised their rights
prior to termination.
May I
transfer, sell or give away my subscription rights?
No. Should you choose not to exercise your subscription
rights, you may not sell, give away or otherwise transfer your
rights. However, your subscription rights may be transferred to
your affiliates or by operation of law, for example, upon death.
See The Rights Offering Non-Transferability of
Subscription Rights.
How many
shares may I purchase?
You will receive 5.0414 subscription rights for each share of
Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock that you
owned as a holder of record on August 27, 2007. We will not
distribute fractional subscription rights, but will round the
number of subscription rights you are to receive up to the next
largest whole number. Each whole subscription right entitles you
to purchase one share of Class A Common Stock for $2.00. If
you fully exercise the basic subscription rights granted to you,
you may subscribe for additional shares of our Class A
Common Stock unclaimed by other holders of rights in this
offering at the same subscription price per share. If
insufficient shares are available to fully satisfy all
over-subscription right requests, the available shares will be
distributed proportionately among rights holders who exercise
these over-subscription rights based on the number of shares
each rights holder subscribed for under the basic subscription
right pursuant to the allocation procedures described below in
The Rights Offering The Subscription
Rights Over-Subscription Rights.
How do I
exercise my subscription rights?
You may exercise your subscription rights by properly completing
and signing your rights certificate and delivering it, with full
payment of the subscription price for the shares for which you
are subscribing, including shares subscribed for pursuant to any
over-subscription right, to the subscription agent on or prior
to the expiration date. If you send the rights certificate and
other items by mail, we recommend that you send them by
registered mail, properly insured, with return receipt
requested. If you cannot deliver your rights certificate or full
payment of the subscription price for the shares for which you
are subscribing to the subscription agent on time, you may
follow the guaranteed delivery procedures described under
The Rights Offering - Guaranteed Delivery Procedures.
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Are there
risks associated with exercising my subscription
rights?
The exercise of your subscription rights involves risks.
Exercising your subscription rights means buying additional
shares of our Class A Common Stock and should be considered
as carefully as you would consider the acquisition of additional
shares of our Class A Common Stock in the market or any other
equity investment. Among other things, you should carefully
consider the risks described under the heading Risk
Factors, beginning on page 6.
After I
exercise my subscription rights, may I change my mind and cancel
my purchase?
No. Once you send in your subscription certificate and
payment, you cannot revoke the exercise of your subscription
rights, even if you later learn information about us that you
consider to be unfavorable and even if the market price of our
Class A Common Stock is below the $2.00 per share purchase
price. You should not exercise your subscription rights unless
you are certain that you wish to purchase additional shares of
our Class A Common Stock at a price of $2.00 per share.
What
happens if I choose not to exercise my subscription
rights?
You will retain your current number of shares of Class A
Common Stock and Class B Common Stock even if you do not
exercise your subscription rights. However, if other
shareholders exercise their subscription rights and you do not,
the percentage of Levitt Corporation that you own will diminish,
and your voting and other rights will be diluted. Your rights
will expire and have no value if they are not exercised by the
expiration date.
Will I be
charged any fees if I exercise my rights?
We will not charge a fee to holders for exercising their rights.
However, any holder exercising its rights through a broker,
dealer or nominee will be responsible for any fees charged by
its broker, dealer or nominee.
If I
exercise my rights, when will I receive the shares for which I
have subscribed?
We will issue the shares of Class A Common Stock for which
subscriptions have been properly received as soon as practicable
after the expiration date of this rights offering, whether or
not you exercise your subscription rights immediately prior to
that date or on an earlier date.
Have any
shareholders indicated they will exercise their
rights?
BFC Financial Corporation, which beneficially owns approximately
11.1% of our Class A Common Stock and 100% of our
Class B Common Stock, has indicated its intention to
exercise all of its rights but has made no formal binding
commitment to do so. If BFC exercises its basic subscription
rights and no other shareholders do so, BFC will beneficially
own approximately 53.0% of our Class A Common Stock (before
giving effect to any over-subscription rights which it may
exercise).
What if
my shares are not held in my name?
If you hold your shares of our Class A Common Stock or
Class B Common Stock in the name of a broker, dealer or
other nominee, then your broker, dealer or other nominee is the
record holder of the shares you own. The record holder must
exercise the rights on your behalf for the shares of
Class A Common Stock you wish to purchase. Therefore, you
will need to have your record holder act for you.
If you wish to participate in this rights offering and purchase
shares of Class A Common Stock, please promptly contact the
record holder of your shares. We will ask your broker, dealer or
other nominee to notify you of this rights offering.
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How many
shares of Class A Common Stock are currently outstanding,
and how many shares will be outstanding after the rights
offering?
As of August 27, 2007, we had outstanding a total of
18,616,665 shares of Class A Common Stock. These numbers
exclude shares issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options
and shares that may be issued pursuant to our Amended and
Restated 2003 Stock Incentive Plan. The number of shares of
Class A Common Stock that will be outstanding after the
rights offering will depend on the number of shares that are
purchased in the rights offering. If we sell all of the shares
being offered, then we will issue approximately 100,000,000
shares of Class A Common Stock. In that case, we will have
approximately 118,616,665 shares of Class A Common Stock
outstanding after the rights offering. This would represent an
increase of approximately 537.2% in the number of outstanding
shares of Class A Common Stock. However, we do not expect
that all of the subscription rights will be exercised.
How did
the Company arrive at the $2.00 per share subscription
price?
Our board of directors determined that the subscription price
should be designed to provide an incentive to our current
shareholders to exercise their rights. Other factors considered
in setting the subscription price included the amount of
proceeds desired, our need for equity capital, the current
market price of our Class A Common Stock, the volatility of
the market price of our Class A Common Stock, our recent
and anticipated operating results, general conditions in the
securities and real estate markets, alternatives available to us
for raising equity capital and the liquidity of our Class A
Common Stock. The subscription price does not necessarily bear
any relationship to our past operations, cash flows, current
financial condition, or any other established criteria for
value. You should not consider the subscription price as an
indication of the value of Levitt Corporation or our
Class A Common Stock.
How much
money will the Company receive from the rights
offering?
If we sell all the shares being offered, we will receive gross
proceeds (before expenses) of $200 million. We are offering
shares in the rights offering with no minimum purchase
requirement. As a result, there is no assurance we will sell all
or any of the shares being offered, and it is not likely that
all of our shareholders will participate in the rights offering.
What are
the United States federal income tax consequences to me of
exercising my subscription rights?
The receipt and exercise of your subscription rights are
intended to be nontaxable events. You should seek specific tax
advice from your personal tax advisor. See Federal Income
Tax Considerations Taxation of Shareholders.
Has the
board of directors made a recommendation as to whether I should
exercise my rights?
No. Neither we nor our board of directors has made any
recommendation as to whether you should exercise your rights.
You should decide whether to subscribe for shares of our
Class A Common Stock or simply take no action with respect
to your rights based upon your own assessment of your best
interests.
What if I
have other questions?
If you have other questions about the rights offering, please
contact our information agent, Georgeson Inc., by telephone at
(866) 413-8827 for shareholders and (212) 440-9800 for banks and
brokers.
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You should carefully consider the following risks before
purchasing any of the securities offered hereby. Our business,
operating results or financial condition could be materially and
adversely affected by any of these risks. You should also refer
to the other information included or incorporated by reference
in this prospectus.
Risks
Relating to Our Business
We have
experienced a significant decline in our homebuilding operations
which has adversely affected our sales volume and
pricing.
The homebuilding industry in our markets has experienced a
significant decline in demand for new homes. The trends in the
homebuilding industry continue to be unfavorable. Demand has
slowed as evidenced by fewer new orders and lower conversion
rates in the markets in which we operate. These conditions have
been particularly difficult in Florida, which is the market in
which we have the greatest presence. Our level of
spec houses has increased as a result of higher
cancellation rates on pending contracts, as new homeowners have
elected to forfeit deposits rather than to close on the purchase
of homes. The combination of the lower demand and higher
inventories affects both the number of homes we can sell and the
prices at which we can sell them. Based on current market
conditions, existing backlog and available remaining inventory,
we decided to offer sales incentives to customers and to
aggressively reduce pricing in an effort to increase sales.
These actions have led to downward pressure on current and
future margins. The decreased margins resulted in decreased cash
flows from operations and impairment charges of $63.3 million in
the first six months of 2007. These pricing pressures are
expected to continue for the foreseeable future as there is no
indication that market conditions will improve and enable us to
return to profitable margins until the excess supplies of new
and resale residential homes decrease and buyer confidence is
restored. We cannot predict how long demand and other factors in
the homebuilding market will remain unfavorable, how active the
market will be during the coming periods and if sales volume and
pricing will return to past levels or levels that will enable us
to operate profitably.
Levitt
and Sons has experienced significant negative operating cash
flow, and there is no assurance that Levitt Corporation will
continue to fund Levitt and Sons.
As a result of the prolonged weakness in the homebuilding
industry, Levitt and Sons has experienced significant negative
cash flow, which to date has been funded by Levitt Corporation.
We are continuing to review Levitt and Sons financial
condition, the terms of its outstanding debt and whether it is
in Levitt Corporations best interest to advance funds to
Levitt and Sons to support its operations or to repay its debt
as it becomes due. While we intend to seek to restructure Levitt
and Sons debt facilities, we may not be successful in
doing so. Failure to repay debt or meet obligations as they
become due may result in the loss of the collateral securing the
indebtedness. Further, if Levitt Corporation ceases funding
Levitt and Sons operations or significantly curtails the
amount it advances to Levitt and Sons, Levitt and Sons would be
forced to cease or significantly curtail it operations, which
would likely result in significant impairment charges and losses
at the Company.
Our
indebtedness and leverage could adversely affect our financial
condition, restrict our ability to operate and prevent us from
fulfilling our obligations.
We have a significant amount of debt. At June 30, 2007, our
consolidated debt was approximately $701.7 million (which
includes debt associated with liabilities related to assets held
for sale). Our debt could:
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash to
payment of or on our debt and reduce our ability to use our cash
for other purposes;
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be accelerated if we do not meet required covenants or the
collateral securing the indebtedness decreases in value;
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make us more vulnerable in the event of a continued downturn in
our business or a decline in general economic conditions;
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impact our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, the
changes in our business;
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limit our ability to obtain future financing for working
capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service
requirements or other requirements; and
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place us at a competitive disadvantage if we have more debt than
our competitors.
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Our anticipated minimum debt payment obligations in 2007 total
approximately $46.0 million, which does not include
repayments of specified amounts upon a sale of portions of the
property securing the debt or any additional amounts that could
be required in the event that lenders reappraise property
serving as collateral and require a repayment. Our ability to
meet our debt service and other obligations, to refinance our
indebtedness or to fund planned capital expenditures will depend
upon our future performance. Our business may not generate
sufficient cash flow from operations, and future borrowings may
not be available under our existing credit facilities or any
other financing sources in an amount sufficient to enable us to
service our indebtedness, or to fund our other liquidity needs.
The factors that affect our ability to generate cash can also
affect our ability to raise additional funds for these purposes
through the sale of equity securities, the refinancing of debt,
or the sale of assets. We may need to refinance all or a portion
of our debt on or before maturity, which we may not be able to
do on favorable terms or at all. Changes in prevailing interest
rates may affect our ability to meet our debt service
obligations, because borrowings under a significant portion of
our debt instruments bear interest at floating rates.
Further, as previously disclosed, Levitt and Sons lenders
have the right at any time to obtain current appraisals of the
properties serving as collateral for Levitt and Sons
outstanding debt facilities and to require principal payments to
bring loan to value ratios to required levels. Recently, Levitt
and Sons lenders have reappraised properties and required
principal payments. Levitt and Sons does not have the funds to
make any such payments without additional advances from Levitt
Corporation. If Levitt Corporation does not continue to advance
funds to Levitt and Sons, it is likely that Levitt and Sons will
not be in a position to meet its obligations under the terms of
its existing indebtedness. Based on Levitt and Sons
current financial position, we anticipate that Levitt and Sons
will seek to restructure its outstanding debt and debt
facilities, but there is no assurance that it will be successful
in doing so.
The outstanding debt instruments and bank credit facilities of
our operating subsidiaries impose restrictions on their
operations and activities. The most significant restrictions
relate to debt incurrence, lien incurrence, sales of assets and
cash distributions and require the subsidiaries to comply with
certain financial covenants. If our subsidiaries fail to comply
with any of these restrictions or covenants, the holders of the
applicable debt could cause the debt to become due and payable
prior to maturity. In addition, some of these debt instruments
contain cross-default provisions, which could cause a default in
a number of debt instruments if we default on only one debt
instrument.
7
Continued
decline in land values could result in further impairment
write-offs.
Some of the land we currently own was purchased at prices that
reflected the historic high demand cycle in the homebuilding
industry. The recent slowdown in the homebuilding industry in
our markets resulted in $34.3 million of homebuilding
inventory impairments for the year ended December 31, 2006
and approximately $63.3 million of homebuilding inventory
impairments for the first six months of 2007. If market
conditions continue to deteriorate, the fair value of our land
inventory and other assets may decrease further and we may be
required to take additional impairment write-offs. This would
adversely affect our financial condition and operating results
and could also result in the acceleration of debt which is
secured by impaired assets.
Capital
market conditions have had and may continue to have an adverse
impact on our financial condition.
The capital markets are currently experiencing severe
disruptions which have had and could continue to have an adverse
impact on our financial condition. Current conditions in the
debt markets include reduced liquidity and increased costs,
which have limited the alternatives for raising funds. The
subprime lending market is largely unavailable to our purchasers
and the failure of that market has also adversely impacted all
credit markets, including those which were historically
available to the Company, generally, and Levitt and Sons, in
particular. These conditions, which increase the cost and reduce
the availability of debt to us, may continue or worsen in the
future. We do not believe that we are in a position to refinance
any of our outstanding debt or to obtain new financing to meet
our cash requirements. There is no assurance that we will be in
a position to support Levitt and Sons, which expects to
experience negative cash flow over the next
18-24 months.
We engage
in real estate activities which are speculative and involve a
high degree of risk.
The real estate industry is highly cyclical by nature, the
current market is experiencing a significant decline and future
market conditions are uncertain. Factors which adversely affect
the real estate and homebuilding industries, many of which are
beyond our control, include:
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overbuilding or decreases in demand;
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inventory build-up due to buyers contract cancellations;
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the availability and cost of financing;
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unfavorable interest rates and increases in inflation or a
decline in the value of real estate;
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construction defects and warranty claims arising in the ordinary
course of business or otherwise, including mold related property
damage and bodily injury claims and homeowner and
homeowners association lawsuits;
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adverse changes in national, regional and local economic
conditions;
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cost overruns, inclement weather, and labor and material
shortages;
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the impact of present or future environmental legislation,
zoning laws and other regulations;
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availability, delays and costs associated with obtaining
permits, approvals or licenses necessary to develop property; and
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increase in real estate taxes, insurance and other local
government fees.
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Our
industry is highly competitive.
The homebuilding industry is highly competitive. We compete in
each of our markets with numerous national, regional and local
homebuilders. This competition with other homebuilders can have
the effect of reducing the number of homes we deliver or can
cause us to accept reduced margins in order to maintain sales
volume.
We also compete with the resale of existing homes, including
foreclosed home sales by lenders, sales by housing speculators
and available rental housing. As demand for homes has slowed,
the number of completed unsold homes has increased as well as
the supply of existing homes. Competition with existing
inventory, including homes purchased for speculation, has
resulted in increased pressure on the prices at which we are
able to sell homes, as well as upon the number of homes we can
sell.
Because
real estate investments are illiquid, a decline in the real
estate market or in the economy in general could adversely
impact our business and our cash flow.
Real estate investments are generally illiquid. Companies that
invest in real estate have a limited ability to vary their
portfolio of real estate investments in response to changes in
economic and other conditions. Moreover, we may not be able to
timely dispose of an investment when we find dispositions
advantageous or necessary, or complete the disposition of
properties under contract to be sold, and any such dispositions
may not provide proceeds in excess of the amount of our
investment in the property or even in excess of the amount of
any indebtedness secured by the property. We significantly
increased our land inventory during 2006, with our inventory of
real estate increasing from $611.3 million at
December 31, 2005 to $822.0 million at
December 31, 2006. This substantial increase in our land
holdings and concentration in Florida subjects us to a greater
risk from declines in real estate values in our markets.
Further, these newly acquired properties were purchased at a
time when competition for land was very high, and accordingly
these properties may be more susceptible to impairment write
downs in the current real estate environment. Declines in real
estate values or in the economy generally have had and could
continue to have a material adverse impact on our financial
condition and results of operations.
Our
ability to sell lots and homes, and, accordingly, our operating
results, will be affected by the availability of financing to
potential purchasers.
Most purchasers of real estate finance their acquisitions
through third-party mortgage financing. Residential real estate
demand is generally adversely affected by:
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the availability and terms of financing;
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increases in interest rates;
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changes in housing costs;
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unemployment; and
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changes in federally sponsored financing programs.
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Increases in interest rates or decreases in the availability of
mortgage financing could depress the market for new homes
because of the increased monthly mortgage costs or the
unavailability of financing to potential homebuyers. Even if
potential customers do not need financing, increases in interest
rates and decreased mortgage availability could make it harder
for them to sell their homes. Recently, increases in rates on
certain adjustable rate mortgage products and a trend of
increasing defaults by borrowers generally, including under
subprime, certain interest only and negative amortization
mortgage loans, together with the bankruptcy or closing of
numerous mortgage companies, has led to decreased availability
of mortgage financing. Recently,
9
the preferred lender which provided many of Levitt
and Sons purchasers with mortgages filed for bankruptcy.
If Levitt and Sons purchasers cannot obtain new financing
through other lenders, they will not be in a position to
consummate the purchases of their homes under their contracts.
There is no assurance that mortgage financing will be available
on acceptable terms or at all. When demand for housing declines,
land will remain in our inventory longer and our corresponding
borrowing costs will increase. This would adversely affect our
operating results and financial condition. Further, we may be
required to make payments whether or not we have sales.
Shortages
of supplies and labor could increase costs and delay deliveries,
which may adversely affect our operating results.
Our ability to develop our projects may be affected by
circumstances beyond our control, including:
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shortages or increases in prices of construction materials;
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natural disasters in the areas in which we operate;
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work stoppages, labor disputes and shortages of qualified trades
people, such as carpenters, roofers, electricians and plumbers;
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lack of availability of adequate utility infrastructure and
services; and
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our need to rely on local subcontractors who may not be
adequately capitalized or insured.
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Any of these circumstances could give rise to delays in the
start or completion of, or increase the cost of, developing one
or more of our projects or individual homes. We compete with
other real estate developers, both regionally and nationally,
for labor as well as raw materials, and the competition for
materials has recently become global. Increased costs or
shortages of lumber, drywall, steel, concrete, roofing
materials, pipe and asphalt could cause increases in
construction costs and construction delays.
Historically, we have sought to manage our costs, in part, by
entering into short-term, fixed-price materials contracts with
selected subcontractors and material suppliers. We may be unable
to achieve cost containment in the future by using fixed-price
contracts. Without corresponding increases in the sales prices
of our real estate inventories (both land and finished homes),
increasing materials costs associated with land development and
homebuilding could negatively affect our margins. We may not be
able to recover these increased costs by raising our home prices
because, typically, the price for each home is set in a home
sale contract with the customer months prior to delivery.
Additionally, current market conditions have resulted in
significant downward pressure on sales prices. If we are unable
to increase our prices for new homes to offset these increased
costs, our operating results could be adversely affected.
Natural
disasters could have an adverse effect on our real estate
operations.
We currently develop and sell a significant portion of our
properties in Florida. The Florida markets in which we operate
are subject to the risks of natural disasters such as hurricanes
and tropical storms. These natural disasters could have a
material adverse effect on our business by causing the
incurrence of uninsured losses, increased homebuyer insurance
rates, delays in construction, and shortages and increased costs
of labor and building materials. In 2005 three named storms made
landfall in the State of Florida causing little damage to our
communities. In addition, during the 2004 hurricane season, five
named storms made landfall in the State causing property damage
in several of our communities; however, our losses were
primarily related to landscaping and claims based on water
intrusion associated with the hurricanes, and we have attempted
to address those issues. In May 2005, a purported class action
was brought on behalf of owners of homes in a particular Central
Florida Levitt and Sons subdivision alleging construction
defects and damage suffered during certain of the hurricanes in
2004.
In addition to property damage, hurricanes may cause disruptions
to our business operations. New homebuyers cannot obtain
insurance until after named storms have passed, creating delays
in new home deliveries. Approaching storms require that sales,
development and construction operations be suspended in favor of
storm preparation activities such as securing construction
materials and equipment. After a storm has
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passed, construction-related resources such as
sub-contracted
labor and building materials are likely to be redeployed to
hurricane recovery efforts around the state. Governmental
permitting and inspection activities may similarly be focused
primarily on returning displaced residents to homes damaged by
the storms, rather than on new construction activity. Depending
on the severity of the damage caused by the storms, disruptions
such as these could last for several months.
Our
ability to successfully develop communities could affect our
financial condition.
It may take several years for a community development to achieve
positive cash flow. Before a community development generates any
revenues, material expenditures are required to acquire land, to
obtain development approvals and to construct significant
portions of project infrastructure, amenities, model homes and
sales facilities. If we are unable to develop and market our
communities successfully and to generate positive cash flows
from these operations in a timely manner, it will have a
material adverse effect on our ability to meet our working
capital requirements.
A portion
of our revenues from land sales in our master planned
communities are recognized for accounting purposes under the
percentage of completion method, therefore if our actual results
differ from our assumptions our profitability may be
reduced.
Under the percentage of completion method for recognizing
revenue, we record revenue as work on the project progresses.
This method relies on estimates of total expected project costs.
Revenue and cost estimates are reviewed and revised periodically
as the work progresses. Adjustments are reflected in contract
revenue in the period when such estimates are revised. Variation
of actual results and our estimates in these large master
planned communities could be material.
Product
liability litigation and claims that arise in the ordinary
course of business may be costly which could adversely affect
our business.
Our homebuilding and commercial development business is subject
to construction defect and product liability claims arising in
the ordinary course of business. These claims are common in the
homebuilding and commercial real estate industries and can be
costly. We have, and many of our subcontractors have, general
liability, property, errors and omissions, workers compensation
and other business insurance. However, these insurance policies
only protect us against a portion of our risk of loss from
claims. In addition, because of the uncertainties inherent in
these matters, we cannot provide reasonable assurance that our
insurance coverage or our subcontractor arrangements will be
adequate to address all warranty, construction defect and
liability claims in the future. In addition, the costs of
insuring against construction defect and product liability
claims, if applicable, are high and the amount of coverage
offered by insurance companies is also currently limited. There
can be no assurance that this coverage will not be further
restricted and become more costly. If we are not able to obtain
adequate insurance against these claims, we may experience
losses that could negatively impact our operating results.
Further, as a community developer, we may be expected by
community residents from time to time to resolve any real or
perceived issues or disputes that may arise in connection with
the operation or development of our communities. Any efforts
made by us in resolving these issues or disputes may not satisfy
the affected residents and any subsequent action by these
residents could negatively impact sales and results of
operations. In addition, we could be required to make material
expenditures related to the settlement of such issues or
disputes or to modify our community development plans.
We are
subject to governmental regulations that may limit our
operations, increase our expenses or subject us to
liability.
We are subject to laws, ordinances and regulations of various
federal, state and local governmental entities and agencies
concerning, among other things:
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environmental matters, including the presence of hazardous or
toxic substances;
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wetland preservation;
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health and safety;
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zoning, land use and other entitlements;
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building design; and
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density levels.
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In developing a project and building homes or commercial
properties, we may be required to obtain the approval of
numerous governmental authorities regulating matters such as:
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installation of utility services such as gas, electric, water
and waste disposal;
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the dedication of acreage for open space, parks and schools;
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permitted land uses; and
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the construction design, methods and materials used.
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These laws or regulations could, among other things:
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establish building moratoriums;
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limit the number of homes, apartments or commercial properties
that may be built;
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change building codes and construction requirements affecting
property under construction;
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increase the cost of development and construction; and
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delay development and construction.
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We may also at times not be in compliance with all regulatory
requirements. If we are not in compliance with regulatory
requirements, we may be subject to penalties or we may be forced
to incur significant expenses to cure any noncompliance. In
addition, some of our land and some of the land that we may
acquire have not yet received planning approvals or entitlements
necessary for planned or future development. Failure to obtain
entitlements necessary for further development of this land on a
timely basis or to the extent desired may adversely affect our
future results and prospects.
Several governmental authorities have also imposed impact fees
as a means of defraying the cost of providing governmental
services to developing areas, and many of these fees have
increased significantly during recent years.
Building
moratoriums and changes in governmental regulations may subject
us to delays or increased costs of construction or prohibit
development of our properties.
We may be subject to delays or may be precluded from developing
in certain communities because of building moratoriums or
changes in statutes or rules that could be imposed in the
future. The State of Florida and various counties have in the
past and may in the future continue to declare moratoriums on
the issuance of building permits and impose restrictions in
areas where the infrastructure, such as roads, schools, parks,
water and sewage treatment facilities and other public
facilities, does not reach minimum standards. Additionally,
certain counties in Florida, including counties where we are
developing projects, have enacted more stringent building codes
which have resulted in increased costs of construction. As a
consequence, we may incur significant expenses in connection
with complying with new regulatory requirements that we may not
be able to pass on to buyers.
We are
subject to environmental laws and the cost of compliance could
adversely affect our business.
As a current or previous owner or operator of real property, we
may be liable under federal, state, and local environmental
laws, ordinances and regulations for the costs of removal or
remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in the
property. These laws often impose liability whether or not we
knew of, or
12
were responsible for, the presence of such hazardous or toxic
substances. The cost of investigating, remediating or removing
such hazardous or toxic substances may be substantial. The
presence of any such substance, or the failure promptly to
remediate any such substance, may adversely affect our ability
to sell or lease the property, to use the property for our
intended purpose, or to borrow using the property as collateral.
Increased
insurance risk could negatively affect our business.
Insurance and surety companies may take actions that could
negatively affect our business, including increasing insurance
premiums, requiring higher self-insured retentions and
deductibles, requiring additional collateral or covenants on
surety bonds, reducing limits, restricting coverages, imposing
exclusions, and refusing to underwrite certain risks and classes
of business. Any of these actions may adversely affect our
ability to obtain appropriate insurance coverage at reasonable
costs which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We
utilize community development districts to fund development
costs.
We establish community development districts to access
tax-exempt bond financing to fund infrastructure and other
projects at our master-planned communities. We are responsible
for any assessed amounts until the underlying property is sold.
We will continue to be responsible for the annual assessments if
the property is never sold. We anticipate that we will have
significant payment obligations under outstanding bonds during
2008 and 2009 if the underlying properties are not sold prior to
the assessment dates.
Our land
development plans may require additional capital, which may not
be available.
We anticipate that we will need to obtain additional financing
as we fund our land development projects. These funds may be
obtained through public or private debt or equity financings,
additional bank borrowings or from strategic alliances. Based on
current market conditions and our recent results, it is unlikely
that we could obtain additional funds in a timely manner, on
favorable terms or at all. Moreover, certain of our bank
financing agreements contain provisions that limit the type and
amount of debt we may incur in the future without our
lenders consent. In addition, the availability of borrowed
funds, especially for land acquisition and construction
financing, may be greatly reduced, and lenders may require
increased amounts of equity to be invested in a project by
borrowers in connection with both new loans and the extension of
existing loans. If we do not have access to additional capital,
we may be required to delay, scale back or abandon some or all
of our land development activities or reduce capital
expenditures and the size of our operations.
Our
results may vary.
We historically have experienced, and expect to continue to
experience, variability in operating results on a quarterly
basis and from year to year. Factors expected to contribute to
this variability include:
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the cyclical nature of the real estate and construction
industries;
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prevailing interest rates and the availability of mortgage
financing;
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the uncertain timing of closings;
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weather and the cost and availability of materials and labor;
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competitive variables; and
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the timing of receipt of regulatory and other governmental
approvals for construction of projects.
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The volume of sales contracts and closings typically varies from
quarter to quarter depending on the stages of development of our
projects. In the early stages of a projects development
(two to three years depending on the project), we incur
significant
start-up
costs associated with, among other things, project design, land
acquisition and development, construction and marketing
expenses. Since revenues from sales of properties are generally
recognized only upon the transfer of title at the closing of a
sale, no revenue is recognized during the early stages of a
project unless land parcels or residential homesites are sold to
other
13
developers. Our costs and expenses were approximately
$607.8 million, $500.6 million and $484.9 million
during the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004,
respectively. Our costs and expenses for the six months ended
June 30, 2007 were approximately $351.9 million.
Periodic sales of properties may be insufficient to fund
operating expenses and the current trends we are experiencing
with respect to new sales and cancellations in our homebuilding
operations makes it likely that our level of sales for the year
ending December 31, 2007 will be significantly below past
levels. Further, if sales and other revenues are not adequate to
cover costs and expenses, we will be required to seek a source
of additional operating funds. Accordingly, our financial
results will vary from community to community and from time to
time.
Our
controlling shareholders have the voting power to control the
outcome of any shareholder vote, except in limited
circumstances.
As of June 30, 2007, BFC Financial Corporation owned
1,219,031 shares of our Class B Common Stock, which
represented all of our issued and outstanding Class B
Common Stock, and 2,074,244 shares, or approximately 11.1%,
of our issued and outstanding Class A Common Stock. In the
aggregate, these shares represent approximately 52.9% of our
total voting power and approximately 16.6% of our total equity.
Since the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common
Stock vote as a single group on most matters, BFC Financial
Corporation is in a position to control our company and elect a
majority of our board of directors. Additionally, Alan B. Levan,
our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and John E. Abdo, our
Vice Chairman, collectively beneficially own shares of BFC
Financial Corporation common stock representing 74.4% of the
total voting power of BFC Financial Corporation. As a
consequence, Alan B. Levan and John E. Abdo effectively have the
voting power to control the outcome of any shareholder vote of
Levitt Corporation, except in those limited circumstances where
Florida law mandates that the holders of our Class A Common
Stock vote as a separate class. BFC Financial Corporations
interests may conflict with the interests of our other
shareholders.
Risks
Associated with Our Ownership Stake in Bluegreen
Corporation
We own a
significant, investment in Bluegreen, from which we do not
expect to receive any cash flow.
We own approximately 31% of the outstanding common stock of
Bluegreen, a publicly-traded corporation whose common stock is
listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
BXG. Although traded on the New York Stock Exchange,
our shares may be deemed restricted stock, which would limit our
ability to liquidate our investment if we chose to do so. While
we have made a significant investment in Bluegreen, we do not
expect to receive any dividends from the company for the
foreseeable future.
Our
results of operations would be adversely affected by decreased
earnings or losses at Bluegreen.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, our earnings from our
investment in Bluegreen were $9.7 million, decreasing from
$12.7 million in 2005, and from $13.1 million in 2004.
For the six months ended June 30, 2007, our earnings from
our investment in Bluegreen were $3.1 million. At
June 30, 2007, the book value of our investment in
Bluegreen was $109.7 million. Accordingly, a significant
portion of our earnings and book value are dependent upon
Bluegreens ability to continue to generate earnings and
maintain its market value. Further, declines in the market value
of Bluegreens shares or other events that could impair the
value of our holdings would have an adverse impact on the value
of our investment. We review the investment in Bluegreen for
impairment at least annually, or more frequently if an event
occurs that causes us to review it. We refer you to the public
reports filed by Bluegreen with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for information regarding Bluegreen.
Risks
Associated with Our Class A Common Stock
BFC
Financial Corporation can reduce its economic interest in us and
still maintain voting control.
The Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock
generally vote together as a single class, with the Class A
Common Stock possessing a fixed 53% of the aggregate voting
power of all of our common stock and the Class B Common
Stock possessing a fixed 47% of such aggregate voting power. Our
Class B
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Common Stock currently represents approximately 6.1% of our
common equity and 47% of the voting power. As a result, the
voting power of the Class B Common Stock does not bear a
direct relationship to the economic interest represented by the
shares. The issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock in this
offering will further dilute the relative economic interest of
the Class B Common Stock, but will not decrease the voting power
represented by the Class B Common Stock. Further, our Amended
and Restated Articles of Incorporation provide that these
relative voting percentages will remain fixed until such time as
BFC Financial Corporation and its affiliates own less than
600,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, which is
approximately 50% of the number of shares that BFC Financial
Corporation now owns, even if additional shares of Class A
Common Stock are issued. Therefore, BFC Financial Corporation
may sell up to approximately 50% of its shares of Class B
Common Stock (after converting those shares to Class A
Common Stock), and significantly reduce its economic interest in
us, while still maintaining its voting power. If BFC Financial
Corporation were to take this action, it would widen the
disparity between the equity interest represented by the
Class B Common Stock and its voting power. Any conversion
of shares of Class B Common Stock into shares of
Class A Common Stock in connection with the sale would
further dilute the voting interests of the holders of the
Class A Common Stock.
Provisions
in our charter documents may make it difficult for a third party
to acquire us and could depress the price of our Class A
Common Stock.
Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
contain provisions that could delay, defer or prevent a change
of control of the Company or our management. These provisions
could make it more difficult for shareholders to elect directors
and take other corporate actions. As a result, these provisions
could limit the price that investors are willing to pay in the
future for the shares of our Class A Common Stock. These
provisions include:
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the provisions in our Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation regarding the voting rights of our Class B
Common Stock;
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the authority of the board of directors to issue additional
shares of common or preferred stock and to fix the relative
rights and preferences of the preferred stock without additional
shareholder approval;
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the division of our board of directors into three classes of
directors with three-year staggered terms; and
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advance notice procedures to be complied with by shareholders in
order to make shareholder proposals or nominate directors.
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The price
of our Class A Common Stock may be particularly volatile
because of the industry we are in.
The market prices of securities of homebuilding companies have
been volatile and have experienced fluctuations that have often
been unrelated, or disproportionate, to the operating
performance of such companies. These broad market fluctuations
could adversely affect the price of our Class A Common
Stock.
Future
offerings of equity or debt securities may adversely affect the
price of our Class A Common Stock.
In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources
by making additional offerings of debt or equity securities,
including commercial paper, medium-term notes, senior or
subordinated notes and classes of preferred or common stock.
Future issuances of common or convertible preferred stock may
dilute the interests of our current shareholders. Preferred
stock, if issued, may have a preference on dividend payments
that would limit our ability to make a dividend distribution to
the holders of our Class A Common Stock. Additionally, upon
liquidation, holders of our debt securities and lenders with
respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution of our
available assets prior to the holders of our Class A Common
Stock. Because our decision to issue securities in any future
offering will depend on market conditions and other factors
beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount,
timing or nature of our future offerings. As a result, our
shareholders bear the risk of future offerings reducing the
price of our Class A Common Stock.
15
Risks
Related to the Rights Offering
The
market price of our Class A Common Stock may
decline.
We cannot assure you that the public trading market price of our
Class A Common Stock will not either increase or decline
before the subscription rights expire. If you exercise your
subscription rights and the market price of the Class A
Common Stock goes below $2.00, then you will have committed to
buy shares of Class A Common Stock in the rights offering
at a price that is higher than the price at which our shares
could be purchased in the market. Moreover, we cannot assure you
that you will ever be able to sell shares of Class A Common
Stock that you purchase in the rights offering at a price equal
to or greater than the subscription price. Until certificates
are delivered upon the expiration of the rights offering, you
may not be able to sell the shares of our Class A Common
Stock that you purchase in the rights offering. Certificates
representing shares of our Class A Common Stock that you
purchase will be delivered as soon as practicable after the
expiration of the rights offering. We will not pay you interest
on funds delivered to the subscription agent pursuant to the
exercise of rights.
You
should not consider the subscription price of our Class A
Common Stock as an indication of the value of the Company or our
Class A Common Stock.
Our board of directors set all of the terms and conditions of
the rights offering, including the subscription price. The
subscription price was based on several factors, including the
amount of proceeds desired, our need for equity capital, the
need to provide an incentive to our current shareholders to
exercise rights in the rights offering, the current market price
of our Class A Common Stock, the volatility of the market
price of our Class A Common Stock, our recent and
anticipated operating results, general conditions in the
securities and real estate markets, alternatives available to us
for raising equity capital and the liquidity of our Class A
Common Stock. The subscription price does not necessarily bear
any relationship to our past operations, cash flows, current
financial condition, or any other established criteria for
value. You should not consider the subscription price as an
indication of the value of Levitt Corporation or our
Class A Common Stock.
There is
no minimum subscription amount for this
offering.
We have not established a minimum subscription amount for this
offering. Accordingly, we may accept your subscription
regardless of the actual aggregate amount of proceeds we receive
and once you exercise your subscription rights, you may not
revoke the exercise. There is no assurance that any particular
amount will be raised or that the proceeds received will be
sufficient to address our cash needs or allow us to accomplish
our business objectives.
This
offering may cause the price of our Class A Common Stock to
decrease.
The subscription price per share is lower than the average of
the closing sales prices of our Class A Common Stock over
the thirty (30) trading day period ended August 27,
2007. The subscription price, together with the number of shares
of Class A Common Stock we propose to issue and ultimately
will issue if this offering is completed, may result in an
immediate decrease in the market value of our Class A
Common Stock. This decrease may continue after the completion of
this offering. If that occurs, you may have committed to buy
shares of Class A Common Stock in the rights offering at a
price greater than the prevailing market price. Further, if a
substantial number of rights are exercised and the holders of
the shares received upon exercise of those rights choose to sell
some or all of those shares, the resulting sales could depress
the market price of our Class A Common Stock. There is no
assurance that following the exercise of your rights you will be
able to sell your Class A Common Stock at a price equal to
or greater than the subscription price.
You will
not be able to revoke your exercise of subscription
rights.
Once you exercise your subscription rights, you may not revoke
the exercise. Therefore, even if circumstances arise after you
have subscribed in the offering that cause you to change your
mind about
16
investing in our Class A Common Stock, or if the offering
is extended, you will nonetheless be legally bound to proceed.
Shareholders
who do not fully exercise their rights will have their interests
diluted by shareholders who do exercise their rights.
If you do not exercise all of your subscription rights, you may
suffer significant dilution of your percentage ownership of the
Company relative to shareholders who fully exercise their
subscription rights. For example, if you own 186,167 shares
of Class A Common Stock before the rights offering, or
approximately 1% of our outstanding Class A Common Stock,
and you exercise none of your subscription rights while all
other subscription rights are exercised, then the percentage
ownership represented by your shares will be reduced to
approximately 0.16%.
We may
terminate the rights offering and return your subscription
payments without interest.
We may in our sole discretion decide not to continue with the
rights offering or to terminate the rights offering at any time.
This decision would be based upon various factors, including
market conditions. We currently have no intention to terminate
the rights offering, but we are reserving the right to do so. If
we terminate the rights offering, neither we nor the
subscription agent will have any obligation to you with respect
to the rights, except to return your subscription payments,
without interest or deduction.
We have
broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this
offering and may not use them effectively.
We will have broad discretion in determining how the proceeds of
the offering will be used. While our board of directors believes
the flexibility in application of the net proceeds is prudent,
the broad discretion it affords entails increased risks to the
investors in this offering. Investors in this offering have no
current basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any
application of the net proceeds of this offering. Our
shareholders may not agree with the manner in which we choose to
allocate and spend the net proceeds. As discussed elsewhere in
this prospectus, we may use the net proceeds of this offering to
fund Levitt and Sons continuing cash needs as it has
experienced, and is likely to continue to experience,
significant negative cash flow. If we decide to invest all or a
portion of the net proceeds of this offering to support Levitt
and Sons operations, there is no assurance that these
funds will be sufficient to fund Levitt and Sons ongoing
operations. A failure to apply these funds effectively will have
a material adverse effect on our Company.
You must
act promptly and follow instructions carefully if you want to
exercise your rights.
Eligible participants and, if applicable, brokers acting on
their behalf, who desire to purchase Class A Common Stock
in the rights offering must act promptly to ensure that all
required certificates and payments are actually received by the
subscription agent with respect to the rights before the
expiration of the subscription period at 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time, on October 1, 2007. The time period to
exercise rights is limited. If you or your broker fail to
complete and sign the required rights certificate, send an
incorrect payment amount, or otherwise fail to follow the
procedures that apply to the exercise of your rights, we may,
depending on the circumstances, reject your exercise of rights
or accept it to the extent of the payment received, in which
event, your current investment in the Company would be diluted.
Neither we nor the subscription agent undertake to contact you
concerning, or to attempt to correct, an incomplete or incorrect
rights certificate or payment or to contact you concerning
whether a broker holds rights on your behalf. We have the sole
discretion to determine whether an exercise properly follows the
applicable procedures.
17
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in
this prospectus include forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, that involve substantial risks and
uncertainties. Some of the forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of words such as anticipate,
believe, estimate, may,
intend, expect, will,
should, seek or other similar
expressions. Forward-looking statements are based largely on
managements expectations and involve inherent risks and
uncertainties including certain risks described in this
prospectus and any documents incorporated herein by reference.
When considering those forward-looking statements, you should
keep in mind the risks, uncertainties and other cautionary
statements made or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking
statement, which speaks only as of the date made. Some factors
which may affect the accuracy of the forward-looking statements
apply generally to the real estate industry, while other factors
apply directly to us. Any number of important factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements including: the impact of economic,
competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its
operations; the market for real estate in the areas where the
Company has developments, including the impact of market
conditions on the Companys margins and the fair value of
our real estate inventory; changes to the estimated fair value
of our real estate inventory and the potential for further
write-downs or impairment charges; the need to offer additional
incentives or discounts to buyers to generate sales; the effects
of increases in interest rates and availability of credit to
buyers of the Companys homes; cancellations of existing
sales contracts and the ability to consummate sales contracts
included in the Companys backlog; the realization of cost
savings associated with reductions of workforce and the ability
to limit overhead and costs commensurate with sales; the
Companys ability to periodically renew its credit
facilities on acceptable terms, if at all, and enable it to
finance projects through completion; the Companys ability
to maintain sufficient liquidity in the event of continued
weakness in the housing market; the Companys ability to
access additional capital on acceptable terms, if at all; and
the Companys success at managing the risks involved in the
foregoing.
Many of these factors are beyond our control, and we caution
that the foregoing factors are not exclusive. For a discussion
of factors that could cause actual results to differ, please see
the discussion in the section of this prospectus above entitled
Risk Factors and the risk factors and other
information contained in our other publicly available filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
SEC).
18
Assuming that all subscription rights are exercised (which
cannot be assured and likely will not be the case), we estimate
that we would receive net proceeds of approximately $199,700,000
in this offering, after deducting expenses of this offering.
We will have broad discretion in determining how the proceeds of
this offering will be used. We currently intend to use the
proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes,
including potentially funding Levitt and Sons continuing
cash needs, retaining the proceeds at Levitt Corporation or
investing additional funds in Core Communities. As a result of
the prolonged weakness in the homebuilding industry, Levitt and
Sons has experienced significant negative cash flow, which to
date has been funded by Levitt Corporation. We are continuing to
review Levitt and Sons financial condition and the terms
of its outstanding debt to determine whether it is in Levitt
Corporations best interest to continue to advance funds to
Levitt and Sons to support its operations. While we will seek to
restructure Levitt and Sons debt facilities, there is no
assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
19
The following table sets forth our capitalization as of
June 30, 2007 on an actual basis and on an as adjusted
basis to reflect the sale of the 100,000,000 shares of
Class A Common Stock to be sold by us in this offering
(after deducting estimated offering expenses). For the purpose
of this table, we have assumed that all of the rights are
exercised in the rights offering. However, there is no assurance
regarding the number of rights that will be exercised. You
should read the information in the following table in
conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and
related notes thereto which are incorporated by reference in
this prospectus.
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As of June 30, 2007
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Offering
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Actual
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Adjustments
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As Adjusted
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(in thousands, except share data)
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Notes and mortgage notes payable(1)
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$
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616,648
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$
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$
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616,648
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Junior subordinated debentures
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85,052
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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85,052
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Shareholders equity
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Preferred stock, ($0.01 par value;
5,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and
outstanding)
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Class A Common Stock ($0.01
par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized;
18,616,665 shares issued and outstanding; 118,616,655
shares issued and outstanding as adjusted)(2)(3)
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186
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1,000
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1,186
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Class B Common Stock ($0.01
par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized;
1,219,031 shares issued and outstanding)
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12
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12
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Additional
paid-in-capital(4)
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186,081
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198,700
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384,781
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Retained earnings(4)
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98,972
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|
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98,972
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Accumulated other comprehensive
income
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2,090
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|
|
|
|
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2,090
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|
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|
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|
|
|
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Total shareholders equity
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$
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287,341
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$
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199,700
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$
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487,041
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Total capitalization
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$
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989,041
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$
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199,700
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$
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1,188,741
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(1) |
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Includes the amount of notes and mortgage notes payable that are
classified as liabilities related to assets held for sale. |
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(2) |
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Assumes shareholder approval of the proposal to be considered at
our 2007 annual meeting of shareholders to amend our Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of
authorized shares of Class A Common Stock from 50,000,000 to
150,000,000. BFC, our controlling shareholder, has committed to
vote its shares of our common stock in favor of the amendment,
and, accordingly, shareholder approval of the amendment is
assured. |
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(3) |
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Does not include 2,421,390 shares of Class A Common Stock
issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options at
August 21, 2007 with a weighted average exercise price of
$17.43 per share. |
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(4) |
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Does not include any adjustments which may result from the
issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock in this offering if
the subscription price of $2.00 per share is less than the
market price of such shares on the expiration date. |
20
Before exercising any subscription rights, you should read
carefully the information set forth under Risk
Factors beginning on page 6.
The
Subscription Rights
Basic
Subscription Rights
We are distributing to you, at no cost, 5.0414 non-transferable
subscription rights for each share of Class A Common Stock
or Class B Common Stock that you owned as a holder of
record of shares of our Class A Common Stock or
Class B Common Stock on August 27, 2007. You will not
receive fractional subscription rights during the rights
offering, but instead we have rounded your total number of
subscription rights up to the next largest whole number. Each
whole subscription right entitles you to purchase one share of
Class A Common Stock for $2.00. If you wish to exercise
your subscription rights, you must do so before 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern Standard Time, on October 1, 2007. Unless we decide to
extend the offering, after the expiration date, the subscription
rights will expire and will no longer be exercisable.
Each whole subscription right entitles you to receive one share
of Class A Common Stock upon payment of $2.00 per share.
You will receive certificates representing the shares that you
purchase pursuant to your subscription rights as soon as
practicable after the expiration date, whether you exercise your
subscription rights immediately prior to that date or earlier.
Over-Subscription
Rights
Subject to the allocation described below, each basic
subscription right also grants the holder an over-subscription
right to purchase additional shares of our Class A Common
Stock that are not purchased by other rights holders pursuant to
their basic subscription rights. You are entitled to exercise
your over-subscription right only if you exercise your basic
subscription right in full.
If you wish to exercise your over-subscription right, you should
indicate the number of additional shares that you would like to
purchase in the space provided on your rights certificate. When
you send in your rights certificate, you must also send the full
purchase price for the number of additional shares that you have
requested to purchase (in addition to the payment due for shares
purchased through your basic subscription right). If the number
of shares remaining after the exercise of all basic subscription
rights is not sufficient to satisfy all requests for shares
pursuant to over-subscription rights, you will be allocated
additional shares (subject to elimination of fractional shares)
in the proportion which the number of shares you purchased
through the basic subscription right bears to the total number
of shares that all over-subscribing shareholders purchased
through the basic subscription right. However, if your pro-rata
allocation exceeds the number of shares you requested on your
rights certificate, then you will receive only the number of
shares that you requested, and the remaining shares from your
pro-rata allocation will be divided among other rights holders
exercising their over-subscription rights.
As soon as practicable after the expiration date, the
subscription agent will determine the number of shares of
Class A Common Stock that you may purchase pursuant to the
over-subscription right. You will receive certificates
representing these shares as soon as practicable after the
expiration date and after all allocations and adjustments have
been effected. If you request and pay for more shares than are
allocated to you, we will refund the overpayment, without
interest. In connection with the exercise of the
over-subscription right, banks, brokers and other nominee
holders of subscription rights who act on behalf of beneficial
owners will be required to certify to us and to the subscription
agent as to the aggregate number of subscription rights
exercised, and the number of shares of Class A Common Stock
requested through the over-subscription right, by each
beneficial owner on whose behalf the nominee holder is acting.
Subscription
Price
The subscription price under the subscription rights is $2.00
per share. The subscription price does not necessarily bear any
relationship to our past or expected future results of
operations, cash flows, current
21
financial condition, or any other established criteria for
value. No change will be made to the subscription price by
reason of changes in the trading price of our Class A
Common Stock or other factors prior to the closing of this
offering.
Determination
of Subscription Price
Our board of directors set all of the terms and conditions of
this offering, including the subscription price. Our board of
directors determined that the subscription price should be
designed to provide an incentive to our current shareholders to
exercise their rights in this rights offering. In establishing
the subscription price, our board of directors considered
various factors, including the amount of proceeds desired, our
need for equity capital, the current market price of our
Class A Common Stock, the volatility of the market price of
our Class A Common Stock, our recent and anticipated
operating results, general conditions in the securities and real
estate markets, alternatives available to us for raising equity
capital and the liquidity of our Class A Common Stock. We
did not seek or obtain any opinion of financial advisors or
investment bankers in establishing the subscription price for
the offering. You should not consider the subscription price as
an indication of the value of the Company or our Class A
Common Stock. We cannot assure you that you will be able to sell
shares purchased during this offering at a price equal to or
greater than the subscription price. On August 27, 2007,
the closing sale price of our Class A Common Stock on the
New York Stock Exchange was $2.24 per share.
Expiration
Date
The rights will expire at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time,
on October 1, 2007, unless we decide to extend the rights
offering. If you do not exercise your subscription rights prior
to the expiration date, your subscription rights will be null
and void. We will not be required to issue shares of
Class A Common Stock to you if the subscription agent
receives your subscription certificate or your payment after
that time, regardless of when you sent the subscription
certificate and payment, unless you send the documents in
compliance with the guaranteed delivery procedures described
below.
Cancellation
and Amendment Right
We may cancel the rights offering in our sole discretion at any
time for any reason, including a change in the market price of
the Class A Common Stock. If we cancel the rights offering,
any funds you paid will be refunded, without interest or
deduction.
We reserve the right to amend the terms of this offering. If we
make an amendment that we consider significant, we will extend
the expiration date and offer all subscribers the right to
revoke any subscription submitted prior to such amendment upon
the terms and conditions we set forth in the amendment. The
extension of the expiration date will not, in and of itself, be
treated as a significant amendment for these purposes.
Non-Transferability
of Subscription Rights
Except in the limited circumstances described below, only you
may exercise your subscription rights, and you may not sell,
give away or otherwise transfer your subscription rights.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may transfer your rights to
any of your affiliates. As used in this offering for this
purpose, an affiliate means any person (including a partnership,
corporation or other legal entity such as a trust or estate),
which controls, is controlled by or is under common control with
you. Your rights also may be transferred by operation of law.
For example, a transfer of rights to the estate of the recipient
upon the death of the recipient would be permitted. If your
rights are transferred as permitted, evidence satisfactory to us
that the transfer was proper must be received by the
subscription agent prior to the expiration date of this offering.
22
Exercise
Of Subscription Rights
You may exercise your subscription rights by delivering to the
subscription agent on or prior to the expiration date:
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A properly completed and duly executed subscription certificate;
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Any required signature guarantees or other supplemental
documentation; and
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Payment in full of $2.00 per share of Class A Common Stock
to be purchased pursuant to the basic subscription rights and
any over-subscription right.
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You should deliver your subscription certificate and payment to
the subscription agent at the address set forth in this section
under the heading Subscription Agent. We will not
pay you interest on funds delivered to the subscription agent
pursuant to the exercise of rights.
You bear all risk for the method of delivery of rights
certificates, any necessary accompanying documents and payment
of the subscription price to the subscription agent. If you send
the rights certificate and other items by mail, we recommend
that you send them by registered mail, properly insured, with
return receipt requested. You should allow a sufficient number
of days to ensure delivery and clearance of cash payment prior
to the expiration time.
We reserve the right to reject any exercise of subscription
rights if the exercise does not fully comply with the terms of
the rights offering or is not in proper form or if the exercise
of rights would be unlawful.
Method of
Payment
Payment for the shares must be made by check or bank draft
(cashiers check) drawn upon a U.S. bank or a money order
payable to Levitt Corporation, c/o Computershare Trust
Company, N.A. Payment will be deemed to have been received
by the subscription agent only upon the subscription
agents receipt of any certified check, bank draft drawn
upon a U.S. bank or money order or, in the case of an
uncertified personal check, receipt and clearance of such check.
Please note that funds paid by uncertified personal check may
take at least seven business days to clear. Accordingly, if you
wish to pay by means of an uncertified personal check, we urge
you to make payment sufficiently in advance of the expiration
date to ensure that the subscription agent receives cleared
funds before that date. We also urge you to consider payment by
means of a certified or cashiers check or money order.
Guaranteed
Delivery Procedures
If you wish to exercise your rights, but you do not have
sufficient time to deliver the rights certificate evidencing
your rights or payment in full of the subscription price for the
shares for which you are subscribing to the subscription agent
before the expiration date, you may exercise your rights by the
following guaranteed delivery procedures:
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deliver a notice of guaranteed delivery to the subscription
agent at or before the expiration date; and
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deliver the properly completed rights certificate evidencing the
rights being exercised and payment in full of the subscription
price for the shares for which you are subscribing pursuant to
the basic subscription rights and over-subscription rights, with
any required signatures medallion guaranteed, to the
subscription agent, within three business days following the
expiration date.
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Your notice of guaranteed delivery must be substantially in the
form provided to you with your rights certificate. Your notice
of guaranteed delivery must come from an eligible institution
which is a member of, or a participant in, a signature medallion
guarantee program acceptable to the subscription agent. In your
notice of guaranteed delivery you must state:
23
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the number of rights represented by your rights certificate, the
number of shares of Class A Common Stock you are
subscribing for pursuant to your subscription rights; and
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your guarantee that you will deliver to the subscription agent
any rights certificates evidencing the rights you are exercising
and payment in full of the subscription price for the shares for
which you are subscribing within three business days following
the expiration time.
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You may deliver the notice of guaranteed delivery to the
subscription agent in the same manner as the rights certificate
at the addresses set forth in this section under the heading
Subscription Agent.
Eligible institutions may also transmit the notice of guaranteed
delivery to the subscription agent by facsimile transmission to
(781) 930-4942. To confirm facsimile deliveries, you may call
(781) 930-4900.
The information agent will send you additional copies of the
form of notice of guaranteed delivery if you need them.
Shareholders may call the information agent at (866) 413-8827,
and banks and brokers may call the information agent at (212)
440-9800.
Signature
Guarantees
Signatures on the subscription certificate do not need to be
guaranteed if either the subscription certificate provides that
the shares of Class A Common Stock to be purchased are to
be delivered directly to the record owner of such subscription
rights, or the subscription certificate is submitted for the
account of a member firm of a registered national securities
exchange or a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an
office or correspondent in the United States. Signatures on all
other subscription certificates must be guaranteed by an
Eligible Guarantor Institution, as defined in
Rule 17Ad-15
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, subject to
the standards and procedures adopted by the subscription agent.
Eligible Guarantor Institutions include banks, brokers, dealers,
credit unions, national securities exchanges and savings
associations.
Rights of
Subscribers
Your exercise of rights in this rights offering will give you no
additional rights as a shareholder until the shares you have
purchased in the rights offering are issued to you.
No
Revocation of Exercised Rights
Once you send in your subscription certificate and payment, you
cannot revoke the exercise of your subscription rights, even if
the subscription period has not yet ended, we extend the
subscription period, you later learn information about us that
you consider to be unfavorable or the market price of our
Class A Common Stock is below the $2.00 per share purchase
price. You should not exercise your subscription rights unless
you are certain that you wish to purchase additional shares of
our Class A Common Stock at a price of $2.00 per share.
Issuance
of Class A Common Stock
Unless we earlier terminate the rights offering, we will issue
the shares of our Class A Common Stock purchased in the
rights offering as soon as practicable following the expiration
date of the rights offering to those rights holders who have
timely and properly completed, signed and delivered a rights
certificate together with payment of the subscription price for
each share of Class A Common Stock subscribed for. Each
subscribing holders new shares will be issued in the same
form, certificated or book-entry, as the rights exercised by
that holder.
Your payment of the aggregate subscription price for our
Class A Common Stock will be retained by the subscription
agent and will not be delivered to us, unless and until your
subscription is accepted and you are issued your shares of
Class A Common Stock. We will not pay you any interest on
funds paid to the subscription agent, regardless of whether the
funds are applied to the subscription price or returned to you.
You will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company with
respect to the subscribed for shares of our
24
Class A Common Stock until the certificates representing
such shares are issued to you or the shares are deposited in the
book-entry account held on your behalf. Upon our issuance of the
certificates or the deposit of the shares in the applicable
book-entry account, you will be deemed the owner of the shares
you purchased by exercise of your rights. Unless otherwise
instructed in the rights certificates, the shares issued to you
pursuant to your subscription will be registered in your name or
the name of your nominee, if applicable. We will not issue any
fractional shares of Class A Common Stock.
Shares Held
for Others
If you are a broker, a trustee or a depository for securities,
or you otherwise hold shares of Class A Common Stock for
the account of others as a nominee holder, you should promptly
notify the beneficial owner of such shares as soon as possible
to obtain instructions with respect to their subscription
rights. If the beneficial owner so instructs, you should
complete the appropriate subscription certificate and submit it,
together with any other required documentation and payment in
full for the shares subscribed for, to the subscription agent.
If you are a beneficial owner of Class A Common Stock held
by a nominee holder, such as a broker, trustee or a depository
for securities, we will ask your broker, dealer or other nominee
to notify you of this rights offering. If you wish to purchase
shares through this rights offering, you should contact the
holder and ask him or her to effect transactions in accordance
with your instructions.
Ambiguities
in Exercise of Subscription Rights
If you do not specify the number of shares of Class A
Common Stock being subscribed for on your subscription
certificate, or if your payment is not sufficient to pay the
total purchase price for all of the shares that you indicated
you wished to purchase, you will be deemed to have subscribed
for the maximum number of shares of Class A Common Stock
that could be subscribed for with the payment that the
subscription agent receives from you. If the aggregate
subscription price paid by you exceeds the amount necessary to
purchase the number of shares for which you have indicated an
intention to subscribe, then you will be deemed to have
exercised the basic subscription rights and over-subscription
rights to the full extent of the excess payment tendered, to
purchase, to the extent available, that number of whole shares
of Class A Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing the excess payment tendered by the subscription price.
Any remaining amount shall be returned to you by mail, without
interest or deduction, as soon as practicable after the
expiration date and after all prorations and adjustments
contemplated by the terms of the rights offering have been
effected.
Our
Determinations will be Binding
All questions concerning the timeliness, validity, form and
eligibility of any exercise of subscription rights will be
determined by us, and our determinations will be final and
binding. In our sole discretion, we may waive any defect or
irregularity, or permit a defect or irregularity to be corrected
within such time as we may determine, or reject the purported
exercise of any subscription right by reason of any defect or
irregularity in any exercise. Subscriptions will not be deemed
to have been received or accepted until all irregularities have
been waived by us or cured within such time as we determine in
our sole discretion. Neither we nor the subscription agent will
be under any duty to notify you of any defect or irregularity in
connection with the submission of a rights certificate or incur
any liability for failure to give you that notice.
Regulatory
Limitation
We will not be required to issue to you shares of Class A
Common Stock pursuant to the rights offering if, in our opinion,
you would be required to obtain prior clearance or approval from
any state or federal regulatory authorities to own or control
such shares if, at the time the subscription rights expire, you
have not obtained such clearance or approval.
25
Shares of
Class A Common Stock Outstanding After the Rights
Offering
As of August 27, 2007, we had outstanding 18,616,665 shares
of Class A Common Stock. Assuming we issue all of the
shares of Class A Common Stock offered in the rights
offering, approximately 118,616,665 shares of Class A
Common Stock will be outstanding. This would represent an
increase of approximately 537.2% in the number of outstanding
shares of our Class A Common Stock. If you do not fully
exercise your subscription rights but others do, the percentage
of our Class A Common Stock that you hold will decrease.
Certain
Anti-Takeover Effects
The terms of our Class A and Class B Common Stock make
the sale or transfer of control of the Company or the removal of
incumbent directors unlikely without BFCs concurrence. Our
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws also
contain other provisions which could have anti-takeover effects.
These provisions include, without limitation:
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the provisions in our Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation regarding the voting rights of our Class B
Common Stock;
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the authority of our board of directors to issue additional
shares of preferred stock and to fix the relative rights and
preferences of the preferred stock without additional
shareholder approval;
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the division of our board of directors into three classes of
directors with three-year staggered terms; and
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advance notice procedures to be complied with by shareholders in
order to make shareholder proposals or nominate directors.
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We are also subject to the Florida Business Corporation Act,
including provisions related to control share
acquisitions. These provisions generally provide that
shares acquired within specified voting ranges (shares
representing in excess of 20%, 33% and 50% of outstanding voting
power) will not possess voting rights unless the acquisition of
the shares is approved by our board of directors before
acquisition of the shares or the voting rights associated with
the shares are approved by a majority vote of disinterested
shareholders following the acquisition of the shares.
Acquisition of shares in this offering have been approved in
advance by our board of directors and accordingly shares
acquired in this offering are not subject to the limitations of
these provisions.
Fees And
Expenses
We will pay all fees charged by the subscription agent and the
information agent. You are responsible for paying any other
commissions, fees, taxes or other expenses incurred in
connection with the exercise of the subscription rights. None of
the Company, the subscription agent nor the information agent
will pay these expenses.
Subscription
Agent
We have appointed Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as
subscription agent for the rights offering.
You can contact the subscription agent by mail at Computershare
Trust Company, N.A., Attn: Levitt Rights Offering, P.O. Box
859208, Braintree, MA 02185-9208 or by express mail, overnight
courier or hand delivery at Computershare Trust Company, N.A.,
Attn: Levitt Rights Offerring, 161 Bay State Drive, Braintree,
MA 02184.
You should deliver your rights certificate, payment of the
subscription price and notice of guaranteed delivery (if any) to
the subscription agent. We will pay the fees and certain
expenses of the subscription agent, which we estimate will total
approximately $20,000. Under certain circumstances, we may
indemnify the subscription agent from certain liabilities that
may arise in connection with the rights offering.
26
Information
Agent
We have appointed Georgeson Inc. as information agent for the
rights offering. The information agent will be responsible for
delivery of rights offering materials to certain nominee
holders. The information agent will also operate a toll free
telephone number to answer questions from shareholders relating
to the rights offering. Shareholders may contact the information
agent by telephone at (866) 413-8827, and banks and brokers may
contact the information agent by telephone at (212) 440-9800.
We will pay the fees and certain expenses of the information
agent, which we estimate will total approximately $25,000. Under
certain circumstances, we may indemnify the information agent
from certain liabilities that may arise in connection with the
rights offering.
No
Recommendations
Neither we nor our board of directors are making any
recommendation as to whether or not you should exercise your
subscription rights. You should make your decision based on your
own assessment of your best interests.
Important
DO NOT SEND RIGHTS CERTIFICATES DIRECTLY TO US. YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR CHOOSING THE PAYMENT AND DELIVERY METHOD FOR
YOUR RIGHTS CERTIFICATE, AND YOU BEAR THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH
SUCH DELIVERY. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DELIVER YOUR RIGHTS CERTIFICATE
AND PAYMENT BY MAIL, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE REGISTERED MAIL,
PROPERLY INSURED, WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED. WE ALSO
RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALLOW A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF DAYS TO ENSURE
DELIVERY TO THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT AND CLEARANCE OF PAYMENT
PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE. BECAUSE UNCERTIFIED PERSONAL
CHECKS MAY TAKE AT LEAST SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS TO CLEAR, WE
STRONGLY URGE YOU TO PAY, OR ARRANGE FOR PAYMENT, BY MEANS OF
CERTIFIED OR CASHIERS CHECK OR MONEY ORDER.
If You
Have Questions
If you have questions or need assistance concerning the
procedure for exercising subscription rights, or if you would
like additional copies of this prospectus or the Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery, you should contact:
Information Agent
Georgeson Inc.
17 State St., 10th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Shareholders: (866) 413-8827
Banks and Brokers: (212) 440-9800
27
On or about September 4, 2007, we will distribute at no
cost the subscription rights and copies of this prospectus to
all holders of record of our Class A Common Stock and
Class B Common Stock on August 27, 2007. If you wish
to exercise your basic subscription rights and the
over-subscription rights and purchase shares of Class A
Common Stock, you should complete the rights certificate and
return it, with payment for the shares, to the subscription
agent at the address on page 26. See The Rights
Offering Exercise of Subscription Rights. If
you have any questions, you should contact the information
agent, Georgeson Inc., at the applicable telephone number and
address on page 27.
FEDERAL
INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following summarizes the material federal income tax
consequences to you as a U.S. shareholder of the Company and to
us as a result of the receipt, lapse, or exercise of the
subscription rights distributed to you pursuant to the rights
offering. This discussion does not address the tax consequences
of the rights offering under applicable state, local or foreign
tax laws. Moreover, this discussion does not address every
aspect of taxation that may be relevant to a particular taxpayer
under special circumstances or who is subject to special
treatment under applicable law and is not intended to be
applicable in all respects to all categories of investors. For
example, this discussion does not address certain types of
investors, such as insurance companies, tax-exempt persons,
financial institutions, regulated investment companies, dealers
in securities, persons who hold their shares of our common stock
as part of a hedging, straddle, constructive sale or conversion
transaction, persons whose functional currency is not the U.S.
dollar and persons who are not treated as a U.S. shareholder.
For purposes of this disclosure, a U.S. shareholder is a holder
of our common stock that is:
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an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
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a corporation, partnership or other entity created in, or
organized under the laws of the United States or any state or
political subdivision thereof;
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an estate the income of which is includable in gross income for
U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or
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a trust that either:
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the administration of which is subject to the primary
supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more U.S.
persons who have the authority to control all substantial
decisions of the trust, or
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was in existence on August 20, 1996, was treated as a U.S.
person on the previous day, and elected to continue to be so
treated.
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This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (which we will refer to as the Code), the
Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authority
and current administrative rules and practice, any of which may
subsequently be changed, possibly retroactively, or interpreted
differently by the Internal Revenue Service, so as to result in
U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those
discussed below. The discussion that follows neither binds nor
precludes the Internal Revenue Service from adopting a position
contrary to that expressed in this prospectus, and we cannot
assure you that such a contrary position could not be asserted
successfully by the Internal Revenue Service or adopted by a
court if the positions were litigated. We have not obtained a
ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or a written opinion
from tax counsel with respect to the federal income tax
consequences discussed below. This discussion assumes that your
shares of common stock and the subscription rights and shares
issued to you during the rights offering constitute capital
assets within the meaning of Code Section 1221.
Receipt and exercise of the subscription rights distributed
pursuant to the rights offering is intended to be nontaxable to
shareholders, and the following summary assumes you will qualify
for such nontaxable treatment. If, however, the rights offering
does not qualify as nontaxable, you would be treated as
receiving a taxable distribution equal to the fair market value
of the subscription rights on their distribution date. The
28
distribution would be taxed as a dividend to the extent made out
of our current or accumulated earnings and profits; any excess
would be treated first as a return of your basis (investment) in
your stock and then as a capital gain. Expiration of the
subscription rights would result in a capital loss.
Taxation
of Shareholders
Receipt of a subscription right. You will not
recognize any gain or other income upon receipt of a
subscription right in respect of your common stock. Your tax
basis in each subscription right will effectively depend on
whether you exercise the subscription right or allow the
subscription right to expire. Except as provided in the
following sentence, the basis of the subscription rights you
receive as a distribution with respect to your shares of our
common stock will be zero. If, however, either (i) the fair
market value of the subscription rights on the date of issuance
is 15% or more of the fair market value (on the date of issuance
of the rights) of the common stock with respect to which they
are received or (ii) you properly elect, in your federal
income tax return for the taxable year in which the subscription
rights are received, to allocate part of your basis in your
common stock to the subscription rights, then upon exercise of
the rights, your basis in your common stock will be allocated
between the common stock and the rights in proportion to the
fair market value of each on the date the rights are issued. In
addition, your holding period for a subscription right will
include your holding period for the shares of common stock upon
which the subscription right is issued.
Expiration of subscription rights. You will
not recognize any loss upon the expiration of a subscription
right.
Exercise of subscription rights. You generally
will not recognize a gain or loss on the exercise of a
subscription right. The tax basis of any share of Class A
Common Stock that you purchase through the rights offering will
be equal to the sum of your tax basis (if any) in the
subscription right exercised and the price paid for the share.
The holding period of the shares of Class A Common Stock
purchased through the rights offering will begin on the date
that you exercise your subscription rights.
Taxation
of the Company
We will not recognize any gain, other income or loss upon the
issuance of the subscription rights, the lapse of the
subscription rights, or the receipt of payment for shares of
Class A Common Stock upon exercise of the subscription
rights.
THIS DISCUSSION IS INCLUDED FOR YOUR GENERAL INFORMATION
ONLY. YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR TO DETERMINE THE TAX
CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING IN LIGHT OF YOUR
PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING ANY STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN
TAX CONSEQUENCES.
The validity of the shares of Class A Common Stock offered
by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Stearns Weaver
Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., of Miami,
Florida.
The audited financial statements of Levitt Corporation, except
as they relate to Bluegreen Corporation, and managements
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting (which is included in Managements
Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting)
incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Amendment
No. 2 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year
ended December 31, 2006 have been so incorporated in
reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an
independent registered certified public accounting firm, given
on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and
accounting.
29
The consolidated financial statements of Bluegreen Corporation,
have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent
registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report,
which is included as Exhibit 99.1 to Amendment No. 2
to the Annual Report on
Form 10-K/A
for the year ended December 31, 2006 of Levitt Corporation.
Such consolidated financial statements, to the extent that they
have been included as an Exhibit to the financial statements of
Levitt Corporation, are incorporated herein by reference in
reliance upon such report given on the authority of said firm as
experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file reports, proxy statements, and other information with
the SEC. You can read and copy these reports, proxy statements,
and other information concerning us at the SECs Public
Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330
for further information on the Public Reference Room. You can
review our electronically filed reports, proxy and information
statements on the SECs internet site at
http://www.sec.gov. Our Class A Common Stock is listed on
the New York Stock Exchange. These reports, proxy statements and
other information are also available for inspection at the
offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New
York City, New York 10005.
We have filed a registration statement on
Form S-3
with the SEC covering the securities offered by this prospectus.
This prospectus, which forms a part of the registration
statement, does not contain all of the information included in
the registration statement. For further information about us and
the securities offered by this prospectus, you should refer to
the registration statement and its exhibits. You can obtain the
full registration statement from the SEC as indicated above.
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the
information we file with the SEC. This permits us to disclose
important information to you by referring to these filed
documents. The information incorporated by reference is an
important part of this prospectus, and information that we file
later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this
information. We incorporate by reference:
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our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on
March 16, 2007;
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Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on
April 27, 2007;
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Amendment No. 2 to our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on
July 5, 2007;
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our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007, filed with
the SEC on May 10, 2007;
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Amendment No. 1 to our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007, filed with
the SEC on May 17, 2007;
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Amendment No. 2 to our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007, filed with
the SEC on July 5, 2007;
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our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2007, filed with
the SEC on August 9, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on January 31, 2007 (Item 1.01 and
Exhibit 2.1 only);
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on March 27, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on May 17, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on June 18, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on July 9, 2007;
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Amendment No. 1 to our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on July 10, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on July 16, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on August 15, 2007;
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our Current Report on
Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on August 24, 2007;
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the description of our Class A Common Stock, par value
$0.01 per share, contained in our Registration Statement on
Form 8-A,
filed with the SEC on December 12, 2003; and
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any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
until this offering is terminated.
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We will provide without charge to each person, including any
beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon
written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the foregoing
documents incorporated herein by reference (other than exhibits,
unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference
in such documents). Requests for such documents should be
directed to:
Corporate
Communications
Levitt Corporation
2200 West Cypress Creek Road
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
CorpComm@levittcorporation.com
31
100,000,000 Shares
Levitt Corporation
Class A Common
Stock
Prospectus
,
2007
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14.
Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution
The following table sets forth the expenses to be borne by
Levitt Corporation (the Registrant) in connection
with the offering. All of the amounts shown are estimates except
the SEC registration fee.
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SEC Registration Fee
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$
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6,140
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Legal Fees and Expenses
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100,000
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Accounting Fees and Expenses
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30,000
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Subscription Agents Fees and
Expenses
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20,000
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Information Agents Fees and
Expenses
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25,000
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Printing and Mailing Expenses
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75,000
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Miscellaneous Expenses
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43,860
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TOTAL FEES AND EXPENSES
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$
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300,000
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ITEM 15.
Indemnification Of Directors And Officers
Section 607.0850 of the Florida Business Corporation Act
and the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant provide for
indemnification of each of the Registrants directors and
officers against claims, liabilities, amounts paid in settlement
and expenses if such director or officer is or was a party to
any proceeding by reason of the fact that such person is or was
a director or officer of the Registrant or is or was serving as
a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of the
Registrant, which may include liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act). In
addition, the Registrant carries insurance permitted by the laws
of the State of Florida on behalf of its directors, officers,
employees or agents which covers alleged or actual error or
omission, misstatement, misleading misstatement, neglect or
breach of fiduciary duty while acting solely as a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, which acts may
also include liabilities under the Securities Act.
ITEM 16.
Exhibits
The following exhibits either are filed herewith or were filed
with the initial filing of this registration statement, as
indicated below:
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Exhibits
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Description
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4
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.1
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Form of Subscription Rights
Certificate
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5
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.1
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Opinion of Stearns Weaver Miller
Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.
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.1
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Consent of Stearns Weaver Miller
Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. (Included in
Exhibit 5.1)
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.2
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Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
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.3
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Consent of Ernst & Young
LLP
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.1
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Power of Attorney (Included with
Signature Pages to the Initial Filing of this Registration
Statement)
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99
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Form of Notice of Guaranteed
Delivery
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II-1
ITEM 17.
Undertakings
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of the registration statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the registration statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in
volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
securities offered would not exceed that which was registered)
and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
volume and price represent no more than a 20 % change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
Calculation of Registration Fee table in the
effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and
(a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be
included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the Exchange Act) that are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement or is contained in a
form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is
part of the registration statement;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability
under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to
the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and
(3) To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered
which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under
the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the
registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was
deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration
statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering
made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for
the purpose of providing the information required by
section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be
part of and included in the registration statement as of the
earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after
effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of
securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As
provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer
and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date
shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration
statement relating to the securities in the registration
statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of
such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement
made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of
the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or
deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement
or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will,
as to a purchaser with a time of contract of
II-2
sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any
statement that was made in the registration statement or
prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made
in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the
registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the
initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned
registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities
of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration
statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell
the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered
or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following
communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to
the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such
securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the
undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be
filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering
prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used
or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus
relating to the offering containing material information about
the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on
behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the
offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act,
each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to
section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act
(and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plans annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers
and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore unenforceable.
In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of
expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,
officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the registrants will, unless in the opinion of
their counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed
by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-3
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on
Form S-3
and has duly caused this Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of
Fort Lauderdale, State of Florida, on the 28th day of
August, 2007.
LEVITT CORPORATION
Alan B. Levan
Chairman of the Board of Directors and
Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been
signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
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SIGNATURE
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TITLE
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DATE
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/s/ Alan
B. Levan
Alan
B. Levan
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Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
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August 28, 2007
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*
John
E. Abdo
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Vice-Chairman of the Board
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August 28, 2007
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/s/ George
P. Scanlon
George
P. Scanlon
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Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
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August 28, 2007
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/s/ Jeanne
T. Prayther
Jeanne
T. Prayther
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Chief Accounting Officer
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August 28, 2007
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*
James
Blosser
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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*
Darwin
C. Dornbush
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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*
S.
Lawrence Kahn, III
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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*
Alan
Levy
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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*
Joel
Levy
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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II-4
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SIGNATURE
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TITLE
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DATE
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*
William
R. Nicholson
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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*
William
R. Scherer
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Director
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August 28, 2007
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*By:
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/s/ Alan
B. Levan
Alan
B. Levan,
Attorney-in-fact
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II-5
INDEX TO
EXHIBITS
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Exhibits
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Description
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4
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.1
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Form of Subscription Rights
Certificate
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5
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.1
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Opinion of Stearns Weaver Miller
Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.
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23
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.1
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Consent of Stearns Weaver Miller
Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. (Included in
Exhibit 5.1)
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23
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.2
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Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
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23
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.3
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Consent of Ernst & Young
LLP
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24
|
.1
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Power of Attorney (Included with
Signature Pages to the Initial Filing of this Registration
Statement)
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99
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.1
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Form of Notice of Guaranteed
Delivery
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II-6